'Duty always has a price.
'When Ivan Novak is shot dead putting out his garbage bins in Sydney’s west, his family wants revenge, especially his father Milan, a notorious crime boss. It’s a job for the second son, Ivan’s younger brother Johnny. But Johnny loves his wife Amy and their son Sasha. And she’s about to deliver her ultimatum: either the three of them escape this wave of killing or she’ll leave, taking Sasha.
'Torn between loyalty to his family and love for his wife, Johnny plans the heist of a lifetime and takes a huge risk. Is he prepared to pay the price? And what choice will Amy make?
'THE SECOND SON is a brilliant action-packed crime debut that creates a world where honour is everything, violence is its own language, and love means breaking all the rules.' (Publication summary)
The Double Bind
Melbourne
:
Text Publishing
,
2023
25547713
2023
single work
novel
crime
'The action-packed second crime novel by award-winning author Loraine Peck reunites readers with Amy and Johnny Novak as the couple tries to lead a normal life-but will their past decisions come back to haunt them? You can run, but you can never escape your family. Amy and Johnny Novak have fled to a seaside town in northern New South Wales. They want a fresh start with their eleven-year-old son Sasha, and Amy is determined to shake off the legacy of Johnny's criminal family. But it's hard to outrun the Novaks. Are Amy and Johnny still keeping secrets from each other? And how did they get involved in a high-stakes game with Arturo Raoul De Leon, aka The Snake? Can Amy rise to the occasion to keep her family safe or will she be forced to become Johnny's partner in crime? Loraine Peck's The Second Son won the 2021 Best Debut Crime Fiction Ned Kelly Award and was shortlisted for two Davitt Awards and the Danger Award. With its character-driven plot, psychological finesse, humour and sparkling dialogue, The Double Bind is an enthralling sequel.' (Publication summary) 
