Review: `It's like the bloody catacombs down there.'
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 8, 2014
Australian author Budd Severs knows the subject matter and the terrain of his mystery novels as well as any writer today - and can even raise the standards set by Doris Pilkington (`Rabbit Proof Fence'). Severs worked as a reporter with the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper and in 1965, at age 23, he traveled to the Andamook Opal Field ostensibly to do research, but caught up in the seduction of the place and the obsession referred to as opalholism or opal fever, he began mining for the precious stones, even buying the discovered fortunate strikes of others only to have his opal stocks stolen forcing him to return to city life. But the obsession persisted and he became involved in mining at Coober Pedy and eventually at Lightning Ridge, famous locale of the Black Opal and the subject of his second novel LIGHTNING RIDGE OPAL. His life there was the stuff of novels (a rich resource for his writing skills): near death encounters with mine collapses and with King Brown snakes - deadly snakes which fall into mines and are death threats to those wound them. It is from this substrate of experience that he has written novels about the opal history of Australia, this being the initial installment in the series.This being the second of Severs' books this reviewer has read and reviewed it is easy to see how his steaming adventures can become addictive. He doesn't repeat himself - this novel is set in contemporary times whereas his second novel is turn of the 20th century period. He uses skill in introducing the characters he molds from the Australian soil, gradually introducing each new character in his story with a back story some years before the present tale commences. He also provides information at the beginning of his book that acts as a glossary of characters (names and how they relate to the story), and even measurements and currency used in Australia, a generous gift that keeps the reader focused on the important aspects his wild and wooly tale of murder and mayhem. And he knows how to create a total atmosphere of a country too foreign to most of us in his eloquent, fragrant prose. Example, he starts his novel as follows: `In the evening, Maggie trudged upward to a lop-sided structure that resembled a tired sentry box. It stood aloof from the other buildings in the town below, among the vast mounds of opal waste dirt. The construction was of neatly overlapped weatherboards, wind scoured smooth, and red with dust, topped with a gabled corrugated iron roof. Its lean was checked by a pair of struts skew nailed to the rear corners and firmly set into the red dirt. A roughly painted sign on the door proclaimed "Radcliffe's Retreat. 1961. No loitering." And underneath, a latecomer had scrawled - "The leaning Tower of Pees." Inside, another sign, neatly lettered announced - "Reading on the can prohibited. Time limit - 5 minutes. Severe dysentery cases excepted. By order. Harlequin Hills Progress Association ." Apart from these messages, there was a conspicuous absence of the garbled graffiti common in public conveniences. Early mornings were always busy at the Retreat- no time for the metal seat to get cold- with a line of gossiping miners, all exercising control over bowel and bladder until their turn came. Tonight, however, the Retreat was deserted. Heaving a sigh of relief, Maggie entered and threw the heavy iron bolt that had been installed since the advent of women to the opal town.' And so we are in Radcliffe's Retreat and in a few pages the action begins and doesn't stop until novel's end.The search for buried treasure involves an unforgettable cast of characters - opal minor Brumby Heath and his partner Matt, the above mention prostitute Maggie, the threatening opal buyer Jonas - searching the historic Radcliffe's deeply subterranean tunnel maze for the black opals. Severs assures us we don't miss a point by bouncing his narrative back and forth, connecting the dots with his well-sculpted prose. A great story, well written by a may who understands every aspect of the book he has created. Grady Harp, May 14