Australian Crime Fiction

In the drought-stricken Kimberley, where water means the difference between survival and ruin, Special Investigator Odysseus "Odie" Kalaris is called to a sacred waterhole where the body of water project engineer Michael Crawford lies half-submerged, surrounded by poorly staged traditional elements. What begins as a murder investigation evolves into something far more sinister, revealing connections between ancient underground water systems and generations of deliberate deception. When a second victim—environmental consultant Rebecca Palmer—is found at another sacred site, Odie must ...

High on a hill above the small Victorian town of Carrabeen, 300 wind turbines constantly spin. Except one is now deadly still - a body hanging from its huge white blade. Detective Sergeants Belinda Burney and Will Lovell are shocked to discover the dead man is Geordie Pritchard, a rich local philanthropist and owner of the wind energy farm. Suicide at first seems the likely explanation, until Geordie's widow Lucinda insists her husband was murdered - and she has the death threats to prove it.

Detective Jake Morrison thought his transfer to rural South Australia was career suicide—until he discovers a body in the abandoned shearing shed at Thornfield Station. What appears to be a workplace accident soon reveals itself as cold-blooded murder. Station manager Gareth Sullivan was killed with a wool press handle, his body moved to cover up the crime. As Morrison digs deeper into the isolated sheep station's finances, he uncovers a web of embezzlement, gambling debts, and desperate choices. When Morrison identifies bookkeeper Bronwyn Hayes as his prime suspect, her world comes ...

ORIGINAL STORY, WRITTEN BY A HUMAN All things are connected - Tread Carefully. Detective Ange Watson is tougher than she looks, even tougher than she realises. Which is just as well... When asked to find a young surfer who vanished from a nearby fishing village, Ange feels confident she’ll solve the matter quickly, leaving the weekend free to enjoy the beach and catch some awesome waves. It’s ironic how the simple jobs are the ones that turn to custard. As Ange dives deeper into the case, she's swept up in a frantic chase to expose the truth and prevent further carnage. Every turn ...

Two brothers meet at the remote fence line separating their cattle ranches in the lonely outback. In an isolated belt of Western Australia, they are each other’s nearest neighbor, their homes a four-hour drive apart. The third brother lies dead at their feet. Something caused Cam, the middle child who had been in charge of the family homestead, to die alone in the middle of nowhere. So the eldest brother returns with his younger sibling to the family property and those left behind. But the fragile balance of the ranch is threatened.

Ronin political reporter Paul Ryder travels north to tropical Queensland to attend the marriage of his hellish mother-in-law. He ends up in a sunny town with shady people. A close friend is murdered. Corruption bubbles to the surface. Bad guys want him dead. He’ll be lucky if he lives to see the next beautiful sunset.

When construction workers uncover preserved human remains at Kingfisher Station—a luxury resort development in rural Australia—Detective Maya Thorne is called back to the hometown she fled as a teenager. The discovery is eerily similar to a case she solved months earlier, but this time it's personal: the development borders her childhood home, which she abandoned. The victim is identified as Elaine Mercer, an environmental consultant who disappeared eight years ago while investigating water rights during the region's worst drought in decades. Maya quickly discovers that Elaine had ...

Live the action of six deadly and seminal conflicts in Australia’s first 150 years: The Eureka Stockade – The Gold miners of Ballarat valiant stand against Government tyranny. The Siege at Glenrowan – Australia’s most infamous outlaw, Ned Kelly, shoots it out with police. The Battle of Cocos Islands – The face-off between HMAS Sydney and SMS Emden would result in the Australian Navy’s first victory. The Broken Hill Massacre – A call to jihad in Turkey is the catalyst for the first terrorist act in Australia. The Battle of Surry Hills – A rambunctious American, called ‘...

When traditional owner Curtis Brennan is found dead among the sacred granite formations of Karlu Karlu, Detective Senior Constable Ruby Mackenzie expects a straightforward climbing accident investigation in Australia's remote Northern Territory. But climbing chalk on rocks that no Aboriginal person would ever touch tells a different story. Someone has been violating sacred sites for profit, and Curtis died trying to stop them. Ruby's investigation uncovers a thriving illegal tourism operation that has been exploiting Aboriginal culture for years, bringing unauthorized visitors to ceremonial...

'Fast Paced Action Packed and 100% Funny Satirical Parody.' SHAKESPEARE ON THE ROOF Jack Hamma, an SAS Special Forces Commando, is sent on a top secret mission to assassinate a terrorist leader who is bunkered down on an island in the Indian Ocean. The action has only just begun when Jack and his co-assassin are ambushed by right wing terrorists. Jack is the action hero par excellence but has he met his match in the form of the beautiful Kashmere? IN BED WITH JANE AUSTEN Private Detective, Jack Hamma, receives an emergency phone call to escort a seventeen year old girl home from school, the...

