The Bookmaker from Rabaul. A fictionalised account of the Somerton Man case.
This is a fictionalised account of the Somerton Man case. An enduring Australian mystery that began in December 1948 when a body was discovered on Somerton Beach: a man, overdressed for hot weather and no clue as to his identity. Who was he? How and why did he die? Did the Somerton Man get out of his depth in a world of espionage and dark deeds beyond his control or comprehension? And what about Jessica – the woman he loved and whose life he changed forever. This vividly imagined and meticulously researched account offers a gripping fictional interpretation of a true-life mystery that remains unsolved to this day. A detailed afterword describes the people and events that inspired this book.
I read The Bookmaker from Rabaul several years ago after I discovered your blog. Even though some time has now passed since I read the book, I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of your writing. The labyrinth of puzzles and mysteries appealed to every aspect of me and it was a rare book that compelled me to turn the pages over as fast as possible to see what lay waiting for me next and to find out the next resolution. I also enjoyed the undercurrent of humour intermingled amongst the pages and I appreciated the phenomenal amount of research that went into the writing. It was genuinely one of the top 10 novels I’ve ever read. Kyal Shepard.
The Somerton Man 