In the darkest shadows, the pursuit of truth is the only light.
‘Brilliant … a captivating new voice in Australian crime fiction’
In the scorching summer of 2004, a working-class Sydney suburb erupts in turmoil when Percy Fullwood, a respected local, is accused of a heinous crime by his own family. As the media frenzy ignites, Detective Bruce Spencer leads a high-profile raid, branding Percy guilty before trial.
Enter Diane Spencer, Bruce’s wealthy and determined sister, who refuses to accept the verdict. Teaming up with enigmatic lawyer Otto, Diane launches a daring quest for justice.
While Percy languishes in prison, Diane and Otto risk everything to uncover the truth, delving deep into the labyrinth of corrupt officials and Sydney’s dark underbelly.
Against a backdrop of political intrigue and personal vendettas, the investigators navigate treacherous waters to unravel the conspiracy. As they dig deeper, Diane and Otto realise that the powerful forces at play will stop at nothing to protect their web of secrets.
Will truth triumph against the odds, or will the Spencer team be consumed by the darkness they seek to defeat?
Jamie Mcmurdo –
Steve Matthews’ Perversion of Justice will have you captivated right until the very last line. I loved this crime fiction novel, and as a keen reader of Steve’s work I cannot wait to see what he gets up to in the next series. Throughout the novel, Steve delves into real life issues within the justice system and corruption among authorities in positions of power. As the reader, we are forced to experience the full weight of tragic circumstances surrounding Percy’s conviction and the devastating consequences it had, sending shockwaves throughout the entire community. Steve has masterfully created a strong set of key characters that give this story so much depth. With a number of fun twists and tragic turns, there is always that equal glimmer of hope and determination for justice that is incredibly addictive. I highly recommend you grab Perversion of Justice! It is well worth the read and perfect for any fan of crime fiction.
Emma Houghton –
Compelling. Thrilling. Unputdownable.
Steve Matthews is back with another marvellous story you’re bound to find yourself addicted to. The Perversion of Justice is a gripping novel, and in classic Steve Matthews fashion, you can never predict what will happen next.
Matthews has a brilliant way of keeping you glued to the page and his ability to breathe life to the characters in this book is — I believe— a career best. There were moments of being completely indulged that I’d forget where I was!
If you’re looking for the next book that will keep you up until 3am, The Perversion of Justice is the book for you.
Emma Houghton, London
Barbie Robinson –
Steve Matthews departs from his historical fiction focussed on the Nazi era to move to another type of crime. He is however, as always, still most interested in justice, in the workings of the human psyche and in relationships both positive and toxic.
In this story, he tackles a case of false accusation and unjust arrest and imprisonment awaiting trial. We know from early in the story (and so it is not spoiling things for the reader for me to mention it), that this is a case motivated by brotherly jealousy.
Thus it is that we are not in any doubt about the perpetrator in this fiction, but rather are intent upon following the course of the investigations and the eventual solution that will, we trust, absolve our victim.
The Fullwood family is at the centre of the story, of Jamaican origin but long-time residents and citizens of Sydney. There are three brothers, and it is Percy, a pillar of the Church and doer of much good work in society, who falls victim to the accusations of younger brother Leroy and his adolescent children.
This is inevitably a story full of nefarious types and much nastiness. There are sleazy characters, corrupt police and politicians and a prurient, sensationalist press out for headline-grabbing stories. The institution of the Church also comes under fire for its venality. Money, of course, is the root of all (or most) evil in this plot, as it commonly is in crime fiction.
But personal relationships of various kinds also come under the spotlight as a motivator for both good and bad behaviour.
Heroine and crime solver Diane Spencer, for example, marries fortuitously and becomes super rich. Her brother Bruce is, coincidentally, the police officer in charge of the Percy Fullwood investigation. It is also fortuitous that Diane’s brief but lucrative marriage to a high-tech geek has given her insight into the workings of information storage and secretion – a matter which comes up when evidence is buried.
