Tag: Australian Crime Fiction

The Detective Matthew Reilly

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Five-Star Books, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Throwback ThursdayLeave a comment

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia (Trade Paperback – 21 October 2025)

Series: Sam Speedman – Book One

Length: 383 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Prepare for one of the most over-the-top and highly impressive thrillers of recent years, with the brilliant and utterly addictive The Detective by Matthew Reilly.

Those who follow my blog will know that I tend to read a lot of Australian fiction, not only because I like to support local authors but because there are some cracking and captivating reads from my talented countryfolk.  Of the current crop of awesome Australian authors out there, few are more well known internationally than Matthew Reilly, a thriller writer with a raft of distinctive novels in his bibliography.  Known for books like his Shane Schofield and Jack West Jr series, as well as some of his outrageous standalone novels, Reilly has been a consistently entertaining author since the 1990s.  Despite this, I’ve only had the chance to read a couple of books from Reilly, including The Secret Runners of New York and Mr Einstein’s Secretary (one of my favourite books and pieces of Australian fiction of 2023), both of which were excellent in their own ways.  As such, I’ve tried to grab some more of his books, including his 2025 release, The Detective.  I only recently got the chance to read The Detective, and boy was I glad that I did.  The first book in Reilly’s new Sam Speedman series, The Detective was a highly addictive read with an exceedingly thrilling narrative behind it.

Plot Synopsis:

For 150 years, women have been going missing.

And all of the investigators who went in search of them – from 1877 to the present day – have disappeared, too.

Now Sam Speedman, a most unique private detective, is on the case.

Brilliant, direct and disarming, Sam is … different. He’s not your average private detective. But then again, this isn’t your average case.

For not even he will be prepared for what he will find.

Set in the darkest corners of the American South, tapping into hot-button issues that simmer beneath the surface of the modern United States, this is Matthew Reilly writing faster and bolder than ever before, bringing you a detective thriller like no other.

Well damn, now that was a crazy ass book!  While I knew I was likely going to enjoy The Detective, I was unprepared for just how over-the-top and entertaining it was going to be.  I honestly read this outstanding novel from Matthew Reilly in less than a day, it was damn addictive, especially when the full insanity of the plot emerged.  Due to just how fun and exciting The Detective was, I have to award this book a full five-stars, a rating it very much deserves.

I had an amazing time getting through The Detective’s narrative, primarily because Reilly came up with a powerful and detailed story that provides some intriguing mystery, heavy thrills and very over-the-top moments.  Reilly starts the narrative off strong, with an exciting introduction to the protagonist and main point-of-view character, Sam Speedman, the unlikely autistic private investigator.  While this opening sequence and early exploration of Reilly’s unique protagonist was great, it was the introduction of The Detective’s main case that personally drew me in, which starts when DNA test reveals that a dead newborn baby in the Louisiana swamp is the child of missing person Speedman has been hired to find.  To raise the stakes and interest, this disappearance is the latest in a long string of missing African American women dating back to the end of the Civil War.  Even more troubling, every previous detective who has investigated the case, including Speedman’s mentor, has either disappeared or turned up dead.

Despite this terrifying background, Speedman investigates and soon finds himself teaming up with an FBI agent also interested in the case.  Reilly does a lot of solid set-up in this first half of the book, and you are presented with some intriguing suspects, great supporting characters, and a real appreciation for the unique case and the way that the protagonist investigates.  The case goes in some interesting directions here, especially as Speedman finds an unlikely collection of clues and suspicions, before a seemingly early end to the investigation.  However, this is just a prelude to the rest of the plot, especially when Speedman quickly identifies a massive coverup surrounding the case.  Despite being offered everything he ever wanted, Speedman is unable to drop his investigation, which results in utter chaos and destruction being thrown at him and everyone he cares for.

While the first half of The Detective was very good and quickly draws you in, it was the brutal and insanely over-the-top second half of the book that makes this a truly memorable read.  Reilly throws everything that he can at his protagonist, as Speedman journeys through the deep south to find answers.  There are some great moments here, with plenty of action and clever investigating, all pulling together into a crazy result.  I don’t want to give too much away, but the hidden secrets behind the case are incredibly insane, while still cleverly fitting into the overarching narrative of The Detective.  Everything leads up to an explosive confrontation which delivers some very cathartic moments, as well as some memorable action sequences.  Reilly also throws in a great, if now depressingly unrealistic, solution to the giant odds the protagonists are facing, and watching their plan come together was really impressive.  An overall outstanding narrative, that you won’t be able to stop reading, even if you wanted to.

