Outback: A stunning new crime thriller

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I liked the fact there are basically two threads to this story. I enjoyed guessing how the stories converge. Dual plots can be hit and miss, but in this case I thought it worked really well, also it ensures that ‘all important’ suspense and tension never waivers. Paradise is an evocative novel that excels in its characterisations and depictions of the seedier and violent side of the Gold Coast. Highly recommend. In fact, anyone with knowledge or eagle eyes may have noticed that she makes a few references to her hometown in the debut work of fiction. With multiple new and previously introduced characters, Wolf then delivers a satisfying, way above-average police procedural full of interesting characters and plots and does well in breathing life into her characters – even the villains. Not only that, Wolf’s writing again exhibits a wonderfully smooth style that clearly feeds the anticipation of the arrival of her future work. Some might consider Wolf’s use of the unwelcoming local copper with a chip on his shoulder something of a cliché, since it seems it has become an overused staple of the genre. Yet I don’t take issue with it. Local coppers who are uncooperative with outside investigators from the big city, even bent ones, I think are a trope for Australian noir, something fans of the genre expect. And in this case, the questionable character of Chief Constable Grogan is an integral part of the plot. As with many seemingly straightforward missing persons cases, there’s a subversive subplot that makes itself known as Lucas begins digging deeper with his investigation. Drugs are involved (of course) as well as higher powers in the police force (inevitably) and the combination serves to create obstacles and greater danger to our protagonists.

She misses Sydney already. In their six months living at the hostel they'd made a good group of friends, all young and free and up for a good time. No boring discussions about the future, no stress about careers or life plans. That could all come later - for now, this was her dream life. She'd had a decent job at the Sportsgirl fashion chain, and got great discounts on the clothes. They'd partied hard, lots of late nights in the bars and nightclubs in the city, and hanging out in the hostel, drinking, talking and laughing. Even in winter, Sydney was balmy compared with Berlin and she'd spent long sunny days by the beach, weekends in the Blue Mountains, even a couple of trips to New Zealand and Fiji. As the number of days since the couple’s disappearance climbs, DS Walker is joined by Rita’s older sister. A detective herself with Berlin CID, she has flown to Australia – desperate to find her sister before it’s too late. This is told in the third person, generally from the points of view of Rita, their “rescuer”, and DS Lucas Walker, a federal police officer who is on leave, visiting his dying grandmother in their hometown where she raised him. The other main character is Rita’s sister Barbara, a police officer in Berlin who flies down to help. Soon enough, he is made a deputy and requested to help in the investigation of a gang-style murder of Matt Monroe, a notorious drug dealer. Each chapter is titled with the day of the week and how many days the pair have been missing. Barbara is arriving.

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This time Lucas is staying in a swanky flat in Surfers Paradise on the coast of Australia, I cannot give you the reason why without spoiling the plot! But all becomes clear after reading book 1! Lucas Walker is a capable protagonist, level headed and very likable. He teams up with the missing woman's sister Barbara, also a detective from Berlin. This woman has a good sense of what is going on. She was an excellent character, inserting herself into this arid countryside well. Unsurprisingly her idea of Australia was much different to what she found in the north of Queensland, sweltering and almost unbearable.

Because most resources are applied to the high-profile home invasion investigation, Walker ends up as the main investigator rather than a mere advisor and is careful to hide this from his own boss. Walker’s taciturn boss has strongly suggested to him that he act solely as that advisor, keep his head down, and avoid any sort of controversy. I loved the setting of Surfer’s beach by day. It’s a seaside city with its sparkling surf beaches, tourists and sunny days. But there’s also a seedier side hidden from the tourist, where violence, drugs and criminal activities thrive. Wolf’s setting is so vividly described you can practically smell the suntan lotion and salty air!Rita’s sister Barbara works for the Berlin CID and is desperate to find her missing sister. Barbara arrives in Australia and takes an unofficial active role in investigating her sisters disappearance. His spare time is spent swimming, working on his rehab and also, somewhat reluctantly, entertaining a friend of his sister’s, a very attractive champion kite-surfer. Lucas also volunteers himself on the roster of police keeping guard on eight-year-old Gabby Owen in the ICU. He makes occasional calls to German police detective Barbara Guerra, with whom he sought a kidnapper/murderer some months earlier. All while he awaits the results of the board reviewing his actions in Caloodie some months earlier, deciding if he still has a job. However, Chief Inspector Rutherford who heads the Federal Police of Australia’s organized crime unit calls with an assignment for him. DS Lucas Walker has just arrived in Surfer's Paradise for some much-needed recovery after injuries sustained in his last investigation. But he is soon pulled into the dark twists and turns of this home invasion gone wrong, vowing to find the men responsible. The book opens with a couple of German tourists, Berndt and Rita, in a small rented car, headed for the property where they’re expected to work a while to keep their visas active. Air con isn’t working. It’s hard to imagine conditions like this if you’ve never experienced the kind of heat that makes you desperately thirsty.