Shelley Burr – författare

""Politically savvy, cleverly plotted...the kind of book that invites the ravenous language of binge reading: compulsive, propulsive, addictive.""--New York Times Book Review

For fans of Jane Harper’s The Dry or Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects, a searing debut crime novel set in the Australian outback, where the grief and guilt surrounding an unsolved disappearance still haunt a small farming community…and will ultimately lead to a reckoning.

The tiny outback town of Nannine lies in the harsh red interior of Australia. Once a thriving center of stockyards and sheep stations, years of punishing drought have petrified the land and Nannine has been whittled down to no more than a stoplight, a couple bars, and a police station.And it has another, more sinister claim to fame: the still-unsolved disappearance of young Evelyn McCreery nineteen years ago.

Mina McCreery’s life has been defined by the intense public interest in her sister’s case—which is still a hot topic in true-crime chat rooms and on social media. Now an anxious and reclusive adult, Mina lives alone on her family’s sunbaked destocked sheep farm.

Enter Lane Holland, a young private investigator who dropped out of the police academy to earn a living cracking cold cases. Before she died, Mina’s mother funded a million-dollar reward for anyone who could explain how Evelyn vanished from her bed in the family’s farmhouse. The lure of cash has only increased public obsession with Evelyn and Mina—but yielded no answers.

Lane wins Mina’s trust when some of his more unconventional methods show promise. But Lane also has darker motivations, and his obsession with the search will ultimately risk both their lives—and yield shocking results.

Compulsively readable, with an unforgettable setting and cast of characters,WAKEis a powerful, unsparing story of how trauma ripples outward when people’s private tragedies become public property, and how it’s never too late for the truth to come out.

''Shelley Burr does not take prisoners. Bloody loved this book . . . It''s crime fiction at its effortless best - beautifully drawn characters, rich relationships, fast and fascinating plot, and twists that make you go "ah"'' LAINIE ANDERSON, author of The Death of Dora Black''A constant unnerving undercurrent bubbling away on every page'' DARCY TINDALE, author of Burning Mountain''A sizzling, boldly original page-turner - an intense and utterly gripping thriller. Her best yet!'' ROSE CARLYLE, author of The Girl in the MirrorPeople go to the isolated Karpathy farm looking for a new life. Is it a commune? Is it a cult? Or something far more dangerous? Lane Holland''s crime-solving career ended the day he went to prison. Yet one unsolved case continues to haunt him: the disappearance of Matilda Carver two decades ago. Against the odds, Lane finds a lead - a mysterious farm community where Matilda lived briefly, led by the enigmatic Samuel Karpathy. The farm attracts lost souls. People looking for answers. People hiding from their pasts. People who have nowhere else to go. But some of those who go to the farm seem to vanish without a trace.Inspired by a real-life criminal case, VANISH is a chilling thriller from award-winning Shelley Burr, the bestselling author of Australian noir.''Everything you want from an Australian crime thriller'' Weekend Australian''Weaves together clues, misdirection and red herrings, leaving the reader guessing, and eager for the big reveal we know is coming'' The Australian Women''s Weekly''There''s not a dull moment and a surprising left-of-field conclusion'' Sydney Morning Herald''A sure-fire page-turner that keeps readers guessing'' Daily Telegraph''A propulsive and engaging crime read with a distinctly Australian touch . . . Perfectly paced and cleverly rendered'' Readings Praise for Shelley Burr''s sensational novels: ''Compulsive, propulsive, addictive'' New York Times ''Outstanding . . . A gripping mystery'' The Guardian ''A yarn that feels so plausible and terrifying, it stays with you'' The Australian Women''s Weekly ''Shelley Burr is a bright new talent in Australian crime fiction'' CHRIS HAMMER ''Stunning, masterfully written, thought-provoking and intense, it is Aussie noir at its finest'' Sunday Express