Mischance Creek

Constable Paul Hirschhausen (Hirsch) runs the one person operated police station in Tiverton, north of Adelaide in South Australia. Part of the work of a country cop is to know the local community well and he starts each day by walking around the town first thing in the morning. But he is also responsible for the welfare of the many properties surrounding Tiverton. The main police station is at Redruth about a thirty minute drive from Tiverton.

Each November Hirsch conducts a firearms audit which involves checking that all weapons in the community are registered and stored securely. This also allows him to do a welfare check on those living in his area of responsibility as well as the opportunity to notice if anything usual or illegal is occurring in the region.

One day he assists the driver of a car which has ended up in a ditch. Initially he surmises that the driver is a tourist but then discovers that Annika is visiting the area to try and discover what happened to her parents when they visited the area several years before Hirsch came to the district. Her father's body had been found in a mine shaft but her mother had simply disappeared. Hirsch becomes interested in this cold case as well as maintaining his daily routine.

When a skeleton is found Hirsch works with the investigation team sent to solve the case. It is not long before links are found to other suspicious activity in the region. He also has to contend with several locals who are 'sovereign citizens' as well as another group who promote conspiracy theories.

Garry Disher has become one of my favourite Australian crime writers. In Mischance Creek the local environment and the range of country characters add an important element in the resolution of the crimes occurring in what should be a quiet country area of South Australia. Mischance Creek is the fifth book in the Hirsch series of novels.

Sanctuary

Grace met Alan Garrett in an orphanage where they both lived as children. In the home her name was Anita (or Neet) and she and Adam worked together learning how to become efficient burglars. Then Grace started working with Galt, a poor decision it turned out and one that antagonised Adam. Now Grace spent her life moving from one location to another throughout Australia constantly on the lookout for someone who might be following her. 

But Grace became tired of running and wanted to settle down in one place and live a relatively normal life. Then she met Erin Mandel and started working in Erin's antiques shop. Grace enjoyed this new life but still took precautions each day to ensure that she wasn't being followed. Grace and Erin became friends but Erin was also constantly on the lookout for someone from her past who may be following her. It soon became obvious that Erin also had a past and was also hiding her true identity.

Sanctuary by Gary Disher provides the individual stories of a group of people, including Grace and Erin, which then combine by the end of the novel. Initially I found it a little difficult working out who some of the male characters were until I had read time to really concentrate on reading. Admittedly a long power outage when I was reading at night didn't help. Reading with a torch can be a challenge. Next day I tried again and became involved in the suspense and fear created by the author as the two women deal with past events and strive to have a better future.

Day's End

Set in 2021 in outback South Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, Paul Hirschhausen (Hirsch) carries out his duties as the only police officer in the small town of Tiverton, plus the many properties in the large surrounding area, though Hirsch reports to a larger police station in Redruth which is half an hour away by car. Hirsch makes it his business to get to know the residents in the community that he polices and spends much of the time assisting them when problems, big or small, arise.

Day's End is the fourth book in the Paul Hirchhausen series and the novel begins with Hirsch taking Janne Van Sant to visit the area where her son was last seen when he worked on a property in the region. They are informed that Willi and his girfriend had left the property to travel north. Janne is concerned as she has not heard from her son for several months. On the return journey to Tiverton they discover a body in a suitcase that has been set on fire. Janne confirms that Willi is not the body in the suitcase.

Meanwhile it soon becomes apparent that harassment via social media is taking place in the community as well as many sites in the community being vandalised with grafitti. Reports also start coming in about the validity of a recent hard rubbish collection. A variety of seemingly unrelated reports eventually cause Hirsch to decide that an extreme right wing group, propagating conspiracy theories, is being established in the community. The local First Nations community is one target as is the local doctor attempting to provide COVID-19 vaccinations.

Day's End was a book that I just had to keep reading. Another great addition to the growing genre of excellent Australian crime novels. 

Shortlisted for the 2023 Australian Book Industry Awards - General Fiction

The Way It Is Now

The Way It Is Now is another enthralling crime novel from Australian author, Garry Disher. 

Set on Victoria's Mornington Penninsula, initially in January 2000 but mainly from December 2019 - February 2020, the novel is involved with events affecting the family of Charlie Deravin. After Charlie's mother disappeared, Charlie spent the following twenty years trying to establish what had happened to her. Currently on suspension from the police force he uses part of the time to revisit events before and after the disappearance of his mother. Charlie's father, a former policeman, is considered by the locals, family members and some of the police as the main suspect, however Charlie is not convinced that his father would commit such a crime.

At the time of his mother's disappearance a young boy also disappeared from a nearby campsite and when the remains of two bodies are discovered in the same grave it seems probable that there is a connection. Charlie uses trusted contacts to help research information for him, especially when it is obvious that some of his former colleagues want to keep him quiet, not just in the investigation of this case but also his involvement in the retrial of another case currently before the court.

During the investigation Charlie reconsiders his future debating whether to return to the policeforce. He also needs to evaluate his relationship with Anna. The arrival of a new virus reported in different parts of the world also makes an appearance in the novel.

The Way It Is Now is another great addition to the excellent crime novels of Garry Disher and to the ever growing collection of Australian crime writing.

Cosolation

Paul Hirschhausen (Hirsch) is the sole police constable in the rural community of Tiverton, South Australia. His role in the town should primarily be community policing and he spends much of his time travelling around the properties in the area ensuring that all is well and assisting when required. 

Investigating a case concerning a snowdropper working in the district is one of his major concerns until he recieves a phone call about a young girl being mistreated by her family. A phone call from another school alerts him about a father who is threatening the school principal. Then Hirsch's life becomes busy. In a short time there are murders to investigate, a man and his son on the run threatening community members, a group of Irishmen attempting to con elderly residents and a serious case of fraud to investigate.

