What do you think?
The Casino: SHORTLISTED FOR THE NED KELLY AWARD FOR BEST CRIME FICTION
This place is paradise. A gleaming, golden paradise, and mark my words, we intend to keep it that way, by any means possible. You can bet on it.
Detective Lana Cohen thought she had found a slice of peace on the sun-drenched Gold Coast, but her respite is shattered when a severed hand is found on a local beach.
As the investigation unfolds, Lana is thrust into an uneasy partnership with an off-the-rails Internal Investigations cop ‘Miami’ Vince Walters, and a mysterious Melbourne private investigator Ewan Hayes. It soon becomes clear the new casino is bustling with shady types willing to lose it all, the glitzy shopping centres are rife with shoplifting and the gaudy nightlife is still full of corruption and drugs.
The Casino is a thrilling journey into a world where the stakes are deadly, and trust is the ultimate gamble.PRAISE FOR THE ‘a high-stakes underworld battle’ —The Canberra Times ‘local detective Lana Cohen is intrigued by a severed hand found on the beach . . . There’s a lot going on and most of it is highly dodgy.’ —The Sydney Morning Herald
Detective Lana Cohen thought she had found a slice of peace on the sun-drenched Gold Coast, but her respite is shattered when a severed hand is found on a local beach.
As the investigation unfolds, Lana is thrust into an uneasy partnership with an off-the-rails Internal Investigations cop ‘Miami’ Vince Walters, and a mysterious Melbourne private investigator Ewan Hayes. It soon becomes clear the new casino is bustling with shady types willing to lose it all, the glitzy shopping centres are rife with shoplifting and the gaudy nightlife is still full of corruption and drugs.
The Casino is a thrilling journey into a world where the stakes are deadly, and trust is the ultimate gamble.PRAISE FOR THE ‘a high-stakes underworld battle’ —The Canberra Times ‘local detective Lana Cohen is intrigued by a severed hand found on the beach . . . There’s a lot going on and most of it is highly dodgy.’ —The Sydney Morning Herald
377 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 30, 2025
About the author
Iain Ryan
25 books91 followersIain Ryan grew up in the outer suburbs of Brisbane, Australia. He predominantly writes in the hard-boiled/noir genre and his work has been previously published by Akashic Books Online, Crime Factory, Kill Your Darlings and Seizure.
His novella, Four Days, was published in November 2015 by small press Broken River Books (Portland, USA). The following year the book was shortlisted for the Australian Crime Writing Association’s Ned Kelly Awards (Best Debut Fiction). It didn’t win. Then Broken River Books folded, and the book fell out-of-print. On a roll, Ryan wrote and
self-published a trilogy of grimy romans durs, all set in the Queensland tropics: Drainland (2016), Harsh Recovery (2016), and Civil Twilight (2017).
Disillusioned with self-publishing, Ryan submitted the
manuscript for The Student to a single editor (Angela Meyer, an
acquaintance) and the book was published by Echo Publishing. In 2018, The Student was shortlisted for The Australian Crime Writing Association’s Ned Kelly Awards (Best Novel). In 2021, Echo Publishing and Bonnier Zaffre (UK) published Ryan’s third novel, The Spiral. Virtually no one liked it, except Ryan himself. In 2023, Ultimo Press published Ryan’s sixth novel The Strip. A QBD Book of the Month, The Strip is Ryan’s highest selling book to date and will be followed by sequel, The Dream (2024).
His novella, Four Days, was published in November 2015 by small press Broken River Books (Portland, USA). The following year the book was shortlisted for the Australian Crime Writing Association’s Ned Kelly Awards (Best Debut Fiction). It didn’t win. Then Broken River Books folded, and the book fell out-of-print. On a roll, Ryan wrote and
self-published a trilogy of grimy romans durs, all set in the Queensland tropics: Drainland (2016), Harsh Recovery (2016), and Civil Twilight (2017).
