Gunshot Road (Emily Tempest) by Adrian Hyland
Straight away the humour is apparent in this book, mainly coming from the mouth of Emily Tempest. And we're also hurled into Aboriginal country with lots of unforgettable characters with equally unforgettable names. Hyland has a lovely, flowing style with a strong Australian flavour. Tempest has the unenviable job of trying to keep law and order. She's travelled the world and has now returned to her roots. She seems to have a bit of an advantage in that she's of mixed race, so can understand both white folks and black folks. She certainly has her work cut out. Most of the locals see her job as a joke, not to be taken too seriously, until someone dies in suspicious circumstances.
| Gunshot Road (Emily Tempest) by Adrian Hyland | |
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| Category: Crime | |
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Reviewer: Louise Laurie
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| Summary: Located in Australia this novel has a gung-ho heroine in the shape of Community Police Officer Emily Tempest. A crime has been committed, the wrong man seems to have been accused and Emily won't rest till justice has been done. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 352 | Date: July 2010 |
| Publisher: Quercus | |
| ISBN: 978-1849162142 | |
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Tempest knew both the deceased man and also knows the accused man. She senses foul play. But it really is an uphill struggle trying to get her male police superiors to listen to her, never mind believe her. The prejudice towards Emily is apparent throughout from the whitefellers. An opening remark from one of her soon-to-be colleagues is ... doesn't that little black bint start today? which leaves the reader in no doubt whatsoever.
And as the story develops we meet more and more characters. Hyland has a wonderful way of describing them. I could give countless examples, all laced with a good dose of humour, but here's just a taster His forehead gleamed in the streetlight, as if he worked saddle cream into it before going to bed. And the plot itself just get more complex, chapter by chapter.
As we know, the heat in Australia is fierce and in this location it's relentless. We are given plenty of examples of the local black (and white) people trying to scratch a living. It's hard going. What with dodgy wildlife, droughts affecting both humans and cattle, the lack of employment - especially for the downtrodden Aborigines, life is hell. And although the general feel of the book is rather light-hearted, the despair is apparent. Hyland paints a kaleidoscope of images to stir up emotions - and it worked. I laughed out loud at one point but I also felt moved to tears at others. Hyland has chosen an emotive subject in the Aboriginal people. For me, some of the fiction spilled over into fact which made parts of the narrative bitter-sweet and not easy to forget.
And through the intelligent and all-seeing eyes of the feisty heroine, the reader is taken on a journey. Emily knows only too well the poverty and hopelessness of countless lives - people she knows, people she cares about. Many turn to drink and or drugs to try to dull the pain of their lives. And just sometimes, I found that the cracking good lines of humour didn't sit too easily in amongst the abject poverty. As Emily rampaged across a vast terrain to right a few wrongs, I was still thinking about the effects of drought.
This is an intelligent, original book with a refreshing dose of humour. I loved the main character and I'm sure we'll meet up with her again in the future. Sorry to be a party-pooper, but I did figure out the ending some time before Hyland revealed it but it's a gob-stopper of one, nevertheless. Recommended.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.
For a factual look at a similar situation you might appreciate The Tall Man: Life and Death on Palm Island by Chloe Hooper.
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