Drive By (Michael Duffy, A&U)

A murder, a trial, a Muslim Lebanese-Australian crime family, drugs and police corruption: Michael Duffy packs it all into this fast-moving novel, set on Sydney’s mean streets. The story of Drive By is told through three narrators, each with their own version of events, none of whom knows the whole truth. Duffy skilfully weaves together the stories of John Habib, the good son of a notorious crime family (possibly inspired by Sydney’s Ibrahim family),whose brother Rafi has been arrested on suspicion of murder; Bec Ralston, an inexperienced police officer; and Karen Mabey, Crown prosecutor on the Habib trial. This is a cracking page-turner, with Duffy’s experience as a court reporter evident in the details. The plot’s twists and turns are numerous, his characters are sympathetic and believable (the character of John Habib, at times, comes close to racial stereotype and cliché, but Duffy manages, with nuance and craft, to avoid crossing that line). This is an intelligently written crime novel that explores the genre without relying too heavily on hackneyed genre conventions, yet keeps the surprises coming. Lovers of Australian crime fiction will find a lot to like about Drive By.

Deborah Crabtree is a Melbourne-based writer and bookseller

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Category: Reviews