Hangman's Gap

by Rachel Amphlett

Could one man’s obsession with the truth be a fatal mistake?

When Detective Sergeant Blake Harknell is seconded to an active investigation in the hinterland of south east Queensland, he discovers the police station understaffed and the local population wary of his presence in Hangman’s Gap.

After a body is found in suspicious circumstances following a bush fire, the victim of a three-month old fatal car accident may be the only clue to recent events in the small rural town.

But when a third man is bludgeoned to death in his own home, the local police officers close ranks and Blake is left alone to discover what connects the three deaths.

There are too many secrets in Hangman’s Gap, and the more Blake attempts to uncover the truth, the more he risks exposing his past.

Hangman’s Gap is a page-turning crime thriller by Rachel Amphlett, the USA Today bestselling author of the Detective Kay Hunter series.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Australia, Crime, Ebooks

362 pages, Paperback

Published June 7, 2024

About the author

Before turning to writing, USA Today bestselling crime author Rachel Amphlett played guitar in bands, worked as a TV and film extra, dabbled in radio, and worked in publishing as an editorial assistant.

She now wields a pen instead of a plectrum and writes crime fiction with over 30 crime novels and short stories featuring spies, detectives, vigilantes, and assassins.

A keen traveller and accidental private investigator, Rachel has both Australian and British citizenship.

You can find out more about Rachel and her books at www.rachelamphlett.com.



Praise for Rachel Amphlett

“Fast paced with vivid characterisation and clever twists, [None the Wiser] is another winner” Adrian McKinty

“[None the Wiser] is a terrific start to a new series” Jo Spain, With Our Blessing and The Confession

“Quirky, creepy and twisted tales” James Oswald, Sunday Times bestselling author

“Thrilling start to a new series. Scared to Death is a stylish, smart and gripping crime thriller” Robert Bryndza

"Scared to Death… moves along at breakneck speed with twists and turns" Angela Marsons

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hangman's Gap was around three hours north of Brisbane in Queensland, and was a small town where everyone knew what the other person was doing. Detective Sergeant Blake Harknell drove the two days from Melbourne, seconded to the local police station in Hangman's Gap for the short period he would be in town. The man he was due to meet just after he arrived was found dead in an area where the local RFS (Rural Fire Service) had done a controlled burn. And as he hadn't been there when the RFS did the final check before the burn, they had a small window of knowing when he got there. But not why or how...

Three months prior a person had lost their life in a single vehicle crash, but the case was still open. Was there any connection to the latest death? And when another local, a person of interest, was discovered brutally bashed to death, Harknell wondered what he'd got himself in to. Local constable, Angie Forbes, plus soon to be retired constable Terry Doxon were working with Harkness as well as the boss, Bragg, from Caboolture headquarters, and their frustration was high as they continued to come up against brick walls. Would they find the killer or killers before someone else lost their life?

Hangman's Gap is a new standalone thriller set in Queensland, by Aussie/British author Rachel Amphlett and it was outstanding! The fictional town of Hangman's Gap is reminiscent of small towns all over Australia, with the heat and dust - especially in Queensland - sapping energy from everyone - man or beast. I'd love to see this one as the start to a new series as I'd really enjoy catching up with Harknell and Angie once again. Highly recommended.

With thanks to the author for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stand alone novel which could easily be developed into a series - in fact I am sure the author is leaving her options open on this judging by the ending.

D.S. Harknell arrives in Hangman's Gap in Queensland and his presence there is a bit of a mystery. However he has arrived at the perfect moment with the discovery of the burnt remains of a local police officer and the fact that the police in Hangman's Gap are short in number and capability. He quickly takes over the investigation. Harknell's only real help comes from D.S. Forbes but she is very suspicious about why he is really there.

