The Second Son

Winner of the 2021 Ned Kelly Award for Best Debut Crime Fiction, The Second Son takes readers on a exhilarating ride on the mean streets of Western Sydney

Duty always has a price.

When Ivan Novak is shot dead putting out his garbage bins in Sydney's west, his family wants revenge, especially his father Milan, a notorious crime boss. It's a job for the second son, Ivan's younger brother Johnny.

But Johnny loves his wife Amy and their son Sasha. And she's about to deliver her ultimatum- either the three of them escape this wave of killing or she'll leave, taking Sasha.

Torn between loyalty to his family and love for his wife, Johnny plans the heist of a lifetime and takes a huge risk. Is he prepared to pay the price? And what choice will Amy make?

The Second Son is a brilliant action-packed crime debut that creates a world where honour is everything, violence is its own language, and love means breaking all the rules.

About the Author

From magician's assistant to crime novelist, it's all about mastering the art of subterfuge for Loraine Peck, whose love of crime fiction propelled her to write the kind of book she loves to read.

The Second Son, Loraine's debut novel, won the 2021 Ned Kelly Award for Best Debut Crime Fiction from the Australian Crime Writers Association. It was shortlisted for two Davitt Awards by Sisters in Crime and for a Danger Award by BAD Crime Sydney.

The Double Bind, the sequel to The Second Son, will be out in April 2023.

Loraine and her husband spend their time between Sydney and the Gold Coast.