Partners
in Crime Review by Robyn
McWilliam
Doubt and Conviction by Pippa Kay takes the reader on a fascinating
insider's journey following Megan Kalajzich's murder. Megan, a wife
and mother, was shot as she slept in the family home in Manly on Australia
Day 1986. Her husband, Andrew was later convicted for organising the
killing.
Kay sets the scene,
providing details for those unfamiliar with the area and the case. We
get a glimpse of the Kalajzichs' lives and their problems before that
fateful day. Then we are introduced to all those involved in the crime
through Pippa's eyes as she attend the Slattery Inquiry in 1993, five
years after Andrew's conviction. The legal team representing Andrew
Kalajzich were to present evidence that cast doubt on the original conviction.
The transcripts
of those involved in their own words is a particularly effective method
and is a real strength of the book. The reader sees the types of characters
that get into crime and can judge their credibility.
Like the author,
I had read My Husband My Killer by S. Harvey and L. Simpson.
This portrayal of the guilty Andrew now appears a little too neat. Doubt
and Conviction certainly provides a stimulating balance. And Pippa
Kay does not make the mistake of going too far the other way. She shows
us that things can go wrong in the legal process, that witnesses change
evidence, that some of the detectives involved in the original investigation
have since been exposed as corrupt.
There were several
problems with the trial. One was that Bill Vandenberg confessed to pulling
the trigger. This meant his story was not challenged nor was he put
through rigorous cross-examination. Also the jury did not hear any word
corroborating Andrew's protestation of innocence as Chester Porter,
QC chose not to call witnesses. This would have introduced the evidence
of Lidia, the 1973 car accident and Andrew's alleged affair with his
secretary that the prosecution could use as a motive for Megan's murder.
Numerous things
did not augur well for Andrew at the Inquiry. JJ was shown to be the
murder weapon. Tests on the pillow showed Andrew's head was not on it
when the two bullets supposedly for him, were fired into it. It appeared
feasible that Andrew influenced Orrock to change his story while in
prison. Andrew had arranged for his sister to pay money to Orrock's
wife, friends and solicitor.
By this stage Andrew
had lost some of his fortune through legal fees and mismanagement by
his accountant, John Thomas, who had Andrew's Power of Attorney. Andrew's
flaw of persistent letter writing had got him into trouble at both the
trial and the Inquiry. Inmates had also attacked Andrew. One of the
lessons Andrew Kalajzich has had many years to ponder is whom you mix
with and how you're perceived can get you locked up. Through Pippa Kay's
visits to Andrew we see how scary prisons are.
One mystery not
taken further was the fact that Paul Blake received 10,000 dollars from
Vandenberg after Megan's murder. It is intimated both were in the house
the night of the murder. Blake disappeared, did no time in prison like
the others and after Vandenberg's suicide we're unlikely ever to find
out his role.
Perhaps only Andrew
Kalajzich knows the truth behind this case and he is still maintaining
his innocence, sixteen years later. However, Pippa Kay in Doubt and
Conviction certainly does establish some doubt. This book is a great
journey into the machinations of murder. You, the reader, must decide.
Reviewed by Robyn
McWilliam, author of House of Shadows. Click on this link to
learn more about Robyn's book: House of
Shadows
Played hard, done good by John
McMahon
The best commendation
a book can receive is that it forces the reader to make time for it.
I did that. I could not move away from Doubt and Conviction, despite
huge distractions.
The style was accessible, the descriptions vivid. There was a power
in your argument, especially in that you let the argument seem to develop
itself. I feel sure you worked very hard to let that happen.
Congratulations! Played hard, done good. I'm proud to have been taught
by you.
Best Regards, John
Justice System
is Not Black and White by David
Hale
I have finished
Doubt and Conviction which I enjoyed considerably. I'm not going to
tell you what I think about the case or your arguments and in any case,
I don't think one read is sufficient to come to any conclusions.
I found the book
easy to read - especially the short chapters and frequent breaks - which
helped given the complexity of the material and the multitude of characters.
I found the Orrock evidence towards the end a bit confusing, but what
really came through throughout the book was how this was a personal
account and how you personally felt about events and reacted to people
and evidence - your frustration with being unable to obtain certain
things and being unable to influence the course of events, and your
exasperation with Andrew's behaviour, especially towards Orrock, were
palpable.
My overwhelming
impression with this and similar cases I have read about it is how unscientific
and subjective the whole police and court process is and how likely
it is that many if not all convictions have unsound aspects. Highlighting
this alone is important.
You also showed
quite unemotionally that the same event can be viewed and interpreted
differently by rational and informed people which helps show that the
justice system is not black and white.
All in all I thought
it was a worthwhile exercise and I hope it is selling and having an
impact because it deserves to.
Merry Christmas
Review by
Parker Pattinson
Publishing
As the book producers of Doubt and Conviction by Pippa Kay, we
would like to say that Pippa has put forward an excellent manuscript
for readers to understand the situation as it was and as it is.
Her unbiased approach to the facts from the Inquiry which she attended
daily, is to be be admired and therefore supported.
We remain hopeful that justice will prevail in the end, that the future
police force will be less likely to wheel and deal with people's lives.
In particular we hope that Andrew Kalajzich will be get ONE MORE CRACK
at showing the world that sometimes the wrong guys get blamed. We hope
a copy of Pippa's book makes its way into the hands of the newest Police
Commissioner, Ken Moroney and that if he believes in himself and wants
the public to believe in him, then he will RIGHT THE WRONG that has
been done to Andrew and the compensation then will be adequate.
We hope Andrew sees this book as a possible new hope for him.
PARKER PATTINSON
PUBLISHING is a book producer for self-publishers. No longer does
'self-published' mean 'amateur' in its presentation and content. Parker
Pattinson Publishing staff assist the author by editing, formatting
and printing manuscripts for sale in bookstores. Now in our 5th year
of business we have over 100 titles to our credit.
We can be contacted through our website or on 02 4632 7600 or fax 4632
7633.
We congratulate
Pippa Kay on her release of Doubt and Conviction.
http://www.giveanaussieago.com.au then go to Businesses and type
in Parker Pattinson.
"Could not put it down" by Pam
Bayfield
I went to Pippa Kay's book launch and bought her book. I began reading
it straight away and couldn't put it down. I really felt I was at the
inquiry and was experiencing first hand what really went on. I still
don't know whether Andrew Kalajzich is innocent or guilty but Pippa
gave us many things to think about. The research that went into this
book must have taken up a lot of her time as the detail of the whole
case is truly amazing. It took Pippa eight years before it was ready
for publication. It is very well written and her experience as a writing
tutor comes through in her prose. A fascinating read and well worth
buying the book.