Killing for sport by Dwayne Russell

When Jackson stands up his childhood sweetheart Sarah at their Sydney society wedding it is clear something has gone seriously wrong. All the rich and famous are there and no expense has been spared but the bride’s family connections to the Sydney underworld and the way they had always despised her relationship with Jackson has given the event an edge that preempts the non-arrival of the groom. Rumours are rife about what has happened, but Sarah discovers that Jackson and his friend Benny have left the country. What follows is a hunt where Sarah uses all her family connections and wealth to track Jackson down and seek vengeance. It seems Jackson’s talent for art might save him. A copy of a Picasso he made comes to the notice of a rich collector who has a proposition. He can be spirited away without trace if he can use his talent on a project close to collector Sebastian Lee’s heart.

We learn about Sarah and Jackson’s developing relationship and characters through timeline shifts, gradually building up a picture of Sarah’s athletic aspirations and Jackson’s developing art talent. We hear lots about the trappings of wealth and the cutthroat nature of elite sports and associated media attention but the characters didn’t develop beyond their respective talents. There is certainly enough action to satisfy the reader but at times I had to work hard to follow the timeline. The imagery was often laboured and held back the pace. When it came down to it, I didn’t care enough about the wealth, the sporting achievement (why was that at all relevant?) or the characters and the ending was very far-fetched. This one was not for me.

Themes: Thriller, Sport, Art, Crime.

Sue Speck