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Detective Giles #1
The Fall Between
On a hot November morning, the first body lies in a cattle trough . . . It will be another two hours before rigor mortis sets in. Until then, the slim fingers will float below the water's surface, gently bobbing, beckoning Detective Giles to come and find her.
Detective Rebecca Gileshas just finished interviewing aging petty crim Sticky Pete over a spate of break-and-enters when a disturbing new report comes in. Twelve-year-old Kayleen Ellis has vanished from her home in Muswellbrook in the Upper Hunter Valley.
Hours later, Giles is a local hero, having apparently solved Kayleen's case and the spate of jewellery thefts.
Yet the hangover from her celebrations has barely kicked in when the body of young jillaroo Ava Emmerson is discovered in gruesome circumstances on a nearby farm.
Giles is convinced the link between all three cases lies in the town's tragic history, perhaps even in her own mother's mysterious drowning thirty years ago.
In a place where nothing much changes, suddenly a great deal is happening - and Giles's life and career are now on the line.
Detective Rebecca Gileshas just finished interviewing aging petty crim Sticky Pete over a spate of break-and-enters when a disturbing new report comes in. Twelve-year-old Kayleen Ellis has vanished from her home in Muswellbrook in the Upper Hunter Valley.
Hours later, Giles is a local hero, having apparently solved Kayleen's case and the spate of jewellery thefts.
Yet the hangover from her celebrations has barely kicked in when the body of young jillaroo Ava Emmerson is discovered in gruesome circumstances on a nearby farm.
Giles is convinced the link between all three cases lies in the town's tragic history, perhaps even in her own mother's mysterious drowning thirty years ago.
In a place where nothing much changes, suddenly a great deal is happening - and Giles's life and career are now on the line.
336 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 2023
45 people are currently reading
1012 people want to read
About the author
Darcy Tindale
4 books48 followersDarcy is an author, drama teacher, actor, theatresports player, and director. Her versatile talents have seen her appear in television commercials, films, and on stage.
In 2022, Darcy was one of six finalists in the Penguin Books Literary Prize for her adult crime novel, The Fall Between. This accolade led to a literary contract with Penguin Books for her Detective Giles series. Her first novel, The Fall Between, was released in May 2023, and her second novel, Burning Mountain, followed in April 2025.
In 2024, The Fall Between was nominated for The Davitt and The Ned Kelly Awards for Best Debut Crime Novel, further cementing Darcy's talent in the literary world.
Her work extends to writing comedy for radio, stage, media personalities, comedians, and theatre restaurants. Her plays, poems, articles, and short stories have been published in magazines, journals and anthologies.
In 2022, Darcy was one of six finalists in the Penguin Books Literary Prize for her adult crime novel, The Fall Between. This accolade led to a literary contract with Penguin Books for her Detective Giles series. Her first novel, The Fall Between, was released in May 2023, and her second novel, Burning Mountain, followed in April 2025.
In 2024, The Fall Between was nominated for The Davitt and The Ned Kelly Awards for Best Debut Crime Novel, further cementing Darcy's talent in the literary world.
Her work extends to writing comedy for radio, stage, media personalities, comedians, and theatre restaurants. Her plays, poems, articles, and short stories have been published in magazines, journals and anthologies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
May 18, 2023
A new voice in Australian crime fiction! What an amazing debut novel! I hope we hear more from Detective Rebecca Giles, I feel she has so much more to tell us. I couldn't get enough of this twisty and cleverly plotted crime story. If you love a small town murder mystery you need to pick up this book.
Detective Rebecca Giles has moved up to the Hunter region in NSW from Sydney to be closer to her ailing father. Her mother died when she was baby and he is all she has. She is called to look into a missing girl and this begins the domino effect of actions of people around her. She is also investigating stolen jewellery and very soon, the murder of a young woman. It is a hard book to describe, but believe me, you will want to read it. There is so much to love about this book and it was an easy 5 star read for me.
Big thank you to Penguin Books Australia for sending me this book to read. It is out now so get it on your radar.
Detective Rebecca Giles has moved up to the Hunter region in NSW from Sydney to be closer to her ailing father. Her mother died when she was baby and he is all she has. She is called to look into a missing girl and this begins the domino effect of actions of people around her. She is also investigating stolen jewellery and very soon, the murder of a young woman. It is a hard book to describe, but believe me, you will want to read it. There is so much to love about this book and it was an easy 5 star read for me.
Big thank you to Penguin Books Australia for sending me this book to read. It is out now so get it on your radar.
May 23, 2023
This is a wonderful debut and really worth reading, we meet Detective Rebecca Giles (known as Giles) who is now stationed at Muswellbrook police station in the Upper Hunter Valley, this is the station her father was in charge of while Giles was growing up, she spent the first twelve years of her life here before going to boarding school, she has been back for one year as her father is not well and enjoying being back in town.
