Peter Corris and Cliff Hardy series

[Maud Fitch]

Peter Corris is best known for his most popular creation, and some say alter ego, Sydney private investigator Cliff Hardy. In his line of work, Hardy encounters greed and corruption, he uncovers criminal activities perpetrated by people from a wide social spectrum and investigates murders and motives, often ‘cold cases’ before that term became popular. He meets shady individuals with dual personalities and reveals family betrayals often with unhappy outcomes. This man has integrity and it’s worth pondering how much of fictitious Hardy is based on the inner workings of author Peter Corris. Whether or not Hardy is largely Corris, he definitely offers a potent conduit for ideas.

A journalist before he turned writer, Corris could have met and interviewed hundreds of characters similar to the types Hardy meets in each book. It’s this realism, the natural order of things which I like so much and which I think Corris has nailed so perfectly. Not for him the try-hard detective, contrived speech, sugar-coated deaths or neat endings. His clever plots and hinted consequences make for intriguing and enjoyable reading.

Peter Robert Corris (born on 8 May 1942 in Victoria, Australia) has numerous other books in his canon including non-fiction. He’s an academic, historian, journalist and a novelist of historical and crime fiction. He has won five Ned Kelly Awards for Crime Writing Best Novel and won the Ned Kelly Award for Lifetime Achievement. He has a plaque in the "Writers Walk" at Circular Quay in Sydney, Australia.

Perhaps Corris’ greatest accolades are reserved for his Cliff Hardy detective series. There are almost 40 books in this series. I for one appreciate his staying power. You may like to read the more current novels like “The Dunbar Case”, however, the earlier ones are classic Australia in the 80s and 90s. The series was old-school but has changed with the times (think internet and iPhones) and contains physical changes to Cliff Hardy at the same time they happened to the author. For example, smoking habits or the triple bypass heart operation Peter Corris underwent and then bestowed on Cliff Hardy. They are both members of the 'zipper club'. The relationship breakdowns do not appear to apply to real life but the easy-going narrative speaks volumes, both men having a genuine affection for their country and its diverse inhabitants.

Nicknamed the Godfather of contemporary Australian crime writing, Peter Corris is a definite patriarch, and not getting any younger. If pop stars can acquire AO medals, I would like to see Corris get a gong for his contribution to Australian literature. Does he have one? Would he send it back? I'm sure Hardy would. Corris and Hardy are two blokes you can imagine joking about this and idly ruminating over drinks. I say give credit where credit is due.