Diane is not content to spend her life simply shopping for designer wear and she founds an organisation called the Social Injustice Centre (SIC, also a wry play by the author on the Latin abbreviation which points to an inherent error).
She doggedly pursues the Fullwood case when she happens upon some evidence on a flash drive inadvertently left at her apartment by her brother. She twigs that not all is right with the case, determines to see justice done, and calls upon a canny lawyer friend to help.
While Steve Matthews must necessarily deal in the darkness of this world he has created, he is ever conscious of somewhat lightening the atmosphere for the reader by introducing humorous elements – without diminishing the seriousness of his topic.
These include the larger-than- life characters, his ironic naming of female protagonist Diane Spencer and the use by one Fullwood family member of patois – for which he is ridiculed by other members of his family, having been born and bred in Sydney.
While we are given a form of justice by this story, we are also acutely aware of the permanent harm that this sort of false accusation can wreak on its victims. Mirroring our daily real-life experience of sensationalist stories in the media that are debunked but subsequently only corrected in ‘small type’, as it were, this book emphasises the fragility of this aspect of our justice system.
We are also made very aware of the trauma and powerlessness of the accused in this case. The author’s aim to, at least in fiction, restore power to the powerless is clear and admirable.
In the end, while we travel through the mire in this story, we are left with a clear consciousness of Steve Matthews’ ongoing interest in human nature and how it can be better, how we should all be better.
There is more than a passing nod to the forces that mould personality and hence determine human interactions. A compassionate interest in human psychology remains a forceful driver for this author’s work, no matter the genre he chooses to tell his stories.
This is the first of a series of four Social Injustice Centre books.
Emma Houghton –
Compelling. Thrilling. Unputdownable.
Steve Matthews is back with another marvellous story you’re bound to find yourself addicted to. The Perversion of Justice is a gripping novel, and in classic Steve Matthews fashion, you can never predict what will happen next.
Matthews has a brilliant way of keeping you glued to the page and his ability to breathe life to the characters in this book is — I believe— a career best. There were moments of being completely indulged that I’d forget where I was!
If you’re looking for the next book that will keep you up until 3am, The Perversion of Justice is the book for you.
–
Emma Houghton, London
Kim Watson –
Perversion of Justice will no doubt have readers flying through the opening chapters as the plot progresses to the conflict and resolution chapters. I believe there were times when the plotline slowed considerably; having now completed the book I wonder if this was done on purpose to allow the reader the opportunity to completely sympathise with poor Percy and the Fullwood family rather than feeling like an afterthought, this is the reason behind my high five-star rating.
Krystal Berger –
Steve Matthews proved himself a master of historical fiction with his Hitler trilogy and Ted Watts’ Diary, now he has proven himself in fictional crime with his new book ‘Perversion of Justice’. Full of suspicion and twists and turns, this is a tale of family, corruption, greed and what happens to the innocent when justice has failed them.
Everyone knows what happens to the ‘bad guys’; they go to jail, serve their sentences. But what happens when it is an innocent, who’s community has given up on him, if not, most of his family? Life would be unimaginable. I certainly wouldn’t want to be found in his shoes. But that is exactly where our protagonist finds himself. Already found guilty of one of the most heinous of crimes, his community has turned their back on him and his family. Everyone believes he is guilty, but for a few that are ready to fight for not only his freedom but also to repair his good reputation. But when you’re up against corruption and greed, it can be an uphill battle. Are you ready to fight alongside them?
An amazing story, great writing this is a crime story that should not be missed!
Sean Doyle –
Great stuff, Steve. Keep them coming!
Ibrahim Ridwanullahi –
I just finished Perversion of Justice, and I have to say—it was absolutely riveting. The way the author captured corruption, power, and the devastating weight of false accusations was masterful. Diane’s relentless pursuit of the truth kept me hooked, and the twists had me second-guessing everything.
The story felt disturbingly real, especially how the media frenzy and political agendas played out. It’s rare to find a crime novel that’s both thrilling and deeply thought-provoking, but Matthews nailed it.
Can’t wait to see what’s next in the Social Injustice Centre series—this one was unforgettable!