I had a lot of fun with Reilly’s style for The Detective, which was very easy to read and really highlighted the book’s fantastic action.  The author makes excellent use of the first-person perspective, which showcased the entertaining viewpoint of the primary perspective character.  Thanks to this, you get a great view of the investigation and the protagonist’s mind as he pulls the unique threads of the mystery together.  The mystery itself is quite well set up, and I appreciated the variety of clues and hints that Reilly introduces early in the book, even if you can’t imagine just where the author is going with them.  I will say that Reilly makes good use of the southern setting for the plot, with race, cultural heritage and other issues all working as motives or underlying factors.  These contemporary issues, as well as some key historical events, are cleverly referenced or alluded to (including quotes from real-life events or people), and while Reilly naturally takes everything several steps further than reality, it still makes you think.  I deeply enjoyed the narrative extremes that Reilly went to, which added a lot of entertainment to this book, and you must imagine that some of the world’s current craziness bled into Reilly’s mind as he wrote it.  I also have to highlight some of the cool diagrams and helpful alternate formatting that was added into the paperback version of The Detective, which helped order key parts of the plot and allowed even more insights into the protagonist’s mind.

I’ve already mentioned the unique protagonist of The Detective, Sam Speedman, a few times, and I want to again make it clear how interesting and fun he proved to be.  Introduced as a questionable investigative protagonist due to his lack of social skills and distinctive way of thinking, Speedman quickly grows on the reader thanks to his insights, down-to-earth view, and determination to do the right thing no matter what.  I liked how Reilly already had Speedman set up as a very competent figure right at the start of the book, and you are soon drawn into his personality, as well as the unlikely connections he already has.  The author also throws in some growth for Speedman in this book, with the protagonist becoming even more comfortable with other people while continuing to stick to his principles no matter the cost.  I really think that Reilly did a good job of providing a nuanced portrayal of an autistic central character, and I liked how Speedman’s eccentricities, such as his preferred restaurant and inherent caution, played into the plot in some natural ways.  Speedman proved to be one of the more memorable crime fiction protagonists in recent years, and I’m very curious to see what other adventures Reilly takes him on in the future.

Aside from Speedman, The Detective features an intriguing array of supporting characters, each of whom add their own spin on the plot.  Reilly has fun showcasing many of these great characters from Speedman’s perspective, and it was interesting to see his take on them.  I personally enjoyed secondary protagonist FBI agent Audrey Mills, who serves as a motivated support to Speedman, as well as a moving love interest once she realises who she is working with.  Other fun characters include Speedman’s eclectic contacts, such as an enterprising assistant, an exceedingly brave fellow investigator, and several Hooters waitresses who are some of the protagonist’s best friends.  Finally, we have the various antagonists of the story, who exist at near supervillain levels thanks to their audacious evil plans.  To avoid spoilers, I won’t say too much about these antagonists, except that they make for a terrifying opposition thanks to their reach and influences.  This fantastic and over-the-top group of characters all fit naturally into Reilly’s ambitious and ultra-entertaining narrative.

Thanks to its outrageous story, complex characters, and non-stop fun and excitement, The Detective proved to be an incredible read, and one that I still cannot stop thinking about.  Matthew Reilly really came up with something special with The Detective, and it was a crazy pleasure to read it.  I am now exceedingly excited for the soon to be released sequel, King’s Ransom, which I already know is going to be exceedingly awesome and crazy.

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Quick Review – On the Edge by Kate Horan

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: HQ (Trade Paperback – 1 January 2026)

Series: Standalone

Length: 372 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Get ready for one of the more compelling pieces of Australian crime fiction released earlier this year, the powerful and twisty On the Edge by Kate Horan.

Plot Synopsis:

Desperate people do desperate things…

Sixteen years ago, teenage Maddie Marshall’s body was found on a desolate beach near her hometown, Carrinya. Vibrant, feisty Maddie was the only daughter of a high-profile politician. The case was the talk of the town but was ultimately never solved.

Nel Foley, daughter of the town doctor and Maddie’s best friend, was the last known person to see her alive, and the Carrinya rumour mill was vicious. Nel fled the town and has never been back. Until now.

Now a 32-year-old city GP, Nel returns after her father’s sudden death, determined to get in and out as quickly as possible. Begrudgingly, she agrees to run his clinic for a few weeks, but during that time she meets local mum Sophie Warner and that changes everything.

Sophie’s husband Ryan, a prominent local real estate agent, was Maddie’s boyfriend and Nel is certain he played a role in her death. When Nel discovers that Ryan is not the loving husband and father that he seems, she decides she must prove what he did all those years ago. But as she starts to unravel the past, she discovers the truth is far more complex than she could have imagined.

A twisty, suspenseful mystery about the desperate things people do when they’re on the edge.

On the Edge was an excellent and intense read from rising Australian author Kate Horan, which was a great early highlight of the 2026 reading year.  The second book from Horan following her debut The Inheritance, On the Edge was an interesting take on the classic small-town Australian crime fiction novel, which took its mystery in some outstanding directions.

A lot of elements of On the Edge will be familiar to fans of Australian fiction, with a protagonist forced to return to their hometown after leaving years ago in the aftermath of a dark event, in this case the suspicious death of protagonist Nel’s best friend, Maddie.  Horan does an excellent job of introducing Nel and showcasing her trauma at returning, with some flashback sequences adding in some extra context.  Naturally, Nel takes the chance to start her own investigation into the historic crime thanks to new evidence recovered from her dead father’s files.

