What do you think?
Rate this book
Headland
A coastal town is evacuated after record floods. Three young police officers are left behind. With a killer.
The small beachside town of Gloster is on the edge of disaster. After constant rain, floodwaters are rising fast.
Detective Constable Craig Watson, exiled to Gloster from Sydney, is a young man with a damaged past and an uncertain future.
Constables Ellie Cameron and Larissa Brookes are young women struggling to show their worth as police officers under a misogynistic sergeant.
The drowning town holds a secret that someone is prepared to murder for, and as the floodwaters cut Gloster off from the world the three young police officers begin to understand that it's not just them left stranded. Somewhere out there in the floodwaters is a killer. And he needs them dead.
Taut, compelling and visceral, John Byrnes' Headland announces a major new voice in Australian crime fiction.
The small beachside town of Gloster is on the edge of disaster. After constant rain, floodwaters are rising fast.
Detective Constable Craig Watson, exiled to Gloster from Sydney, is a young man with a damaged past and an uncertain future.
Constables Ellie Cameron and Larissa Brookes are young women struggling to show their worth as police officers under a misogynistic sergeant.
The drowning town holds a secret that someone is prepared to murder for, and as the floodwaters cut Gloster off from the world the three young police officers begin to understand that it's not just them left stranded. Somewhere out there in the floodwaters is a killer. And he needs them dead.
Taut, compelling and visceral, John Byrnes' Headland announces a major new voice in Australian crime fiction.
Audible Audio
Published January 18, 2023
17 people are currently reading
290 people want to read
About the author
John Byrnes
2 books14 followersBorn in Sydney, John moved to Mid North Coast of New South Wales with his wife and three children in 2012. He has a broad range of life experience having spent time in the Australian Army, worked fishing trawlers out of Darwin, worked bars and doors in pubs and clubs all over Australia, and somehow ended up with an Economics Degree. He started writing in 2015 and has a fascination with the darker aspects of the human condition; the addicted, the malevolent, the scarred. He cheers for the outsider, the slacker, the contrarian, the non-conformist.
When he is not writing or pondering the darkness within men's souls he works part-time in financial services.
When he is not writing or pondering the darkness within men's souls he works part-time in financial services.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
January 6, 2023
I was looking forward to Headland, an Australian novel by a new Aussie author, John Byrnes. I love the cover and the blurb sounded exciting. BUT - it would have to be the worst book I have attempted to read in a very long time.
A twenty-four year old cop from Sydney was sent to Gloster, a small country town in NSW to fill in for six months, while another cop convalesced. Craig Watson arrived at the small police station and met the Sergeant on the desk. Then upstairs to meet the two female police he'd be working with. All good so far. But the Sergeant had pornography on his computer screen, and Watson, once at the place he'd call home, starting drinking hard liquor and taking drugs...
Sick, disgusting, vile, no character development, constant stilted flashbacks and multiple sex scenes!! And there's more - by this stage I was skimming, jumping forward. I don't understand how this book made it through the editing process to publishing (10th January 2023) and don't recommend it to anyone. Headland should not be published the way it is now.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
A twenty-four year old cop from Sydney was sent to Gloster, a small country town in NSW to fill in for six months, while another cop convalesced. Craig Watson arrived at the small police station and met the Sergeant on the desk. Then upstairs to meet the two female police he'd be working with. All good so far. But the Sergeant had pornography on his computer screen, and Watson, once at the place he'd call home, starting drinking hard liquor and taking drugs...
Sick, disgusting, vile, no character development, constant stilted flashbacks and multiple sex scenes!! And there's more - by this stage I was skimming, jumping forward. I don't understand how this book made it through the editing process to publishing (10th January 2023) and don't recommend it to anyone. Headland should not be published the way it is now.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2023
I was intrigued with this book when friends rated it one star, it was from a publisher I enjoy, and it was once rated QBD’s book of the month. (An Australian book chain). I was wondering about the polarity of this.
I quickly sourced it on audio, and away I went. Firstly, the scene is set in the town of Gloster (spelt differently from a town my parents live in, which could apply to the story itself), close enough to Sydney to fit the bill, too.
The book is dark, depressing and bleak. The setting is bleak, the banks of the river have burst and the town is run by bad men. Also, people in power abusing their situation, and politicians running rampant is a theme, too.
Detective Watson, supposedly given the title without merit arrives knowing nothing of the town, full of addiction and attitude. He is flawed, unlikeable, on the edge. There are reasons for his addiction, and reasons for the full-on sex scenes, constant pill popping and drinking.
Those who do not like to read about the above issues should steer clear of this book. It is clearly written by a male, from trivial things (which I will always notice) such as fry ups with sausages, bacon, tomatoes, eggs, mushrooms to sex between women as a turn on. A little bland.
Women don’t fare well here, the women on the police force here seem to not enjoy their roles or are particularly good, and the cause of Watson’s downfall is caused by a woman as well.
This is an odd book, well enough written but it will not appeal to all, there is recklessness and abuse and lots of distaste.
Trigger warnings for consistent drug and alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, suicide. 2.5★
I quickly sourced it on audio, and away I went. Firstly, the scene is set in the town of Gloster (spelt differently from a town my parents live in, which could apply to the story itself), close enough to Sydney to fit the bill, too.
The book is dark, depressing and bleak. The setting is bleak, the banks of the river have burst and the town is run by bad men. Also, people in power abusing their situation, and politicians running rampant is a theme, too.
Detective Watson, supposedly given the title without merit arrives knowing nothing of the town, full of addiction and attitude. He is flawed, unlikeable, on the edge. There are reasons for his addiction, and reasons for the full-on sex scenes, constant pill popping and drinking.
Those who do not like to read about the above issues should steer clear of this book. It is clearly written by a male, from trivial things (which I will always notice) such as fry ups with sausages, bacon, tomatoes, eggs, mushrooms to sex between women as a turn on. A little bland.
Women don’t fare well here, the women on the police force here seem to not enjoy their roles or are particularly good, and the cause of Watson’s downfall is caused by a woman as well.
This is an odd book, well enough written but it will not appeal to all, there is recklessness and abuse and lots of distaste.
Trigger warnings for consistent drug and alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, suicide. 2.5★
January 21, 2026
EXCERPT: 'Come on, get up. The bridge will be under by eight - we've got to get out of here.'
Larissa threw the blanket off. 'If you put it that way,' she said. 'Can you imagine being stuck here?'
Ellie called in on her large police walkie-talkie. Static. She tried a few more times and got the same result.
'It looks like all the towers are off the air,' she said. 'We've got no comms. Phones are down as well.'
Watson pulled his phone out of his pocket to double-check. No bars, no reception.
