The Hodgkiss and the Sudden Storm and Other Stories — Peter Sinclair

Hodgkiss doesn't miss a trick. Three new adventures of that cranky, obnoxious, insufferable but remarkably observant and astute senior citizen.The mayor of the notoriously corrupt Kanundda Council and his cronies have a massive new development planned that will make millions for them. But one of the few honest members on council gets wind of the scheme and arranges a meeting with the general manager, Jan Campbell-Jones, to brief her on the plot. But the meeting never happens and both the councillor and Jan disappear. Hodgkiss becomes involved, but the trail has gone cold and his fears for Jan's safety are soon realised.Summoned once again to the little rural town of Narralong to give evidence in an inquest, Hodgkiss is again confronted with a corpse, this time in the next room at the motel where he is staying. But was it suicide or was the woman murdered. Hodgkiss' acute powers of observation soon solve the riddle.The new editor of Kanundda's local free newspaper The Star has been treading on some very tender toes belonging to very influential and ruthless people. Then when she is found dead, locked in her office, it looks like suicide to Detective Inspector Donald Burke who is called in to investigate ... until Hodgkiss is involved.