Visitors may find the Handy Guide to Manderville useful, but it offers no help to residents lost in a deadly maze of no-longer familiar streets, among newly sinister public places. Its pages extol the virtues of significant buildings, fine parks, and especially, the town’s upstanding citizens.
But there is no section on serial killers. Nothing on distinguishing between a tragic accident and brutal murder. Beyond the flowery words and glossy PR lies a darker reality, from the courthouse to hospital, from footy field to cemetery.
When one of those upstanding citizens sees a brief reference to a long-ago drowning accident in the Guide, a campaign of twisted vengeance is unleashed on the seemingly innocent family of football legend, Ray Durkin. His abused wife, Bev, son Jack and daughter Katie are all targets, while other locals caught in the maelstrom are trying to understand what has happened to their quiet town. Which of their fine citizens is a relentless, revenge-thirsty killer?
Author’s Brief Bio
The son of a shearer, Les Pobjie, knows country towns, having worked in local government and on newspapers in regional and outback Queensland. He has also worked on metropolitan and community newspapers in Brisbane and Sydney.
Much of what he considers his productive career has been with newspapers, in various guises: photographer, reporter, sub-editor, and editor. As an editor, he won several national best newspaper awards.
He has published two books of twist-in-the-tail short stories (Murmurs in the Night, More Murmurs in the Night) and a humorous novel (Local Rag Hero).
He is legally blind and, according to specialist advice and his own experience, is within months of becoming totally blind.
He lives in Sydney with his wife Gaye Helen.
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