This is a fast paced crime novel keeping the reader involved and guessing as more aspects of the plot are revealed. But it is also a novel about Hirsch, both as a policeman and as human being. We also learn more about life in a small country community, several hours drive from Adelaide. 

Consolation by Garry Disher is the third book in the Hirsch series. I recommend that this book should be read when you have time to relax and just read as once I started reading I did not want to be interrupted. I now look forward to the next instalment in the series.

Bitter Wash Road

Paul Hirschhausen (Hirsch) had only been stationed at the one person police station at Tiverton in rural South Australia  for three weeks when the Sergeant at Redruth Police Station contacted him about reported rifle shots near the Tin Hut in Bitter Wash Road. Returning from the incident Hirsch received another call instructing him to go to Muncowie where a body had been located near the road. The victim was later identified as a sixteen year old school girl who appeared to have been a victim of a hit and run accident.

Hirsch  had previously been a detective stationed in Adelaide until he reported criminal activities occurring in the department resulting in the arrest of a number of his fellow officers. Hirsch was demoted to the rank of constable and banished to the country where he was accused of being a maggot by the Redruth police. Not ideal working conditions. However Hirsch was determined to make the best of his new situation and set out to familiarise himself with his new community and its characters.

While trying to discover what really happened to Melia Donovan Hirsch discovered, near Bitter Wash Road, another body which was considered to be a suicide. A friend of Melia had also disappeared. Although he had only been in Tiverton for a short time Hirsch was aware that all was not right in the area and he gradually uncovered a cover-up of crimes carried out by supposedly respected community leaders of the district.

The descriptions of the countryside in this crime novel by Garry Disher allow the reader to almost feel and taste the dust and feel the heat in the sparse farming community and the small run down settlement of Tiverton. As we journey with Hirch as he endeavours to investigate what really happened to the two females we also learn about the police corruption he experienced in Adelaide and the corrupt activities of his fellow colleagues at Redruth.

A fast paced, enjoyable Australian crime novel. Garry Disher has recently written a sequel to Bitter Wash Road - Peace.

Garry Disher and Bitter Wash Road

Peace

Garry Disher's latest Australian crime novel is set in a small community, Tiverton, in rural South Australia. Constable Paul Hirschhausen (Hirsch), the sole policeman in the town, reports regularly to Sergeant Hilliary Brandl stationed in the larger town of Redruth.  Hirsch therefore feels responsibility for the members of this small community who he endeavours to get to know personally, making it easier to maintain peace and trust among the citizens. But sometimes this is easier said than done.

Christmas is approaching and, when doing his rounds, Hirsch discovers a missing dog, indications of copper theft, occasional break-ins in isolated properties, graffiti and then one of the locals drives her car into the pub. All in a days work for a country copper, particularly one who has been instructed to wear a Santa suit for Tiverton's Christmas celebration and judge the Christmas lights competition.

However in the next few days a number of serious crimes occur requiring not just the police from Redruth but also two police officers from Sydney to assist investigations. It is soon obvious that Hirsch is not being told the full story about these crimes and begins to wonder who can really be trusted. To further complicate his life someone has made a report to the Adelaide police about how Hirsch manages crimes in the town.

Descriptions of the town and surrounding dry and dusty countryside feature prominently in this novel along with the humanity and compassion of Hirsch as he strives to solve the spate of serious crimes that occur over the Christmas New Year period. Another excellent Australian crime novel.

Dragon Man

Dragon Man by Australian author, Garry Disher, is the first book in the Inspector Challis series and is set on the Mornington Peninsula. A young woman is found murdered after she has been raped and before investigations can really get under way, a second woman disappears. A journalist at the local paper receives messages from the murderer which she passes on to the inspector. Running parallel with this murder investigation a number of fires have been set on the peninsula along with a series of burglaries and another, possibly unrelated, murder. Allegations have also been made about the behaviour of some members of the police. Inspector Challis strives to keep the team focused on solving this series of crimes as well as resolving some of the personal conflicts encountered by members of the team. The plot focuses on a number of the police investigating the crimes as well as several of the perpetrators. Readers therefore gain an insight into the characters of a number of the major players in the novel as they try to work out who committed the crimes.

Whispering death

No. six in the 'Peninsula murder series' by Garry Disher, the plot follows the endeavours of Inspector Hal Challis and his staff investigating a number of crimes as they unfold on the Mornington Peninsula. Much of the action centres on the fictional town of Waterloo, however real places on the Peninsula feature throughout the story enabling those of us living in Victoria to relate to the locations depicted, probably having visited them many times. In this book the police investigate a series of rapes and a murder, probably undertaken by a man wearing a police uniform. Running in parallel is the story of a young female burglar who is temporarily living on the Peninsula as she hides from a corrupt NSW ex-policeman. The police have also been warned about a bank robber who is thought to be in the region. Garry Disher maintains tension and intrigue as the plot is revealed. The book also focuses on the personal lives of several of the characters, especially Inspector Hal Challis and Constable Pam Murphy, as well as touching on politics in the police force and challenges faced by police in suburban and outlying police stations.

Wyatt

This is a crime novel with a difference. The 'hero' of the novel is a man who has has made a successful living stealing jewellery, artworks and cash, but with improvements in electronic surveillance and increased use of electronic tranfer of funds, his opportunities are diminishing.

When during a heist Wyatt is double crossed, he seeks revenge and attempts to regain his prize.

Most of the action, except for brief interludes overseas, is set around Melbourne including the city, Frankston, Ringwood and Yarra Junction adding to the interest of the book for those of us living in Australia.

The plot is action packed and a book hard to put down. I must now look for earlier books in this series by Garry Disher.