Death on demand
By (Author) Paul Thomas
Bitter Lemon Press
Bitter Lemon Press
1st October 2013
United Kingdom
General
Fiction
823.92
Winner of Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel 2013
Paperback
282
Ihaka is in the wilderness, having fallen foul of the new regime at Auckland Central. Called back to follow up a strange twist in the unsolved case that got him into trouble in the first place, Ihaka finds himself hunting a shadowy hitman who could have several notches on his belt. His enemies want him off the case, but the bodies are piling up. Ihaka embarks on a quest to establish whether police corruption was behind the shooting of an undercover cop and--to complicate matters-- he becomes involved with an enigmatic female suspect who could hold the key to everything.
"Local hero, local setting, world-class crime writing: Ihaka's return is a rollicking read" The Listener "Tito Ihaka, the maverick Maori cop, dances through a minefield of police politics, old grudges, blackmail, and gangs as he hunts a faceless killer in Auckland. Filled with helter-skelter storylines, witty dialogue, and captivating characters." Herald on Sunday "It's the stuff the best gangster films are made of, perfectly composed, with the action kept in the realm of reality and a steady, tense wire of human pathos running down its spine." The Coast
Paul Thomas, born in Harrogate in 1951, is New Zealand's best known crime writer. His novels include Dirty Laundry(aka Old School Tie, 1994),Inside Dope (1995),Guerrilla Season (1996), Final Cut (1999),The Empty Bed (2002) and Sex Crimes (2003). In addition, Thomas has written short stories and screenplays for TV, including Ihaka: Blunt Instrument.