Disillusioned with self-publishing, Ryan submitted the
manuscript for The Student to a single editor (Angela Meyer, an
acquaintance) and the book was published by Echo Publishing. In 2018, The Student was shortlisted for The Australian Crime Writing Association’s Ned Kelly Awards (Best Novel). In 2021, Echo Publishing and Bonnier Zaffre (UK) published Ryan’s third novel, The Spiral. Virtually no one liked it, except Ryan himself. In 2023, Ultimo Press published Ryan’s sixth novel The Strip. A QBD Book of the Month, The Strip is Ryan’s highest selling book to date and will be followed by sequel, The Dream (2024).
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 25, 2026
⭐ 3.5 stars ⭐
•••
Corrupt Queensland cops, bikies waiting in the wings and a whole cast of people who swear they are not on the take. Casino makes it clear very fast that someone is lying.
Iain Ryan actually stayed in the casino while writing this, and you can feel it This book plops you straight into the grimy, seedy and snaky world of blokey men behaving badly, and the writing absolutely nails that atmosphere. The Gold Coast feels loud and familiar, with Pac Fair and Cavill Ave sliding into the chaos like they belong there.
Lana Cohen drinks her way through the mess with sharp instinct and bone deep exhaustion, and she refuses to play the Gold Coast princess game. No fake sweetness and no pretending she has her life sorted. She moves through the wreckage with a blunt honesty that cuts through all the corruption around her.
The pace never lets up and the tension builds without tipping into drama for the sake of it. It captures that real Gold Coast energy so well.
Thank you so much to Ultimo Press for the review copy, arriving just before Christmas!
•••
Corrupt Queensland cops, bikies waiting in the wings and a whole cast of people who swear they are not on the take. Casino makes it clear very fast that someone is lying.
Iain Ryan actually stayed in the casino while writing this, and you can feel it This book plops you straight into the grimy, seedy and snaky world of blokey men behaving badly, and the writing absolutely nails that atmosphere. The Gold Coast feels loud and familiar, with Pac Fair and Cavill Ave sliding into the chaos like they belong there.
Lana Cohen drinks her way through the mess with sharp instinct and bone deep exhaustion, and she refuses to play the Gold Coast princess game. No fake sweetness and no pretending she has her life sorted. She moves through the wreckage with a blunt honesty that cuts through all the corruption around her.
The pace never lets up and the tension builds without tipping into drama for the sake of it. It captures that real Gold Coast energy so well.
Thank you so much to Ultimo Press for the review copy, arriving just before Christmas!
June 11, 2026
Another look at the dark side of the Gold Coast in the 1980s from Iain Ryan.
Police corruption, bikkie gangs, drug dealers are everywhere in 1986 Queensland. When you think of the Gold Coast you think of theme parks and beaches, but in the Casino it is much grittier story. A new casino is a goldmine for new jobs, money and tourism but it also attracts the worst of the cities underworld.
It is not always easy to see who the good guys are in these books. Everyone has secrets, everyone has an agenda. Nothing is as simple as it seems and everyone is out for themselves.
I love reading these books, there is never a dull moment, regardless if we are seeing the point of view of the cop, the private investigator or the criminals. Always fun to read.
Thanks to Ultimo Press for my copy of this book to read.
Police corruption, bikkie gangs, drug dealers are everywhere in 1986 Queensland. When you think of the Gold Coast you think of theme parks and beaches, but in the Casino it is much grittier story. A new casino is a goldmine for new jobs, money and tourism but it also attracts the worst of the cities underworld.
It is not always easy to see who the good guys are in these books. Everyone has secrets, everyone has an agenda. Nothing is as simple as it seems and everyone is out for themselves.
I love reading these books, there is never a dull moment, regardless if we are seeing the point of view of the cop, the private investigator or the criminals. Always fun to read.
Thanks to Ultimo Press for my copy of this book to read.
January 12, 2026
Been hanging for this since finishing The Dream, loved to see the story continue. I enjoyed seeing many of the older characters, such as Bruno and especially Lana return, with the latter being mostly absent from The Dream. Really enjoyed the new character of Miami Vince, as well as Ewan. The Melbourne connection was also pretty good. I would have liked to have heard more from the Deputy Police Commissioner (Sorensen, fictional) , introduced as a pretty major villain in The Dream. It was pretty neat having Terry Lewis in there though.
