One of the characteristics of some great crime fiction sleuths is that they roll up their sleeves, get to work and do what’s necessary. They don’t do it for the glory (in fact, there’s plenty of crime fiction that includes criticism of glory-seekers). They don’t do it because it’s easy or fun either. It usually isn’t. And they don’t do it just to help out a family member or a mate. They do what they do because it’s the right thing to do and because it needs to be done. Sleuths like that aren’t perfect of course, but they’re refreshingly free of self-pity or angst. Let me show you what I mean.
Adrian Hyland’s Emily Tempest is like that. In Gunshot Road, she’s just started work as an Aboriginal Community Police Officer (ACPO). On her very first day on the job, she and her team are called to a murder scene at Green Swamp Well, where Albert “Doc” Ozolins has been murdered. At first his death looks like the tragic result of a drunken quarrel with John “Wireless” Petherbridge. In fact the case looks so clear-cut that Tempest’s boss Bruce Cockburn wants final reports written up quickly and the team to move on to other matters. But Tempest isn’t so sure it’s that simple. For one thing, she knows Wireless and isn’t convinced he’d have killed Ozolins just because they had a quarrel. For another, little clues she finds suggest that something else might be going on. Tempest doesn’t ruminate about it; she does what’s needed and starts searching for answers. They lead to a case that’s much more than it seems on the surface. In the course of her investigation Tempest uncovers some truths that some very powerful people want to keep hidden and that discovery gets her into terrible danger. In fact, she herself is attacked. And while the attack devastates her, she doesn’t give up or complain that “it’s too hard to do this.” Instead, she redoubles her efforts and in the end, gets to the truth of the matter.
That’s also what former attorney Jack Irish does in Peter Temple’s Bad Debts. When Irish gets a call from former client Danny McKillop, he’s inclined not to take it as an urgent matter at first. But then McKillop calls again, this time begging Irish to meet with him. By the time Irish follows up on McKillop’s calls it’s too late. Danny McKillop has been murdered. It’s not long before Irish connects this death to an earlier death. McKillop had served eight years in prison for the drink driving killing of Anne Jeppeson, an activist who’d been managing a protest against the closing of a Melbourne low-income housing estate. Irish represented McKillop in this case but didn’t handle the case well, which is one reason McKillop was in prison. After he gets word that McKillop’s been shot, Irish looks into both killings. He slowly uncovers connections between these two deaths, another death, and a great deal of greed and high-level corruption. He doesn’t do it because it’s easy. In fact, a couple of times he’s in real danger and at one point he almost gives up completely. And the case means he has to face his own personal “baggage.” Rather, Irish follows through on this case because he has to, because he feels he owes it to McKillop’s family, and because in the end, it’s the right thing to do.
That’s why Vanda Symon’s DC Sam Shepherd does what she does, too. In Containment, for instance, Shepherd does her best to help restore order when a ship runs aground at the entrance to Otago Harbour. The ship’s cargo spills overboard and it’s not long before there’s looting and fighting over the contents of the containers. At one point in the mêlée, Shepherd is attacked when she tries to break up a fight between two of the looters. She’s not gravely injured but her attacker is hurt badly enough to need an ambulance. What really shows Shepherd’s character is that she goes with the attacker to the hospital and in fact saves his life when he nearly dies along the way. Meanwhile, Shepherd’s investigating another case – what looks like a diving accident. When it’s shown that the victim was murdered and stuffed into his wet suit after his death, Shepherd starts tracking down a killer. As it turns out, the two cases are related. Neither case is an easy one, but Sam Shepherd does what needs to be done. Although she’s by no means perfect, she also doesn’t whine and complain and give up because life gets very tough for her at times. She does what she does because it’s the right thing to do.
So does Andy Clark, whom we meet in Paddy Richardson’s Hunting Blind. His daughter Elizabeth has had a mental breakdown and spends some time in hospital trying to recover. Elizabeth’s therapist is Stephanie Anderson, who’s just finishing her program in psychiatry in Dunedin. After some difficult work together, Anderson is able to help Clark begin to heal. Andy Clark is very grateful to Anderson, so when she takes a trip from Dunedin to her home in Wanaka, he offers her all of the hospitality of the Guest Home he runs. And he’s not the only one. Throughout Anderson’s trip, several people are helpful to her and many have never even met her before. They offer her hospitality and help because they decide to reach out. And Anderson can use all the help she can get. She’s taking the trip for a very special, very painful reason. Seventeen years earlier, her four-year-old sister Gemma was abducted and has never been found. Anderson found out that Elizabeth Clark’s younger sister Gracie was abducted in a similar way and now she wants to find the person responsible as well as lay her own ghosts to rest, so to speak. All through this novel we meet people who help even though they really don’t have to do so. And in the end Anderson is able to catch the person who devastated her family’s lives and begin to put the pieces of her own life back together.
Now, let me tell you about a group of people who’ve reached out, helped and done the right thing far more than any fictional detective: the proud members of the Anzac military forces. For nearly a hundred years, these brave men and women have sacrificed much, including their lives, to do the right thing and to help others. They’ve traveled far and fought honourably and well to defend people like me whom they’ll never meet.
On this Anzac Day (today or tomorrow, depending on when you read this), no words can really express the gratitude these people are owed. And honestly, I don’t know that a lot of gushing words would really be in order anyway. So I’ll just say this: I can post to this blog in part because of the Anzac forces who helped and still do help to ensure that I can. When you owe someone that much, what else can you say? But on my bucket list is attending a dawn Anzac Day service. I will do that some day.
