The Long Game

Last week I turned on the radio and heard the last part of an interview conducted by David Astle with Australian author, Simon Rowell. They were talking about a new series of crime books set in Victoria. The first in the series is The Long Game, published in 2021.

Detective Sergeant Zoe Mayer has returned to the homicide squad in Melbourne after extended leave. She brings Harry with her, her service dog. The reader gradually learns about the reasons for Zoe's long absence. Immediately when she returns to work, Zoe attends the murder of Ray Carlson, a surfer living at Portsea. All the evidence, plus an anonymous phone call, point to the person responsible for the crime but Zoe suspects that they have the wrong person. When she learns about two similar cases that also occurred in February during the previous two years she sets out to investigate the links between the deaths of the three men. Zoe soon discovers that her life is also in danger.

Most of the action occurs on the Mornington Peninsula and in Melbourne. Reading about places that you know in books adds another dimension to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this first book about Zoe Mayer and her team and look forward to reading Wild Card, the next book in the series.