Born in 1970, Matthew Farrer has spent most of the subsequent period in and around Canberra, Australia and is a member of the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild. He has been writing since his teens, although he didn't break into professional sales until Badlands Skelter's Downhive Monster Show appeared in Inferno! a few years ago. Since then he has published a number of short stories and was shortlisted for an Aurealis Award in 2001.
Enforcer Shira Calpurnia maintains a tough line on law and order in the Hydraphur system and her duty is to protect the innocent and punish the guilty.