Giles has been interviewing Sticky Pete about a ring he bought at the pub and a spate of robberies and she is pushing him to find the thief, meanwhile there is a body of a young woman floating in a water trough on a farm a few kilometers away and then the report of a missing twelve year old, Kayleen comes in and Giles is busy, she soon solves the case of the missing jewellery and the missing child that means drinks at the pub the next morning the body is discovered and things are happening and happening fast especially when another young twelve year old is reported missing.
Giles is convinced that the robberies and the death of the jillaroo and the missing children are connected in some way and just maybe her own mother’s mystery drowning thirty years ago, will she be able to link everything and get the answers? You will need to read this one to find out what happens you won’t be sorry.
This is such a really well written story with wonderful characters, it is a busy story with lots going on and I enjoyed learning about Giles’s mother and her families past and all of the detectives work well together, it is a story that I highly recommend.
My thanks to Penguin AU for my copy to read and review.
Giles has been interviewing Sticky Pete about a ring he bought at the pub and a spate of robberies and she is pushing him to find the thief, meanwhile there is a body of a young woman floating in a water trough on a farm a few kilometers away and then the report of a missing twelve year old, Kayleen comes in and Giles is busy, she soon solves the case of the missing jewellery and the missing child that means drinks at the pub the next morning the body is discovered and things are happening and happening fast especially when another young twelve year old is reported missing.
Giles is convinced that the robberies and the death of the jillaroo and the missing children are connected in some way and just maybe her own mother’s mystery drowning thirty years ago, will she be able to link everything and get the answers? You will need to read this one to find out what happens you won’t be sorry.
This is such a really well written story with wonderful characters, it is a busy story with lots going on and I enjoyed learning about Giles’s mother and her families past and all of the detectives work well together, it is a story that I highly recommend.
My thanks to Penguin AU for my copy to read and review.
August 29, 2023
Set in the NSW town of Muswellbrook, The Fall Between is a strong rural crime thriller by Darcy Tindale. This is a debut novel of high quality that introduces a highly capable and cluey police detective, Rebecca Giles. This is a rapidly evolving crime story that flows effortlessly from Muswellbrook to Singleton and out west to Orange in a small town extravaganza.
The story opens as Giles is interviewing a local petty criminal by the name of Sticky Pete. His wife had been spruiking around the traps about the emerald earrings Pete had bought for her birthday. Worth far more than the break-and-enter exponent could ever afford to buy legitimately, there’s little doubt his purchase, made at the local pub, is going to get him in trouble.
When twelve year old Kayleen Ellis suddenly goes missing it’s all hands on deck and Giles is called in by her CO to look the case over. It appears she had gone to bed the night before and, sometime during the night, simply vanished. Through a pretty dramatic piece of detective work, Giles not only finds the missing girl but she also may have discovered the culprit behind the spate of break and enters that had been taking place in the local area.
Meanwhile, out in a water trough on a nearby property lies the body of a young woman. She has been strangled, wrapped in barbed wire and left semi-submerged in the water waiting for discovery. Giles is called out to the scene, at first reported as a suspected drowning, the true horror of the situation only becoming clear after she’s faced with the body.
Her investigative skills are about to be sorely tested with this case.
Giles is the daughter of a local legend in the police force, her father’s still around but suffering MND so his mind is still sharp even if his body’s failing him. It’s clear she has the same brilliant mind when it comes down to figuring out tricky problems and, as she demonstrates on more than one occasion, is prepared to get physical when necessary.
The dialogue exchanges are sharp with occasional moments of impressive wit and wholly in keeping with each of the characters portrayed. In most cases the character interactions helped to create the tone of the novel.
Tindale executes an impressive plot that displays intriguing intricacies that weave together multiple subplots into a seamless narrative. The combination of the private and public personas of Giles are well developed to provide a fully formed character who simply demanded respect and complete admiration. More so for the occasional mistakes that she makes which only helps to make her more human.
There’s plenty to like with this first outing and it feels as though we’ve only just scratched the surface of what Rebecca Giles is capable of.
The story opens as Giles is interviewing a local petty criminal by the name of Sticky Pete. His wife had been spruiking around the traps about the emerald earrings Pete had bought for her birthday. Worth far more than the break-and-enter exponent could ever afford to buy legitimately, there’s little doubt his purchase, made at the local pub, is going to get him in trouble.
When twelve year old Kayleen Ellis suddenly goes missing it’s all hands on deck and Giles is called in by her CO to look the case over. It appears she had gone to bed the night before and, sometime during the night, simply vanished. Through a pretty dramatic piece of detective work, Giles not only finds the missing girl but she also may have discovered the culprit behind the spate of break and enters that had been taking place in the local area.
