Colin McLaren is an Australian crime writer and former police detective sergeant and task force team leader. A feature length telemovie about his life by Underbelly Productions, starring Sullivan Stapleton in the title role, aired in 2011 in Australia and other territories. He was a well known police officer, (detective sergeant) for the period 1980s and 1990s, working on many nationally significant crimes. After leaving police work, he developed his interest in Italian style gourmet food and wine, designing the Italian villa 'Villa Gusto' in the countryside in north-east Victoria, Australia. A luxury accommodation and 6 time awarded 'chef hat' restaurant, Villa Gusto's 2013 awards included the 'Sustainability' award. The 'chef hat' awards are Australia's version of the Michelin Star for excellence in dining. Acting on suggestions from his clientele, he commenced organising gourmet tours through Italy. He has taken tours to Italy for ten years and is branching out to other territories. He sold his Villa Gusto in 2013 and now travels constantly.It was during 2005 that Colin discovered that he could write. He commenced on his first, (best selling) book straight away. He has now penned 5 books to date. McLaren's first book, Infiltration, is the true story of his efforts as a suit and tie detective and the undercover agent who infiltrated the Mafia. McLaren followed this up with On the Run, a novel that details the exploits of Cole Goodwin, McLaren's real-life Mafia alias, which has been adapted to a screenplay. The story picks up with the Mafia sending a hit-man after Cole and his undercover girlfriend, Jude. Cole escapes a hit and goes 'on the run' with the assassin in pursuit; through South America, New York and eventually throughout Italy. The plot follows a massive drug importation as well and culminates with a face-off between the assassin and Cole, in the Mafia-controlled mountains of southern Italy.McLaren's third book, Sunflower, is a historical work graphically depicting the real life experiences of his own grandfather, one of Australia's longest-serving foot soldiers from the First World War. McLaren is currently working on further manuscripts and screenplays. These include a mini series likened to Deadwood. McLaren co-wrote the fourth Underbelly book with famous Australian authors Andrew Rule and John Silvester, and published his fifth book, JFK: The Smoking Gun, concerning the assassination of John F. Kennedy, in November 2013, which was released in conjunction with a 90-minute TV documentary of the same name.McLaren's police career has been the focus of various television documentaries, and the Underbelly Files: Infiltration telemovie series screened on Channel 9.The major phase of McLaren's real life police career took place during the 1980s and 1990s. McLaren rose through the police ranks rapidly and when asked to join an elite covert surveillance unit, he began spying on drug importers and the ringleaders of organis
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