by Tim Ayliffe
Ronnie believed in America. He believed in improving the world and he didn’t mind getting his hands dirty doing it. When life called time on Ronnie Johnson, he was dust. He might as well change the earth for the better while he was still walking on it.
He had never killed anyone who hadn’t deserved it. The means always justified the end. Ronnie Johnson didn’t need forgiveness. He needed justification.
The greater good.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My father once told me that writers write. It’s the best advice I’ve ever been given about the craft and it taught me to enjoy writing (and re-writing) every word, published or not.
I started writing fiction many years ago and I’m very grateful to my parents, John and Helen, and also to Neil Brown, for encouraging me to keep going.
A big thanks to Fiona Henderson, Dan Ruffino and the team at Simon & Schuster Australia for backing me, and to my agent, Jeanne Ryckmans, for believing in that very early draft, staying with me for the journey and helping me to get it right.
To Australia’s most prolific thriller reader, David ‘Mac’ McInerney, for reading draft after draft and helping me believe that I had something good. And to my other draft readers, Gavin Fang, Chris Uhlmann, Chris Bath and Julia Baird – thanks for the kind words, advice and encouragement.
Family is a big part of my life and I’d like to thank my brothers and sisters in law, Matthew and Terri, Ben and Rachel and Sam and Sandi, for their love and support over the years and the same goes for Jenny, James and Caelia, and Nahum and Carmela.
I’ve always been lucky with friends – old and new – but I’d like to single out Dan, Marcus, Harry and Rob for their support and to my high school mates for always being there and for looking out for each other – you know who you are. And to the London crew – thanks.
Thanks also to my colleagues and friends at the ABC – it’s such a tremendous organisation with so many passionate people who care deeply about what they do. I’ve been privileged to work there for the past decade.
And lastly, a special thanks to my wife, Justine, who read so many drafts of this book I’ve lost count. Without her love, support and encouragement this book would never have been possible.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tim Ayliffe has been a journalist for almost 20 years and is the Managing Editor of Television and Video for ABC News. He was TV News Editor for ABC News and Executive Producer of ABC News Breakfast. Before joining the ABC in 2006, Tim worked in London for Sky News as a digital and television journalist. The Greater Good is the first book in a three-book series featuring John Bailey. Tim lives in Sydney.
SIMON & SCHUSTER
simonandschuster.com.au
Authors.SimonandSchuster.com.au/Tim-Ayliffe
THE GREATER GOOD
First published in Australia in 2018 by
Simon & Schuster (Australia) Pty Limited
Suite 19A, Level 1, Building C, 450 Miller Street, Cammeray, NSW 2062
A CBS Company
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Visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.au
© Tim Ayliffe 2018
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher.
Cover design: Christabella Designs
Cover image: Mariyana M/Shutterstock
Typeset by Midland Typesetters, Australia
ISBN: 978-1-9256-4092-2 (ebook)