He stood outside the house's only bathroom while Larissa took an inordinate amount of time to go to the toilet. He was just contemplating the backyard when the toilet flushed and the door opened. She had fixed her hair and make-up. She looked him in the eye and touched a finger to the end of his nose, just lightly.
They made a dash for their cars in the freezing wet darkness and took off for the bridge, the women in front.
Ellie's brake lights flared unexpectedly, scattered red in his windscreen. It took him a moment to realise she wasn't slowing down - she was stopping. He stamped his foot hard on his own brakes and only just missed slamming into the back of the other car.
What the fuck?
They were two hundred metres from the bridge, just short of the town's main drag. Ellie and Larissa climbed out of their car. Watson got out and joined them. The road they were on dipped down into the intersection before climbing again slightly to the bridge. From a couple of metres in front of Ellie's cruiser to as far as the eye could see, the road was awash.
The bridge was gone.
ABOUT 'HEADLAND': A coastal town is evacuated after record floods. Three young police officers are left behind. With a killer.
The small beachside town of Gloster is on the edge of disaster. After constant rain, floodwaters are rising fast.
Detective Constable Craig Watson, exiled to Gloster from Sydney, is a young man with a damaged past and an uncertain future.
Constables Ellie Cameron and Larissa Brookes are young women struggling to show their worth as police officers under a misogynistic sergeant.
The drowning town holds a secret that someone is prepared to murder for, and as the floodwaters cut Gloster off from the world the three young police officers begin to understand that it's not just them left stranded. Somewhere out there in the floodwaters is a killer. And he needs them dead.
MY THOUGHTS: Dark, grim and gritty.
Headland is the first book I have read by Australian author John Byrnes. Several days after finishing this read, I'm still unsure if I would pick up another.
Headland is a very mixed bag. There's some damned good writing in there - thrilling and compelling. In these places I would have chewed the arm 0ff anyone who tried to separate me from this book. There are also some clunky and awkward passages that don't flow and just don't sit right. In these places I would gladly have given the book away.
Early on in the book I did almost abandon the read. With the exception of the two teenagers, Tayla and her brother Shaun, the characters are decidedly unlikeable. Worse than unlikeable - repellant.
And there are a few threads to this story that are downright grubby - one in particular felt like it was there purely for shock value. I know the author was using it to - explain? excuse? - Watson's dependence on drugs, but it definitely didn't work for me. The explicit, drug-fueled sex scenes and exploitation of young women turned my stomach - which may have been intentional on the author's part.
I am probably the wrong market for this book and had I been aware of the content I never would have picked it up. The negatives far outweigh the positives although I did enjoy the ending.
⭐⭐
#Headland @WaitomoDistrictLibrary
MEET THE AUTHOR: JOHN BYRNES Born in Sydney, John moved to Mid North Coast of New South Wales with his wife and three children in 2012. He has a broad range of life experience having spent time in the Australian Army, worked fishing trawlers out of Darwin, worked bars and doors in pubs and clubs all over Australia, and somehow ended up with an Economics Degree. He started writing in 2015 and has a fascination with the darker aspects of the human condition; the addicted, the malevolent, the scarred. He cheers for the outsider, the slacker, the contrarian, the non-conformist.
When he is not writing or pondering the darkness within men's souls he works part-time in financial services.
Larissa threw the blanket off. 'If you put it that way,' she said. 'Can you imagine being stuck here?'
Ellie called in on her large police walkie-talkie. Static. She tried a few more times and got the same result.
'It looks like all the towers are off the air,' she said. 'We've got no comms. Phones are down as well.'
Watson pulled his phone out of his pocket to double-check. No bars, no reception.
He stood outside the house's only bathroom while Larissa took an inordinate amount of time to go to the toilet. He was just contemplating the backyard when the toilet flushed and the door opened. She had fixed her hair and make-up. She looked him in the eye and touched a finger to the end of his nose, just lightly.
They made a dash for their cars in the freezing wet darkness and took off for the bridge, the women in front.
Ellie's brake lights flared unexpectedly, scattered red in his windscreen. It took him a moment to realise she wasn't slowing down - she was stopping. He stamped his foot hard on his own brakes and only just missed slamming into the back of the other car.
What the fuck?
They were two hundred metres from the bridge, just short of the town's main drag. Ellie and Larissa climbed out of their car. Watson got out and joined them. The road they were on dipped down into the intersection before climbing again slightly to the bridge. From a couple of metres in front of Ellie's cruiser to as far as the eye could see, the road was awash.
The bridge was gone.
ABOUT 'HEADLAND': A coastal town is evacuated after record floods. Three young police officers are left behind. With a killer.
The small beachside town of Gloster is on the edge of disaster. After constant rain, floodwaters are rising fast.
Detective Constable Craig Watson, exiled to Gloster from Sydney, is a young man with a damaged past and an uncertain future.
Constables Ellie Cameron and Larissa Brookes are young women struggling to show their worth as police officers under a misogynistic sergeant.
The drowning town holds a secret that someone is prepared to murder for, and as the floodwaters cut Gloster off from the world the three young police officers begin to understand that it's not just them left stranded. Somewhere out there in the floodwaters is a killer. And he needs them dead.
MY THOUGHTS: Dark, grim and gritty.
Headland is the first book I have read by Australian author John Byrnes. Several days after finishing this read, I'm still unsure if I would pick up another.
Headland is a very mixed bag. There's some damned good writing in there - thrilling and compelling. In these places I would have chewed the arm 0ff anyone who tried to separate me from this book. There are also some clunky and awkward passages that don't flow and just don't sit right. In these places I would gladly have given the book away.
Early on in the book I did almost abandon the read. With the exception of the two teenagers, Tayla and her brother Shaun, the characters are decidedly unlikeable. Worse than unlikeable - repellant.
And there are a few threads to this story that are downright grubby - one in particular felt like it was there purely for shock value. I know the author was using it to - explain? excuse? - Watson's dependence on drugs, but it definitely didn't work for me. The explicit, drug-fueled sex scenes and exploitation of young women turned my stomach - which may have been intentional on the author's part.
I am probably the wrong market for this book and had I been aware of the content I never would have picked it up. The negatives far outweigh the positives although I did enjoy the ending.
⭐⭐
#Headland @WaitomoDistrictLibrary
MEET THE AUTHOR: JOHN BYRNES Born in Sydney, John moved to Mid North Coast of New South Wales with his wife and three children in 2012. He has a broad range of life experience having spent time in the Australian Army, worked fishing trawlers out of Darwin, worked bars and doors in pubs and clubs all over Australia, and somehow ended up with an Economics Degree. He started writing in 2015 and has a fascination with the darker aspects of the human condition; the addicted, the malevolent, the scarred. He cheers for the outsider, the slacker, the contrarian, the non-conformist.
When he is not writing or pondering the darkness within men's souls he works part-time in financial services.
