SHORTLISTED FOR BEST CRIME FICTION, 2024 NED KELLY AWARDS
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2024 DANGER AWARD FOR FICTION

'Tantalising . . . A glimpse into a small town that cannot shake the ghosts of its past' Weekend Australian

'Exceptional . . . An amazing and addictive plot loaded with numerous brilliant twists' Canberra Weekly

'A masterclass in pace, plot, character and creeping unease' The Bookseller

Gemma Guillory has lived in Rainier her entire life. She knows the town's ins and outs like the back of her hand, the people like they are her family, their quirks as if they were her own.

She knows her once-charming town is now remembered for one reason, and one reason only. That three innocent people died. She knows that the consequences of catching the Ripper still haunt her police officer husband and their marriage to this day.

When a dark tourism operator keen to cash in on the town's reputation is killed by a Ripper copycat on Gemma's doorstep, she's drawn into the investigation. Unbeknownst to her, so is a prisoner named Lane Holland. Gemma knows her town. She knows her people. Doesn't she?

'This is crime writing at its best - taut plotting and personalities that ooze over the pages' Living Arts Canberra

'Impressive' The Australian Women's Weekly

'Gripping, surprising, fascinating . . . Ripe for devourers of Sarah Thornton, Jane Harper and Sarah Bailey' Books+Publishing

'I won't be surprised if this becomes a classic in the years to come' Mamamia

'Shelley Burr is a rural crime force to be reckoned with . . . Burr's plotting is meticulous - as in almost mind-blowing . . . A heart-pounding and relentlessly tense page-turner' Better Reading

'A master of the modern Australian crime novel' ROSE CARLYLE

'Crackles with tension' JACK HEATH