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The Belltree Trilogy #1
Crucifixion Creek
A meth-addicted biker shoots a woman during a police siege. An elderly couple commit suicide on the terrace of their favorite café. An unidentified white male is stabbed to death in the street.
For Sydney homicide detective Harry Belltree, not long out of the military and a grueling tour of Afghanistan, these three deaths appear to be just another day at the office. Until, that is, he identifies the stabbing victim as his own brother-in-law Greg, and journalist Kelly Pool suggests there's a link between the three incidents. It seems Greg and the old couple had ties to the same man, a corrupt money man with a murky past and friends in both high places and low.
Harry Belltree can't get officially involved in Greg's murder, but he's not going to leave it in the hands of others. That's when he goes off-grid to investigate the links between these deaths. That's when things start to get dangerous.
For Sydney homicide detective Harry Belltree, not long out of the military and a grueling tour of Afghanistan, these three deaths appear to be just another day at the office. Until, that is, he identifies the stabbing victim as his own brother-in-law Greg, and journalist Kelly Pool suggests there's a link between the three incidents. It seems Greg and the old couple had ties to the same man, a corrupt money man with a murky past and friends in both high places and low.
Harry Belltree can't get officially involved in Greg's murder, but he's not going to leave it in the hands of others. That's when he goes off-grid to investigate the links between these deaths. That's when things start to get dangerous.
255 pages, Paperback
First published September 24, 2014
33 people are currently reading
801 people want to read
About the author
Barry Maitland
44 books185 followersBarry Maitland is the author of the acclaimed Brock and Kolla series of crime mystery novels, which are set in London, where Barry grew up after his family moved there.
His books have been described as whydunits as much as whodunits, concerned with the devious histories and motivations of their characters. Barry's background in architecture drew him to the structured character of the mystery novel, and his books are notable for their ingenious plots as well as for their atmospheric settings, each in a different intriguing corner of London.
Barry studied architecture at Cambridge University, and went on to work as an architect in the UK, then took a PhD in urban design at the University of Sheffield, where he also taught and wrote a number of books on architecture and urban design. In 1984 he moved to Australia to head the architecture school at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, and held that position until 2000. He now writes fiction full time, and lives in the Hunter Valley, Australia.
His books have been described as whydunits as much as whodunits, concerned with the devious histories and motivations of their characters. Barry's background in architecture drew him to the structured character of the mystery novel, and his books are notable for their ingenious plots as well as for their atmospheric settings, each in a different intriguing corner of London.
Barry studied architecture at Cambridge University, and went on to work as an architect in the UK, then took a PhD in urban design at the University of Sheffield, where he also taught and wrote a number of books on architecture and urban design. In 1984 he moved to Australia to head the architecture school at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, and held that position until 2000. He now writes fiction full time, and lives in the Hunter Valley, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
October 9, 2018
Sydney based cop, Harry Belltree is carrying out his own personal investigation into the suspicious death of his parents in a car accident - the same accident in which his wife Jenny lost her sight. Meanwhile, the police are investigating the stabbing of Harry's brother-in-law Greg, an investigation that Harry has been ordered to steer well clear of.
He decides to feed information gained, to journalist Kelly, in the hope that he can discover the reasons behind these deaths, and most importantly who the perpetrators were.
A great plot with many twists and turns, together with the addition of some well developed characters, this is a definite must read.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free copy*
He decides to feed information gained, to journalist Kelly, in the hope that he can discover the reasons behind these deaths, and most importantly who the perpetrators were.
A great plot with many twists and turns, together with the addition of some well developed characters, this is a definite must read.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free copy*
September 20, 2016
4.5* Set in south-western Sydney, Australia, Homicide Detective Harry Belltree doesn’t play by the rules. Shocked and saddened by the sudden death of his parents by unknown assailants, Harry is determined to find those responsible and deal with them on a very personal level. Investigating current crimes, Belltree reluctantly agrees to provide the occasional tip to Kelly Pool, a nosey dynamic news reporter, hoping the few details he provides aids in discovering any cover ups in Crucifixion Creek. Shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Awards, Best Crime Novel, 2015, this was a gripping and riveting story. Don’t miss out on reading the many novels by this very talented author. Highly recommended.
*Thank you to NetGalley and Text Publishing for my free copy.*
*Thank you to NetGalley and Text Publishing for my free copy.*
September 1, 2015
Homicide detective Harry Belltree was still grieving the deaths of his parents three years previously; the dreadful car accident which had also left his wife Jenny blind. He was sure their deaths weren’t an accident – and he wanted to know who had killed them. His paranoia and fixation was beginning to annoy his superiors.
When Phoebe finally arrived to meet her two old friends for their usual coffee get together, she was shocked and devastated to find them sitting outside the café, holding hands – both dead. The double suicide was so out of character; when Harry and his partner Deb learned of it, Harry was suspicious. Then the late night phone call which directed Harry to a stabbing at Crucifixion Creek; which turned out to be the body of his brother-in-law Greg – what was happening? Were the deaths somehow connected?
With Harry warned to keep clear of the investigation, he decided to search for answers on his own time. He also discovered journalist Kelly Pool was keeping a close eye on the deaths of the two elderly people – she felt there was something odd about the whole situation. As she began to discover connections to the recent spate of deaths, she approached Harry for an interview. But the dark secrets Harry and Kelly were uncovering meant the heat was on; there were people in high places who wanted those secrets to stay hidden, and they would do anything to keep it that way. Would Harry find the answers he so desperately needed? Or would the darkness of Sydney overwhelm him?
I absolutely loved Crucifixion Creek by Aussie author Barry Maitland – the first in the Belltree Trilogy, I can’t wait for the next one! A fast paced, tension filled novel, Crucifixion Creek has a mix of intrigue and devious plot twists which kept the pages turning. I have no hesitation in highly recommending this crime/mystery novel to all.
With thanks to Text Publishing for my copy to read and review.
When Phoebe finally arrived to meet her two old friends for their usual coffee get together, she was shocked and devastated to find them sitting outside the café, holding hands – both dead. The double suicide was so out of character; when Harry and his partner Deb learned of it, Harry was suspicious. Then the late night phone call which directed Harry to a stabbing at Crucifixion Creek; which turned out to be the body of his brother-in-law Greg – what was happening? Were the deaths somehow connected?
With Harry warned to keep clear of the investigation, he decided to search for answers on his own time. He also discovered journalist Kelly Pool was keeping a close eye on the deaths of the two elderly people – she felt there was something odd about the whole situation. As she began to discover connections to the recent spate of deaths, she approached Harry for an interview. But the dark secrets Harry and Kelly were uncovering meant the heat was on; there were people in high places who wanted those secrets to stay hidden, and they would do anything to keep it that way. Would Harry find the answers he so desperately needed? Or would the darkness of Sydney overwhelm him?
I absolutely loved Crucifixion Creek by Aussie author Barry Maitland – the first in the Belltree Trilogy, I can’t wait for the next one! A fast paced, tension filled novel, Crucifixion Creek has a mix of intrigue and devious plot twists which kept the pages turning. I have no hesitation in highly recommending this crime/mystery novel to all.
With thanks to Text Publishing for my copy to read and review.
September 6, 2016
I did not like this book as much as most people who have reviewed it but it was okay. I have to admit I did not like the fact it was written in the present tense. That's just me but it sometimes has the effect of making me feel uncomfortable as it did in this case!
That apart it was certainly an action packed story. Harry was an interesting character as was his wife. I was not sure about a cop who goes out and kills people just because he wants to, but it certainly kept the story moving along!
I probably will not be rushing out to read the sequel.
That apart it was certainly an action packed story. Harry was an interesting character as was his wife. I was not sure about a cop who goes out and kills people just because he wants to, but it certainly kept the story moving along!
