The Toe Tag Quintet in Aussie Readers

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Nov 01, 2012 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it really liked it

Shelves: aussie-author, arc-are, netgalley-reviews

After 37 years in the NSW police force, a former homicide detective is scouting Queensland's Gold Coast for a retirement home when he recognizes an old acquaintance, Dapper Dan the Antiques Man a.k.a. the Boltcutter. He may have thought little more about the chance encounter had he not woken the next morning to find a note slipped under the door of his caravan, along with a shiny bullet tied with a red ribbon.

Originally the five novellas in The Toe Tag Quintet were published in Brisbane's The
After 37 years in the NSW police force, a former homicide detective is scouting Queensland's Gold Coast for a retirement home when he recognizes an old acquaintance, Dapper Dan the Antiques Man a.k.a. the Boltcutter. He may have thought little more about the chance encounter had he not woken the next morning to find a note slipped under the door of his caravan, along with a shiny bullet tied with a red ribbon.

Originally the five novellas in The Toe Tag Quintet were published in Brisbane's The Courier Mail, a new story printed each summer with the retired detective embroiled in a string of annual misadventures, much to the disgust of his long suffering wife, Peg. Murder in the Abstract is the first caper that enlivens the unnamed detective's retirement but being able to leave well enough alone, his curiosity, and instinct for justice, variously leads him to a family vendetta, a centuries old corpse, a land development scandal and an extraordinary conspiracy.

From the Gold Coast to Brisbane, to the vineyards on the city's outskirts and the islands off Queensland's coast, the former detective chases, amongst others, an art thief, a poisoner and an assassin in his beloved VW. Each of the five stories are well crafted mysteries in their own right, involving interesting criminals and victims. There is also plenty of fast paced action, suspense and the dry humour expected from a cynical ex-cop who has seen it all.

The former detective is old school, as quick with the threat of his fists as he is with his wit. Through a combination of skilled investigation, luck and sheer bloody mindedness he solves the murders of friends and enemies, both past and present, satisfied to see justice done. He doesn't escape unscathed though, earning more bullet wounds, broken limbs and bruises than he collected throughout his entire career patrolling the mean streets of Kings Cross.

I really enjoyed the adventures of the unnamed detective in The Toe Tag Quintet. Exciting, smart and funny, the stories within this book are a great summer read for crime caper fans dreaming of early retirement. ...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Brenda rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2012-release, aussie-authors, read-on-kindle, net-galley, anthology, own-read, arc

With wife Peg packing up their belongings in Sydney, her husband, a former homicide detective on the NSW Police Force, out of Division 21 was on the Gold Coast spending time with real estate agents and searching for their next home. They had decided to retire to the Gold Coast after his 37 years in the police force – relaxation in their twilight years was the idea. But as he was heading back to the caravan he was currently living in one afternoon, he was sure he recognised a former acquaintance With wife Peg packing up their belongings in Sydney, her husband, a former homicide detective on the NSW Police Force, out of Division 21 was on the Gold Coast spending time with real estate agents and searching for their next home. They had decided to retire to the Gold Coast after his 37 years in the police force – relaxation in their twilight years was the idea. But as he was heading back to the caravan he was currently living in one afternoon, he was sure he recognised a former acquaintance by the name of Dapper Dan, an Antiques man and one more recently known in criminal circles as the Boltcutter.

As he was drawn into the story of lost art by artist Ian Fairweather, who had been dead for 30 years, the Boltcutter was on the sidelines. His inane curiosity and life in the police force meant he needed the answers, whatever the outcome……

With the second novella, we find it involving Patrick Logan, a well-known and respected Brisbane pioneer who had been dead for almost 200 years. And when a body turned up at the bottom of the Wivenhoe Dam in an area always covered in water, our ex-homicide detective was researching his family tree at the local library. Suspicion, evil intent, danger and death once again followed him as he looked for answers in the long ago mystery.

Each of the five novellas follows the same path of criminal activity and our ex-homicide detective being drawn into solving the cases, while long-suffering Peg sits on the sidelines, never knowing the injuries he’ll sustain; whether she’ll find him naked in his Kombi, or unconscious in the hospital. Jack, their son shows up now and then, young, modern and well up with the newest technology – tweeting is something birds do, isn’t it??

I really enjoyed the escapades of the unnamed detective – from the old school, he was determined to find justice even when it meant he received injuries and even faced death himself. I must say though, I feel these would have been better released as single novellas as by the end of the third, I had to pick up another book to give myself a break from the sameness of each story. For myself, I don’t usually read books by the same author, one after the other. For people who do, this book of 5 short stories would be perfect for them.

With thanks to NetGalley for my copy to read and review.
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Dec 14, 2012 Blue Eyed Vixen marked it as to-read

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