Peter Corris is best known in Australia for his long running, fast-paced detective series featuring Clif Hardy. Along the way he has thrown in a couple of smaller series delving into the spy arena and the Hollywood set to keep things fresh. But the shortest series, at least to date, features Luke Dunlop, a Witness Protection Agency officer working in Sydney. Set Up is the first book of a 3 book series that takes us into the dangerous and often lonely world of disappearing.
Lucas is assigned to protect Kerry Loew, an armed hold-up crook, prison escapee and now low down grassing dog. He’s in court giving testimony in the murder of an assistant police commissioner.
Protecting him during the trial is only half the job for Dunlop, however. Once the trial is over Loew will need to be relocated and given a new identity. Although it can be a difficult task it is usually a fairly standard procedure. The difficulty factor on this case is elevated considerably by the fact that while he’s been in prison, Loew has gone and got himself married to Cassie May, a TV star whose profile is so high that helping her disappear will be nigh on impossible.
Then Dunlop meets Cassie and suddenly everything changes. Witness Protection Agents should never become emotionally involved with their clients, that’s rule number one. It’s dangerous for all parties concerned, clouds judgement and is completely unprofessional. Dunlop doesn’t care, he can’t help falling for her and the protection of the low-down grassing dog in prison is no longer such a pressing priority to him.
Set Up is a very fast paced novel of intrigue that manages to take us right into the heart and soul of Luke Dunlop, to get a sense of the sacrifices he has to make for his job. The examination of Dunlop gives the book a noir quality with a sense of helplessness taking over after he makes his first incorrect decision.
Behind the emotional turmoil that Dunlop is trying to keep secret, there is still a trial taking place, plus the fact that Kerry Loew will be released from prison at its conclusion. It creates a delicious tension as his release draws inexorably closer. The question of how well he will be protected and what his reaction be should he find out what’s been going on looms large. A fiery ending is set up.
Peter Corris has introduced a complex character in Luke Dunlop, an anti-hero in some respects, but a man with whom it is easy to identify. Right from the start of the book it is demonstrated to us that he is a man who is far from perfect, yet on the other hand displays many endearing qualities. Your average everyman asked to do a tough job.
While reading Set Up I couldn’t help but feel a little surprised that the series only lasted for 3 books (Set up was published in 1992 and the last of the series was in 1994). Luke Dunlop is an interesting and well developed character doing a job that is unusual when compared to the more often seen police inspector stories that are out there. The plot is tight and finely drawn leading you to a thrilling conclusion. Everything about the book invites you to read more, so I’ll be happy to immerse myself in the other two books, Cross Off and Get Even to round off the series.
Recommended:
