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DS Walker #5
Hero
A sporting legend. A brutal death. A dark legacy.
DS Lucas Walker is back home in Queensland, following the dramatic fallout from his last case. He is just getting to grips with his new role in the small outback town of Katima, when the body of an unknown young man is found hanging from a tree in the park.
What at first looks like a tragic suicide soon has Walker's detective instincts on alert, and he and his young partner throw themselves into the case - discovering a connection with an unsolved death.
And then a brutal murder changes everything. The victim is Caden Conroy, national cricketing hero, and the dark nature of his death leads to an unparallelled media frenzy.
When Walker is sidelined by Brisbane Homicide after being first on the scene, he must go his own way to unpick the deceit and corruption at the heart of these cases. Only then will he know if they are connected, and how - but at what cost?
Still reeling from Berlin, and with his own family in freefall, DS Lucas Walker faces one of his toughest cases yet in the fifth instalment of this gripping, bestselling Aussie Noir series - for fans of Jane Harper, Cara Hunter and Chris Hammer.
DS Lucas Walker is back home in Queensland, following the dramatic fallout from his last case. He is just getting to grips with his new role in the small outback town of Katima, when the body of an unknown young man is found hanging from a tree in the park.
What at first looks like a tragic suicide soon has Walker's detective instincts on alert, and he and his young partner throw themselves into the case - discovering a connection with an unsolved death.
And then a brutal murder changes everything. The victim is Caden Conroy, national cricketing hero, and the dark nature of his death leads to an unparallelled media frenzy.
When Walker is sidelined by Brisbane Homicide after being first on the scene, he must go his own way to unpick the deceit and corruption at the heart of these cases. Only then will he know if they are connected, and how - but at what cost?
Still reeling from Berlin, and with his own family in freefall, DS Lucas Walker faces one of his toughest cases yet in the fifth instalment of this gripping, bestselling Aussie Noir series - for fans of Jane Harper, Cara Hunter and Chris Hammer.
Audiobook
Published May 20, 2026
About the author
Patricia Wolf
27 books478 followersPatricia Wolf grew up in Queensland, Australia, and now lives in Berlin. She likes whisky and strong coffee, busy cities, surf beaches and wild places. Patricia has been a journalist for almost twenty years. She is a regular contributor to newspapers including the Guardian, the Financial Times and the Daily Telegraph, among others, and was formerly a design columnist at the Independent and the Lisbon correspondent for Monocle magazine. Outback is her fiction debut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
June 11, 2026
Loved the return of DS Lucas Walker, back in Queensland.
May 20, 2026
Spare me the soap opera ending
I loved most of this one. The Katima setting is great, the cricketing-hero murder pulls you in fast, and Walker is as easy to root for. I tore through it.
What I didn’t love was the ending. Walker finally finds a genuinely likable love interest, someone you actually want things to work out for, and then Barbara turns up and throws cold water on the whole thing. It tipped a solid outback crime novel into romance-novel territory right at the finish, and it made me cringe. ripping read.
If you’re in it for the crime and the outback, you’ll have a good time. Just brace yourself for the soap-opera turn at the end.
I loved most of this one. The Katima setting is great, the cricketing-hero murder pulls you in fast, and Walker is as easy to root for. I tore through it.
What I didn’t love was the ending. Walker finally finds a genuinely likable love interest, someone you actually want things to work out for, and then Barbara turns up and throws cold water on the whole thing. It tipped a solid outback crime novel into romance-novel territory right at the finish, and it made me cringe. ripping read.
If you’re in it for the crime and the outback, you’ll have a good time. Just brace yourself for the soap-opera turn at the end.
June 1, 2026
Another excellent episode in this series with the addition of a new character. I had to stop myself listening to it at night otherwise I wouldn’t have gone to sleep!
May 23, 2026
I was sent a copy of this book for review.
DS Lucas Walker is back in Queensland, taking stock after the troubling events of his last case in Germany. He’s contemplating his relationship/friendship with his colleague Barbara and how they haven’t managed to deal with their growing feelings for each other.
Lucas is now working in a the small outback town of Katima and doesn’t expect much crime but then a body is found hanging from a tree that at first looks like a suicide but it quickly becomes clear that it’s a murder and may be connected to a previous missing person‘s case. While delving into the case, Lucas is called to the home of a famous cricketer Caden Conroy who has been found brutally murdered with multiple possible suspects including ones from within Caden’s family. Lucas is faced with two gruesome murders but as the clues start to lead him in strange directions, he wonders if his two cases are connected.
As Lucas investigates the crimes he must also deal with family drama that is making it difficult to focus on everything all at once. Will Lucas drop the ball in the cases and a killer goes free or will his family life suffer due to the pressures of his job?
Another great instalment in this series. The narrator does an incredible job of providing distinct voices while portraying the variety of personalities in the story and adding tension as the plot unfolds. The cases are compelling and as each clue is revealed the levels of complexity in the plot keep growing which keeps the story fast paced, intriguing and filled with angst and emotion as Lucas‘s family troubles collide with his hunt for his murder suspects. I really felt for Lucas in this book and I think he is a brilliantly written and nuanced character that you can’t help but admire and care for him.
The two cases side-by-side is a lot to take in at times but I feel the dual narratives adds more to the ongoing plot rather than overloads you. Overall, this a great addition to the series which I found hard to stop listening to.
DS Lucas Walker is back in Queensland, taking stock after the troubling events of his last case in Germany. He’s contemplating his relationship/friendship with his colleague Barbara and how they haven’t managed to deal with their growing feelings for each other.
Lucas is now working in a the small outback town of Katima and doesn’t expect much crime but then a body is found hanging from a tree that at first looks like a suicide but it quickly becomes clear that it’s a murder and may be connected to a previous missing person‘s case. While delving into the case, Lucas is called to the home of a famous cricketer Caden Conroy who has been found brutally murdered with multiple possible suspects including ones from within Caden’s family. Lucas is faced with two gruesome murders but as the clues start to lead him in strange directions, he wonders if his two cases are connected.
