Fifty years of passion and intrigue, heartbreak
and devotion are exposed as a father and a son grow together as New Zealanders
to form an inseparable relationship. Their story crosses five continents and
five decades to culminate in a powerful, well planned and particularly personal
act of retribution. Young Teddy Starling had been distressed by the death of
his mother in Flying Bomb attack that destroyed their home in South London, but
was compensated when reunited with his father, thought dead in the African
desert. Teddy Starling the boy grew to Ted Starling the man and life was good
for the Starlings in Auckland. Eddie’s time in uniform in France and the desert
is well documented as is Ted’s, as he matured to serve his two years for the
queen in her khaki uniform. Exciting things happened in Egypt that
re-established old relationships. Out of uniform once more Ted dedicated his
life to that of his father and newly found friends in New Zealand. As a
successful businessman Ted travelled to Sydney where he was is devastated by
the sudden death of his father while away. On his return Ted decided his
father, Eddie, had lost his life in suspicious circumstances and Ted’s one
reason to live was to expose the one responsible. Ted’s plan is powerful and
intrinsic, but became frustrated when he learned he had a terminal heart
condition. He was advised his life expectancy was not sufficient to bring his
adversary before the courts. His endeavours were further disrupted when the
1987 stock market crash claimed the life of the man he despised. Ted Starling
recognised this death as fait accompli and now alone in the world he was
satisfied his life after fifty years was at an end. Now the inexplicable
happened; Ted fell in love. Dawn Graham, stunningly beautiful, ten years Ted’s
junior and alarming rich and successful in her own right was smitten by Ted and
failed to understand his reasons for rejecting her. Their story is a golden
thread running through this family saga which is filled with delightful
characters, visits colourful locations in Australia and New Zealand and
explores local culture. It describes in detail The Bringing Down of the Hawk,
how and why. It is a tale of love and laughter, of dedication and loyalty, pain
and passion that reaches from London’s East End through to the wilds of New
Zealand’s North Island to domicile in Auckland City. It lingers in the outback
of Australia’s Snowy Mountains, the bustle of Paddy’s Markets and the fearful
iced terrain of Mount Erebus. It is a powerful family saga in which life and
death fail to discriminate
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