While there are some familiar story beats to On the Edge’s initial plot, Horan makes this format her own thanks to her use of the secondary protagonist Sophie.  The wife of Ryan, the obvious suspect to Maddie’s murder, Sophie spends most of the book dealing with Ryan’s domestic abuse, while also being haunted by the secrets from her past.  This provides a great alternate perspective to the narrative, which helps to make On the Edge really stand out, especially with some well-placed reveals.  Horan uses many of these story elements to drive up the book’s drama, with Nel forced to confront her family’s feelings and the scorn of the town, while Sophie works to escape her husband, and this personal struggle adds to the desperation to find the truth.

Everything perfectly leads up to the big finale for On the Edge, which I think was the strongest part of the entire book.  Horan came up with a very impressive twist around Sophie, which was honestly the narrative highlight of the entire story, and I was very impressed with how well the author set it up.  I did think that Horan perhaps went a twist too far after this big reveal, especially with the timing and location of the final revelation, but it was still an interesting inclusion that had the appropriate build behind it.  Horan wraps this up with some relatable happy endings, which was honestly needed after some of the darker elements of the book.

This was an impressive piece of Australian fiction from Horan, who produced a fantastic story of desperation, historical trauma and murder.  The use of the alternating perspectives from two women caught at opposing ends of the mystery was a true highlight, and I appreciated how effectively the author layered the clues to all the reviews in both their storylines.  Horan also expertly built up the alternating personal issues from both protagonists, and their struggles melded well with the overarching hunt for the truth.  On top of that, Horan also captured some of the true lows of family domestic violence in small-town Australia, which unsurprisingly is becoming a recurring theme in Australian crime fiction.  Throw in some great depictions of small-town Australia and the struggles associated with them, including a unique perspective from a local doctor, and this was a deeply compelling read that really highlighted Horan’s abilities as an author.

Overall, On the Edge was a great second novel from Kate Horan, and one that I’m glad I picked up.  Featuring a brilliant story loaded with impressive twists and turns, as well as some complex character-driven narratives, On the Edge was one of the stronger Australian set novels from the first half of 2026, and I look forward from reading more from Horan in the future.

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The Yacht by Kayte Nunn

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Harper Collins (Trade Paperback – 26 May 2026)

Series: Standalone 

Length: 336 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Australian author Kayte Nunn presents a captivating tale of family drama, classism, intrigue and revenge, all aboard a luxurious mega-yacht, with her wonderful new novel, The Yacht.

Plot Synopsis:

A man on the edge.

A woman hell-bent on revenge.

A cheating husband.

A desperate wife.

A property empire on the brink of collapse.

A family at loggerheads.

A predator hiding in plain sight.

Who will sink and who will swim?

Three generations of a billionaire family are taking their new superyacht on its maiden voyage. But when the yacht sinks, each of them has a different part to play, in this addictive, twist-filled thriller.

Kayte Nunn is a veteran author who has written several intriguing novels in recent years across the genres.  Her more recent work has seen her dive into crime fiction waters, which includes her 2025 release, The Palazzo, and her new book, The Yacht.  The Yacht, which was the first of Nunn’s books I’ve had the chance to read, was an excellent and entertaining thriller that sees dramatic revenge thrown against the inhabitants of luxury yacht.

I really enjoyed the compelling plot that Nunn threw together for The Yacht, which follows several complex characters on an interconnected and intense tale.  This includes various members of the infamous Thyssen family, who have arrived at their father’s new luxury superyacht Ambition as it sails off the coast of Spain.  Each member of this family has their own drama, including a dislike of the family’s greedy lifestyle, a cheating husband, and fear of the family’s controlling patriarch.  In addition, you also follow Piper, the Ambition’s new deckhand, who has her own agenda.  Thanks to some hints of the future, it becomes clear that you are following these characters, as well as a police detective from the port the yacht is moored at, as they head towards the Ambition’s destruction and are witnessing the events that caused it.

Nunn does an excellent job setting up the story for The Yacht and you are quickly caught up in personal storylines of the various protagonists.  Nunn blends these multiple character-driven narratives together into a captivating, combined narrative, and the overlapping drama and multiple secrets really intensify each protagonist’s concerns, as well as the growing apprehension of events to come.  Nunn also gradually reveals multiple additional secrets, such as hidden criminal activities aboard the Ambition and Piper’s true motivations, while even more threats lurk in the shadows.  All this leads up to the big final sequence, where the long-awaited shipwreck occurs, and every character is thrown into turmoil.  You’ll honestly power through the last third of the book as you try to determine who is going to survive and who will get justice, and you’ll mostly come away satisfied with the well-orchestrated conclusion.