As Lucas investigates the crimes he must also deal with family drama that is making it difficult to focus on everything all at once. Will Lucas drop the ball in the cases and a killer goes free or will his family life suffer due to the pressures of his job?
Another great instalment in this series. The narrator does an incredible job of providing distinct voices while portraying the variety of personalities in the story and adding tension as the plot unfolds. The cases are compelling and as each clue is revealed the levels of complexity in the plot keep growing which keeps the story fast paced, intriguing and filled with angst and emotion as Lucas‘s family troubles collide with his hunt for his murder suspects. I really felt for Lucas in this book and I think he is a brilliantly written and nuanced character that you can’t help but admire and care for him.
The two cases side-by-side is a lot to take in at times but I feel the dual narratives adds more to the ongoing plot rather than overloads you. Overall, this a great addition to the series which I found hard to stop listening to.
July 19, 2026
Another great addition to the series! I always love Wolf's writing and the character of Lucas, and I really enjoyed being back in Aus for this one. I felt there were quite a few characters to keep up with this time, and I was also expecting more of a link to the previous book (although pleased this came at the end). I'm very much looking forward to the next installment!
May 27, 2026
‘Hero’ sees DI Lucas Walker return to his childhood home and a return to community policing. This is the fifth book in the series but can easily be read as a stand-alone. I do recommend the whole series though, as Lucas and Barbara have become characters I adore returning to.
Lucas is out of the elite federal police and is in a small town, Katima, which is nearer family. One morning, a local is opening up their coffee cart when they see a young man who has hanged himself. However, it might be related to another unexplained death from a few years ago. But soon these deaths are overshadowed when Aussie cricket legend Caden Conroy is found murdered a few days later. Of course, Lucas gets in too deep and puts his neck on the line professionally to solve the case.
As much as I loved seeing Lucas and Barbara reunited in the last book, it was interesting to see Lucas develop and see him in a more relaxed setting. There is even a new love interest! Hopefully, Barbara will turn up shouting "Hände weg, er gehört mir!" Mystery wise it was a well-executed plot with many current themes - gambling, the rise of sovereign state believers, sexuality in sports, etc. The narrative was nuanced and extremely well-paced. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did an excellent job making the story come alive.
As usual, the writing was brilliant, and the sense of location is always on point. I do love that Lucas is as straight as they come in relation to all aspects of his life. He is very easy to root for, and I am already waiting for the next instalment to be released!
Let me know if you pick this one up!
May 24, 2026
This is the fifth book in the DS Walker thriller series and although I've still not caught up with the first three books, it's not been too long since I read through Nemesis, book 4.
It was really good to be back in Walker's world but even better to be back in his old stomping ground, the heart of Australia.
Having only read book 4 so far - and that being set in Berlin with Barbara - I was really excited to be seeing more of the Australian landscape through this storyline.
This was a complex case with unidentified victims as well as a high profile death which sends Walker all over and with his new position so unstable, he knows he has to make a good impression.
There were a lot of characters again through this case and I think I suspected almost everyone at one point, but as the story gradually unfolds, we find new links and connections throughout and sending me off to make new theories.
Despite the larger character list, this was still pretty easy to keep track of.
I loved the way Walker worked and went out of his way to get to the bottom of the case and do a great job - encouraging others too rather than taking all the glory.
Totally unlike the person his superior assumed of him.
This side of things was really satisfying.
I loved the setting and seeing much more of the personal side of Walker - meeting his family and hearing more about his background.
I also loved the possibility of a new romance for him after the events of the previous book.
This was again well written and I was hooked to the end.
I wonder whether I'll get chance to catch up before ethe release of book 6?
It was really good to be back in Walker's world but even better to be back in his old stomping ground, the heart of Australia.
Having only read book 4 so far - and that being set in Berlin with Barbara - I was really excited to be seeing more of the Australian landscape through this storyline.
This was a complex case with unidentified victims as well as a high profile death which sends Walker all over and with his new position so unstable, he knows he has to make a good impression.
There were a lot of characters again through this case and I think I suspected almost everyone at one point, but as the story gradually unfolds, we find new links and connections throughout and sending me off to make new theories.
Despite the larger character list, this was still pretty easy to keep track of.
I loved the way Walker worked and went out of his way to get to the bottom of the case and do a great job - encouraging others too rather than taking all the glory.
Totally unlike the person his superior assumed of him.
This side of things was really satisfying.
I loved the setting and seeing much more of the personal side of Walker - meeting his family and hearing more about his background.
I also loved the possibility of a new romance for him after the events of the previous book.
This was again well written and I was hooked to the end.
I wonder whether I'll get chance to catch up before ethe release of book 6?
June 5, 2026
5/5 stars can’t wait for book #6
June 6, 2026
DS Walker has left the AFP and is policing in rural Queensland in a town two hours from his hometown. Sleepy until a body is discovered hanging from a tree. Identification eludes them. Then a murder of a renowned cricketeer at his exclusive estate nearby. Fast paced as it goes into the world of sports betting and turns dark with more deaths and links to police corruption and organized crime. Ending wraps up with bad news from Germany so we are poised for the next book.
August 6, 2026
I don’t know How I’m going to make it until the next book!!
I love these books, Lucas Walker is such a great character!!
I am kinda bummed about the almost cliffhanger ending!! She’s too good an author for that crap!!
I love these books, Lucas Walker is such a great character!!
I am kinda bummed about the almost cliffhanger ending!! She’s too good an author for that crap!!
June 5, 2026
It wasn’t what I was expecting. Good storyline. A lot of characters to wrap your head around. Not the love story I wanted
July 13, 2026
A really solid and good Patricia Wolf novel. Doesn't hinge quite as much on landscape as I typically like in my Australia noir, but this was still twisty and compulsive.
