Author(s): Nicholas Hasluck

Crime

The young idealist never knows where his good intentions may finish up. When Roy Temple and his friends are accused of espionage in the Cold War era, a cloud of suspicion will linger over them for years, although they are never charged with any crime. Twenty years later, Roy is a leading barrister and key adviser to the federal government, with a bold plan to resolve Australia's political crisis. But the old allegations cast long shadows, and even those he wishes to help doubt his motivation - does he want to save the government or save himself? Amid half-truths, leaks, intrigues and denials, Roy is forced to confront his past to discover who he can trust - and who has betrayed him all along. Dismissal is a compelling political drama of the highest order and an insider's view of the democratic roundabout with all its flaws, corruptions and dynamic energies.