Since the global success of her debut thriller The Dry, Jane Harper has been one of the writers most associated with the genre known as Outback Noir - a term denoting sinister deeds in small-town Australia. Now the detective protagonist of The Dry Aaron Falk returns in Exiles, another perfectly plotted mystery novel which brings the exotic wilderness of Southern Australia to vivid life. In this exclusive piece, Jane recommends her top thrillers and mysteries that evoke the diverse essence of Australian life and society.
Who doesn’t love a great mystery? I’ve always said that the sheer danger and diversity of Australia is an absolute gift for writers who enjoy bringing out that sense of suspense in their work, and the five novels I’ve chosen here really make the most of it. One thing I love about all five of these books is the way the authors have each taken a very different slice of Australian life and carved out stories that sink their hooks right into you, firm and deep. Forget the tourist traps of the Harbour Bridge, instead get lost in deep snow, or stressed to snapping point in a beautiful bayside kitchen with ocean views, or have your heart broken on a lonely country road. These books offer some of my favourite mystery tours around Australia, and I invite you to fasten your seatbelt and enjoy.
I have been pressing this book into people’s hands since its release last year, and I have no intention of stopping any time soon. A dazzlingly fun, fresh twist on classic crime is a recent release, this is a must-read for anyone who counts themselves as a fan of the genre. An outrageous family with secrets aplenty are snowed in at an Australian ski resort and — as the title suggests — need to watch their backs around each other. To see an author take a chance and tell a story in such such a wholly original way is exciting, and to see them succeed the way Benjamin Stevenson has is genuinely inspiring.
If you haven’t discovered Sally Hepworth’s deliciously fun and twisty reads, take this as your sign to pick one up and devour it immediately. Set in an affluent bayside suburb of Melbourne, two sisters try to unpick truth from lie when their father marries a woman much closer to their age than his. It’s a complete page-turner in the purest sense and Sally expertly leads us on a dance that just doesn’t let go. Daily life with a dark edge, it’s no surprise that Sally’s style has made her a firm favourite among Australian readers. I also highly recommend pre-ordering her latest novel, The Soulmate, which hits shelves in the UK in April and sees a family swept up with big secrets when they buy a cliff-top house near a notorious suicide spot. Unputdownable.
Genre-busting at its finest, you might find Kate Mildenhall’s enthralling novel tucked away on the literary fiction shelf. Don’t let that fool you, this dystopian page-turner will keep you up all night. Set in a near-future Australia besieged by climate change, where formerly high-end yacht clubs lie submerged like haunted shipwrecks under rising sea waters, Mim and her two children set out on a harrowing journey across Australia and an ocean in an attempt to answer the question that’s plaguing them: Why has Mim’s husband disappeared? This is a gripping story, beautifully written, and full of nuance and heart.
No list could be complete without tribute to Australia’s undisputed queen of domestic noir, Liane Moriarty. There’s a reason why Liane’s novels have captured so many millions of readers around the world, and Apples Never Fall is yet another example of what she does best. You get to know a country best by spending time with the locals, and Moriarty’s books celebrate a day-to-day life well off the tourist trail, while never shying away from the dark undercurrents and secrets that can hide behind every closed door. Her latest novel is set in the highly competitive world of amateur tennis, and when the matriarch of a high-achieving family goes missing, her husband and children are forced to examine their relationships with her and with each other. The way Liane Moriarty uses a light touch to handle the heaviest of subjects is a masterclass, and in this novel she once again weaves a story that leaves you begging to turn the page.
Get familiar with Hayley Scrivenor’s name because I expect we’ll be hearing a lot from her over the next few years. Dirt Town is her stellar debut, revolving around the heartbreaking aftermath when a child fails to return home one day. The novel takes a deep-dive into the intimacies of small town life as a community struggles with a tragedy in its midst, and Hayley paints a portrait of a town under huge pressure by capturing those small and big details that make a setting feel truly authentic. Compelling and beautifully told, Hayley draws you fully into Dirt Town’s pages as the mystery unspools.
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