July 19, 2026
I always enjoy the DS Walker books but it also always annoys me the way he seems to be overly Australian to the point where it’s not believable that anyone would actually talk like that especially in a professional setting. Other than that good story that had be hooked!
July 27, 2026
A slow start, and I don’t really like knowing what happened before the detective (intentionally). Always wraps up well though, and obviously will be reading the next one.
July 31, 2026
Improved on the previous one. Lucas is still a likeable character. I still have beef with the Barbara subplot though!
June 22, 2026
Another great road trip book.
August 10, 2026
love the DS Walker series..they never disappoint. great story, strong characters, outback living!..while lose ends are frustrating..they give us more books in the series. can't wait for the next one
June 28, 2026
It was nice to dive back into this world after 6 months away. Newly released, this 5th instalment of the DS Walker series is set mainly in outback town Katima, and I love how Wolf brings remote, small town outback Australia into her novels. The story is told from multiple perspectives as we are faced with the first suspicious death. A great story, and I didn't figure it out, so well done to the author! A small (!) bombshell dropped at the end of the book, so of course I'll be waiting (impatiently) for the release of Book 6 next year!
June 15, 2026
I have been enjoying the DS Walker series and Hero was another great entry. Lucas has been sidelined from the AFP (Australian Federal Police) after the traumatic fallout from the narcotics case he had been dealing with. He now works for the Queensland Police Service in the quiet town of Katima. He gets a call about a man found hanging outside a local bar. He has no ID and no one seems to know who he is. Initially ruled a suicide, Walker is sure that there is more to the story. Shortly after that he gets another call about a murder. The victim is Caden Conroy, national cricketing hero who lives on an estate near Katima. Walker's intuition is sure that these two cases are connected in some way, but due to the high profile victim, the case is turned over to Brisbane Homicide. They don't want to listen to Walker and assign him simple tasks, so he risks his job again, and begins his own investigation.
I was happy to see Lucas Walker back to investigating crimes in his own backyard. The last book had him in Germany following drug dealers and I didn't enjoy it as much, this one was back in Australia and I really enjoyed the setting. Lucas is a very smart and intuitive detective and I enjoy seeing him work things out, follow his instincts, ask the right questions and sort out the clues. The themes in this book include corruption in sports, blackmail, gambling/betting, small town secrests and greed. I like that most of the book centers around the crimes and if and how they connect to one another, but there is still a bit of Walker's personal life, as well as his career struggles. If you enjoy a good police procedural, in a great setting and with a very likable main character, then pick up Hero by Patricia Wolf. Although this is the 5th book in the series, you can easily read it as a standalone story. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Adam Fitzgerald. He has narrated all the books in this series and I enjoy his performance. He is the voice of Lucas Walker for me.
I was happy to see Lucas Walker back to investigating crimes in his own backyard. The last book had him in Germany following drug dealers and I didn't enjoy it as much, this one was back in Australia and I really enjoyed the setting. Lucas is a very smart and intuitive detective and I enjoy seeing him work things out, follow his instincts, ask the right questions and sort out the clues. The themes in this book include corruption in sports, blackmail, gambling/betting, small town secrests and greed. I like that most of the book centers around the crimes and if and how they connect to one another, but there is still a bit of Walker's personal life, as well as his career struggles. If you enjoy a good police procedural, in a great setting and with a very likable main character, then pick up Hero by Patricia Wolf. Although this is the 5th book in the series, you can easily read it as a standalone story. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Adam Fitzgerald. He has narrated all the books in this series and I enjoy his performance. He is the voice of Lucas Walker for me.
April 1, 2026
Hero, the 5th in series, delivers another gripping instalment featuring protagonist Lucas Walker. Patricia Wolf continues to build on the strong foundation of the earlier books, blending tension, investigation and character development in a way that keeps the pages turning. I read it in less than a day.
The story is well paced and plotted, with plenty of twists to maintain momentum throughout. Lucas Walker remains a compelling lead, and the narrative does a great job of keeping readers invested in both the mystery and the personal stakes surrounding him. A side plot relating to his family in the outback is a nice revisit to familiar characters from previous books in the series.
That said, the ending feels a little uneven. I felt it was slightly rushed and I was left with a few questions by the time the main storyline wrapped up. The final chapter also feels a bit like an add-on, rather than a natural conclusion to the story.
Even so, Hero is still an engaging entry in the series and an enjoyable read overall. Fans of Lucas Walker and Patricia Wolf’s storytelling will find plenty here to keep them entertained. Bring on book 6 please!
The story is well paced and plotted, with plenty of twists to maintain momentum throughout. Lucas Walker remains a compelling lead, and the narrative does a great job of keeping readers invested in both the mystery and the personal stakes surrounding him. A side plot relating to his family in the outback is a nice revisit to familiar characters from previous books in the series.
That said, the ending feels a little uneven. I felt it was slightly rushed and I was left with a few questions by the time the main storyline wrapped up. The final chapter also feels a bit like an add-on, rather than a natural conclusion to the story.
Even so, Hero is still an engaging entry in the series and an enjoyable read overall. Fans of Lucas Walker and Patricia Wolf’s storytelling will find plenty here to keep them entertained. Bring on book 6 please!
May 28, 2026
EXCERPT: She switches on the coffee machine, runs a cloth over the already sparkling counter, then leans forward, unlocks the roller blind and, with a quick heave, pushes it firmly upwards. She turns away, grabbing the blackboard, while the blind gives its familiar rattle as it rolls up and clunks into place and a bright square of sunlight illuminates the counter. She's about to go outside with the blackboard when something catches her eye. Thinking it's her first customer of the day, she turns back to the counter with a smile that freezes into a horrified grimace.
ABOUT 'HERO': A sporting legend. A brutal death. A dark legacy.
DS Lucas Walker is back home in Queensland, following the dramatic fallout from his last case. He is just getting to grips with his new role in the small outback town of Katima, when the body of an unknown young man is found hanging from a tree in the park.