Meanwhile, out in a water trough on a nearby property lies the body of a young woman. She has been strangled, wrapped in barbed wire and left semi-submerged in the water waiting for discovery. Giles is called out to the scene, at first reported as a suspected drowning, the true horror of the situation only becoming clear after she’s faced with the body.
Her investigative skills are about to be sorely tested with this case.
Giles is the daughter of a local legend in the police force, her father’s still around but suffering MND so his mind is still sharp even if his body’s failing him. It’s clear she has the same brilliant mind when it comes down to figuring out tricky problems and, as she demonstrates on more than one occasion, is prepared to get physical when necessary.
The dialogue exchanges are sharp with occasional moments of impressive wit and wholly in keeping with each of the characters portrayed. In most cases the character interactions helped to create the tone of the novel.
Tindale executes an impressive plot that displays intriguing intricacies that weave together multiple subplots into a seamless narrative. The combination of the private and public personas of Giles are well developed to provide a fully formed character who simply demanded respect and complete admiration. More so for the occasional mistakes that she makes which only helps to make her more human.
There’s plenty to like with this first outing and it feels as though we’ve only just scratched the surface of what Rebecca Giles is capable of.
January 1, 2024
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🌾The Fall Between is Australian writer and performer Darcy Tindale’s debut novel. After coming to the writing field with a wealth of prior experience in acting, directing and commercial work, Tindale has branched into the world of book entertainment with The Fall Between. A classic rural noir, The Fall Between is a tale of murder, mystery, police work, fraud, theft and intrigue. This was a very good debut.
🌾The regional town of Muswellbrook is put in the spotlight thanks to Darcy Tindale’s The Fall Between. Introducing Detective Rebecca Giles, we learn that Rebecca is forced to make a return to her hometown after a ten-year absence after three crime cases demand her attention.
🌾Inside the pages of The Fall Between, readers will find a well written and evenly paced story that can easily be knocked off in a couple of sittings. The prologue quickly sets the scene and reels you in. Detective Rebecca James is a fine lead protagonist and liked that she had a damaged background, but this didn’t cause her to wallow in her problems. Rather, Rebecca gets on with the job at hand, which allows the author to delve into some well-placed police work. What I appreciated most about The Fall Between was the ricochet effect with the crime aspect. One seemingly minor crime, morphs into another bigger one and so on. Before we know it, Muswellbrook is teaming with fraud cases, a murder, missing people and thefts. It keeps the prime protagonist and the audience on point. The outback setting, which is stifling but also isolating in the same breath compounds the events of this rural crime novel further. I enjoyed the fallout.
🌾Secrets, disturbing events, missing person cases, thefts, personal tragedies and gruesome discoveries define The Fall Between. I recommend this one if you loved Jane Harper’s The Lost Man or Scrublands by Chris Hammer.
🙏Thanks to the team at @penguinbooksaus
🌾The Fall Between is Australian writer and performer Darcy Tindale’s debut novel. After coming to the writing field with a wealth of prior experience in acting, directing and commercial work, Tindale has branched into the world of book entertainment with The Fall Between. A classic rural noir, The Fall Between is a tale of murder, mystery, police work, fraud, theft and intrigue. This was a very good debut.
🌾The regional town of Muswellbrook is put in the spotlight thanks to Darcy Tindale’s The Fall Between. Introducing Detective Rebecca Giles, we learn that Rebecca is forced to make a return to her hometown after a ten-year absence after three crime cases demand her attention.
🌾Inside the pages of The Fall Between, readers will find a well written and evenly paced story that can easily be knocked off in a couple of sittings. The prologue quickly sets the scene and reels you in. Detective Rebecca James is a fine lead protagonist and liked that she had a damaged background, but this didn’t cause her to wallow in her problems. Rather, Rebecca gets on with the job at hand, which allows the author to delve into some well-placed police work. What I appreciated most about The Fall Between was the ricochet effect with the crime aspect. One seemingly minor crime, morphs into another bigger one and so on. Before we know it, Muswellbrook is teaming with fraud cases, a murder, missing people and thefts. It keeps the prime protagonist and the audience on point. The outback setting, which is stifling but also isolating in the same breath compounds the events of this rural crime novel further. I enjoyed the fallout.
🌾Secrets, disturbing events, missing person cases, thefts, personal tragedies and gruesome discoveries define The Fall Between. I recommend this one if you loved Jane Harper’s The Lost Man or Scrublands by Chris Hammer.