I didn't find the mystery as exciting as the previous two books, but the police corruption and undercurrent still carried it, as well as the aforementioned characters. When the final villain was introduced, I picked who he would be a fair way out.
I can't wait for the final part of the Gold Coast Quartet, and am really hanging to see how all this ties off and ends. Hopefully Ryan doesn't have us wait long!
I didn't find the mystery as exciting as the previous two books, but the police corruption and undercurrent still carried it, as well as the aforementioned characters. When the final villain was introduced, I picked who he would be a fair way out.
I can't wait for the final part of the Gold Coast Quartet, and am really hanging to see how all this ties off and ends. Hopefully Ryan doesn't have us wait long!
August 9, 2026
.....📚 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 📚.....
The Casino by Iain Ryan is a gritty noir crime fiction that offers up police corruption with the bleached glittering lights of the Gold Coast. Iain Ryan builds a world that’s all glitter on the surface and rot underneath, and gritty in that distinctly Australian way: humid, brash, and humming with menace.
This place is supposed to be paradise. Gleaming, golden, and fiercely protected by those who profit from its shine. Detective Lana Cohen thinks she’s finally carved out a quiet life on the sun‑drenched Gold Coast, but that illusion shatters when a severed hand washes up on the beach. Suddenly her patch becomes a crime scene, and she’s pulled into an investigation that’s anything but straightforward.
Thrust into a patnership with an Internal Investigations cop known as ‘Miami’ Vince Walters, whose reputation is as chaotic as his nickname, and Ewan Hayes, a private investigator from Melbourne with secrets tucked neatly behind his calm exterior. Together they start peeling back the layers of a city that’s far from the glossy brochures: a casino crawling with people ready to risk everything, shopping centres thick with petty crime, and nightlife dripping with corruption, drugs, and desperation.
What unfolds is a high‑stakes descent into a world where every bet is dangerous, every alliance fragile, and trust is the ultimate gamble.
Ryan nails that blend of sunlit beauty and moral decay, giving us a story that feels both cinematic and claustrophobic. It’s a thriller that doesn’t just entertain, it needles at you, reminding you that paradise always has a price. Lana is the kind of protagonist who feels real, tired, sharp, stubborn, and quietly hopeful, and watching her navigate the Gold Coast’s underbelly is addictive. The atmosphere is thick, the pacing relentless, and the character dynamics (especially with Miami Vince) are messy in the best way. If you love crime fiction that’s full of morally gray characters, gritty, and unapologetically Australian, The Casino is a wild, compulsive ride worth taking.
The Casino by Iain Ryan is a gritty noir crime fiction that offers up police corruption with the bleached glittering lights of the Gold Coast. Iain Ryan builds a world that’s all glitter on the surface and rot underneath, and gritty in that distinctly Australian way: humid, brash, and humming with menace.
This place is supposed to be paradise. Gleaming, golden, and fiercely protected by those who profit from its shine. Detective Lana Cohen thinks she’s finally carved out a quiet life on the sun‑drenched Gold Coast, but that illusion shatters when a severed hand washes up on the beach. Suddenly her patch becomes a crime scene, and she’s pulled into an investigation that’s anything but straightforward.
Thrust into a patnership with an Internal Investigations cop known as ‘Miami’ Vince Walters, whose reputation is as chaotic as his nickname, and Ewan Hayes, a private investigator from Melbourne with secrets tucked neatly behind his calm exterior. Together they start peeling back the layers of a city that’s far from the glossy brochures: a casino crawling with people ready to risk everything, shopping centres thick with petty crime, and nightlife dripping with corruption, drugs, and desperation.
What unfolds is a high‑stakes descent into a world where every bet is dangerous, every alliance fragile, and trust is the ultimate gamble.