So lots of mystery, several murders, and an investigation carried out in the heat, dust and fire hazards of south east Queensland. To be honest I became a little tired of all the descriptions of heat, dust, thirst and how badly people smelled, but this is my only small criticism of an otherwise excellent Aussie mystery.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hangman's Gap is an Australian crime mystery by Rachel Amphlett. Detective Sergeant Blake Harknell took secondment to the small rural police station at Hangman's Gap, and he was expecting a quiet time. However, that was not the case. On arrival, he became involved in the murder investigation of Senior Sergeant Ivan Mortlock. With the station understaffed, more bodies turning up, and the community wary of his presence, Detective Sergeant Blake Harknell was alone, trying to find answers. The readers of Hangman's Gap will continue to follow Detective Sergeant Blake Harknell to discover what happens.

Hangman's Gap is a new book by Rachel Amphlett, and I hope she makes it into a series. I had trouble putting this book down even though I had work the next day. Rachel Amphlett did a fantastic job of ensuring that I engaged with her characters and the plot of this book. Reading Hangman's Gap, you will learn about living in a small Queensland community and running a small police station. I love Rachel Amphlett's portrayal of her characters and how they intertwine throughout this book. Hangman's Gap is well-written and researched by Rachel Amphlett. I like Rachel Amplett's description of the settings of Hangman's Gap, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.

I recommend this book.

[Beccabeccabooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Detective Sergeant Blake Harknell arrives in the Queensland hinterland town of Hangman's Gap, he's shocked to discover the police station understaffed and the locals wary of his presence. The Victorian is on secondment to assist in an operation, but instead gets dragged into the murder of of one of their own...

What exactly did Senior Sergeant Ivan Mortlock get himself involved in that led to his death? Blake needs answers, like yesterday. However, with everyone withholding secrets, the truth is going to be impossible to uncover. But when one murder turns into three, seemingly connected, it's clear that something much bigger is at play..

It's always a treat to read a novel set in my corner of the world. Whilst Hangman's Gap is fictional, Amphlett has captured the spirit, serenity and the problems facing small towns excellently. The mystery deepens quickly, thanks to the engaging characters and dialogue.

I do hope that this is the beginning of a new series- the ending certainly points that way. If so, sign me up for more!

4.5 ⭐

[Carol - Reading Writing and Riesling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A consuming read that builds to a tumultuous conclusion.

I can visualise this as a movie - great Australian small town settings, authentic characters and a twisty plot.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will be looking to read more of Rachel Amphlett's books, really enjoyed this one.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book a bit boring and slow. There was no “guts” to the story and the characters were weak.

[Delana Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 kept me intrigued 🤔

[Jim Pyke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read most of this authors books which are mostly police procedurals. This was a bit of a change tho with this book being based here in Australia. The setting being in country Queensland resonated with me having spend a good deal of time at the army base nearby at Enoggera. The main characters in the book are all believable and remind me of the locals in that area. The story is fast paced and with just enough tit bits to keep you engrossed to the very end. Would 100% recommend the book to anyone that loves to read books that are fast moving and paint a picture of the area it is based on. .

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why did I wait so long to read this book? I always enjoy a Rachel Amphlett thriller, be it her Dan Taylor books, her spy series, or even one of her police based thrillers, so taking all of that experience at building mystery and tension, and transferring it to the Australian hinterland was always going to be something different and potentially very special. Well, scrap the potentially as I loved Hangman's Gap, totally hooked form the very first chapter, and tore through the book, as I always knew I would.

Detective Blake Hartnell is one of two key protagonists in this book whose investigation into the murder of a prominent Hangman's Gap figurehead. New to town, he is on secondment and on the back foot in a community who are more than happy to close ranks and protect their own. But this is one twisted investigation, where one murder quickly leads to a second, and it is very clear that nothing in the town is as simple as it seems on the surface. There are many secrets being kept amongst the residents, and that includes by Hartnell himself.