March 5, 2023
This entire mess of a book was vile, off-putting and read like a teen boy edge lords Wattpad fanfic.
Apart from the shit character development, pages upon pages of flashbacks, the grammatical error on page 201 (Laura, WHO IS DEAD, suddenly starts speaking), and writing that made me feel illiterate, the content was just absolutely disgusting.
WHY did the author feel like it was necessary to describe a dead man’s tongue being out as pornographic? You can’t go from describing a person’s hanging, decaying body and then say his tongue was sticking out “pornographically”.
The stand-out moments of this book are easily the copious (and unnecessary) sex scenes. Felt like every chapter had either graphic detail of underage girls naked and posing, literal PAGES of explicitly described rape, or the main character getting a boner for the tenth time because one of his co-workers looked in his direction for too long.
It’s actually so annoying how the main character is presented to be this feminist ally at the start when he rolls his eyes behind the back of his boss who was being misogynistic. News flash, that’s not something to applaud. It doesn’t make the main character likable. It actually made him even more annoying. And then the cherry on top is that the author completely forgets the storyline of the two female cops and their struggles immediately. From then on, they are merely there to either be a cringe lesbian stereotype (but still attracted to the main character) or scream at every little thing and be a love interest (even though they are meant to be capable police officers). Mm yes. Feminism at its finest, right?
Then there’s the casual police brutality where two of the main characters, at multiple points in the book, enter a home and either assault or attempt to assault someone. They face no repercussions for this. If anything, they are rewarded.
The constant and descriptive drug use scenes were also somewhat nauseating. Every page or two he takes some more pills and that’s that. And yet, there are no serious repercussions that he faces. He shows up to work every day drugged up and nothing comes from it. He takes no steps to counter his addiction, he just is magically cured at the very end after a time jump.
Honestly, I felt that it was all glorified. As someone who has lost a family member to drug addiction, reading this book felt borderline triggering at times.
The author clearly just wanted to write edgy, smutty garbage and tried to disguise it as a gritty crime novel. It is SO bad I wanna give you a zero. But that is not possible, so I give you a one.
Apart from the shit character development, pages upon pages of flashbacks, the grammatical error on page 201 (Laura, WHO IS DEAD, suddenly starts speaking), and writing that made me feel illiterate, the content was just absolutely disgusting.
WHY did the author feel like it was necessary to describe a dead man’s tongue being out as pornographic? You can’t go from describing a person’s hanging, decaying body and then say his tongue was sticking out “pornographically”.
The stand-out moments of this book are easily the copious (and unnecessary) sex scenes. Felt like every chapter had either graphic detail of underage girls naked and posing, literal PAGES of explicitly described rape, or the main character getting a boner for the tenth time because one of his co-workers looked in his direction for too long.
It’s actually so annoying how the main character is presented to be this feminist ally at the start when he rolls his eyes behind the back of his boss who was being misogynistic. News flash, that’s not something to applaud. It doesn’t make the main character likable. It actually made him even more annoying. And then the cherry on top is that the author completely forgets the storyline of the two female cops and their struggles immediately. From then on, they are merely there to either be a cringe lesbian stereotype (but still attracted to the main character) or scream at every little thing and be a love interest (even though they are meant to be capable police officers). Mm yes. Feminism at its finest, right?
Then there’s the casual police brutality where two of the main characters, at multiple points in the book, enter a home and either assault or attempt to assault someone. They face no repercussions for this. If anything, they are rewarded.
The constant and descriptive drug use scenes were also somewhat nauseating. Every page or two he takes some more pills and that’s that. And yet, there are no serious repercussions that he faces. He shows up to work every day drugged up and nothing comes from it. He takes no steps to counter his addiction, he just is magically cured at the very end after a time jump.
Honestly, I felt that it was all glorified. As someone who has lost a family member to drug addiction, reading this book felt borderline triggering at times.
The author clearly just wanted to write edgy, smutty garbage and tried to disguise it as a gritty crime novel. It is SO bad I wanna give you a zero. But that is not possible, so I give you a one.
January 27, 2023
Is pulp rural noir fiction a thing? If not perhaps Headland by Australian author John Byrnes is the first of its kind. Dark, lurid, gritty and violent, this debut novel includes elements of both crime fiction subgenres, if you don’t know what to expect, Headland is likely to shock.
Detective Senior Constable Craig Watson is the novel’s compromised protagonist, a drug addict whose poor performance has seen him exiled to a small coastal town hours from Sydney, to relieve a colleague. He’s not a character that endears himself to anyone, seemingly corrupted by his habit, and the slow revelation of a twisted relationship that haunts him, even a shred of redemption seems impossible, at least at the outset.
It’s already been raining for days when Craig arrives in Gloster, but he isn’t given any time to settle in. The town is on flood watch, there’s a missing teenage girl who could be a runaway or the victim of a kidnapping, a recent fatal accident that’s declared not to be an accident, and an assault on a councillor. Even high, Craig quickly recognises that something is off in Gloster, including the behaviour of his station boss, Sergeant Thomas Philby, and begins to unravel a conspiracy of corruption, fraud, sexual exploitation and murder.
The action in the story really gets underway after the river breaks it banks, and Craig, along with his colleagues Constables Ellie Cameron and Larissa Brookes, find they have been left behind in the evacuation. They think they are alone until Ellie vanishes leaving behind a trail of blood, and it becomes clear they are trapped with a desperate killer. The momentum then rarely lets up with daring rescues, furious gun battles, and brutal confrontations fraught with tension. The driving rain creates a close atmosphere, the town Byrnes describes is laid out much like my own, and I almost expected to look up from the book’s pages to see the streets flooding (as they do once or twice a year).
Be aware however, there are several confronting, and even affronting, characters and scenes in Headland. Few in the cast come off well, particularly those who we are usually predisposed to trust, and there are quite graphic descriptions of misogyny, abuse, violence, sex, and sexual assault, all of which is expected from the pulp genre.
Headland may not appeal to everyone but I found it aggressive, fast paced and gripping, I couldn’t put it down.
Detective Senior Constable Craig Watson is the novel’s compromised protagonist, a drug addict whose poor performance has seen him exiled to a small coastal town hours from Sydney, to relieve a colleague. He’s not a character that endears himself to anyone, seemingly corrupted by his habit, and the slow revelation of a twisted relationship that haunts him, even a shred of redemption seems impossible, at least at the outset.
It’s already been raining for days when Craig arrives in Gloster, but he isn’t given any time to settle in. The town is on flood watch, there’s a missing teenage girl who could be a runaway or the victim of a kidnapping, a recent fatal accident that’s declared not to be an accident, and an assault on a councillor. Even high, Craig quickly recognises that something is off in Gloster, including the behaviour of his station boss, Sergeant Thomas Philby, and begins to unravel a conspiracy of corruption, fraud, sexual exploitation and murder.