I probably will not be rushing out to read the sequel.
January 25, 2016
Terrific start to a trilogy!
Detective Harry Belltree has never reconciled with the generally accepted fact that the cause of his parents' death three years previously was an accident.
When the car they were driving left the highway and plunged through the barrier into the bush, both of his parents were killed, and Harry's wife Jenny who was also a passenger in the back seat of the car at the time, suffered injuries which have left her blind.
Harry is consumed with the idea that their accident was in fact not an accident. He is convinced that someone pushed their car off the road deliberately and that the white paint scrapings on their car prove it.
However he can't convince his superiors to investigate further and they have told him to leave it alone...which he can't.
So when sudden deaths and accidents start to occur among residents and acquaintances of a place called Crucifixion Creek, one young and zealous journalist for the Bankstown Chronicle, Kelly Pool, sees some connections forming.
Crucifixion Creek is home to businesses such as (ironically) the building business and office of Harry's brother-in-law Greg. There is a well known Bikie group living with their family's in a compound there, and then there are the long term, mostly elderly residents.
Recently a local Councillor has had reason to cite it as a possible site for a memorial to its (rather questionable) indigenous history...the mere suggestion of which raises Kelly's eyebrows in suspicion.
Kelly Pool starts digging around and decides that there is some connection with events at Crucifixion Creek and detective Harry Belltree, and she wants to find out what they are.
Harry also believes there is a connection but wants nothing to do with Kelly...that is until they are forced by circumstances to meet and compare notes.
Wow, so much going on in this story with many different threads, are they all leading to the same place? It's hard to conceive how they might, and yet things gradually start to come together...very cleverly!
This first book in The Belltree Trilogy is fast paced and action packed, with a bit of everything that you would expect to find in a...somewhat rogue...cop's life.
It has just enough cringeworthy shock value to keep you wanting to find out more.
I was fully absorbed in this book and am quite eager now to read the second book called Ash Island: The Belltree Trilogy, Book Two, if it is anything like this one it will be another great addition to this trilogy.
*Also pleased to read a book that is set in my own hometown and surrounds, this lent an air of credibility to the story as certain similar dramas have been known to play out from time to time.
Great read and highly recommended for lovers of crime fiction, 5★s
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my electronic copy to read and review.
Detective Harry Belltree has never reconciled with the generally accepted fact that the cause of his parents' death three years previously was an accident.
When the car they were driving left the highway and plunged through the barrier into the bush, both of his parents were killed, and Harry's wife Jenny who was also a passenger in the back seat of the car at the time, suffered injuries which have left her blind.
Harry is consumed with the idea that their accident was in fact not an accident. He is convinced that someone pushed their car off the road deliberately and that the white paint scrapings on their car prove it.
However he can't convince his superiors to investigate further and they have told him to leave it alone...which he can't.
So when sudden deaths and accidents start to occur among residents and acquaintances of a place called Crucifixion Creek, one young and zealous journalist for the Bankstown Chronicle, Kelly Pool, sees some connections forming.
Crucifixion Creek is home to businesses such as (ironically) the building business and office of Harry's brother-in-law Greg. There is a well known Bikie group living with their family's in a compound there, and then there are the long term, mostly elderly residents.
Recently a local Councillor has had reason to cite it as a possible site for a memorial to its (rather questionable) indigenous history...the mere suggestion of which raises Kelly's eyebrows in suspicion.
Kelly Pool starts digging around and decides that there is some connection with events at Crucifixion Creek and detective Harry Belltree, and she wants to find out what they are.
Harry also believes there is a connection but wants nothing to do with Kelly...that is until they are forced by circumstances to meet and compare notes.
Wow, so much going on in this story with many different threads, are they all leading to the same place? It's hard to conceive how they might, and yet things gradually start to come together...very cleverly!
This first book in The Belltree Trilogy is fast paced and action packed, with a bit of everything that you would expect to find in a...somewhat rogue...cop's life.
It has just enough cringeworthy shock value to keep you wanting to find out more.
I was fully absorbed in this book and am quite eager now to read the second book called Ash Island: The Belltree Trilogy, Book Two, if it is anything like this one it will be another great addition to this trilogy.
*Also pleased to read a book that is set in my own hometown and surrounds, this lent an air of credibility to the story as certain similar dramas have been known to play out from time to time.
Great read and highly recommended for lovers of crime fiction, 5★s
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my electronic copy to read and review.
February 6, 2017
Crucifixion Creek, a suburb in Sydney seems to be an aptly named place, full of the worst sorts of evil. Homicide detective first gets called out there when his brother in law found murdered outside his building business. Harry's family is still recovering from the deaths of his parents three years ago in a traffic accident, one his wife survived but lost her sight as a result. Looking into his brother in law's estate he discovers that his business is almost bankrupt and he owes a large sum of money to a shonky businessman. Harry also notices other strange goings-on at Crucifixion Creek, old people are being forced from their homes and a local bike group seem to be up to no good.
This is an action packed thriller with some twists and turns that will eventually join up the loose ends of the plot. For me there were almost too many different evil people and plots but apart from that it was a fast paced and satisfying read.
This is an action packed thriller with some twists and turns that will eventually join up the loose ends of the plot. For me there were almost too many different evil people and plots but apart from that it was a fast paced and satisfying read.
August 3, 2015
Crucifixion Creek is the first book in The Belltree Trilogy and the fourteenth novel by Scots-born Australian author, architect and urban design expert, Barry Maitland. A former member of the Crows bikie gang shoots his girlfriend during a siege at Crucifixion Creek, in Sydney’s south-west; an elderly couple take their own lives at a beachside café; a builder is stabbed to death in an apparent mugging. Bankstown Chronicle journalist, Kelly Pool believes the incidents are connected, and she wants to trade facts with Detective Sergeant Harry Belltree.
But Harry has problems of his own: the stabbing victim was his brother-in-law and nothing about this murder makes any sense. And Harry is determined to get to the truth behind his parents’ death, three years earlier: a car “accident” that left his wife, Jennifer with a post traumatic brain injury causing blindness. While she has done much to adapt, and is an IT genius, Harry cannot let go of the idea that it was deliberate. He wants justice.
Maitland gives the reader a story that feels like it could, or possibly, has happened. A raid on a bikie compound, corrupt politicians, overseas junkets with sinister purposes, dodgy property financiers: it all sounds very familiar and quite topical. Maitland’s characters are complex and multi-faceted: while some are exactly what they first seem to be, this is certainly not the case for all of the players. Harry is appealing: a tenacious maverick who cares for those close to him but is certainly no saint.
There are twists and red herrings, plenty of tension and action delivered at a fast pace; shootings, stabbings, beatings and arson all form part of the mix, and occasionally, the reader will be left gasping at the turn of events. Of course, not all issues are resolved as this is a trilogy, but readers will be very pleased to join Harry and Jenny in book two, Ash Island. An excellent Aussie crime page-turner.
But Harry has problems of his own: the stabbing victim was his brother-in-law and nothing about this murder makes any sense. And Harry is determined to get to the truth behind his parents’ death, three years earlier: a car “accident” that left his wife, Jennifer with a post traumatic brain injury causing blindness. While she has done much to adapt, and is an IT genius, Harry cannot let go of the idea that it was deliberate. He wants justice.
Maitland gives the reader a story that feels like it could, or possibly, has happened. A raid on a bikie compound, corrupt politicians, overseas junkets with sinister purposes, dodgy property financiers: it all sounds very familiar and quite topical. Maitland’s characters are complex and multi-faceted: while some are exactly what they first seem to be, this is certainly not the case for all of the players. Harry is appealing: a tenacious maverick who cares for those close to him but is certainly no saint.