I felt The Yacht was a well-written standalone thriller which made perfect use of its larger-than-life characters and fantastic class-focused drama.  Nunn was clearly aiming for a mixture of Below Decks and Succession in this novel, and I think for the most part she succeeded.  The dysfunction dynamics of the various Thyssen family members played off against Piper’s outsider view of events extremely well, and I loved the alternating drama.  The resulting storylines around each character were personal and powerful, while the differing view of other perspective protagonists added some interesting insights that readers will lap up.  While Nunn could have probably left this book as a pure drama tale, playing off the dysfunction of the main family, the inclusion of more traditional thriller elements resulted in a fast-paced read with some real stakes, especially with Piper’s plot of getting justice and revenge and the hidden exploits of other key characters.  Further tension was added by some interesting in-universe social media messages at the end of several chapters, as well as one set of perspective chapters set in the future, which hints at coming calamity and help to set up expectations for the reader.  Nunn ensured the final reveals and the big conclusion of The Yacht mostly lived up to the hype, although these final chapters did feel a little rushed.  There was also something a little unsatisfying with some characters’ fates, but this didn’t take me out of the story too much.

Overall, The Yacht was an impressive and addictive read and it was one I was glad I got the chance to check out.  Kayte Nunn created an excellent standalone for this book that combines some class-focused drama with an intense thriller plot.  The Yacht ended up being a great read that will appeal to wide range of readers, and I’ll be curious to read more from Nunn in the future.

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Waiting on Wednesday – Choppy Water by Jack Heath

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday1 Comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an incredible and unique upcoming murder mystery from one of my favourite Australian authors with Choppy Water by Jack Heath.

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There are a lot of talented and entertaining Australian authors writing outstanding novels these days, but one of my favourites due to his consistently clever and entertaining reads is the wonderful Jack Heath. Hailing from my home city of Canberra, Heath has been entertaining Australian readers for years with his interesting combination of complex works.  I am a massive fan of his amazing crime fiction novels, which includes his spectacularly over-the-top international Hangman series (including Hideout and Headcase).

Heath has also written some brilliant and twisted murder mysteries that make great use of an Australian setting.  This includes the impactful and addictive, Kill Your Brother (one of my favourite Australian novels of 2021), the outrageous and memorable Kill Your Husbands (one of my favourite Australian books of 2023), and the very relatable Kill Your Boss (one of my favourite Australian novels of 2025).  All these fantastic Australian novels from Heath are both clever and quite fun, and I really enjoy some the unique scenarios that the author comes up with.  Due to this, I’m always keeping an eye out for Heath’s next intriguing read, and it looks like he will be delivering something special for crime fiction fans later this year.

This next book from Heath is the standalone novel, Choppy Water, which will take the readers on an entertaining ride, while also diving into the familiar chaos of the Covid period from a very different perspective.  Set for release in November 2026, Choppy Water has a great plot behind it that is going to make for an outstanding read.

Plot Synopsis:

Death on the Nile meets Die Hard in this new ‘locked room’ mystery by the King of Twists, Jack Heath.

A woman’s body is found in a laundry cart aboard the Silver Lady cruise ship. Management says it was a freak accident and her death is quickly covered up, so as not to spoil the voyage for the passengers.

Cesar Cain doesn’t want to get involved. He boarded the Silver Lady to disappear. If the cops find him, he’s in a cell. If the Hell’s Hounds catch him, he’s in a grave.

But it’s March 2020, and the borders are slamming shut. Cesar soon discovers that the woman wasn’t the first victim – and with the ship suddenly quarantined and unable to dock anywhere, she won’t be the last …

I love this fun sounding plot for Choppy Water, which looks to combine Heath’s love of unique scenarios with some homages to classic whodunnit storytelling.  A reluctant protagonist investigating a murder aboard a quarantined cruise ship has a lot of potential, and it’s going to be very interesting to see how this entire plot comes together.  Based on my previous experiences with Jack Heath and his very entertaining reads, I foresee that Choppy Water will end up being one of the top Australian books of 2026 and I cannot wait to check it out.

Waiting on Wednesday – Shot by Shelley Burr

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday1 Comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an outstanding upcoming piece of Australian crime fiction with Shot by Shelley Burr.

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For the last few years, one of my favourite authors of Australian crime fiction has been the very impressive Shelley Burr.  A rising and talented writer who experiments with new styles and writing ideas with each novel, Burr appeared on the scene back in 2022 with her debut novel, Wake.  An excellent and addictive outback mystery about a historical disappearance, Wake was an outstanding novel, which served as the first book of her Lane Holland series.  Followed up by the amazing novels, Ripper (also released as Murder Town), and last year’s release Vanish, each book in this series told its own unique and narrative, while also further exploring the complex life of its recurring protagonist.  I had an incredible time with these books, and I’ve been keen to see what Burr would write next, especially as she seemed to wrap up her first series with Vanish.

It looks like Australian crime fiction fans don’t have long to wait until they’re lucky enough to get another Shelley Burr novel, as the author has an interesting new release coming out in October.  This new book, Shot, will tell a distinctive new tale of murder, regret and hidden secrets, as a new investigative protagonist dives into the past to uncover the truth behind an infamous killing.

Set to follow a disgraced true-crime vlogger (Burr likes her damaged protagonists), as she does a feature on a double killing that occurred in the middle of a livestream, Shot sounds extremely intriguing, and I love the cool and unique elements to its proposed plot.  Sure to bring the drama and dive into modern audience’s obsessions with glamourous streaming families and famous murders, Shot has a ton of potential, especially if Burr weaves her typical storytelling magic.  Based on how good Burr’s previous novels were, Shot is now one of my most anticipated crime fiction novels coming out in the second half of 2026, and I have no doubt that this will be a top piece of Australian fiction.

Plot Synopsis:

A murder is witnessed by thousands, but who pulled the trigger?

Dahlia and Duncan Crews are rich, famous, glamorous – they share their lifestyle and picture-perfect family with hundreds of thousands of online subscribers. The Crews have it all – until they don’t. Shot dead in the middle of a livestream, the couple’s teenage daughter, Karma, is the sole survivor. And the prime suspect.

Years later, disgraced true-crime vlogger Jennifer Benedetta is hired to film a cold-case documentary on the unsolved Crews family murders. It’s the chance she needs to salvage her reputation, but there’s a catch: prove Karma Crews innocent. But something – or someone – is lurking just off camera, and the closer Jennifer gets to the truth, the further she is from safety.

Who is watching? And how far will they go to remain unseen?

Quick Review – We Saw What You Started by Carla Salmon

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Quick Review, Thriller, Young AdultLeave a comment

Publisher: Pan Australia (Trade Paperback – 1 July 2025)

Series: Standalone 

Length: 336 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

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Prepare for some troubled fun in the sun with the fantastic 2025 Australian young adult fiction debut, We Saw What You Started by new author Carla Salmon.

Plot Synopsis:

Three deadly fires. One suspect. A thriller of surf and sea.

Otto was a star surfer back in California, but now he just wants a fresh start. When fires break out in Red Sands, the locals are suspicious. It’s no coincidence that Otto’s at the scene every time. Is it?

Milly isn’t so sure. Small town talk isn’t always right – especially when it comes to her ‘perfect’ brother, who doesn’t deserve to become captain of the surf lifesaving club. What if the new boy is innocent?

Can Otto and Milly trust each other to find the truth behind the fires? And what happens when you do the wrong things for the right reasons?

We Saw What You Started was a compelling and exciting debut from Salmon, who provides a cool thriller narrative amongst youthful hijinks on a rural Australian coastline.  Starting off with some immediate peril as the protagonist of the story, Otto, gets caught up in an apparently deliberate bushfire, you are quickly introduced to the small-town setting of Red Sands, as well as the dramas surrounding Otto and Milly.

Salmon effectively splits the narrative of We Saw What You Started between the perspectives of Otto and Milly, who grow close as the story progresses.  However, with an important swimming and lifesaving contest on the horizon, things become complicated for both as a series of arsons take place around town, often when Otto is nearby.  This naturally increases the drama of the plot, as Otto deals with suspicion from the Red Sands townsfolk, especially when his troubled past in America becomes known.  At the same time, Milly, driven by her own desire for independence and respect from her father, becomes one of Otto’s only allies.  The two start teaming up to investigate the arsons, resulting in some interesting moments of investigation, conflict and teenage rebellion, that play into the main plot extremely well.

The author does an exceptional job pulling together a great young adult crime fiction story in the second half of We Saw What You Started, loaded with high stakes and powerful dives into the protagonist’s traumatic past.  The revelation of who is responsible for the arsons, and the big confrontation at the end, are nicely set up, and Salmon loaded up a ton of fun hints throughout the book that really pay off.  Everything wraps up nicely, with the ongoing character struggles resolved and everyone getting their happy ending, allowing for a fantastic and heartfelt standalone read that did an excellent job of blending its crime fiction elements with the various personal problems of its intriguing young cast.

Overall, I felt that We Saw What You Started was an excellent debut novel that helped to showcase the Carla Salmon’s ability as a writer.  Expertly combining an intriguing crime fiction narrative with some fantastic young characters and a striking Australian setting, We Saw What You Started that will appeal to a wide range of readers, especially it’s intended young adult audience, who can relate to Salmon’s protagonists and their struggles.  This was a wonderful Australian novel and a great introduction to Carla Salmon, who looks set to continue her writing adventures in 2026.

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Redbelly Crossing by Candice Fox

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, ThrillerLeave a comment

Publisher: Penguin (ebook– 31 March 2026)

Series: Standalone

Length: 432 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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One of Australia’s best-known thriller writers, Candice Fox, returns with another brilliant and complex outback crime fiction read that sees two estranged brothers get caught up in an intense and dark murder, Redbelly Crossing.

Candice Fox is a very impressive author whose compelling work I have been deeply enjoying in recent years, especially as she has some interesting range with her varied crime fiction releases.  This includes complex American thrillers like The Chase, Devil’s Kitchen and Fire With Fire, to unique Australian outback thrillers such as High Wire.  She has also continued her exciting partnership with the legendary James Patterson, with some recent releases including 2 Sisters Detective Agency, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations and The Murder Inn.  All these books have been a ton of fun to get through, and I always make sure to keep an eye out for anything new from Fox, especially as it’s likely to be a guaranteed hit.  As such, I made sure to read her next book, Redbelly Crossing, as soon as I could, and boy was it something special.

Plot Synopsis:

Blood is thicker than water. But too much leaves a trail . . .

Russell and Evan Powder are cops.

The brothers haven’t spoken for five years, since a violent confrontation tore their family apart.

Now they are both assigned to the murder of a young journalist, Chloe Lutz, in the small town of Redbelly Crossing (population 205).

It’s the last thing Russell wants. This is supposed to be the week he repairs things with his teenage daughter Bridie. Now he’s had to drag her on a murderous ride-along to the middle of snake-infested nowhere.

But a big case like this is just what Evan needs after a terrible mistake nearly tanked his career.

Then a dark discovery leaves Evan with only one way out; to bury the truth Russell is so determined to uncover …

Redbelly Crossing was an outstanding piece of Australian crime fiction from Fox, who effortlessly creates an elaborate and twisty read with some real-life emotional heft attached to it.  One of the best Australian mysteries so far released in 2026, Redbelly Crossing is a brilliant standalone novel that had me hooked from start to finish.

Fox pulls together one of her more complex and compelling narratives for Redbelly Crossing, as she goes back to her outback thriller roots with an emotionally charged, character-driven story.  Primarily told through the alternating perspectives of the Powder brothers, volatile Russell and the disgraced Evan, you are quickly drawn into both the murder and their chaotic lives, as they inadvertently reunite for the first time in years to solve a crime.  Fox does an excellent job setting the scene for the main case, which presents an intriguing murder mystery on its own, and the reader is soon quite curious about who killed Chloe Lutz.  This great early interest in the mystery is then further enhanced by the drama around this central plot point with the family turmoil represented by the two protagonists, which only becomes even more intense when Evan makes a discovery that change his motivations around investigating the case.

The rest of the book sees both Powder brothers working at cross purposes, with Russell doggedly trying to get at the truth, with Evan attempts to hide certain facts from him to ensure certain evidence don’t come up.  This adds quite an interesting angle to the investigation, as the reader has access to all the information about the murder, while both protagonists only have fragments of it.  The resulting convoluted investigation is well matched by the dive into each of the protagonists’ troubled pasts, as Fox carefully doles out the full history of the brothers and their relationship, as well as the events that led to where they currently are.  Things seem to come to head with a cool action sequence in the second half of the book; however, Fox is only just starting with the twists, as the case goes in some dangerous and extremely personal directions.  There is a great reveal closer to the end of the book that really changes everything, especially with how it drives one of the brothers, and the resulting carnage, emotional turmoil, and conflict will leave everyone reeling one way or another.  Fox brings Redbelly Crossing to a captivating ending that readers will find bittersweet and a little heartbreaking, but which is a fitting end to such a compelling and powerful tale.

I really enjoyed how Fox pulled Redbelly Crossing together, and I felt that this was one of her better books, especially as she drew a compelling line between family drama and murder mystery.  Making great use of the narrative’s dual perspectives, Fox effectively drags the reader back into her classic outback setting, while also diving deep into two protagonist brothers and the events that formed them and tore them apart.  The character work around the two Powder brothers, Russell and Evan, is particularly good, as Fox paints them as two highly damaged figures, broken apart by their mistakes and the trauma caused by their abusive father, who is still a dark presence in their lives.  Fox really explores their trauma and how it impacts their current personalities, with Russell a highly competent investigator who acts overly aggressive to compensate for his past weaknesses and his homosexuality, whereas Evan attempts to do the right thing, but his mistakes allow him to be dominated by his father, who keeps corrupting him.  Their competing desires, and the family drama around them, drives both Russell and Evan on separate courses for much of the book, and while their attempts to do right by their family should make them better, it often leads to new conflicts and deeper sorrow down the line.

I really appreciate just how well Fox balanced this family turmoil and character uncertainty with the larger mystery of the plot, especially as a lot of secrets lie with the characters’ pasts.  This focus on history and generational trauma was a big recurring theme of Redbelly Crossing, and Fox covers it extremely well.  The author also did an amazing job diving into the lasting trauma and uncertainty surrounding murder and those it leaves behind, especially when it comes to these older cases.  Much of this was because Fox was carefully referencing two real-life unsolved Australian murders in her plot, with many of the key details of these historic cases brought across into Redbelly Crossing.  This was a bold decision from Fox, but one which pays off, as it increases the impact of Redbelly Crossing’s narrative, especially after you finish the book and read in Fox’s words why she decided to use these details.  This inherent drama, when combined with the author’s twisty writing style and her ability to create powerful characters, shaped by their past and their personal troubles, helps to turn Redbelly Crossing into something extremely special that you won’t be able to turn away from.

Candice Fox continues to showcase why she is one of Australia’s most talented and versatile authors of crime fiction with her latest exceptional read.  Redbelly Crossing was a complex and layered read that combined a great crime fiction story with powerful character moments, all wrapped up with a striking outback setting and some intense elements taken from real-life.  A captivating and impressive read, Redbelly Crossing was a particularly strong novel from Fox, who really pours her heart into this latest novel.  Highly recommended with a story guaranteed to stick in your mind.

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Quick review – Whisky Valley by Joan Sauers

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Quick Review1 Comment

Publisher: Allen & Unwin (ebook – 3 June 2025)

Series: Southern Highland Mystery – Book 2

Length: 384 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Australian screenwriter Joan Sauers returns to the Southern Highlands with another cosy and compelling mystery Whisky Valley.

Back in 2023, I had the pleasure of reading Joan Sauers’s first book, Echo Lake, a cosy Australian mystery that really stood out thanks to its great use of several small towns in the picturesque Southern Highlands as a background setting.  While not my usual cup of tea, I quite enjoyed Echo Lake, especially as I drive through the Southern Highlands all the time, and I was curious when Sauers released a sequel novel last year.  This second book from Sauers, Whisky Valley, proved to be another fantastic read, that combines entertaining characters with beautiful locations and a clever mystery.

Plot Synopsis:

A missing violinist. A rising flood. A race against time. Intrigue, music and danger collide in Whisky Valley.

After nearly being murdered last year, Rose McHugh battles anxiety as she uses her investigative skills to find her son’s best friend, a famous violinist who is missing along with his priceless violin.

As floodwaters rise, Rose uncovers secrets and lies among the missing man’s fellow musicians, as well as their patron and her enigmatic psychologist husband.

But when a body is found, can Rose shield her son from suspicion?

Whisky Valley was a genuinely nice and enjoyable mystery novel from Sauers, who provided a great balance between character moments and the underlying murder narrative.  Bringing back protagonist Rose McHugh as she continues her troubled settlement in her beloved Southern Highlands, Whisky Valley quickly introduces a new crime involving a missing violinist with connections to Rose’s son.  Determined to solve the case before her son is suspected, Rose soon uncovers deeper secrets beneath the musical world of the victim and uncovers details of a troubled family.

I quite enjoyed how this new mystery from Sauers unfolded, and there was a certain amount of uncertainty and alternating suspects that will keep readers guessing until the end.  Indeed, I felt that the mystery in Whisky Valley was stronger than that of the first book, and I really enjoyed just how captivating and suspenseful events got as this book progressed.  This great mystery blended well with the other key aspects of the book, including the protagonist’s continued exploration of her new local area, her various relationships and friendships, including a new romance, and the fallout from the trauma of Echo Lake.  This allowed for a quite emotionally rich novel at times, especially with a lot of compelling conflicts and complex problems coming out of the woodwork.  Sauers did a great job building up a lot of different issues in the plot and slowly resolving them throughout the course of Whisky Valley, and you come away a lot closer to the relatable protagonist of this novel as a result.

While I did enjoy Sauers’ latest mystery, my favourite part of Whisky Valley had to be the author’s excellent use of the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales as a backdrop for her mystery.  Sauers has a clear love of the Southern Highlands, which is quite evident in this series, as the protagonist lovingly describes various picturesque places found throughout the area.  As someone who spends a bit of time visiting or travelling through the Southern Highlands, it was really entertaining to see the protagonist explore various locations I was familiar with throughout the course of the book, and it helped to give a sense of realism to the plot at times.  These locations also serve as compelling backdrops to the crimes and drama of the story, and thanks to Sauers’ great descriptions, you can really envision some of the remote locales where murders are taking place, even if you’ve never been to this unique part of Australia.  Throw in some interesting dives into the region’s history and culture, which is a fantastic inclusion to the book, and you come away really appreciating Sauers’s use of the Southern Highlands in this series, especially after how well she uses it in Whisky Valley.

Joan Sauers continues to impress with her compelling and heartwarming cosy murder mystery series.  Her second book, Whisky Valley, was another great read that combined a fantastic mystery with some interesting character moments a wonderful background setting.  An excellent read that I enjoyed checking out.

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Vanish by Shelley Burr

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery2 Comments

Publisher: Hachette Australia (Trade Paperback – 30 April 2025)

Series: Lane Holland – Book 3

Length: 360 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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One of Australia’s most talented new crime fiction authors, Shelley Burr, provides another complex and deep read with the compelling 2025 novel Vanish.

