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

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."