And there are things you can do, too. For instance, you can support some wonderful Australian and New Zealand crime writers whose work deserves much wider readership than it gets. Don’t know where to start? I can help you there. Check out Fair Dinkum Crime for the latest and greatest on Australian crime fiction. There are terrific reviews there as well as news of what’s coming out. Check out Crime Watch, the best source I know of for what’s happening and what to read in the world of Kiwi crime fiction.
You can also give back in other ways. See that New Zealand flag on my sidebar? Mmhmm, that one. Click it. Go ahead. It’ll take you to the New Zealand government’s secure donation site for rebuilding Christchurch. Your donation goes directly towards the reconstruction of one of the world’s really beautiful cities.
Don’t want to donate there? That’s OK; find some other Kiwi or Australian charity with which you feel comfortable, like Australia’s Books in Homes or New Zealand’s Auckland Marathon. Or something else that suits you. Step up. Anzac does. Dare ya…
Kia Ora, Anzac.
ps. The ‘photo is of the New Zealand travel visa stamp on my passport. I’ve been there a few times and every time I’ve traveled there I’ve been treated not just professionally and courteously but kindly, warmly and helpfully. It’s a little nation with a very big heart.
*NOTE: The title of this post is a line from Help Is On Its Way, by Melbourne’s own Little River Band.
Thanks for the thoughtful post Margot. You’ve just reminded me of a delightful quirk of New Zealand which is that if I remember correctly you have to pay to LEAVE the country. The visa stamp reminded me of this.
There is some great crime fiction coming out of both countries and also great blogs too. Which reminds me that I have a PD Martin to read….
Sarah – Glad you enjoyed the post
. In good news, there is no longer a fee to leave the country. There was, as you say, but I’m happy to report that it was stopped a few years back.
And you’re quite right that there is some wonderful crime fiction written in both countries and although it’s not always easy to find, it’s often worth the effort. And I hope you’ll like P.D. Martin’s work. I’ve enjoyed the P.D. Martin books that I’ve read.
You are always so wonderful at promoting others and worthy causes! I didn’t know about Anzac Day but it’s fascinating. Thank you for this post.
Clarissa – Why, thank you
. I’m glad you enjoyed the post, and I’m even more glad you think Anzac Day’s worth learning about.
What a great post…and for once there’s only one book you’ve discussed that I haven’t read instead of the usual number.
Books in Homes is a great charity, doing really necessary work. We didn’t have a lot of money when I was growing up but there were always books – mostly from the library or school but on our birthdays and at Christmas we would each get a book as our present. I feel so sad for families who don’t have that so it’s good to see a charity doing work in this area.
Bernadette – Why, thank you
. I didn’t grow up in a wealthy home either but like you I always had books. I remember getting my first library card when I was I think five or six and we had books as gifts too. It is really sad that so many people don’t have access to books, and I just love it that Books in Homes is trying do something about it. It may see like a small thing – give a family a few books – but it makes such a difference.
Talking of fees to leave the country, I have Australian friends some of whom are in their 60s and have not lived in the country since childhood- yet they are still fined if they don’t vote
But seriously Anzac day is a day for remembering along with the other days when we remember past sacrifices people made so we can live the way we do today – those of us who are lucky enough to live in free, open societies, which has usually come at historical cost.
Joe Pickett (by C J Box) is another crime fiction hero who “gets his hands dirty” in the ways you describe, possibly why he has never held down a promotion as he is always finding out things this way that others might prefer he left alone! I have gone off Jack Reacher (by Lee Child) a bit in recent books as too forumualic, but he’s another one. Then there are all those patholgists, forensic scientists, forensic archaeologists, etc — but perhaps we won’t get too into their hands-on experiences!
Maxine – I didn’t know that about fees for not voting – wow. Now, I always think that it’s important that people exercise their right to vote, but still…
I agree with you completely that it’s important to take those days, including Anzac Day, and remember that a good part of the reason we live the way we do is that others made it possible through terrible sacrifice. I don’t know if I would have the bravery to do what those people did. On second thought, I do know; I wouldn’t.
You’re quite right too that characters like Pickett and Reacher do what needs to be done (and I agree with you that the earlier Reacher novels are the good ones). They don’t do what they do for glory or as “a favour.” They do it because it’s the right thing to do and it needs to get done. I also like it that those characters don’t set themselves up as heroes either. In fact, they don’t like a lot of attention. They just get the job done.
I have heard so many good things about New Zealand. In spite of being a Western country and a signatory to the ANZUS Treaty, Wellington is refreshingly independent when it comes to geopolitical thought and alignment, not to mention its role in protecting human rights both within and outside. Thanks to your “thoughtful” post, I have learned from Wiki that the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was a WWI army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, created by the British Army and formed in Egypt in 1915, and operated during the Battle of Gallipoli in Turkey, besides a subject of classic war comics.
Prashant – You’ve identified just a few of the many reasons I really am fond of New Zealand. And thanks for adding that information about Anzac. I didn’t know it had been treated in war comics; that’s really interesting!
I’ve always wanted to go to New Zealand, but just don’t think I want to be on a plane that long. I’ll be an armchair traveler for the long trips.
Pat – Even from L.A. or San Diego, the flight’s 13 to 14 hours. It’d be more like 20 from Colorado, maybe more. That is an awfully long trip. But still, I hope you do get there someday. It’s a truly wonderful place.