The Half-Child

‘Clever and funny, The Half-Child is full of clashing cultures and a rich sense of place.’ Kerry Greenwood

A new case for expat private investigator Jayne Keeney.

Jayne has been hired to investigate the alleged suicide of a young Australian woman in a seedy Thai coastal town. But Maryanne Delbeck’s death is not the only mystery awaiting Jayne among Pattaya’s neon signs and go-go bars. While working undercover at an orphanage where Maryanne volunteered, Jayne discovers something far more sinister.

Now her life is in danger, her case is still unsolved and she barely has time for dinner with her handsome new love interest, Rajiv. With love and death both circling, Jayne now has two cases to crack—and very little time to do it.

The Half-Child is not your standard crime novel; Jayne Keeney is not your everyday detective.

Shortlisted for the 2011 Ned Kelly Award for Best Fiction.

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PRAISE FOR THE HALF-CHILD

‘This is a gripping novel; an unromanticised travel guide to today’s Thailand; a critique of Western missionary endeavours; and a warning to naïve young people who stumble into volunteer work without the necessary skills.’
Australian Bookseller & Publisher

‘This page-turner hooks you in from the start. 4 stars’
Cosmopolitan

‘Angela Savage must have to be one of the most talented authors I have come across, and her novel The Half-Child does not disappoint … It is not only a crime novel, but a mixture of genres rolled into one. There is romance, heartache and a cultural synopsis of Thailand – the good and bad. Savage has written a well-researched piece …’
Launceston Examiner

‘One of the most satisfying aspects of this series is its sense of place … Stylish and witty … with rich characterisation and the portrait of a complex culture under threat from both within and without. Savage has an important point to make.’
Sydney Morning Herald

‘Savage not only skillfully entertains her readers but also makes us think poignantly and enlighteningly about the big questions of equality and exploitation, sacrifice and the true nature of courage. 5 stars.’
Adelaide Advertiser

‘Funny, heart-wrenching and informative, Savage’s heroine is someone readers will want to share a beer with. 4 Stars.’
The Big Issue

‘Angela Savage’s latest crime novel, set in Thailand, is a cracker…a story that has warmth and humanity.’
Clare Kennedy, The Herald Sun

‘A real treat of a novel offering engaging and believable characters, a thoughtful and intelligent plot and a subtle, complex insight into the culture in which it is set. There is also some delightful humour… I highly recommend this novel to all.’
Bernadette, Fair Dinkum Crime.

Available as an ebook or as a paperback here and here.

REVIEWS

Launceston Examiner, 4 Sept 2010
The Herald Sun, 11 Sept 2010
The Big Issue, 14 Sept 2010
Adelaide Advertiser, 15 Sept 2010
Sun Herald, 3 Oct 2010
Sydney Morning Herald, 16 Oct 2010
Cosmopolitan, October 2010
Notebook, October 2010
Australian Crime Fiction Database
Pulp Curry review by Sulari Gentill
Crime Space review by David Whish-Wilson
Fair Dinkum Crime review, 30 July 2011
Sisters in Crime Australia review
‘Wit and Pathos – The Half-Child’ review by Elizabeth Lheude, 6 Oct 2012
Listen to Sue Turnbull’s review on 666 ABC Radio here.