There are twists and red herrings, plenty of tension and action delivered at a fast pace; shootings, stabbings, beatings and arson all form part of the mix, and occasionally, the reader will be left gasping at the turn of events. Of course, not all issues are resolved as this is a trilogy, but readers will be very pleased to join Harry and Jenny in book two, Ash Island. An excellent Aussie crime page-turner.
June 2, 2017
The Good:
It’s fast paced, exciting and very brutal. The Sydney portrayed here felt authentic, as did most of the characters. Insights into policing and journalism were interesting, though I wouldn’t know if they were accurate. It was a very enjoyable book. The protagonist was badass (or is it badarse?)
The Bad:
There were more than a few moments where my suspension of disbelief was sorely tested. In fact there were plenty such moments. A couple of the characters felt cartoony.
'Friends' character the protagonist is most like:
Harry is an ex-special forces Afghanistan veteran who rose from the dead and works as a homicide detective. He is the wealthy son of a (murdered) Indigenous judge and is also married to a blind woman with elite computer hacking skills. For some reason this all makes him like Monica. I just can’t explain why.
It’s fast paced, exciting and very brutal. The Sydney portrayed here felt authentic, as did most of the characters. Insights into policing and journalism were interesting, though I wouldn’t know if they were accurate. It was a very enjoyable book. The protagonist was badass (or is it badarse?)
The Bad:
There were more than a few moments where my suspension of disbelief was sorely tested. In fact there were plenty such moments. A couple of the characters felt cartoony.
'Friends' character the protagonist is most like:
Harry is an ex-special forces Afghanistan veteran who rose from the dead and works as a homicide detective. He is the wealthy son of a (murdered) Indigenous judge and is also married to a blind woman with elite computer hacking skills. For some reason this all makes him like Monica. I just can’t explain why.
December 16, 2017
Id seen some decent reviews on this and saw it also had some awards/nominations attached so gave it a go. The story was solid but slow in some places, the characters just felt lazy and to me uninteresting. The ending was good and I do believe theres a part 2 and 3. Not sure why it didnt gel with me. Normally I love this style if crime fiction. I might have to give book 2 a check when I have the time.
November 7, 2015
A superb and well written thriller! It covers contemporary Australian issues and culture. Harry, a cop, is convinced that the death of his parents and the blinding of his wife in an accident was, in fact, no accident. A double suicide leaves him suspicious and a fatal stabbing turns out to be his brother in law.
Kelly, a journalist, is concerned about the number of deaths and gets together with Harry to interview him. The two of them discover powerful people who want to keep dark secrets well hidden.
With a multitude of twists, the story is well written and deftly plotted with plenty of intrigue. It has a suspense driven narrative and interesting, well developed, characters. A gripping and compelling read, I cannot wait to get my hands on the next one. Many thanks to the publishers for an ebook copy via netgalley.
Kelly, a journalist, is concerned about the number of deaths and gets together with Harry to interview him. The two of them discover powerful people who want to keep dark secrets well hidden.
With a multitude of twists, the story is well written and deftly plotted with plenty of intrigue. It has a suspense driven narrative and interesting, well developed, characters. A gripping and compelling read, I cannot wait to get my hands on the next one. Many thanks to the publishers for an ebook copy via netgalley.
January 25, 2016
Great start to an Australian-based crime trilogy that is a little different to the norm.
Detective Harry Belltree is still reeling from the events three years ago that left his parents dead and his wife blind. He's the only person who doesn't believe that it was an accident, and he just can't leave it alone, which doesn't please his superiors.
Journalist Kelly Pool is investigating a spate of recent deaths. They all keep leading her back to the Crucifixion Creek area of the city.
Initially unwilling to cooperate with the media, Harry soon realizes that Kelly may be on to something and that they need each other to uncover the secrets of Crucifixion Creek.
There was so much going on in this story... deaths, arson, shootings, drugs, gangs, human trafficking, corruption... fast moving and really dark and gruesome at times, but then there were those little moments between Harry and his wife that were so touching. I loved the character of Harry. He was complex, having his own agenda and willing to cross boundaries.
This was my first book by Harry Maitland, and I have to admit it took me a little while to get used to his style of writing. Short sentences, present tense, all very succinct. But it really suited the pace of the narrative. Some brilliant twists and red herrings made this difficult to put down and events towards the end left me gasping. I am now desperate to get my hands on the second book.
Highly recommended if you enjoy some rogue cop action embedded in a complex storyline.
Thanks to Text Publishing for my copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Detective Harry Belltree is still reeling from the events three years ago that left his parents dead and his wife blind. He's the only person who doesn't believe that it was an accident, and he just can't leave it alone, which doesn't please his superiors.
Journalist Kelly Pool is investigating a spate of recent deaths. They all keep leading her back to the Crucifixion Creek area of the city.
Initially unwilling to cooperate with the media, Harry soon realizes that Kelly may be on to something and that they need each other to uncover the secrets of Crucifixion Creek.
There was so much going on in this story... deaths, arson, shootings, drugs, gangs, human trafficking, corruption... fast moving and really dark and gruesome at times, but then there were those little moments between Harry and his wife that were so touching. I loved the character of Harry. He was complex, having his own agenda and willing to cross boundaries.
This was my first book by Harry Maitland, and I have to admit it took me a little while to get used to his style of writing. Short sentences, present tense, all very succinct. But it really suited the pace of the narrative. Some brilliant twists and red herrings made this difficult to put down and events towards the end left me gasping. I am now desperate to get my hands on the second book.
Highly recommended if you enjoy some rogue cop action embedded in a complex storyline.
Thanks to Text Publishing for my copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2015
A must read!!
My View:
I am very pleased to make the acquaintance of Barry Maitland. I want to read all of your books!
This is the first book written by Barry Maitland that I have read – and again I ask – why haven’t I come across your writing before Barry?
And when is the TV series/big screen movie being released?
This book – the first is the Harry Belltree series is written in contemporary Australia but could probably be sited almost anywhere in the modern world – issues relating to war/returned soldiers, human trafficking, drugs, gangs, bikies, methamphetamines, grief, love…crime, so much is encompassed in this read.
What I loved - a very fast moving, well written and engaging character based narrative. I loved the images of Harry dancing in the dark with his blind wife; so personal, humanity exposed.
I loved that the protagonist is written is all shades – grey, black, white and mixtures thereof. Harry’s day job involves working on one side of the law – however Harry is complicated; he works both sides…A great character, a relatable character. A great read!
My View:
I am very pleased to make the acquaintance of Barry Maitland. I want to read all of your books!
This is the first book written by Barry Maitland that I have read – and again I ask – why haven’t I come across your writing before Barry?
And when is the TV series/big screen movie being released?
This book – the first is the Harry Belltree series is written in contemporary Australia but could probably be sited almost anywhere in the modern world – issues relating to war/returned soldiers, human trafficking, drugs, gangs, bikies, methamphetamines, grief, love…crime, so much is encompassed in this read.
What I loved - a very fast moving, well written and engaging character based narrative. I loved the images of Harry dancing in the dark with his blind wife; so personal, humanity exposed.
I loved that the protagonist is written is all shades – grey, black, white and mixtures thereof. Harry’s day job involves working on one side of the law – however Harry is complicated; he works both sides…A great character, a relatable character. A great read!
November 27, 2019
This is a solid addition to the Aussie Noir genre, following Homicide Detective Harry Belltree's somewhat under-the-official-radar investigation of three seemingly unrelated cases, which all turn out to be linked to events centred around the titular waterway in western Sydney. Belltree joins forces with ambitious suburban journalist Kelly Pool, who helps him with many intriguing facets of the case in return for a scoop. To call Belltree's methods unorthodox would be a massive understatement, but with the suspension of disbelief, I found this to be a compelling thriller with many unexpected twists and turns and a suitably dramatic denoument.