The action in the story really gets underway after the river breaks it banks, and Craig, along with his colleagues Constables Ellie Cameron and Larissa Brookes, find they have been left behind in the evacuation. They think they are alone until Ellie vanishes leaving behind a trail of blood, and it becomes clear they are trapped with a desperate killer. The momentum then rarely lets up with daring rescues, furious gun battles, and brutal confrontations fraught with tension. The driving rain creates a close atmosphere, the town Byrnes describes is laid out much like my own, and I almost expected to look up from the book’s pages to see the streets flooding (as they do once or twice a year).
Be aware however, there are several confronting, and even affronting, characters and scenes in Headland. Few in the cast come off well, particularly those who we are usually predisposed to trust, and there are quite graphic descriptions of misogyny, abuse, violence, sex, and sexual assault, all of which is expected from the pulp genre.
Headland may not appeal to everyone but I found it aggressive, fast paced and gripping, I couldn’t put it down.
December 21, 2022
Male author + shit protagonist (poor character development, no likeability, attempts at redeeming qualities were weak and useless) + a misogynist trying to write a worse misogynist to redeem himself + "how do you write female characters?" Posted on Yahoo = this book.
I DNF'd halfway through because the more I read, the more annoyed I got.
First of all, John Byrnes should be banned from ever writing flashbacks. Literally a page of italics written in a stilted voice for "integral" moments in why this character is such a shit person but bro when you're mixing oxycontin + speed + alcohol + meth and going to work as a cop while driving at dangerous speeds after two people were just killed in a car accident, some gross sex scenes that are probs gonna get more sinister doesn't really excuse the gross risk to everyone that drugs, police brutality and reckless endangerment causes.
Also, thanks to Byrnes for scribbling a list of "what would the most shocking thing to read be?" And then pencilling them over a teenage fever dream of a plot in order of appearance. Wow, this author is edgy because there's dRUgS and MuRdER and PORnoGraphy and kinky sex and ~workplace sexual tension~. Bro. Focus on writing actual characters.
Also his "WOW THIS SERGEANT CHARACTER IS SEXIST" *eye roll when the guy turns around* isn't signs of feminism or being an ally. Especially when you go on to then write two female characters who are Empowered because they
- Look pretty and the other one tries not to look feminine
- Say things that make the male protagonist "raise his eyebrows"
- Have sexual tension (I think both of them do? I was lost in the shit writing to really care. I also saw it coming)
- Even though they're cops with high ranks, the second something bad happens, all they do is cry and can't speak until the male protagonist tells her to "get it together" (don't worry - Even though she does, she's still useless and doesn't know how to conduct herself during a basic police raid with a Confident Man in charge)
I don't even want to go on. My eyes are strained from eye rolls.
I DNF'd halfway through because the more I read, the more annoyed I got.
First of all, John Byrnes should be banned from ever writing flashbacks. Literally a page of italics written in a stilted voice for "integral" moments in why this character is such a shit person but bro when you're mixing oxycontin + speed + alcohol + meth and going to work as a cop while driving at dangerous speeds after two people were just killed in a car accident, some gross sex scenes that are probs gonna get more sinister doesn't really excuse the gross risk to everyone that drugs, police brutality and reckless endangerment causes.
Also, thanks to Byrnes for scribbling a list of "what would the most shocking thing to read be?" And then pencilling them over a teenage fever dream of a plot in order of appearance. Wow, this author is edgy because there's dRUgS and MuRdER and PORnoGraphy and kinky sex and ~workplace sexual tension~. Bro. Focus on writing actual characters.
Also his "WOW THIS SERGEANT CHARACTER IS SEXIST" *eye roll when the guy turns around* isn't signs of feminism or being an ally. Especially when you go on to then write two female characters who are Empowered because they
- Look pretty and the other one tries not to look feminine
- Say things that make the male protagonist "raise his eyebrows"
- Have sexual tension (I think both of them do? I was lost in the shit writing to really care. I also saw it coming)
- Even though they're cops with high ranks, the second something bad happens, all they do is cry and can't speak until the male protagonist tells her to "get it together" (don't worry - Even though she does, she's still useless and doesn't know how to conduct herself during a basic police raid with a Confident Man in charge)
I don't even want to go on. My eyes are strained from eye rolls.
January 2, 2023
Trigger warnings - There's frequent prescription drug use as well as consumption of copious amounts of alcohol. There are a couple of references to photos of minors engaged in sexual conduct. There are a few short scenes of coersed sexual interaction between adults.
Essentially it reads like the mc and his companions aren't police but looters stuck behind for the most part. They break into various premises just to steal or vandalise rather than with an actual law inforcement purpose. Near the end they suddenly decide to act like cops when taking down the big bad but overall, I dont understand why it's spoken about as a police procedural - its vigilante justice and written like absolute garbage 🙃
Essentially it reads like the mc and his companions aren't police but looters stuck behind for the most part. They break into various premises just to steal or vandalise rather than with an actual law inforcement purpose. Near the end they suddenly decide to act like cops when taking down the big bad but overall, I dont understand why it's spoken about as a police procedural - its vigilante justice and written like absolute garbage 🙃
September 2, 2023
There are some pretty confronting themes to deal with if you’re going to get through John Byrnes’ debut novel, Headland. Rampant drug use, wanton violence and graphic sex scenes are all commonplace throughout the story.
Other recent Australian crime thrillers set in rural settings have (incorrectly, in my opinion) been labeled as Aussie noir. Headland differs from those others because this is a dark crime thriller that fits the nomenclature of Aussie noir to a tee. It won’t be to every person’s taste (it’s dark, gritty, filled with confronting themes) but then, not everyone loves Double Indemnity and its ilk, either. (And please don’t misunderstand, I’m definitely not comparing Headland with Double Indemnity!)
The protagonist is Craig Watson and he’s a deeply flawed character who also happens to be a police detective. The reasons why he’s so psychologically damaged become clear courtesy of a series of flashbacks that are interspersed between the action taking place in the present day.
Watson arrives to take up his posting in the small town of Gloster where everyone’s on flood watch. It’s been raining for days and doesn’t look like easing up. His first job is to investigate the disappearance of a local teenage girl who, it turns out, is also responsible for a string of minor thefts in recent times. While working his way through the case he also learns there’s been a car accident that may be more than a simple accident plus some dodgy dealings in council relating to the zoning of land in the area.
What quickly becomes obvious, though, is that Watson’s a barely functioning addict who depends on regular hits from whatever he can get his hands on. Meth, cocaine, Oxycontin and Xanax appear to be his preferred go to drugs. Watching him walk the tightrope between his job and addiction creates the impression of when, not if, something horrible is going to happen.
