My Latest Review

A Synthetic Illusion by Christian Clarke

A GRITTY, seedy novel exploring the dark side of glittering Melbourne city – the night-time world of prostitutes, high-class escorts, the escort agencies, the drivers, the minders and the drugs.

Using the pen name Christian Clarke, the author has dedicated this book to his muses – the girls of the sex industry.

Mick is a former restaurateur, he’s 40, of Greek heritage and quite good looking. He’s looking for something else to do with his life and, through a friend, starts as a driver to one of the high-class escort agencies. From this vantage point, Mick quickly gets to know many sex workers, how the lucrative industry works, what rules not to break and who takes what drug.

So from here, the book introduces the reader to many women and details their journey to being a sex worker. We also hear about the huge drug habits of many, the sexual proclivities of many, how they work, their pay, their hours, their success and failure. Mick eventually becomes a sex worker himself – for women and men – and develops a huge drug habit. But he is fairly comfortable with his world and eventually comes clean to his parents and siblings.

``Maybe it was his mid-life crisis. Some buy a sports car, some get a divorce or go on a trip to find themselves, but Mick became a coke-whore.’’

In this book, the author’s goal is to paint an open and honest picture of the sex industry. He spells it out like it is, and hopes to help the reader understand the people involved. This isn’t everyone’s idea of a good read and that’s exactly because of the graphic and numerous sex and drug references (and violence). But for those readers who are curious as to the sex industry world, this book will give you a good idea as it was obviously written by someone very close to the action. 

Wendy O’Hanlon, Acres Australia