December 22, 2021
3.5 stars!
July 10, 2020
This was an entertaining enough 'who done it?' which I listened to on a recent road trip. I haven't read enough detective novels to know if our hero, Sydney homicide detective Harry Belltree is your typical copper but he certainly struck me as one that didn't always do things by the book. Perhaps I will discover more about his personality and his motivations if and when I read more of The Belltree Trilogy.
April 21, 2022
My first book by Barry Maitland and it definitely won’t be my last.
I like Harry Belltree, he doesn’t follow the rules or the law, I like that in a man but only in my crime novels 😂 He’s volatile, he’s our flawed hero, also our baddie cop on the loose but in my eyes he’s forgiven in view of the fact that…
….his parents were killed and his wife, Jenny, lost her sight in a mysterious car crash…Harry doesn’t believe it was an accident so he’s out for revenge and intent on finding those who are guilty.
A good solid police procedural set in south-western Sydney, Australia, lots of action, a tad on the dark side, fast paced, and twisty.
Oooooh, that cliffhanger will have me reading the next instalment sooner rather than later.
I listened to the audio version, wasn’t so keen on the narrator, Peter Hosking at first, as he reads in a choppy tone but once I got accustomed to the choppiness I can’t imagine any one else reading the Belltree Trilogy.
I like Harry Belltree, he doesn’t follow the rules or the law, I like that in a man but only in my crime novels 😂 He’s volatile, he’s our flawed hero, also our baddie cop on the loose but in my eyes he’s forgiven in view of the fact that…
….his parents were killed and his wife, Jenny, lost her sight in a mysterious car crash…Harry doesn’t believe it was an accident so he’s out for revenge and intent on finding those who are guilty.
A good solid police procedural set in south-western Sydney, Australia, lots of action, a tad on the dark side, fast paced, and twisty.
Oooooh, that cliffhanger will have me reading the next instalment sooner rather than later.
I listened to the audio version, wasn’t so keen on the narrator, Peter Hosking at first, as he reads in a choppy tone but once I got accustomed to the choppiness I can’t imagine any one else reading the Belltree Trilogy.
February 15, 2018
Harry Belltree is an Aboriginal detective in the NSW police. His father had been a Supreme Court Judge but he and Harry's mother were killed in a mysterious car crash three years ago. Harry's wife Jenny was blinded in the same crash and although there was evidence that a second car was involved, somehow it was found to be just an accident and Harry's suspicions an outcome of his tour in Afghanistan.
Now he is called to a bikie siege where both the woman hostage and bikie shooter are killed. Then Kelly Poole, the reporter, contacts him to connect the incident to an improbable double suicide at Balmoral. She believes that it is all connected, somehow, to Crucifixion Creek and a shonky property deal.
Then, immediately after the anniversary of his parents' death, he is called to a stabbing death only to find the body is that of his brother-in-law who has a workshop at Crucifixion Creek. Harry is warned off the investigation and starts taking action for himself. He finds himself up against a bikey gang, crooked politicians and ruthlessly corrupt business people, none of whom he can properly identify but all of whom are out to shut him up at all costs. He has to work with Kelly and the two of them have to win or be crushed.
And all the while he has the example of the car crash three years ago to remind him how vulnerable his family is. And now Jenny is blind as well and more terrifying vulnerable than ever.
This is the first of a trilogy but is a thoroughly satisfying stand alone book. I loved it and immediately bought the next book.
Now he is called to a bikie siege where both the woman hostage and bikie shooter are killed. Then Kelly Poole, the reporter, contacts him to connect the incident to an improbable double suicide at Balmoral. She believes that it is all connected, somehow, to Crucifixion Creek and a shonky property deal.
Then, immediately after the anniversary of his parents' death, he is called to a stabbing death only to find the body is that of his brother-in-law who has a workshop at Crucifixion Creek. Harry is warned off the investigation and starts taking action for himself. He finds himself up against a bikey gang, crooked politicians and ruthlessly corrupt business people, none of whom he can properly identify but all of whom are out to shut him up at all costs. He has to work with Kelly and the two of them have to win or be crushed.
And all the while he has the example of the car crash three years ago to remind him how vulnerable his family is. And now Jenny is blind as well and more terrifying vulnerable than ever.
This is the first of a trilogy but is a thoroughly satisfying stand alone book. I loved it and immediately bought the next book.
December 12, 2018
This is the first outing for detective Harry Belltree, set in Australia, in hard-boiled crime genre. Unfortunately, Harry Belltree along with the other characters lack the complexity that are such a feature of classic hard boiled crime. Completely without charm, Belltree is a one-dimensional terminator, who runs around enacting his own form of violent ‘justice’, aided and abetted by his blind wife, who spends her time computer hacking. All of this is presented as normal for a police officer and his family. The police spend their time investigating Belltree’s crimes and he spends his time on the force covering these up. While fast moving and pacy, the plot was just too far fetched for me and this was compounded by characters with no redeeming features.
December 22, 2014
This book was my first taste of Barry Maitland - the first time I had even heard of him, even though he is a well known Australian crime writer. I will certainly be reading more of his works.
"Crucifixion Creek" had me in from the first page and I couldn't put it down. It is a fast paced, intricately plotted thriller with a tough, sometimes brutal, but very interesting detective - Harry Belltree. Maitland's prose is tight, well constructed and compelling. His characters are believable, their dialogue real and the storyline fascinating. Why haven't I heard of him before?
"Crucifixion Creek" had me in from the first page and I couldn't put it down. It is a fast paced, intricately plotted thriller with a tough, sometimes brutal, but very interesting detective - Harry Belltree. Maitland's prose is tight, well constructed and compelling. His characters are believable, their dialogue real and the storyline fascinating. Why haven't I heard of him before?
September 20, 2018
A fantastic trilogy
December 28, 2025
“Crucifixion Creek” does the job. It’s a blunt instrument of a novel, swung hard and with intent, and if what you want is momentum, blood and a worldview steeped in civic rot, Barry Maitland delivers without apology.
This isn’t just a police procedural. It’s a high-octane, noir-soaked sprint through the ugliest corners of suburban Australia. Bankstown emerges not as scenery but as an ecosystem, humid, compromised and quietly predatory. Maitland’s Sydney isn’t glossy or iconic. It’s venal, stitched together by deals, silence and favours owed. It feels lived-in in the grimmest way, like concrete that’s absorbed too much.
The story moves fast. Very fast. Biker gangs, crooked politicians, shady developers and sexual crimes collide in a tight knot of corruption. Maitland clearly favours adrenaline over introspection. Psychological depth is traded for impact, and the book rarely pauses to look at the wreckage it leaves behind.
Harry Belltree is where the familiar creaks start to show. The maverick cop with a tragic past is well-worn territory, and Maitland loads him up until he starts to buckle. Dead parents, including NSW’s first Aboriginal Supreme Court judge. A blinded wife. Afghanistan PTSD. A murdered brother-in-law. Harry carries more baggage than a Qantas terminal, and it weighs down the character as much as it’s meant to deepen him.
He’s also borderline indestructible. The Jack Bauer syndrome is real. Harry survives things that would put a normal bloke in the ground several times over. At points, he stops reading like a detective and starts feeling like a Terminator in a surplus army jacket. The suspension of disbelief required is hefty and not always repaid.
There’s a tonal wobble that comes with this. Harry oscillates between grieving son and tactical killing machine with barely a gear change. It’s the Reacher problem filtered through Australian noir. What steadies the book is Maitland’s prose. It’s lyrical, efficient and forcefully intelligent. Even when the plot leans on coincidence or strains credibility, the sentences stay punchy and controlled.