🙏Thanks to the team at @penguinbooksaus
June 4, 2024
I have mixed feelings on this novel - I enjoyed it enough to finish it, but there were things that didn't quite gel for me. At times the main character Giles would make these random assumptions and connections out of nowhere which would lead to awkward conversations and events with other characters who (along with me) didn't understand how she jumped to that conclusion; it was a bit odd as she is written as an intelligent, hard-working police officer. The narrative is written from a number of character's perspectives so readers can understand just how much little events can then lead to other big events; I thought this was a clever writing style. While the motivation for a murder victim is explained near the end, I'm not sure if I missed it but I felt like particular details around her death weren't properly explained so that wasn't an entirely satisfying event for me.
Overall: a solid debut novel in the genre of Australian crime, it'll be interesting to see what the author does next.
Overall: a solid debut novel in the genre of Australian crime, it'll be interesting to see what the author does next.
July 23, 2023
Thank you Penguin Australia for sending me a copy of your book to review.
Outstanding is the best word for me to describe this book.
This book was absolutely brilliant. From the first page to the last page it just flowed and I couldnt stop thinking about what was going to happen next.
Set in Muswellbrook, its main character Giles is thrown head first into the crimes happening in her town. Theres a robbery, 2 murders and insurance fraud. This is a police procedural that was written perfectly, the banter between characters ,the DNA testing, and the missing persons trope. Also throw in a bit of a romance to keep you on your toes. There was a "your kidding me moment " and its not often I get these. I loved the 80's reference , love James Reyne . I hope you love this book as much as I did.
Outstanding is the best word for me to describe this book.
This book was absolutely brilliant. From the first page to the last page it just flowed and I couldnt stop thinking about what was going to happen next.
Set in Muswellbrook, its main character Giles is thrown head first into the crimes happening in her town. Theres a robbery, 2 murders and insurance fraud. This is a police procedural that was written perfectly, the banter between characters ,the DNA testing, and the missing persons trope. Also throw in a bit of a romance to keep you on your toes. There was a "your kidding me moment " and its not often I get these. I loved the 80's reference , love James Reyne . I hope you love this book as much as I did.
April 25, 2024
4.5★s
The Fall Between is the first novel by Australian actor, director and author, Darcy Tindale. The audio version is narrated by Jessica Bell. Back in Muswellbrook after ten years policing in Sydney, Detective Rebecca Giles manages to solve a spate of thefts and find a missing pre-teen at the same time, to much acclaim from her colleagues. But privately she’s a little uncomfortable with the praise, feeling it was gained under false pretences.
The next morning, hung over from the celebrations, she’s still doing the paperwork on both cases, not entirely satisfied she has the whole truth, when she’s called out to a farm to check on a possible drowning. She is mystified that the farmer could possibly describe what she finds as such: a young woman with legs tied in barbed wire and lips sealed by fencing wire, bloated and floating in a cattle trough.
It’s a hot November day. Rebecca examines the scene, calls for backup and the Evidence Retrieval Unit. The farmer, Mr Rickard, identifies the victim as his casual jillaroo, Ava Emmerson. Increasingly affected by the relentless heat, she is suddenly knocked out and regains consciousness to find someone is trying to drown her in that same trough.
She’s convinced the farmer has attacked her: his denials don’t ring true, and a few items she has noticed nearby ring alarm bells: did his wife really drown in the ’92 floods that also took her own mother? But as she’s checking out her suspicions back in town, the heat stroke hits: this time she comes to in hospital, with the added complication that Rickard is accusing her of assaulting him.
Does she have the wrong end of the stick again? Is her recall of events warped by the extreme heat of the day? Is there still a killer on the loose?
Tindale easily captures her setting and season, and her characters, their dialogue and attitudes, feel authentic. Her depiction of country policing certainly rings true. The reader may find it hard not to feel some sympathy for the unfortunate Sticky Pete who, through a series of mishaps and poor choices, just can’t seem to take a trick.
Giles also makes a few less-than-ideal moves; her father, a former DI, tells her “You jump to conclusions, that’s your problem! You dig and dig, and then you fill in the blanks with nonsense.” But as a character, she is gutsy and brave, she does mature, and she gets it right in the end. If the reader can tolerate some of her more frustrating traits, their patience is rewarded. A cleverly plotted debut.
The Fall Between is the first novel by Australian actor, director and author, Darcy Tindale. The audio version is narrated by Jessica Bell. Back in Muswellbrook after ten years policing in Sydney, Detective Rebecca Giles manages to solve a spate of thefts and find a missing pre-teen at the same time, to much acclaim from her colleagues. But privately she’s a little uncomfortable with the praise, feeling it was gained under false pretences.
The next morning, hung over from the celebrations, she’s still doing the paperwork on both cases, not entirely satisfied she has the whole truth, when she’s called out to a farm to check on a possible drowning. She is mystified that the farmer could possibly describe what she finds as such: a young woman with legs tied in barbed wire and lips sealed by fencing wire, bloated and floating in a cattle trough.
