George 'Magpie' Collins lives and works in Sydney during the uneasy years before the Second World War.

A former jewel thief turned private detective, Collins has spent much of his life on both sides of the law. The experience left him with few illusions and a sharp eye for deceit. From his office in Castlereagh Street he investigates murders, disappearances, blackmail schemes, and the countless smaller tragedies that seldom make the newspapers.
 

He is neither a hero nor a cynic. He believes that truth matters, that loyalty has value, and that ordinary people deserve someone willing to stand beside them when power, wealth or corruption threaten to crush them.
 

Sydney is his city—the glittering harbour, the crowded streets, the smoky pubs, the racing tracks, the waterfront, and the various suburbs alike.
 

Some people still know him by his nickname.
 

Magpie.

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The character of 'Magpie' Collins was originally intended as an Australian version of the Saint or the Falcon, albeit in an Australian setting, but then I chose to shift gears a little, deciding that the hardboiled detective noir genre suited this character best. Think Raymond Chandler's Phillip Marlowe books, or the superb Lew Archer series by Ross MacDonald. Those are my inspiration. Setting the character in 1930s-1950s Sydney, Australia is my way of offering a unique spin on the genre. With 75 books planned in the series, over the next many years, the sky is the limit for 'Magpie' Collins and his world!

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Name: George Collins.
Age: 35 (when the series begins in 1935).
Height: 6'0".
Appearance: Tall, wiry build, short brown hair, blue eyes.
Occupation: Private investigator.
History: A former jewel thief, then known by the nickname 'Magpie' because of his love of sparkly things, who went straight with the help of Sydney's chief of police, Tom Majors. Collins believes in the underdog, the union movement, the Labor party. Believes in fair play, loyalty, the working class. Has a disdain and distrust of those in authority, those with wealth and privilege. He was once engaged to his then partner in crime, Mary O'Brien.

 

Has an office in Castlereagh Street, next door to the NSW Masonic Club, where he dines frequently despite not being a member (he once did the club secretary a good turn, and gained usage of the club as a reward). Lives in a small flat in Darlinghurst. Drives a Ford. Eschews personal involvement when on a case, save for a very rare occasion.