Shane Maloney (b. 1953) is the creator of the popular 'Murray Whelan' series of six crime novels, beginning with Stiff (1994) and The Brush-Off (1996) and currently ending at Sucked In (2007). The Brush-Off won the Ned Kelly Prize for Crime Fiction in 1996, was shortlisted for the Premier's Literary Award and set as an English text for Victorian secondary students. Nice Try was a nominee for the Age Book of the Year in 2000. In 2004, Stiff and The Brush-Off were adapted for the screen by John Clarke and made into movies with David Wenham in the role of Murray Whelan; Stiff was directed by Clarke and The Brush-Off by Sam Neill. Various Murray Whelan titles are published in Germany, France, Japan, Finland, Britain and the US. In 2009, Maloney was presented with the Crime Writers' Association of Australia Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to his novels, Maloney writes columns, travel stories, articles and book reviews for various newspapers, magazines and anthologies. His 'Encounters' page appears regularly in The Monthly. Maloney is also the co-author of The Happy Phrase - Everyday Conversation Made Easily (2004).
