This is the 33rd Cliff Hardy PI book. Hardy is a knockabout character who grows on you. He lost his PI licence and is packing up his office before going overseas on a much needed break. In the process he discovers a file from 20 years ago that was never closed. The ensuing story is the recollection of how that case unfolded. It started with a teenage boy who goes missing on the verge of his final year exams. The case becomes complicated by murder, a conman, and a crooked government minister. He follows the trail through a lot of familiar settings in Sydney and elsewhere in the state. But he never manages to find the boy. I give the story 4 stars. ( )

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/node/4450 ( )