When Watson and two of his fellow police officer colleagues, Constables Ellie Cameron and Larissa Brookes, find themselves left behind after the town has been evacuated the day to day police work is shelved and some serious action takes place. It appears they’re not the only ones left behind. They’re alone in the deserted town with a killer and set about uncovering their identity and bringing them down, breaking just about every rule in the book in the process.
I like noir thrillers and can appreciate the psychological damage that can result in the most appalling behaviour. However, Byrnes pushes the boundaries of how far to take things and puts his characters through the gamut of some of the most traumatic actions imaginable. Sexual depravity, misogyny, extreme violence, self harm and more plays a frequent and graphic part of the story. Taken in context as part of Watson’s story and it's (barely) justifiable and provides us with a complete picture of just how messed up the man is.
Headland is, in part, a murder mystery and although it gets solved, it takes somewhat of a backseat and is clearly not the most important part to the story. This won’t be to everyone’s tastes, it’s nasty, aggressively confrontational and harrowing. It’s modern noir.
Other recent Australian crime thrillers set in rural settings have (incorrectly, in my opinion) been labeled as Aussie noir. Headland differs from those others because this is a dark crime thriller that fits the nomenclature of Aussie noir to a tee. It won’t be to every person’s taste (it’s dark, gritty, filled with confronting themes) but then, not everyone loves Double Indemnity and its ilk, either. (And please don’t misunderstand, I’m definitely not comparing Headland with Double Indemnity!)
The protagonist is Craig Watson and he’s a deeply flawed character who also happens to be a police detective. The reasons why he’s so psychologically damaged become clear courtesy of a series of flashbacks that are interspersed between the action taking place in the present day.
Watson arrives to take up his posting in the small town of Gloster where everyone’s on flood watch. It’s been raining for days and doesn’t look like easing up. His first job is to investigate the disappearance of a local teenage girl who, it turns out, is also responsible for a string of minor thefts in recent times. While working his way through the case he also learns there’s been a car accident that may be more than a simple accident plus some dodgy dealings in council relating to the zoning of land in the area.
What quickly becomes obvious, though, is that Watson’s a barely functioning addict who depends on regular hits from whatever he can get his hands on. Meth, cocaine, Oxycontin and Xanax appear to be his preferred go to drugs. Watching him walk the tightrope between his job and addiction creates the impression of when, not if, something horrible is going to happen.
When Watson and two of his fellow police officer colleagues, Constables Ellie Cameron and Larissa Brookes, find themselves left behind after the town has been evacuated the day to day police work is shelved and some serious action takes place. It appears they’re not the only ones left behind. They’re alone in the deserted town with a killer and set about uncovering their identity and bringing them down, breaking just about every rule in the book in the process.
I like noir thrillers and can appreciate the psychological damage that can result in the most appalling behaviour. However, Byrnes pushes the boundaries of how far to take things and puts his characters through the gamut of some of the most traumatic actions imaginable. Sexual depravity, misogyny, extreme violence, self harm and more plays a frequent and graphic part of the story. Taken in context as part of Watson’s story and it's (barely) justifiable and provides us with a complete picture of just how messed up the man is.
Headland is, in part, a murder mystery and although it gets solved, it takes somewhat of a backseat and is clearly not the most important part to the story. This won’t be to everyone’s tastes, it’s nasty, aggressively confrontational and harrowing. It’s modern noir.
January 25, 2023
I’m not usually so scathing but I have to say this straight out of the gate… I did not enjoy this book. My stomach was twisted and bile in my throat reading 90% of it. It is a book which visits extremely heavy topics and needs to come with multiple trigger warnings revolving around drug abuse and sexual assault. It’s a far cry from the book it’s advertised as…
👮♂️
Headland follows Detective Craig Watson, who is posted to Gloster when the usual detective is on leave. From the get go this book has a very heavy and gloomy feel to it. From the derelict town, the stormy weather and it’s obvious Watson carries some extreme baggage. I did not expect the baggage to go so… extreme.
👮♂️
Watson has only been in town for an hour when a young teenage girl is reported missing by her worried mother and brother. It was at this part of the story that I started to dislike “Detective” Craig Watson. He did not give a shit. All he cares about is getting to his rundown accomodation and lighting up a bong then whipping himself while tossing himself off. No joke.
👮♂️
Then the floods which have steadily been rising since he arrived peak and the town is evacuated. Somehow though the three cops get left behind… and instead of three cops chasing down a killer with some good investigative work… we get… well… not that?
👮♂️
I feel like there was so much inaccuracy throughout this story, and it started from how the blurb of the book was written. I was so keen for this book. It was portrayed as a gripping Australian crime book, from a new Aussie author, with police work you could really sink for teeth into. But this couldn’t be further from the truth! I’m not a police officer, but I felt that the police work in the book was incorrect. In fact, I don’t even know why there were police in it, and why it was made out to be a detective style book because there was barely any of this in there. For starters, how could three cops be left alone and no one not realise? It was just so stupid. When their cop friend goes missing instead of I dunno, using their police brains, they just go and sit in their house. Then go and smash up the chemist to get some drugs!? But then when a dead body turns up they literally go meh and just leave it to go and get wasted. Then there’s no mention of it since!?
👮♂️
The police in this book was a massive, massive letdown. Now obviously not all cops are good. There are some insanely corrupt ones. Ones that are just shit. And in books we get characters which are morally grey and imperfect. I get that. But this book was just done in such a distasteful way… I can’t explain it. Maybe I just have a stick up my arse?
👮♂️
So if there’s only scraps of police work by crap cops… what’s the book about? Hm… let’s think. Well all it really contained was flashback scenes of Craig and A LOT of hardcore and gross sex scenes when Craig is groomed by his girlfriend’s politician mother. I understand that the author wanted to show in depth why Craig is so messed up but did it really have to go THAT far? It made me feel sick. In fairness, I did like that it put a spotlight on how men too can be sexually assaulted/manipulated as women have a bigger voice in this area. But that was literally the only good thing about those scenes.
👮♂️
Then there’s the two female cops. God I smacked my iPad against my head when what I dreaded came. I’m not against LGBTQ. But when the two female cops who live together are then made to be lesbians in a distasteful way? Nope, nope, nope!
👮♂️
But wait! If that isn’t grossing you out enough there’s the big plot twist which had me shrivelling like a prune in the sun. I’ll provide a key word to warn you: incest.
👮♂️
At the end of the day, this book was only good for glorifying drugs, corrupt cops, child pornography, sexual assault and manipulation. It was like living in some twisted sexual fantasy and I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels this way. It made my skin crawl. It made me want to vomit. I was so disappointed because this book promised some really great police work. I mean if you’re into this thing… it’s a great book. However it was NOT advertised to be like this which was extremely misleading.
