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.