The Greater Good by Tim Ayliffe

Publisher's Synopsis

Battered war correspondent John Bailey is a man living on the edge. He’s haunted by nightmares of being kidnapped and tortured in Iraq and he’s drinking too much to drown the memories. As he battles to get his life back together, a story breaks that will force him back into the spotlight – and into the crosshairs of a deadly international player.

When a beautiful prostitute is found murdered in her luxury apartment, Bailey is ordered to cover the story by The Journal’s editor and his old friend, Gerald Summers, because he can’t trust anyone else.

One of the victim’s clients, a key advisor to the Defence Minister, is chief suspect in her murder and he’s on the run. When he contacts Bailey, claiming to have information that will bring down the government, the stakes become deadly. To complicate matters, the investigating police detective is the woman Bailey walked out on a decade ago.

When a ruthless CIA fixer turns up, followed by a murderous Chinese agent hot on his trail, Bailey realises he has stumbled onto the story of a lifetime – one that he may not live to tell.

My Review of The Greater Good by Tim Ayliffe

The Greater Good is a briskly paced thriller that introduces Sydney-based journalist and one-time war correspondent John Bailey. He has just resumed his job at a local newspaper but still battles the memories of the trauma from 10 months as a captive hostage in Iraq. As a barely functioning alcoholic he comes with every piece of baggage a battle-scarred veteran is lumbered with. He’s an interesting character for sure.

The story starts with Bailey invited to the scene of a murdered prostitute in inner city Sydney. He has been asked to attend by his former girlfriend, police homicide detective Sharon Dexter. The case has significance because the last person seen entering her apartment was an aide to the Minister of Defence.

The prospect of a murder case with a political link is too tasty a morsel for Bailey to ignore and he’s off and running with his investigation. When he cops his first beating he’s happy enough to take it as confirmation there’s something big to play for.

Not unexpectedly, his investigation uncovers a strong whiff of political corruption, dodgy high-ranking police and a dangerous alliance with foreign officials. Of course, suspecting or even knowing things and proving them are two completely different beasts. Not to mention there’s enough at stake to put his life on an absolute tightrope.

As far as troubled lead protagonists go Bailey pretty much has all the big cliches covered. He has a full-on drinking problem, a failed marriage behind him and suffers PTSD from his time in Iraq. He’s accustomed to traumatic situations and seems to have the knack of stepping straight into them. Following his exploits certainly means there’s rarely a dull moment.

What Bailey has in his favour is a strong network of support. This is good for us as the reader because it means he always seems to be able to get things done quickly. This is a real bonus in an action/thriller story. As well as homicide detective Sharon Dexter he has the resources of his best friend and newspaper editor Gerald Summers not to mention the enigmatic (former?) CIA Ronnie Johnson.

The Greater Good is a strong political thriller that succeeds in providing consistent entertainment. Tim Ayliffe manages to portray a seemingly accurate view of local and international politics with a caution around the potential for greed and self-aggrandisement that may lead to global destabilisation on a grand scale.