This brilliant novel, set in coastal Victoria, features Detective Sergeant Joe Cashin who is recuperating after an horrific experience in which one of his fellow detectives was killed and he was badly injured. A neighbour is found critically bashed, and Cashin is reluctantly drawn into what turns out to be a murder investigation. Local indigenous youths are suspected, but what should have been a simple intercept turns into a fatal (and highly suspicious) shooting by the local police. Temple draws fascinating characters and has a wonderful knack for terse, informative and often humorous conversation. The Victorian setting, Cashion’s dogs, a helpful swaggie, bigoted police and a host of other characters are economically and convincingly drawn. Themes of child abuse and indigenous inequality are skilfully conveyed without the slightest didacticism. Temple’s books are a joy. ( )

I can't get enough of Peter Temple: everytime I read one of his novels I'm enthralled and impressed. The curse of degree in literature is a tendency to become dispassionate and academic, to anaylyse prose style and study metaphors, even when reading the most engaging book. Temple's work turns me into a reader again - his is the art of the flawlessly constructed page-turner. ( )

Temple is one of my favourite crime writers and Broken Shore does not disappoint.

Broken Shore features Cashin a broken and beaten who steadfastly pursues what he believes to be right.

If you like crime fiction - and I do - you will surely like this one. ( )

The first Peter Temple book I have read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Appealing to the Australian sense of humor I found his gift in understatements wonderful. The pace of the book is not quite right at the end, it starts very slowly and continues at a good pace, till he realises that he must solve the crime and tie up all the loose ends in about three pages! Set in rural coastal Victoria, Australia, the description of the setting is brillaint, his main character Cashin, is a grumpy aging-man type character, very irritated by most things but totally endearing to the reader.

AS well as being a good yarn, it touches social issues of race, politics, religion, depression and police corruption. No-one is perfect in this story, not all the bad guys get caught. Not fatalistic, more an attempt to tbe realistic. He gives hope and enjoyment in the friendships and characters that are developed in the stroy and the sense that no matter how bad things may seem, tomorrow is another day. I am looking for more Peter Temple books. ( )

Very involving mystery where the setting serves as an important part of the story. ( )