White Dog (Temple novel)
White Dog is a 2003 Australian crime novel by Peter Temple and the fourth book in the Jack Irish series. The story follows private investigator Jack Irish as he investigates the murder of a Melbourne property developer, with the artist ex-girlfriend of the victim as the prime suspect. Irish uncovers a surprising truth as the case unfolds.
The novel is told in the first person and is noted for its strong sense of Melbourne and its city life. Critics see it as classic detective fiction, with Temple’s style echoing the work of Raymond Chandler and a focus on a changing Australia and its working-class roots. Like other Jack Irish books, the story features themes and settings linked to Australian Rules Football and horse racing.
White Dog won the 2003 Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Novel. It was first published by Text Publishing in Australia in 2003 and has been reprinted several times (2004, 2014, 2018). A UK edition appeared from Quercus in 2007 and was reissued in 2012.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 07:53 (CET).