Nick Harding built a career with the Financial Crimes Unit of the Australian Federal Police. He became adept at ferreting out the source of illicit money and finding those who were doing the laundering.
For reasons he refuses to reveal, Nick quit the AFP after fifteen years and opened his own private investigation services.
What follows are his notable cases to date.
Nick Harding is an idealistic Private Investigator, trying to eke out a living after a spectacularly boring career in Financial Crimes with the Australian Federal Police.
The very recent widow of the billionaire founder of Dvorak Kars — Australia’s first and only EV manufacturer — hires him to root out the fraud costing what is now her company upwards of $5 million a month over the past year.
Nick reluctantly takes the case–we all have bills to pay–and quickly realises that the beatings, excessive running and cars on fire are barely compensated by the healthy day rate and the opportunity to drive one of the sweet, sweet Dvorak convertibles.
With suspects to spare — the wife, the head of security, the corporate CFO — will he figure out how millions of dollars are disappearing before he runs out of time?
Of course he will.
“Nick is a great series character. He’s charming, when he wants to be, diligent especially when he’s looking at a fat paycheck, and a bit of a dog with a bone … and very likable. This is a short, fast read, but with lots of action, a few twists and turns, and several suspects to follow. What he finds leads to a surprising conclusion.” 5 Stars
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Nick Harding has a new case. Actually, two of them.
A very rich old dude is about to kick off and is desperate to make amends with his estranged son. Nick is contacted by the old guy’s lawyer with a task: Find the son, convince him to get in contact with his father, and help mediate the relationship.
Nick hates mediating.
That same day a friend of a friend engages him to track down a serial deadbeat who has bilked a small financial services company out of millions of dollars. The fee is lower, but the job is more up Nick’s alley.
Then the heir’s life is threatened, the deadbeat has a compelling backstory and everything Nick thought he knew was wrong.
“Very action packed, on the edge of your seat story. Nick is a cool character. They all were. I loved Ms. Dora though. She was the best. But this was a great story and I’m about to jump into another one to see what else Nick gets up to. I expect it will be just as good!” 5 Stars
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Nick Harding has a new case.
A man who used to be one of his targets when he sat in a seat in the Australian Federal Police tracking money launderers has “hired” him to find his daughter.
Not “hired” so much as “kidnapped”. He’ll be free to leave once the daughter-father reunion happens. The daughter has no interest in meeting her father. She’s only in town to disburse three-year-old ill-gotten gains.
Ten million of them.
And if the father was honest, it’s those ill-gotten gains he really wants to meet up with. Unfortunately for the daughter, the father, and Nick and his colleagues, the previous owner of those ill-gotten gains is working harder to find her than Nick is.
The good guy always wins. Nick isn’t sure who that is this time.
“Right from the introduction, the dry wit set a romping tone for a well-planned, action-packed series of misadventures with the details of a Tom Clancy plot written in the attitude of a Dick Francis delivery. The spunky characters made this a really fun read…” 5 Stars
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A desperate mum hires Nick to find her wayward teenage son.
Piece of cake, right?
That easy job drags him into darkness from his old Australian Federal Police days.
Darkness he had left behind.
Or so he thought.
Finding the kid was easy. The rest of it almost killed him.
“The narrative unfolds with precision, revealing layers of intrigue and hidden agendas. McFadden’s writing is sharp, evocative, and laced with dark humor. The Australian setting adds authenticity, and the pacing keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
If you’re a fan of crime thrillers with flawed yet compelling protagonists, “Under the Shadows” is a must-read. McFadden’s storytelling prowess shines, leaving readers hungry for more of Nick Harding’s adventures.
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