It’s a hot November day. Rebecca examines the scene, calls for backup and the Evidence Retrieval Unit. The farmer, Mr Rickard, identifies the victim as his casual jillaroo, Ava Emmerson. Increasingly affected by the relentless heat, she is suddenly knocked out and regains consciousness to find someone is trying to drown her in that same trough.
She’s convinced the farmer has attacked her: his denials don’t ring true, and a few items she has noticed nearby ring alarm bells: did his wife really drown in the ’92 floods that also took her own mother? But as she’s checking out her suspicions back in town, the heat stroke hits: this time she comes to in hospital, with the added complication that Rickard is accusing her of assaulting him.
Does she have the wrong end of the stick again? Is her recall of events warped by the extreme heat of the day? Is there still a killer on the loose?
Tindale easily captures her setting and season, and her characters, their dialogue and attitudes, feel authentic. Her depiction of country policing certainly rings true. The reader may find it hard not to feel some sympathy for the unfortunate Sticky Pete who, through a series of mishaps and poor choices, just can’t seem to take a trick.
Giles also makes a few less-than-ideal moves; her father, a former DI, tells her “You jump to conclusions, that’s your problem! You dig and dig, and then you fill in the blanks with nonsense.” But as a character, she is gutsy and brave, she does mature, and she gets it right in the end. If the reader can tolerate some of her more frustrating traits, their patience is rewarded. A cleverly plotted debut.
October 15, 2023
The Fall Between by Aussie author Darcy Tindale is a fantastic debut novel. This author certainly knows how to draw her in and hold their interest in a story.
I did have a giggle at one of the characters named Sticky Pete. And whilst reading through the story the name did suit him.
Australian crime/suspense at its best. Can’t wait to see what this author writes next. Highly recommended.
I did have a giggle at one of the characters named Sticky Pete. And whilst reading through the story the name did suit him.
Australian crime/suspense at its best. Can’t wait to see what this author writes next. Highly recommended.
August 2, 2025
An explosive debut - I can’t rate this highly enough. The characters, the pacing, the plot - it was perfectly crafted and well deserved of all of the accolades it has received. I can’t wait to read more from this supremely talented author!
June 20, 2023
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
What an amazing debut! The Fall Between by Darcy Tindale was so good, I really enjoyed this cleverly plotted murder mystery. Lovers of Aussie rural crime fiction add this one to your TBR!
A former policeman’s daughter, Detective Rebecca Giles is an interesting character and she’s just recently arrived in Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley which is her hometown. Giles wants to be near her father who is now in a nursing home due to a degenerative illness.
Almost immediately Giles is thrown into an investigation when a young girl is reported missing from home. There’s also drama regarding a recent string of jewellery robberies in the area. The characters and banter are entertaining and there’s some suspicious characters to ponder when a freelance jillaroo is murdered gruesomely on a cattle property.
Giles finds herself super busy with plenty happening in this rural town including her own family secrets, her unresolved issues and a major homicide investigation.
This was a fast paced page turner and an easy read. I enjoyed how the crimes connected like a chain reaction, it was something different and refreshing. I hope to see more of Detective Giles and hopefully her choice of men improves in the next book.
Publication Date 32.99
Publisher Penguin Books Australia (Bantam)
A huge thank you to Penguin Books Australia for sending me a copy of the book.
What an amazing debut! The Fall Between by Darcy Tindale was so good, I really enjoyed this cleverly plotted murder mystery. Lovers of Aussie rural crime fiction add this one to your TBR!
A former policeman’s daughter, Detective Rebecca Giles is an interesting character and she’s just recently arrived in Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley which is her hometown. Giles wants to be near her father who is now in a nursing home due to a degenerative illness.
Almost immediately Giles is thrown into an investigation when a young girl is reported missing from home. There’s also drama regarding a recent string of jewellery robberies in the area. The characters and banter are entertaining and there’s some suspicious characters to ponder when a freelance jillaroo is murdered gruesomely on a cattle property.
Giles finds herself super busy with plenty happening in this rural town including her own family secrets, her unresolved issues and a major homicide investigation.
This was a fast paced page turner and an easy read. I enjoyed how the crimes connected like a chain reaction, it was something different and refreshing. I hope to see more of Detective Giles and hopefully her choice of men improves in the next book.
Publication Date 32.99
Publisher Penguin Books Australia (Bantam)
A huge thank you to Penguin Books Australia for sending me a copy of the book.
June 19, 2023
I really wanted to like this debut…2.5 stars rounded up.