The conspiracy itself is clever. Maitland weaves an elderly couple’s double suicide, a builder’s murder and a biker siege into a single web of money, influence and protection rackets. Property scams, political cover-ups, and sexual violence quietly buried. The cynicism here isn’t decorative. It’s the point.
The tone, however, is relentlessly grim. There’s no humour to cut the tension, no moment of warmth or release. After a while, it feels like being locked in a windowless room with a very angry man who refuses to blink. A little dark wit would have sharpened the effect rather than softening it.
Dialogue occasionally lets the side down. Maitland gets lazy with exposition, including a clanger where a partner essentially recites Harry’s father’s entire CV mid-scene. It’s clunky and beneath a writer of this calibre. The supporting cast mostly exists in outline. Journalist Kelly Pool feels like a relic from a 1940s newsroom rather than a contemporary reporter scraping by in a dying industry. People drift in, do their narrative duty and vanish again.
One smart counterweight is Jenny Belltree. Making the blind wife a computer-savvy moral compass who is tougher and more grounded than her husband is a genuine masterstroke. She rescues Harry from becoming pure Bosch cosplay and gives the book some much-needed ballast.
This is very much a first-in-a-trilogy book. It wants to be both a procedural and an action movie. I like both, but they rarely sit comfortably together, and the tension is obvious.
Three stars. A solid, often gripping piece of Aussie noir that sometimes exhausts itself, but Maitland’s prose and political bite make it worth the effort.
This isn’t just a police procedural. It’s a high-octane, noir-soaked sprint through the ugliest corners of suburban Australia. Bankstown emerges not as scenery but as an ecosystem, humid, compromised and quietly predatory. Maitland’s Sydney isn’t glossy or iconic. It’s venal, stitched together by deals, silence and favours owed. It feels lived-in in the grimmest way, like concrete that’s absorbed too much.
The story moves fast. Very fast. Biker gangs, crooked politicians, shady developers and sexual crimes collide in a tight knot of corruption. Maitland clearly favours adrenaline over introspection. Psychological depth is traded for impact, and the book rarely pauses to look at the wreckage it leaves behind.
Harry Belltree is where the familiar creaks start to show. The maverick cop with a tragic past is well-worn territory, and Maitland loads him up until he starts to buckle. Dead parents, including NSW’s first Aboriginal Supreme Court judge. A blinded wife. Afghanistan PTSD. A murdered brother-in-law. Harry carries more baggage than a Qantas terminal, and it weighs down the character as much as it’s meant to deepen him.
He’s also borderline indestructible. The Jack Bauer syndrome is real. Harry survives things that would put a normal bloke in the ground several times over. At points, he stops reading like a detective and starts feeling like a Terminator in a surplus army jacket. The suspension of disbelief required is hefty and not always repaid.
There’s a tonal wobble that comes with this. Harry oscillates between grieving son and tactical killing machine with barely a gear change. It’s the Reacher problem filtered through Australian noir. What steadies the book is Maitland’s prose. It’s lyrical, efficient and forcefully intelligent. Even when the plot leans on coincidence or strains credibility, the sentences stay punchy and controlled.
The conspiracy itself is clever. Maitland weaves an elderly couple’s double suicide, a builder’s murder and a biker siege into a single web of money, influence and protection rackets. Property scams, political cover-ups, and sexual violence quietly buried. The cynicism here isn’t decorative. It’s the point.
The tone, however, is relentlessly grim. There’s no humour to cut the tension, no moment of warmth or release. After a while, it feels like being locked in a windowless room with a very angry man who refuses to blink. A little dark wit would have sharpened the effect rather than softening it.
Dialogue occasionally lets the side down. Maitland gets lazy with exposition, including a clanger where a partner essentially recites Harry’s father’s entire CV mid-scene. It’s clunky and beneath a writer of this calibre. The supporting cast mostly exists in outline. Journalist Kelly Pool feels like a relic from a 1940s newsroom rather than a contemporary reporter scraping by in a dying industry. People drift in, do their narrative duty and vanish again.
One smart counterweight is Jenny Belltree. Making the blind wife a computer-savvy moral compass who is tougher and more grounded than her husband is a genuine masterstroke. She rescues Harry from becoming pure Bosch cosplay and gives the book some much-needed ballast.
This is very much a first-in-a-trilogy book. It wants to be both a procedural and an action movie. I like both, but they rarely sit comfortably together, and the tension is obvious.
Three stars. A solid, often gripping piece of Aussie noir that sometimes exhausts itself, but Maitland’s prose and political bite make it worth the effort.
December 12, 2019
I got the first book and immediately bought the next two and couldn't wait to finish this trilogy.
The books surely hurtles along very smoothly, definitely an enjoyable read with (somewhat) relatable characters. In a way, I wished there's more depth into their worlds and thoughts along the dark and violent journey on top with all the secrets and mysteries.
All in all, the Australian setting was well handled and characterizations were well drawn. So yes, I'd like to read more of Harry Belltree's adventures.
The books surely hurtles along very smoothly, definitely an enjoyable read with (somewhat) relatable characters. In a way, I wished there's more depth into their worlds and thoughts along the dark and violent journey on top with all the secrets and mysteries.
All in all, the Australian setting was well handled and characterizations were well drawn. So yes, I'd like to read more of Harry Belltree's adventures.
February 8, 2021
Good flow, good clues, a little convoluted in some parts with all of the code names but that might have been exacerbated by consuming via audiobook. Enjoyed the Aussie setting and Harry’s down-to-earth approach. 3 solid stars.
January 6, 2015
Barry Maitland's Brock & Kolla series is notable for, amongst many things, the way that he always takes a location in London and builds it into the story, almost as another character. In the first of the Harry Belltree trilogy, CRUCIFIXION CREEK, set in Sydney, there is a similar approach, this time with a location of notorious reputation. Crucifixion Creek is the scene of a massacre of Aboriginal people by early colony British marines. Extending that history into the current day, Harry Belltree is the son of Sydney's first Aboriginal Judge, and a veteran special forces soldier who served in Afghanistan. He's also morally ambiguous, unafraid to step over the line in the pursuit of the truth and extremely likeable. His behaviour is not so extreme as to make him a lone wolf, anti-hero type; he's simply one-eyed and single-minded in pursuit of answers.
One of which is finding out the truth about the car accident that killed his parents and blinded his wife. As is his off-the-record investigation into the murder of his brother-in-law. There are complicated connections peppered throughout CRUCIFIXION CREEK - both in Belltree's family and his partnerships in the force; in the way that journalist Kelly Pool is pulled into the story; in the connections between people living in the same street as the outlaw-bikie headquarters at the centre of much of the activity; and the bikies themselves. From the past, into the present and it's not hard to imagine, Belltree's future.
Comparisons between this first Belltree book and Maitland's other main series are inevitable. Both police procedurals, both with strong main characters, Belltree and Kolla are similar in personality type, although he takes to the lone hand part much earlier in the piece than Kolla ever did. There is also something more edgy and darker in this book than ever was in the earlier series. Overall Maitland's pulled off a favourite of this reader - developing a morally ambiguous character who is also very likeable, whilst tackling a lot of current day real-life Australian issues head on. There's also something sneakily Australian about the investigation style - whilst the Brock & Kolla series is ordered, procedural, detailed and cautious (fitting perfectly with Brock's personality in particular), in CRUCIFIXION CREEK, Belltree is anything but. From the poke a stick into an ant's nest school of investigation, Belltree's methods are effective, if you don't mind a bit of fallout, and as a result somehow endearingly Australian. Matter of fact, not afraid to stir things up a bit, less interested in the procedure than the outcome, Belltree's not a typical cop, but not an ineffectual or unexpected cop at the same time. He also has a life outside the force, and the interactions and his care and concern for his blinded wife is nicely balanced by friendships, and niggles within families.