What at first looks like a tragic suicide soon has Walker's detective instincts on alert, and he and his young partner throw themselves into the case - discovering a connection with an unsolved death.
And then a brutal murder changes everything. The victim is Caden Conroy, national cricketing hero, and the dark nature of his death leads to an unparallelled media frenzy.
When Walker is sidelined by Brisbane Homicide after being first on the scene, he must go his own way to unpick the deceit and corruption at the heart of these cases. Only then will he know if they are connected, and how - but at what cost?
Still reeling from Berlin, and with his own family in freefall, DS Lucas Walker faces one of his toughest cases yet.
MY THOUGHTS: Hero is the fifth installment in a series I have enjoyed from the beginning and is yet another compelling read.
Lucas Walker is a good guy, and that is a trait which often seems to get him into trouble. Pushed out of the AFP, he is side-lined in Katima, not too far from his hometown and his family, he is treated with suspicion by many of his fellow officers. I like that Lucas is a regular guy, a nice guy, who isn't an alcoholic, doesn't have a drug habit or shady things in his past. He's the 'boy next door'.
I liked other characters too; Charli who operates the coffee caravan, and Radar, an ex-police officer with an unsolved case that continues to haunt him. I love the small rural town setting, and all the small-town slants on life Wolf has included.
I like the perfectly balanced blend of Walker's professional and private lives - they flow seamlessly and kept me interested throughout.
There is nothing predictable about Hero. The plot is intricate but never confusing. This is a compelling read and one that has me waiting eagerly for book #6.
I must say, I far prefer the small-town settings and intimacy of the crime in Hero to the organised crime scenario's featuring Stefan Markovich . . . but it seems that we are not done with Stefan yet.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
#Hero #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: PATRICIA WOLF grew up in the mining town of Mount Isa and despite her love of the outback's indigo sky and wide horizons, Patricia left Australia to travel the world and became a journalist, she now lives in Berlin, Germany.
DS Lucas Walker and his stories came to be in 2019 when Patricia spent two months in northwest Queensland surrounded by the beauty and rugged harshness of the outback.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Embla books via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of Hero by Patricia Wolf for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
ABOUT 'HERO': A sporting legend. A brutal death. A dark legacy.
DS Lucas Walker is back home in Queensland, following the dramatic fallout from his last case. He is just getting to grips with his new role in the small outback town of Katima, when the body of an unknown young man is found hanging from a tree in the park.
What at first looks like a tragic suicide soon has Walker's detective instincts on alert, and he and his young partner throw themselves into the case - discovering a connection with an unsolved death.
And then a brutal murder changes everything. The victim is Caden Conroy, national cricketing hero, and the dark nature of his death leads to an unparallelled media frenzy.
When Walker is sidelined by Brisbane Homicide after being first on the scene, he must go his own way to unpick the deceit and corruption at the heart of these cases. Only then will he know if they are connected, and how - but at what cost?
Still reeling from Berlin, and with his own family in freefall, DS Lucas Walker faces one of his toughest cases yet.
MY THOUGHTS: Hero is the fifth installment in a series I have enjoyed from the beginning and is yet another compelling read.
Lucas Walker is a good guy, and that is a trait which often seems to get him into trouble. Pushed out of the AFP, he is side-lined in Katima, not too far from his hometown and his family, he is treated with suspicion by many of his fellow officers. I like that Lucas is a regular guy, a nice guy, who isn't an alcoholic, doesn't have a drug habit or shady things in his past. He's the 'boy next door'.
I liked other characters too; Charli who operates the coffee caravan, and Radar, an ex-police officer with an unsolved case that continues to haunt him. I love the small rural town setting, and all the small-town slants on life Wolf has included.
I like the perfectly balanced blend of Walker's professional and private lives - they flow seamlessly and kept me interested throughout.
There is nothing predictable about Hero. The plot is intricate but never confusing. This is a compelling read and one that has me waiting eagerly for book #6.
I must say, I far prefer the small-town settings and intimacy of the crime in Hero to the organised crime scenario's featuring Stefan Markovich . . . but it seems that we are not done with Stefan yet.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
#Hero #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: PATRICIA WOLF grew up in the mining town of Mount Isa and despite her love of the outback's indigo sky and wide horizons, Patricia left Australia to travel the world and became a journalist, she now lives in Berlin, Germany.
DS Lucas Walker and his stories came to be in 2019 when Patricia spent two months in northwest Queensland surrounded by the beauty and rugged harshness of the outback.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Embla books via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of Hero by Patricia Wolf for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
June 13, 2026
★★★★☆
I love it when an advanced copy turns up for a book I was already planning to buy, and as a massive fan of the DS Lucas Walker cases, this was such a treat. The first three books in this series were absolute standouts for me, and although the fourth felt a little flat, this fifth instalment is a brilliant return to form that reminds me why I fell in love with Walker's character in Outback. Patricia Wolf really shines when she takes her detective out of the city and places him back in the rugged, isolated terrain of the outback to solve crimes, rather than entangled in international plotlines.
The story finds DS Lucas Walker back home in Queensland, trying to settle into his new role in the small town of Katima after the intense fallout from his time in Berlin. When an unidentified young man is found hanging from a tree in a local park, it is initially treated as a tragic suicide, but Walker’s instincts tell him otherwise. Alongside his young partner, he digs deeper and uncovers a connection to a past unsolved death. The stakes skyrocket when national cricket icon Caden Conroy is brutally murdered, triggering an intense media frenzy that eventually sees Walker sidelined by Brisbane Homicide and forced to go rogue to untangle a web of deceit, all while his own family life is in freefall.