Detective Senior Constable Riley Murphy thought Lightning Ridge was career exile—a remote opal mining town where the biggest crimes were petty theft and neighbourly disputes. Then respected opal dealer Elena Kozlov is found brutally murdered in her ransacked workshop, and Riley's routine investigation spirals into something far more dangerous. Elena wasn't killed for her valuable stones—she was eliminated for asking the wrong questions about suspicious corporate activity. As Riley digs deeper, she uncovers Asset Beta, a covert operative who's been surveilling Lightning Ridge residents ...

Detective Alex Reilly thought his transfer to the remote desert town of Coober Pedy would be a quiet assignment—a chance to rebuild his damaged career far from the spotlight. But when Harold Finch, part-owner of the town's vital water supply, is found dead in his underground home, what appears to be a tragic accident quickly reveals itself as something far more sinister. As Reilly investigates, he discovers that Harold's death is connected to a sophisticated conspiracy targeting the community's most precious resource: water. Environmental engineer Daphne Traynor seems helpful at first, ...

In the drought-stricken region between Warragulla and Merriwa, where dust storms sweep across isolated communities without warning, Detective Maya Thorne investigates the murder of an NBN technician found at a remote telecommunications tower. What begins as a seemingly isolated incident soon reveals a sophisticated conspiracy lurking beneath the surface of this fractured community of less than a thousand souls. When a second communications specialist is murdered during an intensifying dust storm, Maya must navigate both the blinding red haze and the closed ranks of locals harbouring decades...

Friday's Mum, the Nobel Prize winning physicist, has been accused of espionage. The police think she's been selling secrets about the CERN Hadron Super Collider. Friday knows her mother isn't capable of such a thing - this is a woman who can't even operate a dishwasher. She's got to smuggle herself into Switzerland to clear her Mum's name. Fortunately, Melanie is a master of disguise. After an extremely extreme make-over, Friday arrives at CERN and finds axolotls in the water coolers, graffiti in the great hall and most baffling of all - her sister has fallen in love with an engineer!

In the drought-stricken town of Warragulla, where water means survival, detective Maya Thorne investigates what appears to be a simple robbery gone wrong at a local agricultural supply store. What begins as a straightforward murder case soon reveals something far darker lurking beneath the surface of this isolated community. When an unusual fog blankets the region and an elderly drifter returns seeking answers about his long-missing brother, Maya must navigate both the disorienting weather and the closed ranks of locals, who harbour generations of secrets about stolen water rights. As the ...

Whisked into the war-torn city, King must assess a Force Recon Marine who abandoned his post to single-handedly foil an international smuggling ring. Bryson Reed left bodies in his wake, and several high-ranking officials want him discharged or thrown into military prison for his actions. King’s organisation has other ideas, sending King to screen Reed as a potential second recruit to the newly formed Black Force.

A sinister group - code-named Zodiac - has launched devastating global attacks. Twelve targets across the world, 12 code-named missions. Operating distinct sleeper cells, they are the ultimate terrorist organisation, watching and waiting for a precise attack to activate the next group. It is a frightening and deadly efficient way to stay one step ahead. And cause the most chaos. For ex-CIA operative Jed Walker, chaos is his profession. On the outer, burned by his former agency, he is determined to clear his name.

University professor Alex Wearing is found murdered in his study by the Post Graduate Co-coordinator, Vera Trenbath, a nosey interfering busybody. Assigned to the case is Detective Chief Inspector Alistair Fitzjohn. Fitzjohn is a detective from the old guard, whose methodical, painstaking methods are viewed by some as archaic. His relentless pursuit for the killer zeros in on Alex’s brother, James, as a key suspect in his investigation. Compelled to clear himself of suspicion, James starts his own investigation and finds himself immersed in a web of intrigue, ultimately uncovering long ...

Ned Kelly's name resonates in Australia the same way the name Jesse James does in America. Was he a crusading folk hero or murderous horse thief and bank robber? Who was the real Ned Kelly? As the impoverished son of an Irish convict, Kelly was cheated, lied to, and abused by the English. Committed to fighting back against oppression, Kelly and his gang of outlaws eluded police for nearly two years.

In a close-knit, blue-collar town, the shocking murder of a resident sends shockwaves through the community. Jacquie Underdown's gripping novel, "All That Was Left Unsaid," delves into a web of suspicion, where three women find themselves entangled in a dangerous game of secrets and betrayal. As the investigation unfolds, the spotlight falls on Tina, Maddison, and Isabelle, each carrying their own burdens and hidden pasts. Tina's relentless quest for truth takes her on a perilous journey, where familiar faces blur the lines of trust. Maddison, trapped in a loveless marriage and battling ...