Books: 'Bad Debts' by Peter Temple

I first stumbled across Jack Irish on Acorn TV. It was (or should I say 'is', in today's perpetual-life-via-streaming world?) an Australian TV series (and movies) starring Guy Pearce (LA Confidential, Memento, The King's Speech). I enjoyed the TV series very much and recently sought out Peter Temple's ‘Jack Irish’ novels, on which the TV series is based.

'Bad Debts' is the first book in this crime/mystery series. The Goodreads crowd gives it a 3.89 rating at this time and I would say that's about right. I might rate it a little higher than that myself, but I concede that I may be influenced by having watched the TV series first.

Jack is a lawyer whose personal and professional life went into a tailspin after a client murders Jack's wife. Now, years later, he receives a phone message from another former client who winds up dead before Jack can return his call.

As with the TV series, the story is written with occasional humor and a good cast of supporting characters.

I have not read the authors most closely associated with Peter Temple on Literature Map, but I might look into some of them. And I will certainly be reading more of the Jack Irish novels.