"A gripping crime mystery in the heart of the Pacific — murder, kastom, and diplomacy collide in this compelling new instalment of Murder in the Pacific.
Clare Roberts, an American volunteer living on Pentecost Island in Vanuatu, is found dead at the base of one of the island’s iconic land-diving towers. With her death threatening to become an international incident, Sergeant George Long and Constable Jayline Oli of the Vanuatu Police Force are called in to investigate — and keep the situation contained.
When the son of a senior politician confesses to the crime, the local authorities are eager to close the case. But George and Jayline suspect otherwise. As they dig deeper, secrets emerge. Clare’s life unravels as they probe: a secret pregnancy, and her housemates each had reason to resent her. Meanwhile, local kastoms, cultural complexities, and political interference threaten to derail their search for the truth.
From lush inland villages to windswept cliffs, George and Jayline confront language barriers, entrenched power and secrets someone will kill to protect.
‘Ifira Point’ the first book in the series won 2025 Ned Kelly Award, for, Best Debut Crime Fiction.
‘A tour de force’ COLIN COTTERILL
‘Twist and turns throughout and suspenseful.’ BEAUTY AND LACE
‘The place setting is an integral ‘character’ of the book’ EMILY WEBB"
"The third instalment of Matt Francis’ award winning murder mystery series.
In the serene setting of Vanuatu’s Santo Island, tranquility shatters when the lifeless body of a French farmer, Guy Simeon, is discovered on the pristine white sands of Champagne Beach. As they delve deeper, a labyrinth of secrets, coercion, and lies emerges.
Simeon’s missing wife and strained relationship with his son paint a complex picture of his troubled life. Moreover, his financial woes and grievous interactions with locals only deepen the pool of suspects.
From the bustling port town of Luganville to the idyllic beaches and azure waters of Santo, George and Jayline tirelessly pursue leads, but find themselves entangled in a web of confusion with no clear motive, weapon, or suspect in sight.
‘Ifira Point’ the first book in the series won the 2024 Ned Kelly Award for Best Debut Crime Fiction.
Praise for the series:
‘A tour de force both in its vivid descriptions of warts-and-all Vanuatu and its ability to suck the reader into the frustrating investigation of its likeable detective. A thoroughly enjoyable read.’ COLIN COTTERILL, best-selling crime fiction author
‘I was really intrigued because the place setting is an integral “character” of the book.’ EMILY WEBB, best-selling author."
"WINNER OF THE NED KELLY AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT CRIME FICTION
Esther Paul is 12 years old. She is reported missing on Vanuatu local radio. Two days later her body is found floating in the sea. Senior Constable George Wong of the Vanuatu National Police Force drops his current case to investigate her disappearance and tragic death. Limited forensics in Vanuatu means George and Probationary Constable Jayline Oli do not know if they are looking at a murder or an accident. The wound to Esther’s head suggests the later.
Given the precarious state of the Vanuatu Police Force George and Jayline have their work cut out, being transported in Port Vila's most decrepit and unsafe taxi van driven by Jayline's aspiring boyfriend. George's own unrequited love for a Vanuatu radio newsreader also impacts the investigation.
From Mele Beach at one end of Port Vila to Pango at the other, George and Jayline experience Vanuatu’s broken roads, empty restaurants, confusing cultural norms as well as the extravagances and corruption of foreign aid as they attempt to solve the mysterious death."
"Dave Burrows returns in a page-turning new novel of rural suspense from Voice of the Outback Fleur McDonald.
Detective Dave Burrows has longed for the top job in the Stock Squad but never thought he'd be acting in that role while his partner and best mate, Detective Bob Holden, is treated for melanoma.
Bob is keen to get back on the road and Dave can't wait to go bush either, expecting the trip will be much the same as usual.
But the trip doesn't play out that way.
Multiple bomb blasts in the small country town of Kallygarn send shock waves through the state of WA, and Dave and Bob are once again drawn into the underworld of crime.
'Nobody does rural fiction quite like Fleur McDonald.' Weekly Times"
"Detective Dave Burrows returns in another breathtaking tale of rural suspense.
After the family's devastating tragedy, Detective Dave Burrows is crystal clear that his wife, Mel, is no longer interested in their marriage. Before Dave can talk to Mel, he and his partner, Bob Holden, are sent to investigate a suspected sheep stealing at a station north of Carnarvon where they very quickly realise that this crime is a lot more than just stock theft.
As a ferocious tropical storm floods the airstrip and uncovers more than anyone expected, Dave and Bob find themselves isolated, outnumbered and in extraordinary danger. Dave has to confront the guilt and trauma of his past before he can move forward. And perhaps there's no way out this time.
'Fleur McDonald is a master of the rural suspense novel, her characters and storyline crackle with authenticity.' FAMILY CIRCLE
'Nobody does rural fiction quite like Fleur McDonald.' WEEKLY TIMES"
"A riveting new novel of rural suspense from the bestselling Voice of the Outback.