Ryan nails that blend of sunlit beauty and moral decay, giving us a story that feels both cinematic and claustrophobic. It’s a thriller that doesn’t just entertain, it needles at you, reminding you that paradise always has a price. Lana is the kind of protagonist who feels real, tired, sharp, stubborn, and quietly hopeful, and watching her navigate the Gold Coast’s underbelly is addictive. The atmosphere is thick, the pacing relentless, and the character dynamics (especially with Miami Vince) are messy in the best way. If you love crime fiction that’s full of morally gray characters, gritty, and unapologetically Australian, The Casino is a wild, compulsive ride worth taking.
January 20, 2026
A journey into the underworld of the Gold Coast, full of dodgy police officers and a new casino brimming with corruption, begins when a severed hand is found at Nobby Beach.
I’ll start by saying there’s always something extra fun and satisfying about reading a book set where you live and recognising all the niche places (hello Target Pacific Fair).
This was gritty and fast-paced, and full of interesting and shady characters. I tend to find Ryan’s crime novels to be a bit darker/more noir than the average, which is cool and makes them quite distinct.
The main downsides for me were 1) there were so many viewpoints and characters that I struggled to keep track of who knew what and how they were all connected. I do like to have the opportunity to connect the dots at least a little bit when reading crime fiction; and 2) some of the character development was a bit rushed and meant I didn’t really feel that invested in what happened to them (I’m looking at you Vince) - however, I will note that I did recognise some of the characters from The Strip, so maybe more background is given in some of the previous books.
Thanks to @ultimopress for my copy!
I’ll start by saying there’s always something extra fun and satisfying about reading a book set where you live and recognising all the niche places (hello Target Pacific Fair).
This was gritty and fast-paced, and full of interesting and shady characters. I tend to find Ryan’s crime novels to be a bit darker/more noir than the average, which is cool and makes them quite distinct.
The main downsides for me were 1) there were so many viewpoints and characters that I struggled to keep track of who knew what and how they were all connected. I do like to have the opportunity to connect the dots at least a little bit when reading crime fiction; and 2) some of the character development was a bit rushed and meant I didn’t really feel that invested in what happened to them (I’m looking at you Vince) - however, I will note that I did recognise some of the characters from The Strip, so maybe more background is given in some of the previous books.
Thanks to @ultimopress for my copy!
January 20, 2026
Iain Ryan's books set on the Gold Coast are excellent reads, this definitely another good read !
Set in the mid 1980's, we have a new casino on the Gold Coast, and it's surrounded in mystery - crime, drugs, corruption and the like. Ryan's novel is gritty, and it's difficult to work out exactly who are the good guys.
For those of us who lived through the 80's and were aware of the reported corruption and criminal activities endemic throughout the Queensland police, this book despite being a work of fiction has a very authentic feel.
Written from several viewpoints including Ewan, a PI looking for a missing person, "Miami Vince", an Internal Investigations cop and Lana Cohen, a police detective, this is a gripping read, a genuine page turner.
Set in the mid 1980's, we have a new casino on the Gold Coast, and it's surrounded in mystery - crime, drugs, corruption and the like. Ryan's novel is gritty, and it's difficult to work out exactly who are the good guys.
For those of us who lived through the 80's and were aware of the reported corruption and criminal activities endemic throughout the Queensland police, this book despite being a work of fiction has a very authentic feel.
Written from several viewpoints including Ewan, a PI looking for a missing person, "Miami Vince", an Internal Investigations cop and Lana Cohen, a police detective, this is a gripping read, a genuine page turner.
January 28, 2026
I flew through this book.
It is a ripping yarn of the seedy 80's on the Gold Coast.
Primarily focusing on a severed hand found on a local beach, and the ensuing investigation by police, and a PI.
And there is so much more in here.
A new casino has opened bringing jobs, money, fortune, greed, excess and unfortunately: drugs, bikies, death and theft.
The local police force is rife with corruption and those that want to stop it, are pushed out, or worse.
It is gritty, with that hazy sense to it, smart, compelling, very Australian and an utterly fascinating read.
I loved it, my husband will love it, and I hope you all love it too.
And @iainryanauthour that moment of clarity you ever so subtly popped in there about who might be the killer....💥💥💥Boom!
