Cliff Hardy, private investigator, has been asked for help by his long time friend, Frank Parker. Parker’s former lover, Catherine Castiglione, has made contact, claiming that Parker is the father of her missing son. Hardy is asked to locate the son and see if he can prove the innocence of the man who believed he was the boy’s father – a long-dead doctor who died while serving time for a murder he may not have committed.
While Hardy investigates, he meets a cast of players in a mystery bigger than he envisions, including policemen past and current, prostitutes, dodgy plastic surgeons and more. He also faces more than one threat on his life, and risks losing his investigator’s licence yet again.
Undertow is the thirtieth book in the Cliff Hardy series. Author Peter Corris continues to use the formula which has give the series its longevity, including a likeable main character, plenty of twists and turns and a first person narration which gives the story immediacy and accessibility.
Good stuff.
The Undertow, by Peter Corris
Allen & Unwin, 2006
You can purchase this book online at Fishpond.