Give the Devil His Due by Sulari Gentill

Publisher's Synopsis

When Rowland Sinclair is invited to take his yellow Mercedes onto the Maroubra Speedway, popularly known as the Killer Track, he agrees without caution or reserve.

But then people start to die…

The body of a journalist covering the race is found in a House of Horrors, an English blueblood with Blackshirt affiliations is killed on the race track… and it seems that someone has Rowland in their sights.

A strange young reporter preoccupied with black magic, a mysterious vagabond, an up-and-coming actor by the name of Flynn, and ruthless bookmakers all add mayhem to the mix.

With danger presenting at every turn, and the brakes long since disengaged, Rowland Sinclair hurtles towards disaster with an artist, a poet and brazen sculptress along for the ride.

My Review of Give the Devil His Due by Sulari Gentill

The 7th book in the Rowland Sinclair series finds Rowly and his cohort of fellow artists and poets (Edna, Clyde and Milton) back in Sydney and settling down after a hectic time in Germany. The year is 1934 and Rowland has been invited to participate in a car race for charity at the notoriously dangerous Maroubra Speedway. This is a team event and his team consists of noted professional driver Joan Richmond as well as up and coming actor Errol Flynn.

The lead up to the race inevitably involves some media scrutiny and Rowly is interviewed by local journalist Crispin White who visits him at his Woollahra mansion, Woodlands House. White stays on for dinner, over-indulges in wine and is driven home by Milton. So it’s with complete shock to hear the next day that Crispin White was found murdered in Magdalene’s House of the Macabre, a Kings Cross waxworks.

As one of the last people to have been seen with White, Milton becomes a suspect, the fact that he knew White from years before and had had a certain history with the man makes him an even stronger suspect. 

But this is just one problem that has edged its way into Rowland’s life. His inclusion in this charity race has invited more than a few unwanted people into his path, namely, SP bookies and the like. He begins to walk a careful tightrope, avoiding men trying to glad hand him looking for inside information.

The other problem comes to him through Clyde whose courtship of Rosalina Martinelli has come to an abrupt end. Her family has arranged for her to marry a good Italian man who has just arrived from Italy. Clyde is warned off but is far from prepared to simply walk away. Rowly’s prepared to back him all the way, even if it means copping a few bruises along the way. 

As has become one of the delightful norms throughout the series, Gentill has seamlessly woven some real life characters into the narrative to mingle with her fictional cast. It’s something that adds a satisfying dimension to the story providing added colour to an already vividly imagined tableau.

The drama taking place in Sydney is set to the backdrop of the brewing unrest in Europe, made even more pressing by Rowland and his friend’s recent experiences in Germany. Their politics notwithstanding, Milton and Clyde remain ever faithful to Rowland and the increasing danger he appears to be facing. His subsequent artwork reflects the shocking scenes he witnessed and, still determined to warn his countrymen of what he believes is an impending war, decides to hold an exhibition of his works.

Give the Devil His Due is another outstanding wander through Sydney in the 1930s. Woven together is a gruesome murder, a tragedy on the racetrack followed by threats of revenge. Hints of police corruption adds a considerable level of uncertainty to ongoing investigations and then there’s an illegal gambling syndicate ready to put pressure on anyone who gets in their way.

Although there are many threads, the story unfolds effortlessly. Rowland has time to paint, practice for his race, assist the lovelorn Clyde, run his own quasi-murder investigation, survive a sniper round and compete in said race. And there’s a lovely interaction between the friends and a certain Arthur Stace, the man known for chalking the word “Eternity” on the footpaths and doorsteps of Sydney.

I was once again charmed while, at the same time, frustrated by Rowland’s overly forgiving nature.