👮♂️
Headland follows Detective Craig Watson, who is posted to Gloster when the usual detective is on leave. From the get go this book has a very heavy and gloomy feel to it. From the derelict town, the stormy weather and it’s obvious Watson carries some extreme baggage. I did not expect the baggage to go so… extreme.
👮♂️
Watson has only been in town for an hour when a young teenage girl is reported missing by her worried mother and brother. It was at this part of the story that I started to dislike “Detective” Craig Watson. He did not give a shit. All he cares about is getting to his rundown accomodation and lighting up a bong then whipping himself while tossing himself off. No joke.
👮♂️
Then the floods which have steadily been rising since he arrived peak and the town is evacuated. Somehow though the three cops get left behind… and instead of three cops chasing down a killer with some good investigative work… we get… well… not that?
👮♂️
I feel like there was so much inaccuracy throughout this story, and it started from how the blurb of the book was written. I was so keen for this book. It was portrayed as a gripping Australian crime book, from a new Aussie author, with police work you could really sink for teeth into. But this couldn’t be further from the truth! I’m not a police officer, but I felt that the police work in the book was incorrect. In fact, I don’t even know why there were police in it, and why it was made out to be a detective style book because there was barely any of this in there. For starters, how could three cops be left alone and no one not realise? It was just so stupid. When their cop friend goes missing instead of I dunno, using their police brains, they just go and sit in their house. Then go and smash up the chemist to get some drugs!? But then when a dead body turns up they literally go meh and just leave it to go and get wasted. Then there’s no mention of it since!?
👮♂️
The police in this book was a massive, massive letdown. Now obviously not all cops are good. There are some insanely corrupt ones. Ones that are just shit. And in books we get characters which are morally grey and imperfect. I get that. But this book was just done in such a distasteful way… I can’t explain it. Maybe I just have a stick up my arse?
👮♂️
So if there’s only scraps of police work by crap cops… what’s the book about? Hm… let’s think. Well all it really contained was flashback scenes of Craig and A LOT of hardcore and gross sex scenes when Craig is groomed by his girlfriend’s politician mother. I understand that the author wanted to show in depth why Craig is so messed up but did it really have to go THAT far? It made me feel sick. In fairness, I did like that it put a spotlight on how men too can be sexually assaulted/manipulated as women have a bigger voice in this area. But that was literally the only good thing about those scenes.
👮♂️
Then there’s the two female cops. God I smacked my iPad against my head when what I dreaded came. I’m not against LGBTQ. But when the two female cops who live together are then made to be lesbians in a distasteful way? Nope, nope, nope!
👮♂️
But wait! If that isn’t grossing you out enough there’s the big plot twist which had me shrivelling like a prune in the sun. I’ll provide a key word to warn you: incest.
👮♂️
At the end of the day, this book was only good for glorifying drugs, corrupt cops, child pornography, sexual assault and manipulation. It was like living in some twisted sexual fantasy and I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels this way. It made my skin crawl. It made me want to vomit. I was so disappointed because this book promised some really great police work. I mean if you’re into this thing… it’s a great book. However it was NOT advertised to be like this which was extremely misleading.
January 10, 2023
It's 2023 and this is how female characters are still being portrayed? With two female police officers as some of the main characters it was especially disappointing to see them used as victims and plot devices, not contributing much more than an alluring glance at our main protagonist.
Speaking of the main protagonist, any attempt of a redemption arc fell flat due to his thoroughly unlikable personality, definitely fuelled by his copious drug abuse (that somehow no-one noticed??)
The "mystery" of the novel is remarkably predictable, almost to the point of clichè. An unfortunate first outing for a new author.
Speaking of the main protagonist, any attempt of a redemption arc fell flat due to his thoroughly unlikable personality, definitely fuelled by his copious drug abuse (that somehow no-one noticed??)
The "mystery" of the novel is remarkably predictable, almost to the point of clichè. An unfortunate first outing for a new author.
January 4, 2023
Picked this up as a fan of Jane Harper and other similar authors. Put it down two hours later as a big fan of John Byrnes.
January 16, 2023
The synopsis for Headland by John Byrne immediately captured my attention as this sounded like a book I would love – crime drama set in a rural Australian small town with the bonus of a natural disaster thrown into the mix. I went into it expecting a Chris Hammer style of book but unfortunately, that is not what I found between the pages. And I really wanted to like it, but I only kept reading after the 25% mark because I figured I must have been missing something and maybe I just needed to warm up to it – but the problems I had were more deep seated than that.
The small town of Gloster is in the midst of heavy rain & imminent flooding when troubled Sydney Detective Craig Watson is posted there to replace another police officer who has left town at the worst possible time. As soon as he arrives, he is given the case of local missing girl and wonders if there is a possible connection between this and a fatal car accident a couple of weeks ago which he’s told about. As he starts investigating what is really going on in this small town, the town is evacuated due to the rising floodwaters leaving behind 3 young police officers and a potential killer on the loose.
In my opinion, the premise is the best thing the story has going for it and even that wasn’t enough to make up for all the things I didn’t enjoy. None of the characters were even remotely likable to me; our main protagonist is a drug addicted, corrupt cop who even when his traumatic backstory is revealed, I didn’t like him any better. I’m not saying I need my main characters is to be squeaky clean and faultless, but they do need to have some redeeming features to make you care about what happens to them. His two female police colleagues are depicted as inept, sometime lesbians who deep down really want to him sex with him and have no problem with him running around with a gun once his drug abuse is discovered. I felt like their sole purpose as characters was for them to interact with Craig and that left me with this whole misogynistic vibe while reading it.
And then there is the graphic sex/abuse scenes and clunky flash backs…. I’m not sure if it is the writing or the execution of these that didn’t work for me. I understand these were required to explain Craig’s backstory, but it all felt too much & heavy handed. Also, who, apart from a necrophiliac, describes a swollen tongue hanging out of a dead body as “pornographic”! I’m sorry but ewwww!
There is one reveal at the end of the book that I totally didn’t see coming but it made me have more questions than answers.
I’m sorry for sounding really negative in my thoughts on this but honestly for me there just wasn’t much in this book that I liked. I might be in the minority with my thoughts on this one as I’ve seen some great reviews, but it really was not a book for me.
The small town of Gloster is in the midst of heavy rain & imminent flooding when troubled Sydney Detective Craig Watson is posted there to replace another police officer who has left town at the worst possible time. As soon as he arrives, he is given the case of local missing girl and wonders if there is a possible connection between this and a fatal car accident a couple of weeks ago which he’s told about. As he starts investigating what is really going on in this small town, the town is evacuated due to the rising floodwaters leaving behind 3 young police officers and a potential killer on the loose.