Mystery-wise, I found this to be a beautifully executed plot with a steady momentum that kept me thoroughly hooked from start to finish. The narrative is wonderfully nuanced, seamlessly incorporating relevant, modern themes like gambling, the rise of sovereign state believers, and sexuality in sports without feeling preachy. I found myself working out most of the puzzle pieces along the way, but Wolf writes with enough clever misdirection that I was still left guessing about exactly how all the threads would weave together in the end. I actually stayed up well past my bedtime just to finish the final chapters because the tension built so naturally.
Lucas is such a beautifully written, complex character, and I found myself deeply invested in his journey and rooting for him through every obstacle. The outback setting is described to absolute perfection, making the heat and isolation feel like characters in their own right. My only real frustration was with the structural choice at the very end of the book. While I was incredibly relieved to see the whole Vandals storyline finally wrapped up, the book concludes with some lingering bad news from Germany, and I really am not keen to revisit that particular arc in the future. Walker finally meets a genuinely likable love interest that you want to see him happy with, only for Barbara to reappear and completely dampen the mood. I truly hope the next book doesn’t mean a full return for Barbara and Stefan Markovich, as that previous storyline was my least favourite part of the series. Still, this is a fantastic piece of Aussie noir, and I am already looking forward to seeing where Walker's instincts take him next.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.
I love it when an advanced copy turns up for a book I was already planning to buy, and as a massive fan of the DS Lucas Walker cases, this was such a treat. The first three books in this series were absolute standouts for me, and although the fourth felt a little flat, this fifth instalment is a brilliant return to form that reminds me why I fell in love with Walker's character in Outback. Patricia Wolf really shines when she takes her detective out of the city and places him back in the rugged, isolated terrain of the outback to solve crimes, rather than entangled in international plotlines.
The story finds DS Lucas Walker back home in Queensland, trying to settle into his new role in the small town of Katima after the intense fallout from his time in Berlin. When an unidentified young man is found hanging from a tree in a local park, it is initially treated as a tragic suicide, but Walker’s instincts tell him otherwise. Alongside his young partner, he digs deeper and uncovers a connection to a past unsolved death. The stakes skyrocket when national cricket icon Caden Conroy is brutally murdered, triggering an intense media frenzy that eventually sees Walker sidelined by Brisbane Homicide and forced to go rogue to untangle a web of deceit, all while his own family life is in freefall.
Mystery-wise, I found this to be a beautifully executed plot with a steady momentum that kept me thoroughly hooked from start to finish. The narrative is wonderfully nuanced, seamlessly incorporating relevant, modern themes like gambling, the rise of sovereign state believers, and sexuality in sports without feeling preachy. I found myself working out most of the puzzle pieces along the way, but Wolf writes with enough clever misdirection that I was still left guessing about exactly how all the threads would weave together in the end. I actually stayed up well past my bedtime just to finish the final chapters because the tension built so naturally.
Lucas is such a beautifully written, complex character, and I found myself deeply invested in his journey and rooting for him through every obstacle. The outback setting is described to absolute perfection, making the heat and isolation feel like characters in their own right. My only real frustration was with the structural choice at the very end of the book. While I was incredibly relieved to see the whole Vandals storyline finally wrapped up, the book concludes with some lingering bad news from Germany, and I really am not keen to revisit that particular arc in the future. Walker finally meets a genuinely likable love interest that you want to see him happy with, only for Barbara to reappear and completely dampen the mood. I truly hope the next book doesn’t mean a full return for Barbara and Stefan Markovich, as that previous storyline was my least favourite part of the series. Still, this is a fantastic piece of Aussie noir, and I am already looking forward to seeing where Walker's instincts take him next.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In the fifth Patrica Wolf novel featuring Australian police officer Lucas Walker, he is back in rural Australia, with no signs of him becoming inert in his investigations.
Wolf, through these five novels, has continued forward progress with her stories and characters in a way that has not grown stale or fallen into cliches or widely overused tropes. She also does not rely upon creating a damaged character reliant upon personal demons, alcohol, or other human frailties, so often used when creating stories involving criminal investigators.
The only downfall for the Walker character is his ability to somehow get into trouble for doing the right things, rather than committing acts of misconduct.
In Hero, after hints of false allegations, Walker has been removed from his Australian Federal Police position and returned to the world of rural Australian policing.
One morning, after a woman opens up her mobile cafe in a park parking lot for business, she is horrified to discover a dead male hanging in a tree by the neck. The male, at first thought to be dead from suicide, has no identification and is unknown to anyone in the area.
Of course, things are not what they seem, and as Walker continues his investigation, another dead man is found, but this time, from murder. Unfortunately for Walker, this man is also known as possibly the best and legendary cricket ball player in the world, which then leads Walker into another investigation where others, more deadlier and dangerous than the killer, roam beneath the surface. Because of the notoriety of the victim and being seen as inadequate in their abilities, Walker and his new young stationed police officer are quickly pushed aside, with more seasoned homicide detectives brought in to solve the murder.
Soon, as parts of each death investigation, and of another previously unsolved suspicious death, appear to overlap, Walker and his new co-worker's pursuit of the truth becomes not only much more difficult, but dangerous as well.
Wolf also tosses in other related plot threads that further develop not only the Walker character, but others as well, while creating a rich environment for her characters to grow and breathe.
Wolf is also superb at creating a true police procedural where pieces of the puzzle are methodically put together while slowly developing the entire story to its logical and reasoned conclusion without being boring, and with Hero ending in such a way that we know this is not the last Walker story to be told.
Hero was provided by Netgalley and Embla Publishing upon the return of a fair review.
Wolf, through these five novels, has continued forward progress with her stories and characters in a way that has not grown stale or fallen into cliches or widely overused tropes. She also does not rely upon creating a damaged character reliant upon personal demons, alcohol, or other human frailties, so often used when creating stories involving criminal investigators.
The only downfall for the Walker character is his ability to somehow get into trouble for doing the right things, rather than committing acts of misconduct.
In Hero, after hints of false allegations, Walker has been removed from his Australian Federal Police position and returned to the world of rural Australian policing.
One morning, after a woman opens up her mobile cafe in a park parking lot for business, she is horrified to discover a dead male hanging in a tree by the neck. The male, at first thought to be dead from suicide, has no identification and is unknown to anyone in the area.
Of course, things are not what they seem, and as Walker continues his investigation, another dead man is found, but this time, from murder. Unfortunately for Walker, this man is also known as possibly the best and legendary cricket ball player in the world, which then leads Walker into another investigation where others, more deadlier and dangerous than the killer, roam beneath the surface. Because of the notoriety of the victim and being seen as inadequate in their abilities, Walker and his new young stationed police officer are quickly pushed aside, with more seasoned homicide detectives brought in to solve the murder.
Soon, as parts of each death investigation, and of another previously unsolved suspicious death, appear to overlap, Walker and his new co-worker's pursuit of the truth becomes not only much more difficult, but dangerous as well.
Wolf also tosses in other related plot threads that further develop not only the Walker character, but others as well, while creating a rich environment for her characters to grow and breathe.
Wolf is also superb at creating a true police procedural where pieces of the puzzle are methodically put together while slowly developing the entire story to its logical and reasoned conclusion without being boring, and with Hero ending in such a way that we know this is not the last Walker story to be told.
Hero was provided by Netgalley and Embla Publishing upon the return of a fair review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Hero by Patricia Wolf is the fifth instalment in the Outback-Noir DS Lucas Walker series. If you haven’t ready any of the previous books, you can still jump in and enjoy this book as it references past events and relationships which will catch you up.
In this instalment, Walker no longer works for the Australian Federal Police (AFP), but as a detective in the Queensland Police, working in a small rural police station in Katima. He’s settling into his new role and new life in which he now spends more time with his extended in Caloodie, which isn’t too far away.
A body of a young man is found hanging in a tree in a park in Katima and Walker and his partner Vinh are called in to investigate. Whilst it’s been staged to look like a suicide, it can’t have been and Walker and Vinh set out to identify the victim and also solve the murder.
Walker and Vinh are then called out to another murder at a large secluded property to discover that an Aussie Cricketing Legend, Caden Conroy, has been brutally murdered. As it is such a high-profile case, they are very quickly dropped from the case and detectives from Brisbane Homocide are flown in to take control of the crime scene.
I’m a huge fan of this series of books and love how Walker doesn’t play the politicking game, even if it makes him unpopular or puts him in the firing line. HIs priority is to honour the victims and solve the crimes to do right by them.
Whilst Walker and VInh solve the murder of the John Doe found hanging in the Katima Park and find connections to Caden Conroy’s murder and a cold case. This book is also very much anchored to exploring corruption across society, political corruption, police corruption and corruption of sport, which I found fascinating.
I also love this series of books as they really evoke life in a small outback town. Katima and Caloodie are both small with a supermarket, a bakery and the pub which plays an integral park of small-town life. The pub is the epicentre of outback life where people spend their time and share stories. I really enjoyed how in Hero, Walker is making his home in Katima and making friends with the locals including his partner Vinh, Charli the barrista and Radar who is a retired Katima police officer.
I really can’t wait for the next DS Lucas Walker instalment!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Embla Books, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.
In this instalment, Walker no longer works for the Australian Federal Police (AFP), but as a detective in the Queensland Police, working in a small rural police station in Katima. He’s settling into his new role and new life in which he now spends more time with his extended in Caloodie, which isn’t too far away.
A body of a young man is found hanging in a tree in a park in Katima and Walker and his partner Vinh are called in to investigate. Whilst it’s been staged to look like a suicide, it can’t have been and Walker and Vinh set out to identify the victim and also solve the murder.
Walker and Vinh are then called out to another murder at a large secluded property to discover that an Aussie Cricketing Legend, Caden Conroy, has been brutally murdered. As it is such a high-profile case, they are very quickly dropped from the case and detectives from Brisbane Homocide are flown in to take control of the crime scene.
I’m a huge fan of this series of books and love how Walker doesn’t play the politicking game, even if it makes him unpopular or puts him in the firing line. HIs priority is to honour the victims and solve the crimes to do right by them.
Whilst Walker and VInh solve the murder of the John Doe found hanging in the Katima Park and find connections to Caden Conroy’s murder and a cold case. This book is also very much anchored to exploring corruption across society, political corruption, police corruption and corruption of sport, which I found fascinating.
I also love this series of books as they really evoke life in a small outback town. Katima and Caloodie are both small with a supermarket, a bakery and the pub which plays an integral park of small-town life. The pub is the epicentre of outback life where people spend their time and share stories. I really enjoyed how in Hero, Walker is making his home in Katima and making friends with the locals including his partner Vinh, Charli the barrista and Radar who is a retired Katima police officer.
I really can’t wait for the next DS Lucas Walker instalment!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Embla Books, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.
August 2, 2026
"Hero" by Patricia Wolf is the fifth installment in the incredibly gripping thriller series featuring the charismatic DS Walker.
Walker has taken on a new job in the heart of the Australian Outback, in the small town of Katima, where he and a young colleague are in charge of the local police station. When the body of an unidentified man is found hanging from a tree, Walker does everything he can to discover the victim's identity. During his investigation, he stumbles upon the murder of famous Australian cricket player Caden Conroy—a case that technically isn't within his jurisdiction. However, Walker soon becomes convinced that the two murders are somehow linked. When he eventually learns about another unsolved death that occurred several years earlier and bears striking similarities to his own case, an astonishing web of lies, greed, and corruption gradually begins to unravel. Will Walker succeed in bringing those responsible to justice?
Just like the previous four novels, book five completely lived up to my expectations. First of all, I find DS Walker an incredibly likeable protagonist. Secondly, the story is consistently suspenseful, with no slow moments at all, and the investigation is full of unexpected twists and turns. Another strength is that the story is told not only from Walker's perspective but also from the viewpoints of all the key characters involved in the case. This makes the plot highly complex, while readers often know more than Walker himself and can only hope that he doesn't walk into a trap.
Walker's love life also becomes more interesting again when he meets the attractive Cari. But towards the end of the novel, after he has solved the case, he receives a phone call from his German colleague Barbara in Berlin, for whom he has had very special feelings ever since the first book in the series. Barbara has very bad news for him. Book five therefore ends on a cliffhanger, and so I can't wait to read book six, which is being released this September.
Walker has taken on a new job in the heart of the Australian Outback, in the small town of Katima, where he and a young colleague are in charge of the local police station. When the body of an unidentified man is found hanging from a tree, Walker does everything he can to discover the victim's identity. During his investigation, he stumbles upon the murder of famous Australian cricket player Caden Conroy—a case that technically isn't within his jurisdiction. However, Walker soon becomes convinced that the two murders are somehow linked. When he eventually learns about another unsolved death that occurred several years earlier and bears striking similarities to his own case, an astonishing web of lies, greed, and corruption gradually begins to unravel. Will Walker succeed in bringing those responsible to justice?
Just like the previous four novels, book five completely lived up to my expectations. First of all, I find DS Walker an incredibly likeable protagonist. Secondly, the story is consistently suspenseful, with no slow moments at all, and the investigation is full of unexpected twists and turns. Another strength is that the story is told not only from Walker's perspective but also from the viewpoints of all the key characters involved in the case. This makes the plot highly complex, while readers often know more than Walker himself and can only hope that he doesn't walk into a trap.
Walker's love life also becomes more interesting again when he meets the attractive Cari. But towards the end of the novel, after he has solved the case, he receives a phone call from his German colleague Barbara in Berlin, for whom he has had very special feelings ever since the first book in the series. Barbara has very bad news for him. Book five therefore ends on a cliffhanger, and so I can't wait to read book six, which is being released this September.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
(4.5 stars)
After Nemesis being a little lacklustre, Hero is a return to form for Patricia Wolf. Set in a small town a hundred kilometres away from his hometown, DS Lucas Walker is now working for Queensland Police "covering a huge swathe of outback Queensland." Luckily there are a number of murders to keep him busy...
Wolf tackles a number of issues that are big in Australia right now, including "Sovereign citizen bullshit" with a mention of the now deceased Dezi Freeman, and the impact online gambling is having on sport. While I have no interest in cricket, I liked the way it was covered in this book, particularly the exploitation of young cricketers from developing countries under the guise of a being a foundation.
The landscape is back to feeling expansive, particularly on the property called Annabel Downs: "Half a dozen kangaroos lope lazily away as they pass, fading to invisibility in the grass, and a flock of cockatoos rises in a yellow-and-white cloud from the trees beside the track." Male sex work is a theme, with a rent boy, Benjy, a key character. Benjy experiences luxury through his clients: "He's done the same himself, more than once, hit on a rich guy in the hope of some scraps from the table." This was nicely depicted without the usual moralism. I also liked the floating of queer cricketers, something you don't hear much about, but they clearly exist. Even the lure of gambling is well covered: "The familiar rhythm, the distraction, the low-key buzz of risking a couple of hundred bucks is soothing. His mind empties, all his concerns retreat."
I looked forward to going to bed each evening for the next installment in this reasonably believable tale.
With thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for sending me a copy to read.
After Nemesis being a little lacklustre, Hero is a return to form for Patricia Wolf. Set in a small town a hundred kilometres away from his hometown, DS Lucas Walker is now working for Queensland Police "covering a huge swathe of outback Queensland." Luckily there are a number of murders to keep him busy...
Wolf tackles a number of issues that are big in Australia right now, including "Sovereign citizen bullshit" with a mention of the now deceased Dezi Freeman, and the impact online gambling is having on sport. While I have no interest in cricket, I liked the way it was covered in this book, particularly the exploitation of young cricketers from developing countries under the guise of a being a foundation.
The landscape is back to feeling expansive, particularly on the property called Annabel Downs: "Half a dozen kangaroos lope lazily away as they pass, fading to invisibility in the grass, and a flock of cockatoos rises in a yellow-and-white cloud from the trees beside the track." Male sex work is a theme, with a rent boy, Benjy, a key character. Benjy experiences luxury through his clients: "He's done the same himself, more than once, hit on a rich guy in the hope of some scraps from the table." This was nicely depicted without the usual moralism. I also liked the floating of queer cricketers, something you don't hear much about, but they clearly exist. Even the lure of gambling is well covered: "The familiar rhythm, the distraction, the low-key buzz of risking a couple of hundred bucks is soothing. His mind empties, all his concerns retreat."
I looked forward to going to bed each evening for the next installment in this reasonably believable tale.
With thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for sending me a copy to read.
August 1, 2026
A tightly written outback police procedural
We're becoming accustomed to intriguing police cases in Australia's outback, thanks to writers such as Patricia Wolf. And I for one, love it.
Most of us never visit these remote communities, and yet somehow we feel a connection to them. The ability of writers such as Wolf to give life to outback towns has spawned a genuine interest in Australian rural crime stories.
The title hero refers to the celebrated fictional Australian cricketer Caden Conroy, who has the distinction of being the most famous person killed in this novel. Think someone of the status of Shane Warne and you will understand the huge impact of his death.
Our other hero, DS Lucas Walker, is not tasked with finding his murderer because he is a local cop in a remote town. However as he is working on cases in the vicinity, Caden's investigation comes into his purview.
I found the book very intriguing. There were several sub plots: gays in sport, gambling in sport, police corruption, corrupt lawyers, wayward teenagers, and of course a love interest. The local police in fictional Katima have their own stories. Then there are the characters in the local pub who are mandatory in any Australian outback novel.
There were a few loose ends in an otherwise tight plot, given the number of elements to pull together, this is not surprising..
