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kathleenes's review against another edition
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
4.0
A very interesting part 1 of the corruption in Queensland. Such a dark time in history for Queensland and I’m looking forward to part 2 & 3
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
4.0
In the 1950s elements in the Queensland Police Force started to develop the corruption and criminal behaviour that culminated in the Fitzgerald Enquiry in the 1980's and the gradual exposure of many of the key players.
THREE CROOKED KINGS is the first of two books that looks at the unbelievable situation, the main players, and (in the second book) the enquiry itself.
The author of this book, Matthew Condon, is an award winning newspaper journalist and author, and it's this background and his skill that clearly make this a very readable book. Especially as the subject matter is extremely sobering and uncomfortable. Starting out with the shocking death of prostitute, madam and confidante of many high-ranking officials in Queensland, there was an attempt to make Shirley Brifman's death seem like an accidental, rather than forced drug overdose. From there, Condon takes you through the stories of a number of the key players in QLD police and politics, drawing out the connections, charting their rises, explaining the methods used to corrupt and collude, painting a chilling picture.
Despite thinking that I knew a bit about the background to the Fitzgerald Inquiry, and the well-publicised corruption and the shocking levels of abuse and crime in Queensland's political and policing world, there were aspects of this book that were simply breathtaking. The sequel, All Fall Down, is going to be worth waiting for.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/three-crooked-kings-matthew-condon
THREE CROOKED KINGS is the first of two books that looks at the unbelievable situation, the main players, and (in the second book) the enquiry itself.
The author of this book, Matthew Condon, is an award winning newspaper journalist and author, and it's this background and his skill that clearly make this a very readable book. Especially as the subject matter is extremely sobering and uncomfortable. Starting out with the shocking death of prostitute, madam and confidante of many high-ranking officials in Queensland, there was an attempt to make Shirley Brifman's death seem like an accidental, rather than forced drug overdose. From there, Condon takes you through the stories of a number of the key players in QLD police and politics, drawing out the connections, charting their rises, explaining the methods used to corrupt and collude, painting a chilling picture.
Despite thinking that I knew a bit about the background to the Fitzgerald Inquiry, and the well-publicised corruption and the shocking levels of abuse and crime in Queensland's political and policing world, there were aspects of this book that were simply breathtaking. The sequel, All Fall Down, is going to be worth waiting for.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/three-crooked-kings-matthew-condon
becleighton's review against another edition
5.0
This was a seriously impressive book. Condon explains three decades of systematic police corruption, the role of the key players in it, and how it fit in with a wide range of disturbing historical events that are forgotten to people of my generation but really shouldn't be. It makes for a complicated web, and Condon explains how it all fit together really well. He deftly covers such a wide span of historical events that you could write thirty books on the events that happen within it, and yet I still felt coming away like I'd gained a good, basic understanding of how all the pieces fit together. The amount of people he's interviewed and pieced together the stories of is fantastic. I feel like we would have a much better understanding of modern Australian history if there were equivalent books as in-depth and comprehensive for other states which operated similarly in that era.
It wasn't a flawless book: slow to start, and in refraining from sensationalism (which is wonderful considering the subject matter) Condon possibly goes a bit too far in the other direction and can be a bit dry. I found the first half a bit of a slog, but read the last half in a day with ease. Also, one gets the feeling (for whatever reason) that he might have pulled his punches towards Terry Lewis, compared to the treatment of the other key figures. (I am curious to see if that continues in the rest of the trilogy - I suspect possibly not). It's such a well-researched and informative book that it's still worth five stars though.
It wasn't a flawless book: slow to start, and in refraining from sensationalism (which is wonderful considering the subject matter) Condon possibly goes a bit too far in the other direction and can be a bit dry. I found the first half a bit of a slog, but read the last half in a day with ease. Also, one gets the feeling (for whatever reason) that he might have pulled his punches towards Terry Lewis, compared to the treatment of the other key figures. (I am curious to see if that continues in the rest of the trilogy - I suspect possibly not). It's such a well-researched and informative book that it's still worth five stars though.
stevemilleraugmailcom's review
5.0
I'm from Brisbane and interested in the events that led to the Fitzgerald inquiry (before my time). The book has been extensively researched and is full of details and colour of Queensland from the 50s-70s.
Unfortunately there's not much of a narrative tying it all together. Terry Lewis, desipite three years of interviews, keeps his cards close to his chest.
Worth a read, but nothing groundbreaking here.
Unfortunately there's not much of a narrative tying it all together. Terry Lewis, desipite three years of interviews, keeps his cards close to his chest.
Worth a read, but nothing groundbreaking here.
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