All Fall Down
St Lucia
:
University of Queensland Press
,
2015
8929883
2015
single work
biography
crime
'The gripping finale to Three Crooked Kings and Jacks and Jokers brings to a close Matthew Condon's best-selling true-crime trilogy.
'In 1983, the soon-to-be-knighted Police Commissioner Terry Lewis continues to turn a blind eye to the operation of The Joke, a highly organised system of graft payments from illegal gambling, prostitution and illicit drugs. As the tentacles of this fraudulent vice network spread, the fabric holding together the police, judiciary and political system starts to unravel. All Fall Down offers an unprecedented insight into the Fitzgerald Inquiry and Lewis's subsequent years in prison, and explores the real story behind the dramatic exit of Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Drawing from interviews with key players who have, until now, been afraid to speak publicly, All Fall Down celebrates the bravery of those unsung heroes who risked everything to expose the truth.
'This epic trilogy provides the definitive account of an unforgettable period in Queensland's history. The devastating consequences of those decades of corruption still reverberate today.' (Publication summary)
Jacks and Jokers
St Lucia
:
University of Queensland Press
,
2014
6856928
2014
single work
biography
'In Three Crooked Kings we read about the shocking true story of Queensland and how a society was shaped by almost half a century of corruption. In Jacks and Jokers, the story continues as Terry Lewis becomes police commissioner and the era of corruption at the highest levels of the police and government continues. As the Queensland police become more connected with their colleagues in Sydney, the rise of heavy drugs and crime escalates. Tony Murphy and Glen Hallahan, two of the original ‘crooked kings’, become more enmeshed with ‘The Joke’ which is run by bagman Jack Herbert.
'Jacks and Jokers introduces new characters, more extraordinary behaviour outside the law by the law, and along the way charts the meteoric rise of police commissioner Terry Lewis, documenting events up until the Fitzgerald Inquiry in the late 1980s.
'Once again, award-winning journalist and novelist Matthew Condon has drawn from unprecedented access to Terry Lewis, as well as hundreds of interviews with key players and conspirators to craft the definitive account of the rise – and spectacular fall – of one man, an entire state and over a generation of corruption.' (Publisher's blurb)
Little Fish Are Sweet
St Lucia
:
University of Queensland Press
,
2016
10526256
2016
single work
autobiography
'I recall meeting Lewis on a number of occasions in company with Tony Murphy. I recall conversation getting around to payments of money with Murphy and Lewis. Lewis thanked me on several occasions and said ‘Little fish are sweet’. – Jack ‘The Bagman’ Herbert in evidence to the Fitzgerald Inquiry 1988.
'Little Fish Are Sweet is Matthew Condon’s extraordinary personal account of writing the Three Crooked Kings trilogy. When Condon first interviewed disgraced former police commissioner Terry Lewis, he had no idea that it would be the start of a turbulent six-year journey. As hundreds of people came forward to share their powerful and sometimes shocking stories, decades of crime and corruption were revealed in a new light.
'Risking threats and intimidation, Condon tirelessly pursued his investigations into a web of cold murder cases and past conspiracies. What he discovered is much more sinister than anyone could have imagined.' (Publication summary)
