Sunday 4 September 2011

My Review: D.E.D. Dead! by Geoff McGeachin

A funny, irreverent and well written Australian spy/thriller spoof by Geoff McGeachin. The central character, Alby Murdoch is a talented photographer for Worldpix, a legitimate profit-making photographic enterprise. This in turn provides an excellent cover for Alby's real job, as a spy for the Directorate for Extra-territorial Defence (D-E-D) - another Australian government funded security acronym.

Alby is likeable, laconic and amusing in a 'laugh out loud' kind of way. He and his partner Harry have been assigned their regular gig updating records for Australian security on the secret US base in central Australia called Bitter Springs. A mundane task that Alby palms off to Harry to settle an old bet. However the mundane quickly becomes highly dangerous. Harry is terminated, Alby and his fellow passengers narrowly escape being blown-up on a Hong Kong bound plane, and Alby becomes aware that he has a bounty on his head and is wanted dead or alive.

Fortuitously, Alby hooks up with a gorgeous but enigmatic female US agent called Grace Goodluck (as you do). Grace also seemingly appears to be on the run, and together they escape to Bali to reassess (and get to know each other better). After hitching a boatride back to Australia with a dodgy couple of retirees and wiping out some pirates along the way, Alby heads for outback Australia and Bitter Springs, where he knows he will find some answers.

I have to admit that I started out reading this book without any great expectations. I generally like my crime fiction tough and gritty and I thought the spy spoof had already been done to death by Austin Powers amongst others, however I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. McGeachin's writing is clever, quick witted and highly amusing. He took me on a journey where the destination was hidden and infused with hi-jinx along the way. Amidst the humour, I wanted to know what Harry had uncovered? Who was Grace Goodluck and what were her motives? Why Alby was wanted dead or alive? And what exactly was going on at Bitter Springs?

If you like your espionage interspersed with mayhem and humour, then you won't be disappointed by this book. An entertaining and intriguing read that will definitely put a smile on your face.

MY RATING: 4/5

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