Red Herring

I first read this book when I checked it out from our Henderson library about a year ago. I found it again the other day, but this time, instead of being in the racks, it was on the library's 'withdrawn cart.' It was for sale for just a dollar.  I now hold it for your inspection as it's proud new owner. 

This book tells the story of a private investigator who is trying to track down a man in Auckland. The dock workers' strike is about to happen there and the whole city is riled up.  

I liked this book not only because it was a good read, but because all the action took place in Auckland. Many of the places and buildings that figured in the story are still part of the city today. Yeah, I know it's fiction, but still, I love that.  

Today's post is giong to show you some of the places the gumshoe went in the story.  

Johnny Molloy is his name. The year is 1951 and he's on the trail of a guy who pulled off an insurance scam in San Francisco and high-tailed it to Auckland. Now he's workin' the docks here but shhh, Johnny don't know that, not yet anyway... 

Johnny's rate is a pound a day, minimum five days, plus expenses and he's worth every penny. (And he earns it.) 

The story starts with him lounging across Queen Street under that verandah. I can almost see him over there (if I squint a little) on the corner of Vulcan Lane.  Let's go follow him as he searches the city he knows so well...  

 Johnny meets with the insurance rep who hires him. He's a Yank.

This is the Seafarers' Center. Looks like it's been modernized since Johnny's day.

The entrance

He stops down at the wharf to meet a friend who's a watchman at the gate. Nothin' much happening right now on Queens Wharf.

Next stop is back on Vulcan Lane...

The Occidental Hotel

...and its public tap-room.  Johnny bought a jug here and met with his pal O'Driscoll.

The famous Northern Club

The distinguished front entrance to the club. 

A black 1938 Chrysler Plymouth stopped in front of this door and a guy with a face like a Belfast bricklayer got out. 

The Bank of New South Wales

The Grafton Bridge 

The Symonds Street Cemetary

A boarding house that Johnny had staked out one evening, watching for a guy to show up.  (He saw a woman in a parked car that might have been watching the house too.)  

Another view toward the back of the house. The guy never did show up.  

Maloney's Barber Shop looks like it has been renovated since 1951. 

The Premire Building, (?) corner of Wyndham and Queen. Johnny's office was on the 4th floor. (Don't know which window)   

Johnny replaced his suit that got torn up in a scuffle at this store. 

Johnny got his man of course and all ended well. He was tired out though. It was a hard job. His last stop in the book was at the Municipal Baths were he took a long, hot shower.  Then he had a bite to eat and went home. 

In his Acknowledgements, at the end of the book, the author, Jonothon Cullinane, states that his novel is "pure bunkum from end to end." He says that he played quite a bit with history and changed things around to suit his story. (However, the Waterfront Dispute of 1951 actually happened)  And, it was published in 2016, so he also looked around the modern city for his locations as he wrote it. Are they completely accurate historically? I don't know. I'm sure he did a pile of research, but the term 'poetic license' was invented for a reason. I think that his locations are probably mostly accurate.  

Regardless of how perfectly it matches hisorically, I enjoyed the book and I enjoyed traveling around Auckland to find the photos I took.                                 -djf

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As I said in my last post, I enjoy limericks. I thought I might add one to the end of a few posts. Here is another one of mine.

Four more lines are all that I need,
For my limerick to finally succeed.
Just two more to go,
And what do you know, 
I'm a poet! I'm sure you've agreed.