Peter Klein
Crime Writer
Peter Klein's passion for racing began over 35 years ago when a family friend taught him to ride.
He quickly became a good horseman and was determined to work with horses.
When at 16 he was deemed too tall to be a jockey, Peter started work as strapper, sweeping out boxes
and exercising horses at morning trackwork.
Peter was fascinated with the colourful characters that populated stables and racetracks,
many of whom he later described in his best-selling autobiography A Strappers Tale.
He has worked with some of Australia's top trainers including Bart Cummings and TJ Smith,
where he strapped champion galloper Kingston Town.
Eventually tiring off the 3.30 am starts, he decided to move over to the business side of the track
and study marketing at university.
Now the racing manager for Australian Associated Press, Peter has lost none of his love of the turf.
He writes the popular 'Punter' crime series featuring his eponymous amateur racing detective,
which enjoys a solid following amongst racegoers.
His fans range from the top trainers, leading owners and racing officials, through to the men and women who muck out the boxes,
drive the floats, shoe the horses or ride them past the winning post.
His latest Punter novel Silk Chaser will be published in June and he is currently working on another racing mystery.
His books have been described as "Dick Francis meets Bob Barrett with a dash of Lawrence Block."
When not working or writing, Peter likes nothing better than researching his next book by reading the formguide at the races.
A serial killer is stalking young, female strappers. No one knows who it is, why he's doing it, or who is likely to be next.
The police and the race clubs seem powerless to do anything. The women are terrified and the union is threatening to go on
strike and close down the entire racing industry unless security can be guaranteed and the killer caught.
Meanwhile, John Punter's got problems closer to home to worry about.
There's a protection racket afoot and his restaurant Gino's is getting lent on. Then there's his new girlfriend Maxine.
Everyone says she's trouble. She's the socialite daughter of a shock-jock announcer; the biggest rating name in radio and
a major client of his father's stable. And he's made it clear he doesn't want Punter hanging around...
Back at the track, as the body count mounts, Punter finds himself involved in a desperate race against time
to find a crazed killer.