A Private Man

Description

It is two days since Dr John Brand's death and his eldest son, Davis, suspects a cover-up. 'Survived by two sons', the death notice said. Peacefully.' But someone has lied: there are three sons, and the circumstances of their father's death are murky. Still, the Sydney Test Match is on and Davis's famous brother Chris is batting to save his career while their mother Margaret watches the broadcast from her armchair. Hammett, the unacknowledged third brother, lurks on the edges, banished but not forgotten. Scattered over Sydney, the Brand's lives - and John Brand's funeral - are put on hold for the duration of the game: five days of suspense, silences, revelations, recriminations and redemption.

One of Australia's most highly acclaimed and versatile writers, Malcolm Knox has published six books, including The Greatest: The players, the moments, the matches 1339-2008. The former literary editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, Malcolm won a Walkley award in 2004 for the expose of fraudulent author Norma Khouri. He was runner up for Journalist of the Year 2004 and was named one of 2001's Best Young Novelists by the Sydney Morning Herald for his first novel, Summerland.