{"product_id":"2026200006420-secondhand-crooks","title":"Crooks","description":"\u003cp\u003eEdition: First Edition\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition remarks:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBook: Good                          \u003cbr\u003eJacket: Very good\u003cbr\u003ePages: Good                  \u003cbr\u003eMarkings: No markings\u003cbr\u003eCondition remarks: Jacket protected by mylar sleeve. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA biting, fast-paced dive into the volatile underbelly of Australian crime, Crooks is a masterfully written noir novel by award-winning Australian author and playwright Bill Reed. Published by Hyland House in Melbourne in 1984, this scarce hardback volume—complete with its original dust jacket—serves as a highly compelling literary snapshot of mid-1980s urban realism and satirical social commentary.\n\nThe plot weaves an atmospheric, character-driven narrative centered on Frank Stein, the son of a Commissioner of Police who finds himself on a chaotic quest for revenge following the gangland killing of his crime-fighting half-brother. Blending elements of a high-stakes thriller, dark comedy, and gritty underworld fiction, Reed expertly populates the story with a rich gallery of grotesques and complex human relationship dynamics, offering a sharp critique of the era's institutional culture, society, and crime world. This vintage copy is exceptionally well-preserved, featuring an unmarked interior and a good page state, safely housed in a very good dust jacket. It is a vital and unique acquisition for collectors of classic Australian literature, 1980s crime fiction, and rare hardback editions.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Secondhand Stock","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48820234682587,"sku":"2026200006420-SECONDHAND","price":20.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0523\/7646\/9701\/files\/8cbdb46e-5285-46f7-9c7a-cfc0a2e8d276.png?v=1780055043","url":"https:\/\/bookgrocer.com\/products\/2026200006420-secondhand-crooks","provider":"Book Grocer","version":"1.0","type":"link"}