When it comes to sex, drugs, and rock n roll, Billy Glasheen s always been in the vanguard, but as the swinging 60s turn into the 70s, he s living a quiet life. He has kids now, and he s in debt to the mob, so he keeps his head down, driving a cab, running some low-level rackets. He may as well have gone straight, it s so boring. Then one day everything changes. He finds a trashy paperback in his cab whose plot seems weirdly familiar. Billy himself seems to be a major character in it. He can t think who could ve written it other than Max, his old partner in crime who double-crossed him and left him in the mess he s in. Only Max is dead. He went up in flames, along with lots of cash, after a bank heist. But if Max is alive, Billy has a score to settle. And if he didn t get fried to a crisp, maybe the money didn t either. Billy has to find out, by following clues planted in that strange little book. He soon discovers he s not the only one on Max s trail, and has to deal with enemies old and new in his strangest adventure yet."
Industry Reviews
"The Big Whatever can be read as a caper novel or a lament for the ’60s and the way a few slimy characters sank the peace and love . . . There’s plenty of retro appeal here, harkening back to Newton Thornburg’s 1976 cult classic Cutter and Bone.” — Booklist
'Wonderful references to pop culture are dotted throughout, beautifully crafted into the narrative, designed to make readers smile and nod. The sense of humour . . . is razor sharp and desert dry, and about as Australian as you can get in a culture that’s got American influence worming its way into everything.' — Newtown Review of Books (Sydney)