I really liked Blake as a character. Even though from the very beginning it is clear that his reasons for being in the town are not as clear cut as he claims, there was something about him that I trusted. Yes, he is secretive. Yes, there is something between him and his boss that stays hidden behind a series of half cryptic calls, but that sense of mystery only adds to his appeal, and my confidence that he was, despite appearances, one of the good guys. Unless, of course, Rachel Amphlett was pulling off an elaborate and clever double bluff. Speaking of good guys, or in this case, gals, Senior Constable Angie Forbes is another key character in this book. The only female officer in the town, she holds her own against her male colleagues, even in the face of some derision and obstinance from her colleague, Terry Doxon, a man counting down to retirement. I liked Angie, liked her tenacity, and one could argue stubbornness. And, despite his faults, Doxon was quite the character too. A man's man but strangely I couldn't entirely hold that against him, trusting that when it mattered he would come good.

There are so many twists and turns in this story in which a badly burned body is found in the remains of a controlled fire, that at first you are not sure if the victim was caught in the fire accidentally, or if there was something far more sinister in play. Given this book is not five pages long, it was easy to rule out accident - not exactly thriller territory - but as to the root cause, well that takes a lot longer to unravel. Corruption in the town, or something else? And just who was involved? Well, as ever Rachel Amphlett builds the tension and the intrigue with care and perfect pacing, keeping key evidence back to be revealed at just the perfect time. And the more we 'find' of the evidence, the more we understand what it is that may have brought Blake to town in the first place. It is not necessarily a sleight of hand situation, more that some of the key players are missing some of the key facts.

The book is billed as a standalone thriller, but I am hoping that is simply because it is not part of one of the author's established series. Yet. I know you would hope that is somewhere as remote as Hangman's Gap lightning couldn't strike twice, but given the constant reference to shortages in the police force, and the sheer scope of possibilities given the size of the state in which the book is set, I can't help hoping that the ending, so full of possibility, is just a nod to us faithful readers that there is more to come. Packed with suspense, laced with tension and underpinned by the author's brilliant storytelling, this is definitely recommended. If you love Rachel's police series and haven't read this yet, wait no longer. You won't regret it.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The small town was as attractive as its name.’

Detective Sergeant (DS) Blake Harknell has driven 1,800 kilometres in two days from Melbourne, Victoria to Hangman’s Gap, a small town three hours north of Brisbane, Queensland to meet with a local senior sergeant. Instead, after he arrives, he is told to report to Detective Inspector Bragg at the site of a controlled burn undertaken by the local Rural Fire Brigade. The body of Senior Sergeant Ivan Mortlock has been found.

DS Harknell, on a brief secondment to Hangman’s Gap, is paired with Senior Constable (SC) Angela Forbes to investigate. What he finds is a small town, an understaffed police station, mistrust, and several superficially helpful locals. In small towns where everyone knows everyone else, everyone has an opinion.

Three months earlier, an as yet unidentified man died in a single vehicle accident. His case is still open. Senior Sergeant Mortlock’s death is suspicious, and then another man is murdered in his own home. Can these deaths be coincidental, or are they related?

Hangman’s Gap is full of tightly held secrets. Not everyone welcomes DS Harknell’s involvement: exactly who is he, and what is he doing in Hangman’s Gap? Suspicion makes some reluctant to share what they know (and keen to learn more).

My curiosity about why DS Harknell travelled to Hangman’s Gap stayed with me for most of the story. And my suspicion (no spoilers here) was largely correct and explained why he was both cautious and thorough in his investigation. I liked the way Ms Amphlett peopled the police station in Hangman’s Gap: the hard-drinking policeman nearing retirement, the inexperienced young policeman, and the efficient SC Forbes with her own history. And what about Senior Sergeant Mortlock? Was there something in his history that explained his death? A few twists kept me turning the pages and guessing about guilt and motivation until very close to the end.

