AustLit

'From the author of the international bestsellers, Outback and Paradise, Patricia Wolf returns to the red dirt of Australia in this compelling sequel.

'DS Lucas Walker's half-sister Grace is visiting from Boston, and he is determined to finally prioritise family over work and spend a week introducing her to her Australian family. Plans change, however, when he discovers that his cousin Blair needs help to return home from a tiny, remote opal mining town, so he and Grace set off on a rescue mission to Kanpara. A life- changing opal discovery, murder, floods and vigilantes turn the planned overnight visit into a week of intrigue and danger, giving Walker no choice but to step in and help.' (Publication summary)

'A young family. A shocking attack. A dark case on the Gold Coast. The no. 1 internationally bestselling series.

'In a beach paradise, an unspeakable crime is committed. The only witness lies in a coma, fighting for her life...

'On a stunningly beautiful stretch of coastline, a young mother is brutally murdered and her daughter, Gabby, is left in a coma, with her life hanging in the balance.

'DS Lucas Walker has just arrived in Surfers 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.

'As Walker digs deeper into the dark underbelly of this shimmering city by the ocean, a case from his own past resurfaces, with deadly consequences.

'And as eight-year-old Gabby, the sole witness to her mother's murder, wakes in her hospital bed, Walker is in a race against time to stop those responsible before they return to silence her forever...

'Don't miss the next instalment in the tense and gripping DS Walker series. Fans ofJane Harper, Cara Hunter and Chris Whitaker will be hooked from the very first page until the final breathtaking conclusion.' (Publication summary)

'TWO MISSING BACKPACKERS. ONE VAST OUTBACK.

'DS Lucas Walker is on leave in his hometown, Caloodie, taking care of his dying grandmother. When two young German backpackers, Berndt and Rita, vanish from the area, he finds himself unofficially on the case.

'But why all the interest from the Federal Police when they have probably just ditched the heat and dust of the outback for the coast? Working in the organised crime unit has opened Walker's eyes to the growing drug trade in Australia's remote interior - and he becomes convinced there is more at play.

'As the number of days since the couple's disappearance climbs, Walker is joined by Rita's older sister. A detective herself with Berlin CID, she has flown to Australia - desperate to find her sister.

'Their search becomes ever more urgent as temperatures soar. Even if Walker does find the young couple, will it be too late?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.