In my opinion, the premise is the best thing the story has going for it and even that wasn’t enough to make up for all the things I didn’t enjoy. None of the characters were even remotely likable to me; our main protagonist is a drug addicted, corrupt cop who even when his traumatic backstory is revealed, I didn’t like him any better. I’m not saying I need my main characters is to be squeaky clean and faultless, but they do need to have some redeeming features to make you care about what happens to them. His two female police colleagues are depicted as inept, sometime lesbians who deep down really want to him sex with him and have no problem with him running around with a gun once his drug abuse is discovered. I felt like their sole purpose as characters was for them to interact with Craig and that left me with this whole misogynistic vibe while reading it.
And then there is the graphic sex/abuse scenes and clunky flash backs…. I’m not sure if it is the writing or the execution of these that didn’t work for me. I understand these were required to explain Craig’s backstory, but it all felt too much & heavy handed. Also, who, apart from a necrophiliac, describes a swollen tongue hanging out of a dead body as “pornographic”! I’m sorry but ewwww!
There is one reveal at the end of the book that I totally didn’t see coming but it made me have more questions than answers.
I’m sorry for sounding really negative in my thoughts on this but honestly for me there just wasn’t much in this book that I liked. I might be in the minority with my thoughts on this one as I’ve seen some great reviews, but it really was not a book for me.
January 19, 2023
ZERO STARS
I'm two thirds into this piece of this misogynistic disgusting fantasy of a crime thriller.
I contemplated removing this book from my read list, but the audience need to know.
Three young cops stranded in a small coastal NSW community, with a killer on the loose. Great premise, fucking absolute let down. From the get go there are unnecessary rapey flashbacks, the main police officer is taking enough drugs to sedate an elephant every 2 hours, the women in this story are nothing but irrelevant props and sex symbols, and what should be an interesting plot is all but forgotten.
I'm throwing this one in the bin. Not metaphorically. In the bin.
I'm two thirds into this piece of this misogynistic disgusting fantasy of a crime thriller.
I contemplated removing this book from my read list, but the audience need to know.
Three young cops stranded in a small coastal NSW community, with a killer on the loose. Great premise, fucking absolute let down. From the get go there are unnecessary rapey flashbacks, the main police officer is taking enough drugs to sedate an elephant every 2 hours, the women in this story are nothing but irrelevant props and sex symbols, and what should be an interesting plot is all but forgotten.
I'm throwing this one in the bin. Not metaphorically. In the bin.
January 15, 2024
I picked this book up because the blurb sounded interesting, didn’t have time to check the ratings on Goodreads. When I did, I was a bit disappointed in the ratings and worried that I picked up a dud, but this wasn’t so. It didn’t take me long to get absorbed in this story (fuelled on by the recent floodings here in Australia made it feel like happening in real time). The story revolves around Detective Watson being posted to a small coastal community, not long after he arrives he gets involved in a missing person’s case and the rain won’t stop… the story jumps back to his past a fair bit, which allows you to understand why he is the person he is. The story was told in a manner that kept you engaged, the characters were well developed and the story kept you on the edge of your seat with a final twist that I so did not see coming, which is why I have it a 5 star instead of a 4.5 rating. To the people that rated it lowly, because there was sex and drugs involved, perhaps don’t read crime novels if you feel triggered by them, just saying…. I am for one am glad I read on despite reading the negative reviews, and I am certainly not one to waste my time on a book I can’t get into.
@John Byrnes, look forward to reading your next novel.
@John Byrnes, look forward to reading your next novel.
December 30, 2022
The best book I have ever written.
February 21, 2023
Don’t waste time reading this one. Poorly edited, vile subject matter at times, poor character development.
June 27, 2023
Headlands has a host of unlikable characters, including Detective Craig Watson, the main character. I was curious to read this story as it has such mixed reviews. 3.5 stars.
January 22, 2023
Craig Watson is a Detective Constable with a substance addiction. He is sent packing from Sydney to the small beachside town of Gloster to fill in for six-months. On his first day a missing teenager case is thrown in his lap, and things go downhill from there.
Soon, Craig and his fellow officers are stranded in floodwaters with a killer on the loose. Will they survive?
My gosh….this is the book that got me out of my five-week reading slump. I devoured it in one afternoon/evening whilst recovering from COVID. That’s right, even with my reading slump, foggy brain and fatigue, this book kept me CAPTIVATED. The chapters were short, the text a great size (seriously, we need to stop having books published with small text) and it was a great length at under 300 pages.
This book was fast paced, and even though the protagonist, Craig, was someone I wouldn’t normally root for, there was just something about him that intrigued me and wanted him to find his way. The flashbacks throughout the book explained why Craig had a substance abuse problem, and definitely humbled me for being quick to judge.
If you are a fan of Australian crime fiction, you can’t go past this book.
A huge thank you to Allen and Unwin for the gifted copy.
Soon, Craig and his fellow officers are stranded in floodwaters with a killer on the loose. Will they survive?
My gosh….this is the book that got me out of my five-week reading slump. I devoured it in one afternoon/evening whilst recovering from COVID. That’s right, even with my reading slump, foggy brain and fatigue, this book kept me CAPTIVATED. The chapters were short, the text a great size (seriously, we need to stop having books published with small text) and it was a great length at under 300 pages.
This book was fast paced, and even though the protagonist, Craig, was someone I wouldn’t normally root for, there was just something about him that intrigued me and wanted him to find his way. The flashbacks throughout the book explained why Craig had a substance abuse problem, and definitely humbled me for being quick to judge.
If you are a fan of Australian crime fiction, you can’t go past this book.
A huge thank you to Allen and Unwin for the gifted copy.
January 25, 2023
Was this written in some kind of writers chat forum, pasted together and bits got left out?
Jumps all over the place, story lines get left behind and forgotten, where did that body go?!
This was crap. Best bit was the blurb on the back.
Jumps all over the place, story lines get left behind and forgotten, where did that body go?!
This was crap. Best bit was the blurb on the back.
August 13, 2023
Excellent book! A fantastic exploration of what abuse can do to people
January 12, 2023
Mmm??? What can I say about this book. Loved it being written by an Australian and set in Australia.
The story line itself seemed to have a lot going on, but saying this all made sense clearly when it all came together. This then showed the who and why behind it all of the many characters and the challenges in life.
The story line itself seemed to have a lot going on, but saying this all made sense clearly when it all came together. This then showed the who and why behind it all of the many characters and the challenges in life.
January 7, 2023
A convoluted story with a protagonist that is hard to like and who also has no redeeming qualities. Wishy-washy supporting characters add to the milieu. The parallel story of his past added some pace. However, I really struggled with the fact that someone can be that dysfunctional (via his drug addiction) and still have a job. I suppose it opened my eyes to how many people are out there doing the same day to day in a myriad of jobs - many that probably involve others’ wellbeing and safety!!!! Eeek!! Not a very satisfying ending either. Mediocre.