With the sickening realisation that his cover has been blown, Detective Dave Burrows knows his family is in serious danger from the vicious stock thieves and murderers, Bulldust and his brother Scotty.
Devastating news brings Dave back to Barrabine, where circumstances force him to question his determination to stay in the police force. How could he live with himself if anything happened to Mel and the kids?
Mel, understandably frightened, must decide who she'll listen to. Can she trust Dave to handle this threat hanging over their family, or is her father right to argue that she should leave her marriage immediately?
With her acclaimed skill for tension and drama, Fleur McDonald has delivered another richly compelling story in Something to Hide.
Praise for Red Dirt Country
'McDonald's knowledge and experience of farming ensures the authenticity of setting and characters … an engaging mystery.' Book'd Out"
"John Bailey has a history of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The former war correspondent has been kidnapped and tortured – twice. Finally he’s living something that resembles a normal life. But all that changes when a terrorist murders a woman in front of Bailey in London. The mastermind behind the attack is Mustafa al-Baghdadi – No.1 on the FBI’s most wanted list – and the man who tortured Bailey in Fallujah a decade ago. Mustafa has a deadly axe to grind with Bailey. He taunts him with threats of more attacks in other cities, closer to home. Back in Sydney, the people who matter most to Bailey have become targets. Bailey turns to the only man who can help – ruthless CIA veteran Ronnie Johnson – to bring down the world’s most deadly terrorist. “As a correspondent, I lived this world. Tim Ayliffe has written it.” STAN GRANT, writer and broadcaster."
"Random House presents the audiobook edition of Gone By Midnight by Candice Fox, read by Lani Tupu.
'Perfectly paced, super addictive action/thriller/mystery filled with highly original, ridiculously likeable characters. ... Pretty much perfect in every way imaginable' – BOOKTOPIA
'Sign me up as a big-time Fox fan!' – LEE CHILD, author of the Jack Reacher series
They left four children safe upstairs.
They came back to three.
On the fifth floor of the White Caps Hotel, four young boys are left alone while their parents dine downstairs.
But when one of the parents checks on the children at midnight, they discover one of them is missing.
The boys swear they stayed in their room. CCTV confirms that none of them left the building. No trace of the child is found.
Now the hunt is on to find him, before it’s too late – and before the search for a boy becomes a search for a body...
'Fresh, lively writing that's not afraid to deliver shocks' – SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB
'It's hard to put it down, and I was genuinely flummoxed... until the very end. Highly recommended.' – THE BOOKBAG"
"Random House presents the audiobook edition of Redemption Point by Candice Fox, read by Lani Tupu.
From the Sunday Times #1 bestselling author
'Complex, human characters, and a dark, meaty story, and fine writing, and a great sense of place — this is one of the best crime thrillers of the year. Sign me up as a big-time Fox fan!' LEE CHILD, author of the Jack Reacher series
When former detective Ted Conkaffey is wrongly accused of abducting a teenage girl, he hopes the Queensland town of Crimson Lake will be the perfect place to disappear.
But nowhere is safe from the girl’s devastated father. Dale Bingley plans to take brutal revenge – and if Ted can't find the real abductor, he’ll be the first casualty.
Meanwhile, on the beer-soaked floor of a nearby roadside shack, two young bartenders lie dead. As the homicide investigation unravels, Ted and his unlikely ally private detective Amanda Pharrell are brought in to assist on the case.
While Ted fights to clear his own name, their hunt for the killer draws them into a violent dance with evil.
They have one shot at redemption. It just might cost them their lives…
Steeped in tension, REDEMPTION is an absorbing crime thriller from an award-winning writer which will hold you in its grip to the final page.
'If you like great thrillers, you'll love Candice Fox!' - Lee Child"
"Random House presents the audiobook edition of Crimson Lake by Candice Fox, read by Lani Tupu.
*Winner of Best Thriller/Suspense audiobook at the Audies*
From the New York Times bestselling co-author of Never Never comes an ingenious and edgy suspense novel that will keep you guessing to the very last page . . .
12.46: 13-year-old Claire Bingley stands alone at a bus stop
12.47: Ted Conkaffey parks his car beside her
12.52: The girl is missing . . .Six minutes - that's all it took to ruin Detective Ted Conkaffey's life.
Accused but not convicted of Claire's abduction, he escapes north, to the steamy, croc-infested wetlands of Crimson Lake.
Amanda Pharrell knows what it's like to be public enemy no.1. Maybe it's her murderous past that makes her so good as a private investigator, tracking lost souls in the wilderness. Her latest target, missing author Jake Scully, has a life more shrouded in secrets than her own - so she enlists help from the one person in town more hated than she is: Ted Conkaffey.
But the residents of Crimson Lake are watching the pair's every move. And for Ted, a man already at breaking point, this town is offering no place to hide . . .
'A fast-paced, expertly crafted read with a cast of colourful characters.' Guardian
'One of the best crime thrillers of the year.' Lee Child
'A bright new star of crime fiction.' James Patterson"
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