The Dying Trade

The Dying Trade is the first book in Peter Corris's Cliff Hardy series, introducing the hard-bitten private investigator who would become an icon of Australian crime fiction. Set in 1980s Sydney, the novel establishes Hardy as he takes on a case from the wealthy Gutteridge family. The investigation begins with a simple threat assessment but expands into a complex web of family disputes and violence. Hardy navigates between Sydney's exclusive eastern suburbs and its grittier quarters, encountering both high society figures and dangerous adversaries. The novel paints a vivid picture of 1980s Sydney, capturing the city's social divisions, emerging property market, and undercurrent of corruption. Hardy moves through this landscape with the pragmatic determination that would define his character across the series. This debut installment established Corris's signature style and helped define the Australian crime fiction genre, blending American noir traditions with distinctly local elements and social commentary.

Readers describe The Dying Trade as a gritty, authentic depiction of 1980s Sydney that established the Australian noir genre. The book maintains a brisk pace with clear, unembellished prose. Readers appreciated: - Cliff Hardy's flawed but relatable character - Detailed Sydney settings and local atmosphere - Straightforward plotting without artificial twists - The dark humor throughout Common criticisms: - Dated cultural references and attitudes - Some find the writing style too sparse - Side characters could be more developed Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (246 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (12 ratings) Sample reader comments: "Captures Sydney's underbelly perfectly" - Goodreads reviewer "Hardy is no superhero, just a working-class PI doing his job" - Amazon review "The plot meanders at times but the atmosphere keeps you reading" - LibraryThing user

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler Philip Marlowe's investigation through 1930s Los Angeles presents the same mix of wealth, corruption, and street-level grit that defines Cliff Hardy's Sydney.

Bangkok 8 by John Burdett Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep works cases in Bangkok's criminal underworld, exploring class divisions and local culture through crime fiction in the same way Hardy's cases reveal Sydney.

The Empty Beach by Garry Disher Wyatt's criminal investigations in Melbourne mirror Hardy's Sydney cases with their exploration of Australian urban landscapes and criminal networks.

Trust Me, I'm Dead by Sherryl Clark Judi Westerholme's investigation through Melbourne's criminal landscape echoes Hardy's navigation between social classes and family secrets.

Bad Debts by Peter Temple Jack Irish's cases through Melbourne's underbelly capture the same Australian noir atmosphere and social commentary present in Hardy's investigations.

🔍 Peter Corris was dubbed "the Godfather of Australian Crime Fiction" and wrote over 40 Cliff Hardy novels across four decades 🏙️ The book's setting of Vaucluse remains one of Sydney's most affluent suburbs, with median house prices exceeding $7 million AUD in 2023 📚 "The Dying Trade" (1980) launched not just a series but helped establish the modern Australian crime fiction genre 🎓 Before becoming a crime writer, Corris was a historian and journalist who wrote a groundbreaking PhD thesis on the South Pacific labor trade 🎬 Despite the Cliff Hardy series' popularity and 42-book run, none have been adapted into major films or TV series, though several attempts were made