Winner of the Ned Kelly Award for Non-Fiction
A true crime classic, Huckstepp investigates the murder of the charismatic young woman who has fascinated Australians since she first appeared on national television to accuse NSW detectives of shooting her boyfriend in cold blood. Throughout her short life, Sallie-Anne Huckstepp lived a dangerous existence. This is a true story, brilliantly told, of someone who was gutsy and determined - and who paid the ultimate price for speaking out against corruption and murder.
In 2014, Xoum is proud to release a new edition of this seminal work.
Praise for Huckstepp by John Dale
'A marvellous book, brilliantly written and researched.' Louis Nowra
'A significant, original work that challenges as much as it reveals.' The Australian
'Dale nails the treachery, corruption and decadence of a part of Sydney society that traces its origins to the Rum Corps.' Andrew Rule
'A brilliantly constructed record of one of Kings Cross' most infamous characters. A great city story.' The Australian
'A fine and disciplined piece of writing.' HQ
'As gripping as a thriller.' The Northern Star
'Only the very famous - or infamous - are known by a single name. Huckstepp conjures memories of the bad old days in Sydney; of a time when cops and crims were as likely to be allies as enemies. In the age of Underbelly, John Dale's new edition of Huckstepp is a timely reminder of the human cost behind the headlines. Through extensive interviews with those who knew, loved and used Sallie-Anne Huckstepp, Dale vividly recreates a time when heroin was currency, and corruption and murder were the everyday tools of violent men. It is a deadly, dangerous, brutal world, depicted with realism, not romanticism. For some, the name Huckstepp will forever carry a frisson of excitement, the promise of secrets, sex, drugs and crime. In this book, Dale ensures that Sallie-Anne's name will also forever remind us of that fateful moment when a young woman with a gap-toothed smile and a story to tell naively believed that publicity would guarantee her protection. Huckstepp is still famous, but her story runs deeper than the headlines. In this book, Dale takes the reader beyond the underbelly, into the very belly of the beast.' P.M. Newton