Ms Amphlett brings rural Queensland to life: her descriptions of heat and dust, the impact of fire, the challenges faced by communities in recession all added realism to the story. The main characters are well realised, the secondary characters had me smiling wryly: the busybodies and gossips are universal, and their speculation can often cover (or uncover) motivation.

I finished the novel hoping to meet both DS Harknell and DC Forbes again in the future. This is the first of Ms Amphlett’s novels I have read, and I’ll be looking to read others.

Note: My thanks to Sisters In Crime Australia and Saxon Publishing for providing an ARC for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Kate M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immersive and gripping from start to finish, the wonderfully named fictional outback town of Hangman's Gap in the south east Queensland hinterland is the perfect setting for this page turning crime mystery/police procedural. The struggling town, and the tough, weathered people who live there and work hard to make ends meet, are brilliantly captured through the author's highly detailed descriptive writing style.  Wherever there is hardship, skulduggery and crime are not far behind and Hangman's Gap is a town with too many secrets.  The story opens with the murder of the local senior sergeant whose dead burnt body is found in the smouldering bush after a fire.  A detective sergeant on a brief secondment all the way from Melbourne steps in to help the understaffed police station investigate their boss's murder but he also has some secrets of his own. The dryness of the landscape, the searing heat, the potholed roads, the underfunded police station, and the town's one and only pub, the centrepoint and social glue of the town, are aĺl painted vividly through the author's attention to ambient detail in every scene.  I liked the description of the run down room upstairs at the pub where the seconded officer was staying. "Blake stared at the fan spinning lazily from a cable protruding from the patchwork plaster ceiling and let the voices and laughter from the bar downstairs wash over him.  There was a stubborn cicada stuck in the net curtain at the window emitting an occasional chirp, but he had long since given up trying to rescue it".  These wonderfully detailed descriptions pulled me deeper and deeper into the story and did not interrupt the flow of this cleverly told mystery thriller.  I savoured every word of this twisty, suspenseful, engaging Aussie crime mystery. 

[Michele (michelethebookdragon) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great story set in rural Queensland with some really intriguing characters.

Hangman's Gap is a small town not far from Caboolture with the usual array of country town amenities - the pub, supermarket, takeaway, mechanics and an ag store. But this little country town is about to lose its innocence.

DS Blake Harknell is seconded from Vic Police and is meant to meet with the local Sargent Ivan Mortlock, when a body is found after a planned backburning. When they discover the body is Ivans, the local police and Blake need to find out why he was killed.

With a small local police force that seem to be at odds with each other, Angie Forbes who was rumoured to be having an affair with Ivan, Terry Doxon who is weeks away from retirement and young constable Ryan Darke who is bored with run of the mill policing, throwing a copper from interstate into the mix may not be the best idea.

When it comes to light that some of Ivan's policing was done 'off the books' there is little for the police to go on to find his killer. With little trust between the local police and Blake, this investigation is getting more difficult day by day and when Angie uses a contact at Victoria Police to find out why Blake is in their town, she is floored by what she discovers.

The trajectory of this story was well balanced with little bits of information dropping that lead to an understanding of the whole picture.

This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. Short chapters, two maps, interesting and realistic characters - it's a winner for me!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

DS Blake Harknell drives from Melbourne into dusty Hangman's Gap 3 hours northwest of Brisbane, to take up a secondment. He's looking for the local lead officer to introduce himself but instead finds himself at a grisly murder scene where the boss is the victim. Suddenly he's the senior cop in town and the lead investigator, where the deceased has been undertaking off the books investigations, there are rumours he was having an affair with his 2IC , another cop has a drinking problem and is 3 weeks off retirement, while the fourth is almost too inexperienced to count. And there are no back ups on their way.

It becomes clear that a car crash three months ago with a still unidentified victim must have something to do with the case, but as Blake is following up on this incident, it becomes clear to us that he is not all he seems either. What is going on in this very small town and who is involved? And who is going to survive the investigation?

