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Scattered Monkeys

Scattered Monkeys

Intertwining the rich tapestry of Asian mythology with Hong Kong of the 1970s – and inspired by Bruce’s time spent in the Royal Hong Kong Police – Scattered Monkeys is a page-turning read that dives headfirst into the underbelly of Hong Kong, showing us a world where politics, sex, drugs and violence collide explosively.

Brendan Murray is thrown headfirst into this concrete jungle when he arrives in 1976 to serve in the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. Despite five years’ experience as a police officer in Australia, he quickly discovers he has much to learn. Brendan finds himself drawn into a world of corruption, drugs, elitism, wealth, scandal and pride, and is faced with three formidable women linked by both business and blood: Jenny Woo, businesswoman and owner of a famous nightclub, Kwan Su-lin, a doctor who suffered at the hands of Mao Tse-tung’s regime, and her cousin, Georgina Merchant, CEO of the most powerful company in Asia. Lurking in the shadows is Kwan Su-lin’s brother, Jet Kwan, the ruthless opium-addicted Triad boss whose hands are in the pockets of all of Hong Kong’s elite, and who will stop at nothing to get what he truly wants – power.

Brendan and his colleagues are drawn into a web of intrigue, with the stakes, and body count, climbing higher at every turn. What happens when the tree falls? The monkeys scatter and, in doing so, rustle the grass and alert the snake.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bruce Venables was born in Hobart and was a member of the Tasmanian Police Force. In 1976 he joined the Royal Hong Kong Police as an inspector. He served in the Hong Kong Marine Police as a launch commander and in the Tactical Unit as a platoon commander. In 1984 Bruce took up residence in Sydney and began his career as a writer of film and television scripts. He is also well known to Australian audiences as an actor. He is the author of a collection of poetry, The Spirit of the Bush, and three other novels: A Necessary Evil, The Time of the Dragons and Two Tigers, One Mountain. Bruce lives in Sydney, and is married to best-selling novelist and actress, Judy Nunn.

Scattered Monkeys is available now. 

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