Sign me up for the backlog read 📚
It is a ripping yarn of the seedy 80's on the Gold Coast.
Primarily focusing on a severed hand found on a local beach, and the ensuing investigation by police, and a PI.
And there is so much more in here.
A new casino has opened bringing jobs, money, fortune, greed, excess and unfortunately: drugs, bikies, death and theft.
The local police force is rife with corruption and those that want to stop it, are pushed out, or worse.
It is gritty, with that hazy sense to it, smart, compelling, very Australian and an utterly fascinating read.
I loved it, my husband will love it, and I hope you all love it too.
And @iainryanauthour that moment of clarity you ever so subtly popped in there about who might be the killer....💥💥💥Boom!
Sign me up for the backlog read 📚
February 13, 2026
The author lists James Ellroy as one of several literary influences, and that same sense of frenetic energy, with a shifting ensemble cast of (damaged) characters, and layers of conspiracy and cover-up, that characterises Ellroy's work is very much in evidence here. The Gold Coast of the 1980s, in the closing years of the scandal-ridden Bjelkes-Petersen state government - is a perfect setting for sleaze and corruption, and Ryan evokes the surreal, shallow glamour of Gold Coast casino strip to good effect. The only jarring note was the occasional anachronistic phrase ("let's circle back", "phoning it in"), which punctured the 1980s sheen. But it's a minor critique of an otherwise entertaining and engaging crime novel.
February 19, 2026
A reasonable crime thriller from Iain Ryan, the first of his novels I’ve read. Certainly very dark, set in 1986 on the Gold Coast of Queensland. I was aware of significant police corruption of the times - Terry Lewis even made it to the other side of the Tasman with his exploits. This book, however, ratcheted up the violence and corruption to another (unbelievable?) level.
Apparently some of the characters were in earlier books, but almost all were either tainted, flawed or very corrupt. The ending was a little unsatisfying, perhaps reflecting the characters and times.
Whew! Glad I now live in a more placid Queensland.
Apparently some of the characters were in earlier books, but almost all were either tainted, flawed or very corrupt. The ending was a little unsatisfying, perhaps reflecting the characters and times.
Whew! Glad I now live in a more placid Queensland.
January 20, 2026
5 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Goldy Grit, Corrupt Crime
full review ⬇️
This was my second Iain Ryan read and in my opinion his best yet!
When it started with a severed hand washing up on a beach I knew Iain was not here to mess around. From that moment on, Casino hit the ground running and never let up.
Set on the glitzy, grimy Gold Coast in the 1980s, this story dropped me straight into a world of organised crime, corrupt cops and backroom deals. It’s the perfect decade setting for this kind of story and Iain absolutely nails it.
The title is spot on. Every character is gambling with something. The plot moves fast, jumps perspectives and demands your attention, so I’d recommend clearing your schedule and reading this in one sitting. That style won’t be for everyone but the speedy pace was chefs kiss for me.
Casino brings back some familiar crime fighting faces from his previous novel The Dream while introducing new ones, making it easy to read as a standalone. That said, I’ve already tracked down The Strip which is the first in this unofficial series, because clearly I’m not done here.
Iain Ryan feels like a bit of an underdog in the Australian crime writing scene and honestly, he deserves way more attention. This one is sharp, punchy and hugely entertaining.
Huge thanks to Ultimo Press for sharing this with me and rounding out my Iain Ryan crime trifecta.
Goldy Grit, Corrupt Crime
full review ⬇️
This was my second Iain Ryan read and in my opinion his best yet!
When it started with a severed hand washing up on a beach I knew Iain was not here to mess around. From that moment on, Casino hit the ground running and never let up.
Set on the glitzy, grimy Gold Coast in the 1980s, this story dropped me straight into a world of organised crime, corrupt cops and backroom deals. It’s the perfect decade setting for this kind of story and Iain absolutely nails it.
The title is spot on. Every character is gambling with something. The plot moves fast, jumps perspectives and demands your attention, so I’d recommend clearing your schedule and reading this in one sitting. That style won’t be for everyone but the speedy pace was chefs kiss for me.