I'm a big fan of Rachel Amphlett and this book lives up to expectations. It is advertised as a stand alone but I'd be happy to see it followed up with a sequel. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars from me is that at one point we are told that a character wanted to confess a crime. Given the nature of the character and the crime, I found that absolutely unbelieveable. It's a minor detail in an excellent story though.

Highly recommended.

[Neil Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel Amphlett is a terrific author, and her standalone novel, Hangman’s Gap, measures up well to her past work, much of which has been in a number of successful series. This novel takes place in a forlorn little Australian town called Hangman’s Gap, and features Detective Sergeant (DS) Blake Harknell as he arrives in town on temporary secondment from Melbourne. He arrives to find his initial contact dead, the man’s charred body discovered in the wilderness after a wildfire sweeps through the area. More bodies follow, and the understaffed local police detachment is rife with small-town resentments, suspicions, and secrets—lots and lots of secrets. Amphlett does a superb job bringing the setting to life in all its desolation. DS Blake is a winning character, and he’s well supported by a stellar supporting cast. The writing is crisp and Amphlett kept the story humming along with plenty of twists and turns leading to a satisfying finale. If you haven’t yet discovered Rachel Amphlett, it’s time to treat yourself to a stellar author.

[Jackie McMillan · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars)
"A pervading stench of fat-laden hot food wafted across the hospital's cafe, and he wrinkled his nose as a gaunt man in a dressing gown shuffled past, his body odour leaving a vapour trail in his wake." It feels weird to say this, but I found Hangman's Gap overly descriptive in places. It's otherwise a good police procedural about an outsider, Detective Sergeant Blake Harknell, trying to solve the murder of a cop in a rural town: "It's a small town, you're new, nobody knows you. And yet here you are, asking all these bloody questions like you belong here."

"He was just a small-town copper. I mean okay, he liked to try and sort out some of the stuff off the books, but that's the point. All he ever wanted to do was keep the peace." Hangman's Gap has the usual elements of outback Aussie noir: crippling drought, suspicion about outsiders, bending of the rules to fit the close-knit rural setting, and the inevitable migration into the cities where work opportunities exist. The heavy level of descriptive writing makes it feel slow to get established, but otherwise this one was a solid crime novel.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent police procedural from one of my favourite Aussie authors Rachel Amphlett. Great to see her finally set a novel in the Queensland rural area, and to make the most of the small town, country setting, with an outside police Detective brought in as an outsider to investigate the death of a local police office. Small town prejudices and issues abound and the bodies start to stack up with a fast paced ending, as the various mysteries come to ahead. Hope to see more Australia based novels from this author.

[Christine Weald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good ‘who dun-nit’ interspersed with vivid Australian dry landscape preceding damage from impending forest fires.
The prose is good, undulating from fast moving to slow thoughtfulness. The intrigue starts slowly and develops towards the end.
The story is easy to read and concentrates on the mystery and murder, without any bad language, or violence and mild romantic comments without any sexual scenes.

[MB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel Amphlett does it again! Her vivid descriptions in "Hangman's Gap" transport you directly into the action. This exciting read is worth every penny spent. Anxiously awaiting more stand alone books as well as her series books. Thank you, Rachel, for so many wonderful reading hours.

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books that I hate to put down and am sad when I’ve finished. I managed to stretch it out for four days but now, what to read next that I will enjoy as much.
I hope there is another story brewing in Hangman’s Gap!

[Judie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent police procedural with interesting characters. A new series? Hope so.

[MEGAN · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was really different to her other books it was ok but not the best one i liked

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. One of Amphlett’s best.

[Elvan · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book in what I hope turns into another series. Kept me guessing throughout. Well done.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant read! Loved every word!! I hope this turns into a series!!

[Sue Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read again from this author

[Santiago Romero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt like a good episode of a procedural crime show. Not mind blowing or ground breaking, but fun and familiar.

[Tim Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling and apt description of the landscape

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

An ok read