In October 2007, Brick Brown found a dead body. It wasn’t just any body, but the mayor, who was famous for his womanising and sleazy habits. The body was in the archive section of the Council. Brick had picked the lock to search the archives after work. At least that explained the very bad smell that had been filtering through the building for the last few days.
So begins the very humorous and clever story Brunswick Street Blues which describes the back streets of Melbourne approximately sixteen years ago. Brick is a bartender at her uncle’s rather run-down place, but suspects that complaints and threats issued towards Baz, her uncle, have their roots in a developer wanting to build on that site. Hence Brick has won a job at the local Council Chambers to see if she can discover any applications that may affect the bar.
Sally Bothroyd ‘s smart wit makes this a chuckle out loud book as she describes various characters, “He looked like a real-estate agent who had eaten too many pies.” When Brick and her journalist friend Sue go out to the pub, Sue who has three small children says, “I’d need Spakfilla to cover the bags under my eyes.” The two women and an assortment of unusual characters, including a war correspondent, begin to see a pattern in accidents and injuries to people who are critical in giving information.
Brick has an unusual past and her devotion to Uncle Baz relates to his rescue of her as a little girl. Now as the pieces of the puzzle begin to emerge and answers to questions are found, Brick believes the only way to see justice served is to take matters into her own hands. She risks her life to find answers. But not without her friends helping (or hindering) her attempts.
