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1) It was an improbable convergence of ill-starred circumstances that did it, not a stiffener or two. 2) The endless, arid plains—the outback—constituted the greatest part of this immense continen

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The endless, arid plains—the outback—constituted the greatest part of this immense continent, a merciless furnace where it seemed improbable that anything could survive, yet Joseph’s people had done s

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1) “On the other hand, are we going to leave all the blondes in Australia to their doom, as bait for this bloke?” 2) The bloke would be feeling awful when he woke up at all events. 3) At first

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The water was suffused with a reddish color, similar to a red squash drink, and down below Harry saw the light of the underwater tunnel where adults and children were thronging round to see the finale

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At first Harry thought something had bumped into it, but then he realized he was being cheated of his quarry.

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Toowoomba plunged headlong.

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The first shot made a tiny splash in front of Toowoomba, who seemed to be running with consummate ease.

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1) On the way out her farewell smile was burning on his retina. 2) The third was that Harry’s world exploded in a shower of stars and red blotches on his retina.

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The third was that Harry’s world exploded in a shower of stars and red blotches on his retina.

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1) He grabbed the lapels of the white coat and lifted him up. 2) Harry grabbed the lapels of the shiny gray suit jacket and blew a mixture of whiskey breath and vomit stench into Teddy’s face.

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As they turned into the car park the flags in the harbor were flying horizontal, and waves were crashing over the edge of the quay.

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There was a sound in the background followed by children’s exuberant cries.

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Ditto the boat.

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He told me the Great Flood was created by the lizard family singing and cutting themselves with flint knives to drown the platypus.”

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It had become noticeably darker now, and gusts of wind tore in with such force that the eucalyptus trees shook and waved their branches, seemingly intending to detach themselves from the ground and lu

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The rope was wound around her neck, and the lifeless corpse seemed strangely alien and extraneous to Harry.

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And now Harry was sitting in the back of a car as it sped along; he closed his eyes and saw himself staring down into the water where something resembling a sea nettle jellyfish gathered its red tenta

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1) He gazed at his shoulder in amazement, at a protruding kebab skewer with a piece of mushroom on it. 2) For the rest of the summer Harry had dreamed about the huge halibut in the boat with its p

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He saw only the slimy green rope they had dragged from the sea in spasmodic jerks.

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Lebie opened the lounge hatch and Harry clambered in first.

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Harry took the safety catch off his gun and pointed it at the lounge hatch as Lebie circumspectly placed his feet on the aft deck.

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The notion that Birgitta might be on board the boat made his heart throb.

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The traffic was light and Lebie’s new Toyota purred with contentment doing 120 kph up New South Head Road.

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Then he went down to Frogner Lido, but he didn’t have enough money for a ticket and had to clamber over the fence.

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You shouldn’t renounce your delusions so easily, Harry.

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Do you know that those dreams with long, convoluted plots which we think we spent all night concocting, in reality took place in a few seconds of feverish cerebral activity?

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Do you know that those dreams with long, convoluted plots which we think we spent all night concocting, in reality took place in a few seconds of feverish cerebral activity?

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1) Harry had to concede that the finessing of the guillotine number was effective, but he was still pondering why Otto had exchanged Louis XVI for the blonde woman no one would have identified. 2)

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He picked up one and read a date he instantly recognized as the day Inger Holter was murdered, bearing the inscription “pubic hair.”

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“Andrew introduced me to only one of them, and I should have bloody known it wasn’t to look into an inconclusive rape case that he dragged me to Lithgow.

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Yong had the old itineraries faxed over this morning, and it turns out that the fair Jim Chivers had been traveling with in recent years also had a circus troupe until a while ago.

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“An alluring possibility, Harry, isn’t it?

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“Gave it a burl, did ya?

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Harry had been crouched down ever since he came into the sitting room and only noticed now that his thigh muscles were quivering.

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That Andrew would make sure we gave White a wide berth?”

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Now I realize he wasn’t the person Andrew wanted me to nab, it was someone else.”

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He pulled a black police truncheon from his jacket.

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He sent Harry an imploring look.

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So long as they settle up for the damage afterward, I suppose the odd graze doesn’t hurt.”

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“You wouldn’t believe who comes here to check out these new talents of ours,” Teddy chuckled, brushing his lapel.

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Teddy was effusing about his new shooting star, Melissa, who was nineteen years old and, right now, setting the place on fire, which, Harry had to admit, was no exaggeration.

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Under the surface maybe, but nevertheless smoldering away with unspoken, mutual contempt.

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Under the surface maybe, but nevertheless smoldering away with unspoken, mutual contempt.

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I think it was a landslide victory.

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She could confide when things between her and Terje weren’t working, without realizing that her pal was quietly exultant, waiting for the moment to strike.”

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Do you have to be so vulgar now that life has become so blissful, sweetheart?”

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The wind whirled and shook a tree in the park, and Harry imagined he saw a hirsute shadow dart for cover.

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She was performing as a contortionist.

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No sirree, no one ever sullied his pugilistic virtue.

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No sirree, no one ever sullied his pugilistic virtue.

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He steered the jalopy carefully down the gravel road while Harry explained the connections.

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She looked Indian, and was so small they could barely see her above the headrest.

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1) “I reckon so, mate. 2) “I reckon so.”

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A gust of wind blew, and Harry’s tie lifted and covered his face.

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1) He’s got a clean record as far as we can see, has never been in the spotlight in connection with any sexual offenses and is considered a convivial, quiet fellow, though somewhat eccentric. 2) Y

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She sniffled and Harry passed her the handkerchief which, unaccountably, he had in his pocket.

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1) Control of the girls and control of the punters. 2) There aren’t many rules in my profession, but keeping your mouth shut about punters is one of them.

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“Yes, but—” “Meet me outside the mortuary in half an hour.”

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But the guide was a stripling who hoped to become an actor himself one day and was, like most theater people, a vain galoot.

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George’s Theatre shook his head with incredulity and poured more coffee for Harry.

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“Wet linen on a clothes line in a gale,” he repeated.

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1) He chuckled contentedly, put on his glasses and flicked through the papers in front of him. 2) Joseph paused and nodded contentedly.

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“The second thing that went wrong was the mess with the altimeter.

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“An Australian ostrich.”

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Your brain is the world’s biggest computer, it registers everything: your skin feels the temperature rising as you fall, your ears notice the increase in pressure and you become aware of every furrow

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“The precursor to Coca-Cola was discovered by an American chemist who wanted to concoct a remedy for hangovers,” Joseph said.

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“Sorry, but I’m sick of being manhandled.

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Birgitta rubbed her hands in anguish.

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Joe was teetotal, but had lived long enough to know that you couldn’t discuss anything with an alcoholic.

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Had it not been for Joe’s low center of gravity they both would have taken a tumble.

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The blond police officer teetered perilously.

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Geoff sniggered.

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* * * The owner of Springfield Lodge was called Joe, an overweight, easygoing guy who with thrift and prudence had run his small, slightly down-at-heel establishment in King’s Cross for nearly twenty

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* * * The owner of Springfield Lodge was called Joe, an overweight, easygoing guy who with thrift and prudence had run his small, slightly down-at-heel establishment in King’s Cross for nearly twenty

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* * * The owner of Springfield Lodge was called Joe, an overweight, easygoing guy who with thrift and prudence had run his small, slightly down-at-heel establishment in King’s Cross for nearly twenty

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1) “See you soon,” Harry said, putting his lips dutifully to Otto’s outstretched hand. 2) Harry had dutifully made an ineffectual attempt to penetrate her, but it was too late.

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