Spoiler question about the plot

[Amber]

I reached the end of Barracuda impressed but confused. Did Danny kill a man? Who was it? I had thought he must have killed Martin Taylor, but then he was alive at the Coach's memorial service. I found the timeline hard to follow and can't seem to find the page where Danny says (or thinks to himself) that he killed a man. Did I remember it wrong?

[Melinda]

I was also confused. Why was Danny in jail?

[Allen and Unwin]

‘I’ve been to prison, mate. I nearly killed a man. That’s what I did. That’s who I am.’ p70

Read the last few pages of Part 1, from 290 onwards, should clear up the specifics for you as to what happened.

[Mark]

The reason why the plot has left you as clear as mud by this novel is because it is mud. Don't bother reading this; I do not know why Brendan Cowell liked it except maybe he is on commission, and it is abysmal - the exact opposite to The Slap, just so perplexing and a huge let-down. m

[Rosie]

The narrative is so disjointed I'm not surprised you're confused. He was in jail because he almost - but not entirely - killed Taylor. Danny recalls it as a near-killing but at another point he says his jail term was quite short; I can't remember the detail because the novel's structure does not make it easy for the reader to remember! There are inconsistencies all over the place.

[Donna]

I really loved the book, but it does take a lot of focus to keep track of the changing perspectives. Near-killing. I don't know a lot about Australian law or the penal system there; sounds like it is not as harsh as in the US. First time for assault, the time spent in prison sounds believable.

[Katrina]

Danny gave Taylor a rough beating but did not kill him.