Cirrus@Austlit

'Nexus between overlords and underworldLiterary crime is an intriguing subgenre. At its worst it’s the application of pretentious lyricism to the seedier side of life, the exchange of the clipped style of Elmore Leonard or Garry Disher for convoluted musings about murder. At its best, however, it uses the premise of crime to explore cities, social structures and the dark spaces of our psyches, with language that captures the intensity of paranoia and violent fantasy.' (Introduction)

'A strong sense of place is a vital characteristic of our national literary imagination. Whether it’s the outback, the bush, the beach or the city, place frames and shapes the stories we tell. It is something darker in two interesting Australian novels, Cassandra Austin’s All Fall Down and Rebekah Clarkson’s debut Barking Dogs. Here place is a stultifying prison, an antagonist to overcome.' (Introduction)