CRUCIFIXION CREEK is a brilliant opening salvo in the trilogy, and it will be interesting to see how Maitland develops this character, and his ongoing use of place. Is it a bad thing, that at the end of book one, it was hard to suppress a certain sense of disappointment that there's only going to be 2 more?
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
One of which is finding out the truth about the car accident that killed his parents and blinded his wife. As is his off-the-record investigation into the murder of his brother-in-law. There are complicated connections peppered throughout CRUCIFIXION CREEK - both in Belltree's family and his partnerships in the force; in the way that journalist Kelly Pool is pulled into the story; in the connections between people living in the same street as the outlaw-bikie headquarters at the centre of much of the activity; and the bikies themselves. From the past, into the present and it's not hard to imagine, Belltree's future.
Comparisons between this first Belltree book and Maitland's other main series are inevitable. Both police procedurals, both with strong main characters, Belltree and Kolla are similar in personality type, although he takes to the lone hand part much earlier in the piece than Kolla ever did. There is also something more edgy and darker in this book than ever was in the earlier series. Overall Maitland's pulled off a favourite of this reader - developing a morally ambiguous character who is also very likeable, whilst tackling a lot of current day real-life Australian issues head on. There's also something sneakily Australian about the investigation style - whilst the Brock & Kolla series is ordered, procedural, detailed and cautious (fitting perfectly with Brock's personality in particular), in CRUCIFIXION CREEK, Belltree is anything but. From the poke a stick into an ant's nest school of investigation, Belltree's methods are effective, if you don't mind a bit of fallout, and as a result somehow endearingly Australian. Matter of fact, not afraid to stir things up a bit, less interested in the procedure than the outcome, Belltree's not a typical cop, but not an ineffectual or unexpected cop at the same time. He also has a life outside the force, and the interactions and his care and concern for his blinded wife is nicely balanced by friendships, and niggles within families.
CRUCIFIXION CREEK is a brilliant opening salvo in the trilogy, and it will be interesting to see how Maitland develops this character, and his ongoing use of place. Is it a bad thing, that at the end of book one, it was hard to suppress a certain sense of disappointment that there's only going to be 2 more?
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
July 14, 2016
The Blurb:
Homicide detective Harry Belltree wouldn’t usually be looking too hard at an elderly couple’s suicide pact. Especially now, when his brother-in-law Greg has just been stabbed to death. But it seems Greg and the old couple had ties to the same man, a bent moneylender with friends in high places—and low.
Harry can’t get officially involved in Greg’s murder, but he suspects a link with two other mysterious deaths: his parents’. And when he goes off-grid to investigate, that’s when things start to get dangerous.
Set in Sydney, this dark, morally ambiguous and adrenaline-charged new series is a triumphant change of direction for Barry Maitland.
I admit to being a bit skeptical when I first read the above text on the back of this book. I had heard about the author and had read some of what the critics had to say about him. Maitland is known for his ‘Brock and Kolla’ novels, however I never actually read any of these and so here I stood with the ominous cover of ‘Crucifixion Creek' staring at me in the crime isle of my local library.
The author is originally from Scotland, but currently lives in The Hunter Valley, near Newcastle in New South Wales and this is his first novel that is actually set in Australia and what’s more in the city I love and live in, Sydney.
Crucifixion Creek is his 13th novel and the first in the so-called ‘Belltree Trilogy’. The main character ‘Harry Beltree’ reminds me a lot of ‘Dirty Harry’. He is a detective with little or no patience for anyone who is, ehrm, well, guilty of course.
Harry (like his ‘Dirty’ cousin) does not have the patience to wait for the legal system to come around to his way of thinking and therefore delivers his judgment with a bullet or any other blunt object at hand. One scene in particular had me checking all my parts a few times before continuing on with the book.
It’s a good novel and I definitely enjoyed reading it. The story is written with a good flow and there are no slow or tedious bits in the story. Seemingly unrelated events, eventually all link up and reveal the actual story behind it like any good crime novel should.
The novel makes me curious about the next novel in the trilogy called ‘Ash Island’ and which, at the time of writing this review, has already been released. I will read some other books first, but will definitely add it to my ‘to-read’ list now.
Homicide detective Harry Belltree wouldn’t usually be looking too hard at an elderly couple’s suicide pact. Especially now, when his brother-in-law Greg has just been stabbed to death. But it seems Greg and the old couple had ties to the same man, a bent moneylender with friends in high places—and low.
Harry can’t get officially involved in Greg’s murder, but he suspects a link with two other mysterious deaths: his parents’. And when he goes off-grid to investigate, that’s when things start to get dangerous.
Set in Sydney, this dark, morally ambiguous and adrenaline-charged new series is a triumphant change of direction for Barry Maitland.
I admit to being a bit skeptical when I first read the above text on the back of this book. I had heard about the author and had read some of what the critics had to say about him. Maitland is known for his ‘Brock and Kolla’ novels, however I never actually read any of these and so here I stood with the ominous cover of ‘Crucifixion Creek' staring at me in the crime isle of my local library.
The author is originally from Scotland, but currently lives in The Hunter Valley, near Newcastle in New South Wales and this is his first novel that is actually set in Australia and what’s more in the city I love and live in, Sydney.
Crucifixion Creek is his 13th novel and the first in the so-called ‘Belltree Trilogy’. The main character ‘Harry Beltree’ reminds me a lot of ‘Dirty Harry’. He is a detective with little or no patience for anyone who is, ehrm, well, guilty of course.
Harry (like his ‘Dirty’ cousin) does not have the patience to wait for the legal system to come around to his way of thinking and therefore delivers his judgment with a bullet or any other blunt object at hand. One scene in particular had me checking all my parts a few times before continuing on with the book.
It’s a good novel and I definitely enjoyed reading it. The story is written with a good flow and there are no slow or tedious bits in the story. Seemingly unrelated events, eventually all link up and reveal the actual story behind it like any good crime novel should.
The novel makes me curious about the next novel in the trilogy called ‘Ash Island’ and which, at the time of writing this review, has already been released. I will read some other books first, but will definitely add it to my ‘to-read’ list now.
February 20, 2021
This was a good story but in terms of personal preference, it was a bit too dark for my taste. If you're looking for a fun murder mystery, this is not the book for you. But it was well written, well developed, and has an overarching story that I believe will carry on to the next books.
The story is about a homicide detective in Sydney named Harry Belltree. He had served in Afghanistan (where he officially was dead for 18 minutes) but now is in the police force. He is the son of a famous judge whose car ran off the road three years ago, killing both Harry's parents and blinding his wife Jenny, who was in the back seat. The police determined it was an accident but Harry was confident it was intentional and his parents had been murdered.
A couple of deaths (one being his own brother-in-law, Greg Marsh) and other odd things get the attention of Kelly Pool, a journalist. She starts investigating and tries talking to Harry. He dismisses her but can't stop thinking about some of the things she said and things he's found. His wife was a wiz with computers and now with voice activation she is fairly competent again. With her help they find the name of a man (Kristich) threatening to ruin Greg's business and also linked to other crimes. Kristich appears to be a financier but a dirty one who has allegedly stolen from his clients. Harry has Jenny provide access codes and wipe CCTV footage so he can break into the man's office. But Kristich surprises him (turns out he's living in his office) and his thug also shows up. They are threatening Harry and Harry manages to have the weapons each were holding turned on each other, instead of Harry, killing them both. Harry cleans the scene of his presence, grabs some files and an external hard drive and leaves.
Jenny doesn't seem at all phased her husband just killed two people and 'happily' goes through hard drive, accumulating more and more evidence and names. But all were in a code that they had to figure out.
