I chose this book after enjoying earlier ones in the series. Disher writes gripping suspense, but many authors do. His characters like Challis and Destry are shown to be real human beings, warts and all. There is no pretense of being super sluthes. But what I find most enjoyable to an American reader is his street level inside view into Australian life. You'd have to live there to experience it better. I'm totally hooked!