April 24, 2023
Detective Constable Craig Watson is posted in a small seaside town and is thrown in the deepend from his first day. In the meantime the town is on flood watch and nearing evacuation.
The two other female officers in the town are struggling with their Sergeant.
Det. Watson has some doubts about a recent accident where a father and daughter were killed.
As he gets deeper into solving it, people in town are being evacuated due to floods rising.
The 3 officers stay behind to keep on with the search, little did they know the actual killer was still in town also.
A very gripping, page turner.
@JohnByrnes
The two other female officers in the town are struggling with their Sergeant.
Det. Watson has some doubts about a recent accident where a father and daughter were killed.
As he gets deeper into solving it, people in town are being evacuated due to floods rising.
The 3 officers stay behind to keep on with the search, little did they know the actual killer was still in town also.
A very gripping, page turner.
@JohnByrnes
January 11, 2023
2.5 stars. You can tell this was written by a male!!! Fuck this wasn’t what I wanted! It sounded great. It was easy writing to read and the chapters where short.
So much sexual violence really wasn’t necessary! The characters where awful people and the plot wasn’t developed enough. Really disappointed for my first read
So much sexual violence really wasn’t necessary! The characters where awful people and the plot wasn’t developed enough. Really disappointed for my first read
April 28, 2023
What a thrilling read - every page you held your breath to see what would happen next! The scene: the impending flood, relentless rain and great characters kept suspense to a high level throughout. Very Australian with a believable setting and flawed people battling through the elements and with each other to overcome unknown opposition. Highly recommend.
January 24, 2023
This book gave me the ick. Horrid really. I thought if I kept reading it would get better - spoiler alert - it doesn’t. Wouldn’t waste my time. The premise may be interesting but it was poorly executed and to be honest, just gross.
March 6, 2023
Love a tormented protagonist. I loved it. There are a lot of little things that might urk the sensitive but I'm here for it. I'll keep my eyes open for more by John Byrnes
August 8, 2024
Yikes.
January 24, 2023
Thank you Allen & Unwin for sending us a copy to read and review.
It is interesting when an idea or perception you have becomes a misconception.
In my eyes I see the police as good steadfast types.
But I realise even more after reading this that they are people first then police.
All people can do bad things.
Detective Constable Craig Watson arrives in the small town of Gloster, transferred from Sydney.
He has a drug problem and issues that plague him.
He notes Gloster’s only access is a bridge in and out.
The rain doesn’t seem to abate here.
Meeting Sergeant Philby is an eye opener that sets the scene.
Possibly been in the job too long and needing his own escapism.
The rain keeps pounding, the town is cut off.
A murderer is on the loose and the lives of Craig and two young cohorts at risk.
Can a drug addicted cop with withdrawal symptoms be of use in this tense situation.
I’m a bit conflicted with this one as I was thrown by the drugs and I thought the flashbacks featured too prominently.
He was a well written character in this regard and many of the scenes were really well done.
Imagery jumped from the pages.
I would definitely be keen to see what this author produces next and am sure he will cross over boundaries.
It is interesting when an idea or perception you have becomes a misconception.
In my eyes I see the police as good steadfast types.
But I realise even more after reading this that they are people first then police.
All people can do bad things.
Detective Constable Craig Watson arrives in the small town of Gloster, transferred from Sydney.
He has a drug problem and issues that plague him.
He notes Gloster’s only access is a bridge in and out.
The rain doesn’t seem to abate here.
Meeting Sergeant Philby is an eye opener that sets the scene.
Possibly been in the job too long and needing his own escapism.
The rain keeps pounding, the town is cut off.
A murderer is on the loose and the lives of Craig and two young cohorts at risk.
Can a drug addicted cop with withdrawal symptoms be of use in this tense situation.
I’m a bit conflicted with this one as I was thrown by the drugs and I thought the flashbacks featured too prominently.
He was a well written character in this regard and many of the scenes were really well done.
Imagery jumped from the pages.
I would definitely be keen to see what this author produces next and am sure he will cross over boundaries.
February 4, 2023
‘A cold, fat drop of rain slapped onto the back of Craig Watson’s neck and rolled down his spine.’
Detective Senior Constable Craig Watson has issues. He is drug addicted and in trouble with his seniors. Surely, he should be sacked but instead he is posted to the small beachside town of Gloster, NSW to replace another officer. Hmm.
In Gloster, under the command of Sergeant Thomas Philby, Craig Watson joins Senior Constable Ellie Cameron and Constable Larissa Brookes. It quickly becomes clear that Philby is incompetent and misogynistic, but the town is facing bigger issues. A teenage girl is missing, and Gloster is under threat of flooding because of constant heavy rain. A recent fatal car accident killed a councillor and his daughter: was it deliberate?
The river breaks its banks and while the town has been evacuated, Watson, Cameron and Brookes have been left behind. And when Ellie Cameron disappears, leaving a trail of blood in her wake, it is clear that they are not alone. The pace of the story accelerates and the suspense increases.
‘There’s no need for you to feel guilty about anything. Anything at all.’
It took me awhile to move beyond my initial antipathy towards Craig Watson but as the story developed and I learned more about the influences that had shaped him and his road to addiction, my sympathy grew.
Highly recommended.
Warning: some readers will find aspects of this novel confronting. The issues Mr Byrnes traverses in this accomplished debut novel include sexual exploitation, drug addiction and suicide.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Detective Senior Constable Craig Watson has issues. He is drug addicted and in trouble with his seniors. Surely, he should be sacked but instead he is posted to the small beachside town of Gloster, NSW to replace another officer. Hmm.
In Gloster, under the command of Sergeant Thomas Philby, Craig Watson joins Senior Constable Ellie Cameron and Constable Larissa Brookes. It quickly becomes clear that Philby is incompetent and misogynistic, but the town is facing bigger issues. A teenage girl is missing, and Gloster is under threat of flooding because of constant heavy rain. A recent fatal car accident killed a councillor and his daughter: was it deliberate?
The river breaks its banks and while the town has been evacuated, Watson, Cameron and Brookes have been left behind. And when Ellie Cameron disappears, leaving a trail of blood in her wake, it is clear that they are not alone. The pace of the story accelerates and the suspense increases.
‘There’s no need for you to feel guilty about anything. Anything at all.’
It took me awhile to move beyond my initial antipathy towards Craig Watson but as the story developed and I learned more about the influences that had shaped him and his road to addiction, my sympathy grew.
Highly recommended.
Warning: some readers will find aspects of this novel confronting. The issues Mr Byrnes traverses in this accomplished debut novel include sexual exploitation, drug addiction and suicide.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews