Outback: A stunning new crime thriller (A DS Walker Thriller Book 1)

Product Information

As a visiting lecturer for a serious crime and drugs training program for police officers in Queensland, he is sent to Queensland Gold Coast-based Surfer’s Paradise on a temporary basis.

Embla Books - Bonnier Books

Wolf gives the reader another fast-paced Aussie crime thriller: a wholly credible tale with that requires virtually no suspension of disbelief, and builds up to a nail-biting climax. The dialogue is convincing, with a generous helping of the Australian vernacular, and her depiction of coastal Queensland feels truly authentic. As the number of days since the couple's disappearance climbs, Walker is joined by Rita's older sister. A detective herself with Berlin CID, she has flown to Australia - desperate to find her sister. With multiple new and previously introduced characters, Wolf then delivers a satisfying, way above-average police procedural full of interesting characters and plots and does well in breathing life into her characters – even the villains. Not only that, Wolf’s writing again exhibits a wonderfully smooth style that clearly feeds the anticipation of the arrival of her future work.Slowly, Walker becomes more deeply involved in each case and because it is believed Gabby may still be in danger, he takes turns guarding her at her hospital bedside while recovering from injuries sustained in the home invasion. This then leads to the development of kinship between the two. As with many seemingly straightforward missing persons cases, there’s a subversive subplot that makes itself known as Lucas begins digging deeper with his investigation. Drugs are involved (of course) as well as higher powers in the police force (inevitably) and the combination serves to create obstacles and greater danger to our protagonists.

Outback by Patricia Wolf - Australian Crime Fiction HQ Outback by Patricia Wolf - Australian Crime Fiction HQ

I liked the fact there are basically two threads to this story. I enjoyed guessing how the stories converge. Dual plots can be hit and miss, but in this case I thought it worked really well, also it ensures that ‘all important’ suspense and tension never waivers. Paradise is an evocative novel that excels in its characterisations and depictions of the seedier and violent side of the Gold Coast. Highly recommend.

All across the USA, people are showing up dead. The deaths don't appear to be connected in any way until one particular death occurs and gets the Secretary of Defense's attention. He arranges for a task force to investigate.