{"product_id":"9781925626322","title":"The Brush-Off: Text Classics","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner, Ned Kelly Award for Crime Fiction, 1996\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003ci\u003e‘When I hear the word culture I think excellence and I think access…’ \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003ci\u003eI wasn’t sure where this was going, but at least he wasn’t reaching for his revolver. \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e Murray Whelan, hero of \u003ci\u003eStiff\u003c\/i\u003e, is back at his richly futile best in \u003ci\u003eThe Brush-Off\u003c\/i\u003e. When the body of an artist is fished from the moat outside the National Gallery, Murray—political minder, brushed-off lover and art buff on the make—goes looking for the big picture. If he can put the fix in, he might have a chance of staying employed. The second adventure in Shane Maloney’s series brilliantly mixes high art with low blows.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBorn in Hamilton in western Victoria, in 1953, \u003cb\u003eShane Maloney\u003c\/b\u003e is one of Australia’s most popular novelists. His award-winning and much-loved Murray Whelan series—\u003ci\u003eStiff\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Brush-Off\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNice Try\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Big Ask\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSomething Fishy\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eSucked In\u003c\/i\u003e—has been published around the world.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e Before becoming a writer, Shane Maloney booked rock bands, promoted public radio, conducted public relations for the Boy Scouts Association, ran the Melbourne Comedy Festival and became a swimming pool lifeguard. There is no evidence that anyone drowned on his watch.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e In 1996 \u003ci\u003eThe Brush-Off\u003c\/i\u003e won the Ned Kelly Prize for Crime Fiction. In 2004 \u003ci\u003eStiff\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Brush-Off\u003c\/i\u003e were made into telemovies, starring David Wenham as Murray Whelan. In 2009 Shane Maloney was presented with the Crime Writers’ Association of Australia Lifetime Achievement Award.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e He lives in Melbourne.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘\u003ci\u003eThe Brush-Off\u003c\/i\u003e brilliantly mixes the comic and the tragic: this amusing thriller has you laughing at the moments where a gasp may be more appropriate.’ \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eRolling Stone\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘Maloney is top shelf.’ \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eAustralian\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘A succulent, consistently funny detective story…The plot is something like John Cleese might dream up if he was drunk with Dashiell Hammett.’ \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Text Publishing Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47151530574064,"sku":"9781925626322","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781925626322_p0.jpg?v=1763634897","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781925626322","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}