Skin Deep

Tragedy born of jealousy, manipulation and power, sets the scene for this fast paced story.

When socialite Justine Clifford, daughter of Basil Clifford QC, marries Olley Hughes, the new “darling” of the art world, she soon finds out she has bitten off more than she can chew. Their acrimonious separation sends Olley Hughes spiralling off into a world of drugs and debauchery while neglecting his once prolific painting career. The boredom of Justine’s rebound relationship with Phillip Lester has her falling for the bohemian seductress Sienna Lamb, which leads them to crossing paths with the criminal underworld and Martin (Sticky Beak) Byrd, a violent psychopath. Soon dead bodies begin to appear in the neighbourhood.

Australasian Artist Tom Mutch works in various artistic disciplines: painting, sculpture printmaking and film making. While maintaining painting as his primary expression, Tom has, over the past 10 years, developed his passion as a novelist. He has written and published The Superbird Trilogy, The Orchardist, Skin Deep. His first novels were a fantasy/sci fi trilogy. His animated short film of the same title as the first novel in the trilogy The Birth of Superbird was credited with the New York Independent International Film Festival Grand Jury Award for Best Animation in November 2005. It was also selected for Montreal Film Festival 2005. The rule of thumb for Tom is finding the right vehicle to express his creative ideas. Writing has become a stage to play out these ideas. At present he is working on his sixth novel, Fences Fence You In.