For the record, this is the point of the story that I realized I was most definitely not reading a light-hearted mystery and I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue. Mainly because I couldn't (and still can't) get a read on Harry. I don't think he's a 'bad guy' but he obviously has no ethical issues with taking the law and justice into his own hands. And time and again throughout the story, he appears to boldly confront his person(s) of interest and then has to scramble to cover his tracks when things go sideways. He seems to inadvertently put people in harm's way, which later he feels tremendous remorse over, yet fails to have seen the risk in the first place. I found him to be a meticulous yet careless character who put solving his parents murder over everything else, including his job and the lives of those around him. It made it hard for me to like him and understand his decisions.
Realizing he needs more help, he starts working with Kelly Pool. He feeds her information he got from the external drive, she publishes it, and when people start reacting he is there to pressure them. But these are powerful people. Not only was Kristich, the financier, involved, but they find evidence of a major property developer (Mansur), councilor (Potgeiter), gov't official (Oldfield), a biker gang called the Crows, and most likely someone from the police force involved. Kelly's house is broken into and her roommate brutally beaten, as they must have assumed the roommate was her. (yet Kelly does nothing to increase her safety). Kelly realizes many of these men were traveling out of the country but she doesn't know why. And then talking to one of her sources, the old woman mentions children and things start to click.
Meanwhile Harry has finally learned the head of the Crows biker gang was the one who ran his parents off the road, so he shows up at a biker meeting and shoots one of the gang and chases the other guy down where he finally shoots and kills him. Learning that his brother-in-law was tied up in the deaths. And again Harry wipes the scene and feigns ignorance when he's called to investigate it.
Greg's widow, Jenny's sister Nicole, was going to be financially ruined (until Harry killed Kristich, the man who legally controlled all their property) and Jenny found money Kirstich had squirreled away to others and planned to steal it back and transfer it to her sister. (I mean, I get it. Very Robin Hood kind of thing going on, but again makes me question Harry and Jenny's ethics. I find it hard to support their actions).
Kelly was interviewing a woman in Crucifixion Creek (this is the property area where all these murders and crimes are taking place) on the street where the biker gang had taken over. She was noticing the way all the row houses have the same blinds in the top windows. As she was drinking the coffee the woman had brought her, she passed out. She was drugged.
Kelly found herself with councilor, Potgeiter. He spends the day beating her and raping her then harnesses her up and leaves her hanging in a mine shaft overnight. People realize she's missing but no one really seems to do anything about it. Harry finally connects a couple more dots and drives out to Potgeiter's place. He breaks in and finds evidence that Kelly was there, overpowers Potgeiter, threatens him, destroys his testicle, and finally learns where Kelly is. They pull her up and Harry throws Potgeiter down the mine shaft. He leaves Kelly to call for help telling her that no one can know he was there.
Then he heads over to the man who took over his brother-in-law's business. Jenny had figured out he had been in on everything and Harry finds him digging up the bodies of children. He restrains him and calls his team in but heads to Minister Oldfield's house. Tells him he knows everything about the trips to India and the child sex slavery trade he was involved in. Harry leaves a gun on the table and when Harry goes to answer the door to the police, Oldfield kills himself.
Somehow all this had to do with Harry's father. Presumably, he had also discovered what was happening and so they killed him. Somehow Harry also manages to avoid being tied to any of these killings or events, though his partner Deb does seem suspicious. Then Harry is called by Inspector Toby Wagstaff to meet him later. He starts questioned Harry on what he's learned about his parent's murder, and Harry says he's still going to keep looking to find out why they were murdered and if anyone else is involved. And that's when Toby shoots him, but before he can leave Harry handcuffs his ankle to him. And when a patrol car shows up not long after they shoot and kill Toby.
Meanwhile Jenny had a Dr appointment, someone knocked her over while crossing the street but she made it across. Got some news (she's pregnant, I'm sure) and then of course she has to go to the hospital cause Harry has been shot and killed. But she tells Deb that it took longer this time, that Harry was dead for 38 minutes this time.
So obviously the story is going to continue, Harry is going to live, but it's such a dark and kind of nasty story that I'm not sure I want to read anymore. Even if it is just a trilogy. But if you like this kind of story, then I recommend this book.
The story is about a homicide detective in Sydney named Harry Belltree. He had served in Afghanistan (where he officially was dead for 18 minutes) but now is in the police force. He is the son of a famous judge whose car ran off the road three years ago, killing both Harry's parents and blinding his wife Jenny, who was in the back seat. The police determined it was an accident but Harry was confident it was intentional and his parents had been murdered.
A couple of deaths (one being his own brother-in-law, Greg Marsh) and other odd things get the attention of Kelly Pool, a journalist. She starts investigating and tries talking to Harry. He dismisses her but can't stop thinking about some of the things she said and things he's found. His wife was a wiz with computers and now with voice activation she is fairly competent again. With her help they find the name of a man (Kristich) threatening to ruin Greg's business and also linked to other crimes. Kristich appears to be a financier but a dirty one who has allegedly stolen from his clients. Harry has Jenny provide access codes and wipe CCTV footage so he can break into the man's office. But Kristich surprises him (turns out he's living in his office) and his thug also shows up. They are threatening Harry and Harry manages to have the weapons each were holding turned on each other, instead of Harry, killing them both. Harry cleans the scene of his presence, grabs some files and an external hard drive and leaves.
Jenny doesn't seem at all phased her husband just killed two people and 'happily' goes through hard drive, accumulating more and more evidence and names. But all were in a code that they had to figure out.
For the record, this is the point of the story that I realized I was most definitely not reading a light-hearted mystery and I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue. Mainly because I couldn't (and still can't) get a read on Harry. I don't think he's a 'bad guy' but he obviously has no ethical issues with taking the law and justice into his own hands. And time and again throughout the story, he appears to boldly confront his person(s) of interest and then has to scramble to cover his tracks when things go sideways. He seems to inadvertently put people in harm's way, which later he feels tremendous remorse over, yet fails to have seen the risk in the first place. I found him to be a meticulous yet careless character who put solving his parents murder over everything else, including his job and the lives of those around him. It made it hard for me to like him and understand his decisions.
Realizing he needs more help, he starts working with Kelly Pool. He feeds her information he got from the external drive, she publishes it, and when people start reacting he is there to pressure them. But these are powerful people. Not only was Kristich, the financier, involved, but they find evidence of a major property developer (Mansur), councilor (Potgeiter), gov't official (Oldfield), a biker gang called the Crows, and most likely someone from the police force involved. Kelly's house is broken into and her roommate brutally beaten, as they must have assumed the roommate was her. (yet Kelly does nothing to increase her safety). Kelly realizes many of these men were traveling out of the country but she doesn't know why. And then talking to one of her sources, the old woman mentions children and things start to click.
Meanwhile Harry has finally learned the head of the Crows biker gang was the one who ran his parents off the road, so he shows up at a biker meeting and shoots one of the gang and chases the other guy down where he finally shoots and kills him. Learning that his brother-in-law was tied up in the deaths. And again Harry wipes the scene and feigns ignorance when he's called to investigate it.
Greg's widow, Jenny's sister Nicole, was going to be financially ruined (until Harry killed Kristich, the man who legally controlled all their property) and Jenny found money Kirstich had squirreled away to others and planned to steal it back and transfer it to her sister. (I mean, I get it. Very Robin Hood kind of thing going on, but again makes me question Harry and Jenny's ethics. I find it hard to support their actions).
Kelly was interviewing a woman in Crucifixion Creek (this is the property area where all these murders and crimes are taking place) on the street where the biker gang had taken over. She was noticing the way all the row houses have the same blinds in the top windows. As she was drinking the coffee the woman had brought her, she passed out. She was drugged.
