"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, WAKE is 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.

""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.

''A sure-fire page-turner that keeps readers guessing'' DAILY TELEGRAPH''Shelley Burr does not take prisoners. Crime fiction at its effortless best - beautifully drawn characters, rich relationships, fast and fascinating plot, and twists that make you go "ah"'' LAINIE ANDERSON''VANISH delivers a surprising climax worthy of Shelley''s reputation as one of Australia''s most exciting new crime writers'' THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN''S WEEKLY''Everything you want from an Australian crime thriller'' WEEKEND AUSTRALIANPeople go to the isolated Karpathy farm seeking a new life - but not everything is as it seems. Is it a commune? A cult? Or something far more insidious? 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. And people who have nowhere else to go. But some of those who go to the farm vanish without a trace . . .''A sizzling, boldly original page-turner - an intense and utterly gripping thriller'' ROSE CARLYLE''A constant unnerving undercurrent bubbling away on every page'' DARCY TINDALE''Wonderfully twisty. A compelling read that combines complex characters with a gripping mystery'' CANBERRA WEEKLY''Addictive'' WOMAN''S DAY

''Chilling and atmospheric thriller that plunges readers into the dark heart of a small Australian town with a haunting past'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Gemma Guillory has lived in Rainier her entire life. She knows the tiny town''s ins and outs like the back of her hand, the people like they are her family, their quirks as if they were her own.

She knows her once charming town is now remembered for one reason, and one reason only. That three innocent people died. That the last stop on the Rainier Ripper''s trail of deaths fifteen years ago was her innocuous little tea shop.

She knows that the consequences of catching the Ripper still haunt her policeman husband and their marriage to this day and that some of her neighbours are desperate - desperate enough to welcome a dark tourism company keen to cash in on Rainier''s reputation as the murder town.

When the tour operator is killed by a Ripper copycat on Gemma''s doorstep, the unease that has lurked quietly in the original killer''s wake turns to foreboding, and she''s drawn into the investigation. Unbeknownst to her, so is a prisoner named Lane Holland.

Gemma knows her town. She knows her people. Doesn''t she?A totally addictive and suspenseful page-turner, perfect for fans of Jane Harper, Patricia Wolf and Chris Hammer. Readers love Murder Town: ''Wow what a great gritty murder mystery fast paced and keeps you guessing and a surprising ending'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

''A great story with some amazing twists threaded into it which keep you guessing from start to finish'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

''Edge of your seat, thrilling ride'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

''Loved the setting and the plot was brilliant - lots of twists and turns'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

''I love the book so much! If you like a good mystery with gossiping neighbours and a who-done-it you won''t be able to guess at, then you will definitely enjoy this book. I certainly did'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

''A riveting, fully engrossing, perfectly plotted murder mystery and I loved it'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

''The twists and revelations are manifold and the pace never slows. Excellent!'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"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, WAKE is 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.

""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.

''A sure-fire page-turner that keeps readers guessing'' DAILY TELEGRAPH''Shelley Burr does not take prisoners. Crime fiction at its effortless best - beautifully drawn characters, rich relationships, fast and fascinating plot, and twists that make you go "ah"'' LAINIE ANDERSON''VANISH delivers a surprising climax worthy of Shelley''s reputation as one of Australia''s most exciting new crime writers'' THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN''S WEEKLY''Everything you want from an Australian crime thriller'' WEEKEND AUSTRALIANPeople go to the isolated Karpathy farm seeking a new life - but not everything is as it seems. Is it a commune? A cult? Or something far more insidious? 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. And people who have nowhere else to go. But some of those who go to the farm vanish without a trace . . .''A sizzling, boldly original page-turner - an intense and utterly gripping thriller'' ROSE CARLYLE''A constant unnerving undercurrent bubbling away on every page'' DARCY TINDALE''Wonderfully twisty. A compelling read that combines complex characters with a gripping mystery'' CANBERRA WEEKLY''Addictive'' WOMAN''S DAY

''Chilling and atmospheric thriller that plunges readers into the dark heart of a small Australian town with a haunting past'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Gemma Guillory has lived in Rainier her entire life. She knows the tiny town''s ins and outs like the back of her hand, the people like they are her family, their quirks as if they were her own.

She knows her once charming town is now remembered for one reason, and one reason only. That three innocent people died. That the last stop on the Rainier Ripper''s trail of deaths fifteen years ago was her innocuous little tea shop.

She knows that the consequences of catching the Ripper still haunt her policeman husband and their marriage to this day and that some of her neighbours are desperate - desperate enough to welcome a dark tourism company keen to cash in on Rainier''s reputation as the murder town.

When the tour operator is killed by a Ripper copycat on Gemma''s doorstep, the unease that has lurked quietly in the original killer''s wake turns to foreboding, and she''s drawn into the investigation. Unbeknownst to her, so is a prisoner named Lane Holland.

Gemma knows her town. She knows her people. Doesn''t she?A totally addictive and suspenseful page-turner, perfect for fans of Jane Harper, Patricia Wolf and Chris Hammer. Readers love Murder Town: ''Wow what a great gritty murder mystery fast paced and keeps you guessing and a surprising ending'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

''A great story with some amazing twists threaded into it which keep you guessing from start to finish'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

''Edge of your seat, thrilling ride'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

''Loved the setting and the plot was brilliant - lots of twists and turns'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

''I love the book so much! If you like a good mystery with gossiping neighbours and a who-done-it you won''t be able to guess at, then you will definitely enjoy this book. I certainly did'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

''A riveting, fully engrossing, perfectly plotted murder mystery and I loved it'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

''The twists and revelations are manifold and the pace never slows. Excellent!'' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