Synopsis: “It’s the worst drought in a generation, and the people of Senior Constable Paul Hirschhausen’s vast outback beat are suffering. Foreclosures. Failing businesses. Petty quarrels on the brink of escalation. So when Annika Nordrum asks for help, Hirsch is relieved to feel useful. Her father’s body was found at the bottom of a mineshaft six years ago, his death ruled an accident. But her mother hasn’t been seen since. As Hirsch starts investigating, more questions arise: why was her father at a long-abandoned gold diggings? What happened to his missing possessions? And who found his dog wandering alone with a bloodstained collar? Tensions are high in Tiverton; can Hirsch find his answers before the town reaches breaking point?”

My Review

I enjoyed this latest book in the Paul Hirschhausen series, a favourite series, and one of my a highly anticipated books of the year.

This fifth book starts off with Paul doing firearms visits, checking on peoples licences, and making sure guns and ammunition are stored in separate locked places. He’s concerned about one particular person, but has to keep up with his task and carries on to the next place.

As the above synopsis states the worst drought in a generation is causing all sort of suffering for the people on his beat, mostly farmers losing their homes and businesses. Tensions are very high, along with the temperature, as he witnesses when he gets back to his police station and is called to the local school car park. An nasty argument is going on between two parents which he manages to calm down. Then Paul learns more from his sergeant that she’s aware of the person, and doesn’t want to arrest him as things are a bit delicate. Then on top of that he gets involved with a cold case when a woman arrives looking into the mysterious deaths of her parents from sometime ago.

I listened to this when we had the first heatwave, and I don’t know if the weather did something to my brain, but I found it quite hard to follow at times. It was a really good story, with some really good twists, but I think the heat didn’t help.

I enjoyed Steve Shanahan’s narration as always, and will definitely carry on with the series.

I highly recommended the series if you’re enjoy Australian police procedurals.

Book 5 of 20 Books of Summer 2026