Crook as Rookwood
Crook as Rookwood is a 2005 Ned Kelly Award-winning novel by the Australian author Chris Nyst. Abstract
From the writer of the hit film Gettin' Square - Some people are bad for your health ... In an inner suburb of Sydney, a pensioner is bashed in his own home. An old Labor Party stalwart loses the faith and goes looking for someone to blame. And a young woman called Slick finds an unsettling connection between the death of her ex-husband and her new boss. When Gold Coast lawyer Eddie Moran comes to Sydney to look after Slick's interests after the death of her ex, he finds a simple drug overdose isn't so simple after all. It's not just the crooked cops, it's the strong whiff of a deal being done higher up and well offstage. From sleazy Sydney backstreets to the new-money glamour of the Gold Coast, this is the world where politics and business meet, and where the consequences are far-reaching - and surprising ... Awards

Ned Kelly Awards for Crime Writing, Best Novel, 2006: joint winner

Notes

Dedication: "To my beautiful sons and my darling daughters". Peter Rozovsky, of the "Detectives Beyond Borders" weblog, listed this as one of his favorite crime novels of 2007. Critical reception
On the AustCrime website reviewer Sunnie Gil noted: "Chris Nyst is a keen observer of personalities and creates memorable characters. He also has a feel for writing dialogue which is witty and sounds authentic. A defence lawyer, based on Queensland's Gold Coast, Nyst's clients have ranged from high-ranking politicians and sporting identities to a notorious hit-man and petty criminals. He knows the legal system and how it works. He also knows criminals. He knows how they think and how they speak." See also
 2005 in Australian literature

References

Australian crime novels
2005 Australian novels
Ned Kelly Award-winning works
HarperCollins books