Casino brings back some familiar crime fighting faces from his previous novel The Dream while introducing new ones, making it easy to read as a standalone. That said, I’ve already tracked down The Strip which is the first in this unofficial series, because clearly I’m not done here.
Iain Ryan feels like a bit of an underdog in the Australian crime writing scene and honestly, he deserves way more attention. This one is sharp, punchy and hugely entertaining.
Huge thanks to Ultimo Press for sharing this with me and rounding out my Iain Ryan crime trifecta.
February 21, 2026
How many corridors are theirs in a CASINO, tables, bets, millions of drug money, dying to see your HANDS...what else but more intrigue, who believes who and who's living with whom on such a beautiful family beach idealistic lifestyle and so many who's who....
Couldn't put this book down just has something for everyone in it... picturesque and wanting to know more intentional inter-related cops and robbers.
Who's paying the wages?
Women in all spheres ......and crooked cops and, and hands free I cannot give away the punch line of this CRIME!!!!
Couldn't put this book down just has something for everyone in it... picturesque and wanting to know more intentional inter-related cops and robbers.
Who's paying the wages?
Women in all spheres ......and crooked cops and, and hands free I cannot give away the punch line of this CRIME!!!!
February 16, 2026
Great local noir. Fast paced, brilliant dialogue, keeps several stories in the air then brings them all together towards the end. Very Queensland in the 1980s - dodgy cops, etc. Maybe a little patchy in pacing - some daily updates then towards the back end we go weeks at a time. And I sometimes struggled a bit to keep track of all the characters and their interactions. But I've loved the first 3 in the series and can't wait for the fourth. (And loved Ryan's earlier "The Students" as well)
March 3, 2026
Read paperback edition (Ultimo Press, 2016).
Great read. I grew up in Brisbane and I remember a lot of the landmarks and personalities mentioned in the book, eg bagman Jack Herbert, and "the joke" (the network of corrupt police outed by the Fitzgerald Inquiry. The "Saturn" casino was modelled on Jupiters Casino.
But OMG was there anyone who wasn't a heavy smoker? How times have changed!
Will we see Ewan, Vince and Lara in a future book?
Great read. I grew up in Brisbane and I remember a lot of the landmarks and personalities mentioned in the book, eg bagman Jack Herbert, and "the joke" (the network of corrupt police outed by the Fitzgerald Inquiry. The "Saturn" casino was modelled on Jupiters Casino.
But OMG was there anyone who wasn't a heavy smoker? How times have changed!
Will we see Ewan, Vince and Lara in a future book?
December 31, 2025
Took this away and read the entire flight without looking up once! Definitely a page turner that keeps you guessing with a series of thrilling twists and reveals at the end that blew me away! Safe to say I'll be picking up the rest of Iain Ryan's books! Highly recommend this one to add to the top of upcoming January 2026 release pile!
March 19, 2026
Bookclub book. Had to pay attention to keep up with the myriad of characters. Some of the noir tropes were a bit frustratingly old school- excusable given the era it was set it but a bit tired to read about. Kept pushing through to enjoy the bookclub discussion.
April 20, 2026
At times i wondered if this was satire, but the writing style is just a bit histrionic for my taste. Definitely not a bad book but felt very paint by numbers. Otherwise, engaging, tightly paced and has well set up plot points.
April 3, 2026
Bookclub: went to the discussion, but only got half way through the book. The Gold Coast setting disinterested me, and the cops weren't intriguing to follow. I just wasn't hooked!
May 23, 2026
3.75⭐
This series is great on audio! It's so easy to listen to, captivating and interesting. I love how all the pieces are there you just cannot see them until it's right in front of you!
This series is great on audio! It's so easy to listen to, captivating and interesting. I love how all the pieces are there you just cannot see them until it's right in front of you!
September 30, 2026
Real page turner
December 30, 2025
This author’s first two books set on the Gold Coast, in the 80’s were simply wonderful. So evocative of the time, and the underlying corruption. This book continues the series and it doesn’t disappoint. A rattling good read and thanks to Hardie Grant for the advance reading copy.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews