This is an interview between Hannah Sheppard from Warrigal Press and Joe Blake, dated 23rd January 2006.
Welcome, Mr. Blake... Thankyou for taking the time to speak with me. I'm sure your readers would like to know a little bit about you... Tell me a bit about your childhood.
Yeah, thanks, Hannah, I’m really not that interested in talking about my childhood. Something that I’d really like to forget...
Why, what happened? Anything... disturbing?
Unfortunately, I lost my parents when I was very young. [silence]
Would you care to elaborate?
No, not really. But what happened to them made me choose, originally, to become a doctor. I really wanted to study medicine and save lives.
That’s very interesting. You’ve clearly deviated from that path.
I actually managed to get into university to study medicine. But I made a mistake, there’s an urban legend slash myth that you might hear around the campuses in Perth about a medical student who was working on a cadaver and leaned out the window and asked the gardener outside if he wanted a hand, and when he said, ‘yes’, the student threw one out the window. It was funny at the time, but the gardener was never the same again, and the dean asked me to leave.
Wow that’s tragic. But then why are you now a detective? Did your parents inspire you any way?
Not so much my parents, but what happened to them inspired me. And I thought it was a good job, you get to drive really really fast cars, carry a gun, and kick the bully’s butt.
Were you bullied a lot as a child?
Maybe a bit in high school, but not in primary school. I’ve got an uncle, Uncle Ozzie, and when I was a kid he looked after me a fair bit, and he’s a pretty tough bastard.
And what does your Uncle think of your career path?
I don’t see him very often. He’s usually up in the Pilbara or Murchison somewhere, doing bush stuff, but I suppose he’d be pretty happy.
Your first book, Murder is Never Pretty, has just been released. What made you choose to document this case?
Well, I really think it’s very important that the public has an idea of what real police work is like. Unfortunately, the only time that people hear about police is when they do something bad.
As a police officer you must have seen some pretty interesting things, will we ever see those other stories in novel form?
What, are you saying that Murder is Never Pretty isn’t interesting? Come on, it’s kick-ass crime at it’s best!
No, I found it very interesting and a deep and insightful look at Perth’s seedy underbelly. I am merely wondering as to whether or not anything equally as interesting has ever happened to you, as a police officer.
Well of course the Kay Langdon murder enquiry is now old news. And I’ve moved on to new and more interesting cases. Recently, young Tania Dolman was murdered not far from the University campus and I’ve just wrapped that case up. So you’ll hear all about that in Warning Shots Last.
Now, Mr. Blake, I’m going to ask the question that everyone wants to know the answer to... have you ever killed a man?
Never. But recently I had to put down a murderous mongrel bastard dog. I couldn’t call him a man. I have no regrets, and managed to save the taxpayer a couple of million dollars. He got what he deserved.
It’s fairly obvious throughout the novel that you are a ladies man. You love women. What kind of traits to you look for in a possible partner?
Are you suggesting that I’m a pants man? [laughs]
What’s a pants man?
[laughs] Oh dear. I suppose I should answer the question. Of course I love women. But there’s no way in the world that I’m ever going to have a partner. You can’t be a good detective and have a permanent partner. The problem is, that once you become involved with someone on a permanent basis, you make them a target and that restricts your ability as a crime fighter. But, if I was to consider a partner, it wouldn’t matter what she looked like as long as she was pretty. And, of course, there is that thing about the sausage dog’s nose that I allude to in my books. [laughs]
Okay, thank you for that insight. Tell me a little more about Murder is Never Pretty. How many publishers did you approach with the manuscript?
Only one. I put a copy in the mail to Bob Sheppard at Warrigal Press, and within a few hours he phoned me. I must admit, I was pretty excited. Bob said, ‘Shit, Joe, you’ve got a winner here. This is the best bit of Australian crime writing I’ve read since I read some of the early Carter Brown novels from the 1960s. At last, we’ve got a new crime fighting hero. I can’t wait to get your book into print.’ I was excited after I’d talked to Bob and I’m happy with the end result.
Why did you select Bob Sheppard as the publisher of your book?
Well, I was considering some of the other local publishing houses, but they all seemed to be a bit ‘arty-farty’, and were living off government handouts. Warrigal Press publishes books without any government help, so the poor old taxpayers are not footing the bill. Also, Bob has great knowledge of crime novels and excellent contacts. By the way, haven’t those students from Perth TAFE done a fantastic job with the covers?
They sure have! Now, do you ever consider the possible ethical ramifications of releasing intimate details of such a heinous crime out in the world for all to read?
That’s a very important question. It’s one that I haven’t lost any sleep over. I think it’s essential that the public know exactly how Western Australia’s top detective carries out his trade. I want all West Australians to feel secure in their own homes in the knowledge that Joe Blake is out there looking after their interests and he’s not going to take shit from the bullies.
That is an admirable sentiment. Tell me a bit about your private life then, Joe, because I’m sure we would all like to know about our crime-fighting hero.
What would you like to know?
Well, what’s your favourite band and song?
That’s a pretty tough question because I have pretty mixed tastes in music. I really like The White Stripes ‘Ball and Biscuit’, but recently while investigating the Tania Dolman murder I was introduced to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. I mean, he’s a real cool dude. How can a good guy look so bad?
That is so true. What about your favourite movie?
Anything that has Angelina Jolie in it.
What celebrities do you find attractive, then?
Jessica Alba, Jessica Simpson, Uma Thurman, oh, the list goes on and on.
Fair enough. What is your favourite book? Or, rather, what are you reading at the moment?
You can’t really go past a good J.T. Edson western. I’m also pretty keen on Robert Barret’s Les Norton series. I've just ordered a Steve Gerlach book that I can't wait to read. And, of course, I’ve collected every Phantom comic that’s ever been written. I mean, what a hero he is? He’s a bit like me, really. Devoting his life to the destruction of cruelty and piracy.
So you use the Phantom as inspiration in your day-to-day life?
Of course!
Okay... Earlier in the interview, we touched upon the subject of what happened to your parents, and I realise it’s a raw nerve, but can you elaborate on what happened?
Look, it’s like this. Both my parents died in tragic circumstances. Their death motivated me to follow the course I have. I’m not prepared to talk about it any more than that.
Well, can I ask, then, what kind of career did your parents have in mind for you prior to their deaths? Did they ever for one second think that you would become a crime-fighting hero?
No, I think they despaired at the direction I was taking before they died. I would hope they would be proud of me, but they certainly weren’t at the time. But anyway, that’s enough of that, can we move on to something else?
Sure. Will you be going to the book launch for Murder is Never Pretty?
I have discussed this with Bob. I’ll probably be there. The thing is, though, I may not be able to reveal myself at the launch as I’m currently undercover. I can’t tell you too much about what is happening, because of operational reasons. But there is a new criminal gang operating in Western Australia that need to be taken down a peg or two. So I’m afraid I will probably have to stay in disguise.
Does that mean that Joe Blake is merely a disguise? Do you ever want public recognition for what you have done?
Are you asking me if I’m for real or not?
I know you’re real, but I want to know if you are like the Phantom, and have an alter-ego?
I suppose my name, ‘Joe Blake’, which of course is rhyming slang for ‘snake’, may have some people thinking that I’m not a real detective. Of course, in my books I have to change things to protect the innocent, and in this modern world of litigation, sometimes I have to change things to protect the guilty. But it’s important that all people know that Joe Blake is out there, fighting crime and looking after them. Sure, I might cut a few corners, but I always get the bad guy. As Bob Sheppard has said in his book reviews, ‘I get a few bad girls...’ [cackle]
Are there any words of wisdom you would like to share with the reader before we finish?
Only that I hope the readers support Warrigal Press’s initiative to release my crime-fighting memoirs, and also, if anybody ever wants to contact me, they can at my email address joeblake@joeblake.com.au
Thankyou for you time, Mr. Blake.
It was my pleasure... and please, call me Joe.
To learn more about Raven, visit stevegerlach.com.