Death and the Running Patterer is a murder mystery with a difference. ?? Set in the convict town of Sydney in 1828, the novel gives us a compelling picture of a roistering town, where anything can be bought for a guinea and the redcoats struggle to keep control. ?? In the midst of all this, someone is committing a series of gruesome and often horribly inventive murders, and Governor Darling turns to Nicodemus Dunne for help. Dunne is a 'running patterer' -- someone who spreads the news of the day by mouth and by fleet of foot. In London, before his deportation, Dunne was a Bow Street Runner, and his police knowledge, combined with his ability to get into all parts of the rapidly growing colony, make him an ideal choice to go underground in search of the murderer. ?? Death and the Running Patterer is carefully researched, cleverly constructed and great fun to read. It will appeal to those who enjoy a good crime mystery, and also to anyone who enjoys an entertaining romp through our colonial history.