Kelly found herself with councilor, Potgeiter. He spends the day beating her and raping her then harnesses her up and leaves her hanging in a mine shaft overnight. People realize she's missing but no one really seems to do anything about it. Harry finally connects a couple more dots and drives out to Potgeiter's place. He breaks in and finds evidence that Kelly was there, overpowers Potgeiter, threatens him, destroys his testicle, and finally learns where Kelly is. They pull her up and Harry throws Potgeiter down the mine shaft. He leaves Kelly to call for help telling her that no one can know he was there.
Then he heads over to the man who took over his brother-in-law's business. Jenny had figured out he had been in on everything and Harry finds him digging up the bodies of children. He restrains him and calls his team in but heads to Minister Oldfield's house. Tells him he knows everything about the trips to India and the child sex slavery trade he was involved in. Harry leaves a gun on the table and when Harry goes to answer the door to the police, Oldfield kills himself.
Somehow all this had to do with Harry's father. Presumably, he had also discovered what was happening and so they killed him. Somehow Harry also manages to avoid being tied to any of these killings or events, though his partner Deb does seem suspicious. Then Harry is called by Inspector Toby Wagstaff to meet him later. He starts questioned Harry on what he's learned about his parent's murder, and Harry says he's still going to keep looking to find out why they were murdered and if anyone else is involved. And that's when Toby shoots him, but before he can leave Harry handcuffs his ankle to him. And when a patrol car shows up not long after they shoot and kill Toby.
Meanwhile Jenny had a Dr appointment, someone knocked her over while crossing the street but she made it across. Got some news (she's pregnant, I'm sure) and then of course she has to go to the hospital cause Harry has been shot and killed. But she tells Deb that it took longer this time, that Harry was dead for 38 minutes this time.
So obviously the story is going to continue, Harry is going to live, but it's such a dark and kind of nasty story that I'm not sure I want to read anymore. Even if it is just a trilogy. But if you like this kind of story, then I recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2016
Crucifixion Creek is the first in the Belltree Trilogy and I am looking forward to reading the other 2 in the series.
Detective Sergeant Harry Belltree doesn't behave like a real detective in the New South Wales Police force but he is an incredibly volatile character who after three years doesn't accept that the dreadful car accident that killed his parents and blinded his wife, Jenny, was an accident and so is in relentless pursuit of the truth. Despite being blind Jenny develops a method where she can work on her computer using voice commands and Harry uses these skills to aid his investigation. The relationship between Harry and Jenny is touching and added another dimension to the story.
At work with his new partner Detective Inspector Deborah Velasco, they get involved in several incidents relating to the area know as Crucifixion Creek - including his brother-in-law Greg and a series of seemingly unrelated incidents. Harry, however, has a tendency to work and act solo which leads to him being suspended several times.
Add to this the intrepid journalist Kelly Pool who unrelentingly pursues a series of coincidences near and around people associated with Crucifixion Creek, including a lovely old lady called Phoebe whose closest friends seemingly die at their own hands in a public cafe, as well as the actions of a bikie gang - and that’s just for starters.
While the story becomes quite complicated it is very intriguing and has many twists and turns that keep you on the edge and you just have to keep reading to find out what happens next.
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher Text Publishing for providing me with an ebook copy of this novel to read and review. I would highly recommend this detective thriller.
Detective Sergeant Harry Belltree doesn't behave like a real detective in the New South Wales Police force but he is an incredibly volatile character who after three years doesn't accept that the dreadful car accident that killed his parents and blinded his wife, Jenny, was an accident and so is in relentless pursuit of the truth. Despite being blind Jenny develops a method where she can work on her computer using voice commands and Harry uses these skills to aid his investigation. The relationship between Harry and Jenny is touching and added another dimension to the story.
At work with his new partner Detective Inspector Deborah Velasco, they get involved in several incidents relating to the area know as Crucifixion Creek - including his brother-in-law Greg and a series of seemingly unrelated incidents. Harry, however, has a tendency to work and act solo which leads to him being suspended several times.
Add to this the intrepid journalist Kelly Pool who unrelentingly pursues a series of coincidences near and around people associated with Crucifixion Creek, including a lovely old lady called Phoebe whose closest friends seemingly die at their own hands in a public cafe, as well as the actions of a bikie gang - and that’s just for starters.
While the story becomes quite complicated it is very intriguing and has many twists and turns that keep you on the edge and you just have to keep reading to find out what happens next.
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher Text Publishing for providing me with an ebook copy of this novel to read and review. I would highly recommend this detective thriller.
January 25, 2016
When is a review not a review………..?
You know what? I don’t think I want to write a review about this book. I don’t think I’m going to tell you how good it is, how complex the plot is, how well the characters are developed, how each plays their part. I’m not sure I want to review how all the strands of the plot are eventually plaited together so we can make sense of the events. I don’t want to write about how you won’t be able to put this book down and how much tension there is within it’s pages, spiders’ webs of intrigue. I could review how many questions of morality are raised within these chapters giving us much food for thought, but I’m not going to. I could even say how deceptive the premise of the book is, homicide, journalists, politicians, police, lawyers but I shan’t. I could even include in my review the fact that this is the first in a trilogy featuring Harry Beltree!! If I was going to write one. But I’m not going to review this book. I’m going to say to you get it; download it, buy it, borrow it, read it!!!
Whizz
PS: Whizz wanted to give the book 6 stars, but ......... score can only go up to 5!!
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
You know what? I don’t think I want to write a review about this book. I don’t think I’m going to tell you how good it is, how complex the plot is, how well the characters are developed, how each plays their part. I’m not sure I want to review how all the strands of the plot are eventually plaited together so we can make sense of the events. I don’t want to write about how you won’t be able to put this book down and how much tension there is within it’s pages, spiders’ webs of intrigue. I could review how many questions of morality are raised within these chapters giving us much food for thought, but I’m not going to. I could even say how deceptive the premise of the book is, homicide, journalists, politicians, police, lawyers but I shan’t. I could even include in my review the fact that this is the first in a trilogy featuring Harry Beltree!! If I was going to write one. But I’m not going to review this book. I’m going to say to you get it; download it, buy it, borrow it, read it!!!
Whizz
PS: Whizz wanted to give the book 6 stars, but ......... score can only go up to 5!!
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
January 21, 2016
A better than average crime thriller. Set in Australia, detective Harry Belltree and his superintendent Deb Velasco are investigating the death of Harry's brother-in-law Greg March a high end builder. Harry's father and mother, Danny and Mary, were killed three years earlier when their car was run off a road by a tow truck. Harry's wife, Jenny, was in the backseat. She survived but was blinded in the accident. Jenny was a sophisticated researcher for a law firm prior to her accident. Something is suspect about Greg's death and as Harry investigates on his own with the help of Jenny's research they uncover an international ring of a bad boys motorcycle club, meth production, child smuggling, pedophilia, and political corruption. Reporter Kelly Pool helps bring the story to light.
October 1, 2015
Shortlisted, Ned Kelly Awards, Best Crime Novel, 2015
After years writing top-quality crime set in England, one of the genre’s top writers Barry Maitland has turned his hand to the streets of Sydney with this dark, twisting tale of Harry Belltree, a homicide detective with big fish to fry and personal scores to settle.
This is the first in the Belltree Trilogy, followed by Ash Island , published on September 23.
‘An unqualified triumph and Aussie hardboiled crime fiction at its very best.’
West Australian
After years writing top-quality crime set in England, one of the genre’s top writers Barry Maitland has turned his hand to the streets of Sydney with this dark, twisting tale of Harry Belltree, a homicide detective with big fish to fry and personal scores to settle.
This is the first in the Belltree Trilogy, followed by Ash Island , published on September 23.
‘An unqualified triumph and Aussie hardboiled crime fiction at its very best.’
West Australian
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