On this occasion I think the audio narration blew it. The voice was all wrong and it highlighted the character issues I was having with this read. The plot is long-winded, with a few over-the-top descriptions and leaping links. The protagonist Rebecca Giles comes across as a bit arrogant and self-righteous. All in all, not that engaging.
Definitely an author to watch but this one was not a favourite for me.
On this occasion I think the audio narration blew it. The voice was all wrong and it highlighted the character issues I was having with this read. The plot is long-winded, with a few over-the-top descriptions and leaping links. The protagonist Rebecca Giles comes across as a bit arrogant and self-righteous. All in all, not that engaging.
Definitely an author to watch but this one was not a favourite for me.
April 20, 2025
Fantastic debut, with this small-town Australian crime fiction novel!
I enjoyed the mystery and the varying perspectives.
I am keen to read more from Darcy Tindale.
I enjoyed the mystery and the varying perspectives.
I am keen to read more from Darcy Tindale.
June 6, 2023
Another middling Aussie noir. When will I learn? While there were flashes of ingenuity, I guessed the killer early on. I’ve also had it with the whole cop-has-a-trauma-they-need-to-deal-with trope.
The spelling of “ya” as “yah” bugged.
The spelling of “ya” as “yah” bugged.
March 28, 2024
4 Stars
I enjoyed this debut. The mystery wasn't hard to figure out, but some entertaining interconnected threads existed. I wasn't completely in love with Rebecca Giles due to her impulsiveness. Yet that happens sometimes with the heroines of these types of mysteries and I've often changed my opinion as a series progresses. I'd read more books by the author if this became a series. Unfortunately, it's an Australian author/publisher and there's a significant chance they won't be available in the US. Like Chris Hammer, another author of Australian rural mysteries that are harder to access here.
June 10, 2024
An excellent plot but I wish there had been more fact checking. Six detectives working out of a small rural station burnt a lot of the author's cred for me upfront, sadly, which made other things stand out that I might have otherwise ignored.
Great to have a book set in the Hunter.
Great to have a book set in the Hunter.
June 17, 2023
The Fall Between is a suspenseful Australian crime fiction debut from Darcy Tindale, set in the Upper Hunter Valley of NSW.
The morning after finding both a missing child and a cache of stolen jewels in Muswellbrook, Detective Rebecca Giles finds herself standing over the naked, trussed body of a young woman floating in a cattle trough on an outlying property, an eerie reminder of her own mother’s tragic death. As the investigation into the brutal murder unfolds, Giles becomes convinced the disparate cases are somehow connected.
There is a ripple effect of sorts in play in The Fall Between, where one relatively minor crime leads, by some combination of desperation, greed, opportunity, and even bad luck, to a series of more serious crimes, resulting in more victims, and perpetrators. The main mystery is well thought out, with some deft misdirects, and the various strands of the story tie in cleverly.
Giles is an appealing, realistically rendered character, though not infallible, she presents as both a decent person and a conscientious detective. There’s some angst related to the death of her mother when she was an infant, and her father’s declining state of health, that affects, but doesn’t define her.
The setting is recognisably Australian, Tindale ably evokes the contrasts of the regional environment, from its suburban small towns to the isolated areas among the bush.
With its well crafted storyline and engaging lead character, The Fall Between is an absorbing and satisfying read.
The morning after finding both a missing child and a cache of stolen jewels in Muswellbrook, Detective Rebecca Giles finds herself standing over the naked, trussed body of a young woman floating in a cattle trough on an outlying property, an eerie reminder of her own mother’s tragic death. As the investigation into the brutal murder unfolds, Giles becomes convinced the disparate cases are somehow connected.
There is a ripple effect of sorts in play in The Fall Between, where one relatively minor crime leads, by some combination of desperation, greed, opportunity, and even bad luck, to a series of more serious crimes, resulting in more victims, and perpetrators. The main mystery is well thought out, with some deft misdirects, and the various strands of the story tie in cleverly.
Giles is an appealing, realistically rendered character, though not infallible, she presents as both a decent person and a conscientious detective. There’s some angst related to the death of her mother when she was an infant, and her father’s declining state of health, that affects, but doesn’t define her.
The setting is recognisably Australian, Tindale ably evokes the contrasts of the regional environment, from its suburban small towns to the isolated areas among the bush.
With its well crafted storyline and engaging lead character, The Fall Between is an absorbing and satisfying read.
June 12, 2023
Detective Rebecca Giles has returned from working in Sydney to work in her home town of Muswellbrook. Her father, a retired police officer is unwell and she returned to be close to him. Giles ends up investigating a missing girl and then a death on a property but not everything goes to plan and we see lots of action unfold. Not only is she troubled with her work but Giles plans on getting to the bottom of her mother's death, when she was just a child.