Over the last couple of years, I have been having an outstanding time with the fantastic writings of new Australian author Shelley Burr, who has produced some fantastic and compelling murder mysteries.  Burr’s debut novel, Wake, followed a damaged private investigator, Lane Holland, as he attempted to solve an infamous missing persons case for his own selfish reasons.  A complex and moving small-town story about loss and the scars it leaves behind, Wake was an outstanding novel from Burr, which ended up being one of my favourite debuts and Australian novels of 2022.  Burr continued this series in a fascinating way the following year, with the amazing novel Ripper (also released as Murder Town), which saw returning protagonist Lane Holland attempt to solve another historical crime from behind bars.  Ripper, which was one of my favourite Australian reads of 2023, was an excellent follow-up to Burr’s first novel that helped to present the Lane Holland books as one of the more unique ongoing Australian series.  As such, I made sure to read the third entry in the series, Vanish, last year as soon as I could, and it proved to be an outstanding and compelling read.

Plot Synopsis:

People go to the isolated Karpathy farm looking for a new life – and are never seen again. A chilling thriller from the award-winning and bestselling author of Australian noir, Shelley Burr.

Lane Holland’s crime-solving career ended the day he went to prison. With his parole hearing approaching, he faces the grim reality that an ex-con can never work as a private eye. Yet one unsolved case continues to haunt the disappearance of Matilda Carver two decades ago.

Never one to follow the rules, Lane finds a lead – a mysterious farm community led by the enigmatic Samuel Karpathy. His farm attracts lost souls. People who want a more meaningful life. People who are hiding from their pasts. People with nowhere else to go.

But those who go to the farm seem to vanish without a trace.

Is it a commune? Is it a cult? Is it something even more dangerous? Lane goes undercover at the farm to find its dark secret – but could he too find himself intoxicated by the prospect of a new life on the land?

Vanish was an impressive third entry from Shelley Burr, who tried some interesting new techniques and narrative threads in this book to create a fantastic read.  Following on from the events of the previous two books, this third book sees protagonist Lane Holland continue to investigate several missing persons cases from prison, including Matilda Carver, the daughter of his prison warden.  Able to convince the warden to help him investigate the disappearance in person, Lane is transferred to the Karpathy farm as part of a work-release program, the last place where Matilda was seen and the location where many other people seem to disappear from.

Arriving at the farm, Lane discovers an unusual community of outsiders who have found an unlikely home at the Karpathy property.  However, the more Lane digs, the more secrets he uncovers as he attempts to work out the supposedly sinister truth behind the farm and its owners, as well as the people who have gone missing from it.  This central mystery is made even more complicated when Lane discovers the secondary protagonist of Vanish, Mina McCreery, secretly living at the farm.  The woman who Lane went to prison to protect, Mina was a great addition, especially as there are a lot of unresolved issues and drama between the two.  Forced to work together to investigate separate missing persons cases at the same location, Lane and Mina once again form an unlikely and chaotic team that was a real joy to follow.

The resulting second half of Vanish was awesome, with a range of compelling twists, red herrings and near-death experiences for the protagonist.  Burr produced a particularly emotional heavy narrative for Vanish, which focused more on Lane as a character, while also providing a more subtle mystery related to perceptions and people’s choices.  The reader is constantly left guessing about whether the residents of the Karpathy Farm are a dangerous cult, which helps to cloud who the actual villain of the story is.  There was also a great, slow build of tension through the plot, which comes to a fantastic and thrilling head near the conclusion of the book.  The various final reveals of Vanish were quite clever, and this ended up being a very satisfying standalone mystery that way.  Burr also expertly resolved several ongoing storylines from the rest of the series, and it was great to get some closure between Lane and Mina, especially after the dramatic ending of the first book.  There was a certain finality to Vanish that made me feel that this was going to be the last entry in this series, and if this is the case I’d be fine with that, especially as the protagonist finally got a happy ending.

I felt this third Lane Holland book came together extremely well, especially as Burr has continued to experiment with her different writing styles.  This included telling most of the book from Lane’s perspective, rather than splitting focus between another side character, which allowed the reader to get closer to the protagonist, while also being influenced by his take on events.  I liked how this change in perspective allowed for a much more emotionally rich narrative, and there is a certain uncertainty at times about whether a crime has taken place, as Lane keeps finding hidden secrets and dead-ends.  However, thanks to a series of short inclusions from a mystery character in distress, the reader is slyly aware that there is more going on, and I really appreciated Burr’s subtlety, as well as the clever explanation behind this hidden figure.  I also enjoyed how well Burr tied Vanish’s narrative back to the events of the first book, and fans of the series get some excellent closure here, while still allowing Vanish to be a mostly standalone book.  All this leads to a pretty excellent read, and it was one I was glad I checked out.

With another clever and powerful mystery, Vanish continues to showcase Shelly Burr’s fantastic skill as a rising Australian mystery writer.  A wonderful third entry in a truly compelling series, Vanish was an excellent read I had a great time getting through.  Highly recommended for both existing fans of Burr, and those readers looking for a unique Australian mystery.

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