I loved the rural setting in this one and having grown up just outside of Singleton, many of the areas were familiar. The characters were so interesting and the author weaved all of the threads of the story together for a heart pounding ending. Another fabulous novel.
I loved the rural setting in this one and having grown up just outside of Singleton, many of the areas were familiar. The characters were so interesting and the author weaved all of the threads of the story together for a heart pounding ending. Another fabulous novel.
September 3, 2023
A police officer comes home from the city to the country town of her birth where she has past wrongs to right and mysteries to solve. There is murder, theft, crooked cops ... Sound familiar? This is not a bad debut novel I just felt like I had read it before, in fact, read it numerous times. This plot line is so familiar in Australian rural noir and it has become predictable, at least for this reader. If there was an award for the number of times a protagonist could use the f and c words in one paragraph I cannot help but think this book would win easily.
May 28, 2023
Really enjoyed this debt novel by Darcy Tindale, hope this is just the first of a series.
April 25, 2024
4.5★s
The Fall Between is the first novel by Australian actor, director and author, Darcy Tindale. Back in Muswellbrook after ten years policing in Sydney, Detective Rebecca Giles manages to solve a spate of thefts and find a missing pre-teen at the same time, to much acclaim from her colleagues. But privately she’s a little uncomfortable with the praise, feeling it was gained under false pretences.
The next morning, hung over from the celebrations, she’s still doing the paperwork on both cases, not entirely satisfied she has the whole truth, when she’s called out to a farm to check on a possible drowning. She is mystified that the farmer could possibly describe what she finds as such: a young woman with legs tied in barbed wire and lips sealed by fencing wire, bloated and floating in a cattle trough.
It’s a hot November day. Rebecca examines the scene, calls for backup and the Evidence Retrieval Unit. The farmer, Mr Rickard, identifies the victim as his casual jillaroo, Ava Emmerson. Increasingly affected by the relentless heat, she is suddenly knocked out and regains consciousness to find someone is trying to drown her in that same trough.
She’s convinced the farmer has attacked her: his denials don’t ring true, and a few items she has noticed nearby ring alarm bells: did his wife really drown in the ’92 floods that also took her own mother? But as she’s checking out her suspicions back in town, the heat stroke hits: this time she comes to in hospital, with the added complication that Rickard is accusing her of assaulting him.
Does she have the wrong end of the stick again? Is her recall of events warped by the extreme heat of the day? Is there still a killer on the loose?
Tindale easily captures her setting and season, and her characters, their dialogue and attitudes, feel authentic. Her depiction of country policing certainly rings true. The reader may find it hard not to feel some sympathy for the unfortunate Sticky Pete who, through a series of mishaps and poor choices, just can’t seem to take a trick.
Giles also makes a few less-than-ideal moves; her father, a former DI, tells her “You jump to conclusions, that’s your problem! You dig and dig, and then you fill in the blanks with nonsense.” But as a character, she is gutsy and brave, she does mature, and she gets it right in the end. If the reader can tolerate some of her more frustrating traits, their patience is rewarded. A cleverly plotted debut.
The Fall Between is the first novel by Australian actor, director and author, Darcy Tindale. Back in Muswellbrook after ten years policing in Sydney, Detective Rebecca Giles manages to solve a spate of thefts and find a missing pre-teen at the same time, to much acclaim from her colleagues. But privately she’s a little uncomfortable with the praise, feeling it was gained under false pretences.
The next morning, hung over from the celebrations, she’s still doing the paperwork on both cases, not entirely satisfied she has the whole truth, when she’s called out to a farm to check on a possible drowning. She is mystified that the farmer could possibly describe what she finds as such: a young woman with legs tied in barbed wire and lips sealed by fencing wire, bloated and floating in a cattle trough.
It’s a hot November day. Rebecca examines the scene, calls for backup and the Evidence Retrieval Unit. The farmer, Mr Rickard, identifies the victim as his casual jillaroo, Ava Emmerson. Increasingly affected by the relentless heat, she is suddenly knocked out and regains consciousness to find someone is trying to drown her in that same trough.
She’s convinced the farmer has attacked her: his denials don’t ring true, and a few items she has noticed nearby ring alarm bells: did his wife really drown in the ’92 floods that also took her own mother? But as she’s checking out her suspicions back in town, the heat stroke hits: this time she comes to in hospital, with the added complication that Rickard is accusing her of assaulting him.
Does she have the wrong end of the stick again? Is her recall of events warped by the extreme heat of the day? Is there still a killer on the loose?
Tindale easily captures her setting and season, and her characters, their dialogue and attitudes, feel authentic. Her depiction of country policing certainly rings true. The reader may find it hard not to feel some sympathy for the unfortunate Sticky Pete who, through a series of mishaps and poor choices, just can’t seem to take a trick.
Giles also makes a few less-than-ideal moves; her father, a former DI, tells her “You jump to conclusions, that’s your problem! You dig and dig, and then you fill in the blanks with nonsense.” But as a character, she is gutsy and brave, she does mature, and she gets it right in the end. If the reader can tolerate some of her more frustrating traits, their patience is rewarded. A cleverly plotted debut.
December 22, 2025
The Fall Between, the first book in the Detective Giles series by Darcy Tindale, ensured that the author won the 2024 Ned Kelly Award for Best Debut Crime Fiction. Detective Giles returns after interviewing a suspect in recent burglaries, only to hear about a missing child, Kayleen Ellis. Detective Giles found Kayleen Ellis really quickly and the person guilty of the jewellery thefts. However, when Detective Gile found young Jillaroo murdered, or are they all contacted, and where does her mother'mother'sfit in? Readers of The Fall Between will continue to follow Detective Giles' investigation to discover what happens next.
Darcy Tindale's style drew me in from the start, keeping me invested in the unfolding cases and complex characters. From Detective Giles's interviews to the chilling discovery in the cattle trough, each turn is both suspenseful and rewarding.
I love Darcy Tindale's portrayal of her characters and how they intertwine throughout this book's plot. The Fall Between was well written and researched by Darcy Tindale. I like Darcy Tindale's opinions of the settings, which let me imagine being part of the book.
For these reasons, I highly recommend this book – it's an aging and memorable read.
Darcy Tindale's style drew me in from the start, keeping me invested in the unfolding cases and complex characters. From Detective Giles's interviews to the chilling discovery in the cattle trough, each turn is both suspenseful and rewarding.
I love Darcy Tindale's portrayal of her characters and how they intertwine throughout this book's plot. The Fall Between was well written and researched by Darcy Tindale. I like Darcy Tindale's opinions of the settings, which let me imagine being part of the book.
For these reasons, I highly recommend this book – it's an aging and memorable read.
April 12, 2025
A great debut 😃
July 21, 2023
This was an excellent addition to the growing collection of Australian authors writing about rural crime. It was an easy read, good mix of characters and interwoven stories without verbose descriptions and pointless side tales. Will definitely be on the look out for Darcy Tindale’s next book!
September 6, 2023
This book was set locally (to me) and was a crime novel, which are both things I like. I didn’t really like anything else, particularly the main character who was an obnoxious drunk. I also felt the author’s research was showing on several occasions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2025
Read as an audiobook. I also read this out of order as I had received the second book 'Burning Mountain' as a read and review earlier in the year but it didn't impact my enjoyment, they both work well as standalone books as well as a series. I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books, particularly as I grew up around the settings. The characters are a great mix and the procedural aspect is done in a way that it's not too obviously spelt out and no ridiculously huge leaps. The twists make sense and I definitely recommend this series as a great read!
April 22, 2025
3.5⭐️
May 11, 2023
'On an icy 5-degree September morning in Orange, New South Wales, four people unknowingly set off a chain of events that would lead to three deaths and a major homicide investigation....' is the alluring opening paragraph of The Fall Between by Darcy Tindale and it sets the tone for this debut crime fiction novels. It goes on to reference the domino effect and what comes next is a reminder that life can be treacherous and being in the wrong place at the wrong time can have dire repercussions.
I've read a few books lately that have been more plot-driven than character driven, but this is very much the latter. Most of what we learn about Giles however, is through her actions and investigation, so it's a great balance. We get some backstory relating to the death of her mother and her former-cop father, which - in addition to other strong support characters - makes me wonder if there'll be more in this series.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
I've read a few books lately that have been more plot-driven than character driven, but this is very much the latter. Most of what we learn about Giles however, is through her actions and investigation, so it's a great balance. We get some backstory relating to the death of her mother and her former-cop father, which - in addition to other strong support characters - makes me wonder if there'll be more in this series.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
March 12, 2024
Lot going on in this book. I wasn't sure how it was all going to come together but it does wonderfully. I hope there are more books with these characters!
June 4, 2023
Engaging plot, stressful at times, especially when kids are involved in dangerous situations
Lots of red herrings to throw the reader off the scent of the real killer. I almost want to say too many?
Giles and her detective colleagues were all likeable characters, likewise her Dad.
Overall an interesting read and I always love a decent crime novel set in Australia.
Lots of red herrings to throw the reader off the scent of the real killer. I almost want to say too many?
Giles and her detective colleagues were all likeable characters, likewise her Dad.
Overall an interesting read and I always love a decent crime novel set in Australia.
June 16, 2023
An unreal reading experience! Do yourself a favour and read this incredible book!!! It’s criminally good ;)
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