I did find the Brisbane based homicide squad a bit stereotypical. Surely in 2026 there must be some less rigid police officers. After a recent experience I had with the Queensland police I found this a bit jarring.
Ms Wolf uses quite a few colloquialisms in this book. Perhaps a glossary of terms might be useful for overseas readers. Even this octogenarian Queenslander learnt some new expressions.
Altogether a very satisfying read.
We're becoming accustomed to intriguing police cases in Australia's outback, thanks to writers such as Patricia Wolf. And I for one, love it.
Most of us never visit these remote communities, and yet somehow we feel a connection to them. The ability of writers such as Wolf to give life to outback towns has spawned a genuine interest in Australian rural crime stories.
The title hero refers to the celebrated fictional Australian cricketer Caden Conroy, who has the distinction of being the most famous person killed in this novel. Think someone of the status of Shane Warne and you will understand the huge impact of his death.
Our other hero, DS Lucas Walker, is not tasked with finding his murderer because he is a local cop in a remote town. However as he is working on cases in the vicinity, Caden's investigation comes into his purview.
I found the book very intriguing. There were several sub plots: gays in sport, gambling in sport, police corruption, corrupt lawyers, wayward teenagers, and of course a love interest. The local police in fictional Katima have their own stories. Then there are the characters in the local pub who are mandatory in any Australian outback novel.
There were a few loose ends in an otherwise tight plot, given the number of elements to pull together, this is not surprising..
I did find the Brisbane based homicide squad a bit stereotypical. Surely in 2026 there must be some less rigid police officers. After a recent experience I had with the Queensland police I found this a bit jarring.
Ms Wolf uses quite a few colloquialisms in this book. Perhaps a glossary of terms might be useful for overseas readers. Even this octogenarian Queenslander learnt some new expressions.
Altogether a very satisfying read.
June 3, 2026
🎧 Hero by Patricia Wolf 🎧
⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half ⭐️
I have been hooked on this series and DS Walker. This book is better than the last two books. But the first two are still my favourite in the series and were a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the new characters in the book and the idea of a new love interest for Walker. I was so glad the storyline of Stefan Markovich is gone and buried and Walker is back to his roots in rural Queensland. But can we also please say goodbye to Barabra 🫣⚠️
"DS Lucas Walker is back home in rural Queensland. With his own family in free fall and reeling from the dramatic fallout of his last case, Walker faces one of his toughest investigations yet. He's just getting to grips with his new role in the small outback town of Katima when the body of a young man is found hanging in the park.
What at first looks like a tragic suicide soon has Walker on alert and when a connection with another death emerges, he and his young partner throw themselves into the case.
And then a brutal murder changes everything. The victim is Caden Conroy, Australian cricketing hero, and the nature of his death leads to an unparallelled media frenzy.
When Walker is sidelined by Brisbane Homicide, he must go his own way to unpick the lies and corruption at the heart of these cases. Only then will he know if they are connected. But at what cost?
With his own family in freefall, DS Lucas Walker faces one of his toughest cases yet?"
If you are after a great written Australian crime, this book will satisfy and leave you wanting more.
#australianaurthorapperciation #australiancrime #aussiebooksagram #aussiebookbloger #aussiebookreviewer
⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half ⭐️
I have been hooked on this series and DS Walker. This book is better than the last two books. But the first two are still my favourite in the series and were a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the new characters in the book and the idea of a new love interest for Walker. I was so glad the storyline of Stefan Markovich is gone and buried and Walker is back to his roots in rural Queensland. But can we also please say goodbye to Barabra 🫣⚠️
"DS Lucas Walker is back home in rural Queensland. With his own family in free fall and reeling from the dramatic fallout of his last case, Walker faces one of his toughest investigations yet. He's just getting to grips with his new role in the small outback town of Katima when the body of a young man is found hanging in the park.
What at first looks like a tragic suicide soon has Walker on alert and when a connection with another death emerges, he and his young partner throw themselves into the case.
And then a brutal murder changes everything. The victim is Caden Conroy, Australian cricketing hero, and the nature of his death leads to an unparallelled media frenzy.
When Walker is sidelined by Brisbane Homicide, he must go his own way to unpick the lies and corruption at the heart of these cases. Only then will he know if they are connected. But at what cost?
With his own family in freefall, DS Lucas Walker faces one of his toughest cases yet?"
If you are after a great written Australian crime, this book will satisfy and leave you wanting more.
#australianaurthorapperciation #australiancrime #aussiebooksagram #aussiebookbloger #aussiebookreviewer
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Hero is the 5th book by Patricia Wolf in the DS Lucas Walker series.
Walker is now working for the Queensland Police in the small town of Katima. He is called to a suspected suicide in a local park, however things do not add up. At a nearby property, popular Australian cricketer Caden Conroy is found dead soon afterwards. Walker is called to investigate, however as this is such a high profile case, it is handed to the Brisbane based homicide team. However, things do not add up, and Walker wants to do the right thing by his victims and keep working on the case. Corrupt police are not helping his investigating.
There are also issues happening with Walker’s family 200km up the road, to keep things interesting.
The themes of police and sporting corruption were fascinating. I certainly learned a lot about the role of gambling in sport. The book also touched on sovereign citizens, which is a very topical issue.
I have read all of the previous Walker books, and again the author does not disappoint. Walker is a very likeable character. Unlike other characters from similar type books, he is not bound up with baggage or a drinking problem etc. However he has the uncanny ability to annoy some of his work hierarchy for trying to do the right thing.
I found the book to be fast paced – plenty going on to keep me interested, with lots of twists and turns. I finished the book in two days. The ending leaves itself way open for another novel. Bring it on!!
5 stars from me. Patricia Wolf is one of my favourite authors – I will read anything she writes.
Walker is now working for the Queensland Police in the small town of Katima. He is called to a suspected suicide in a local park, however things do not add up. At a nearby property, popular Australian cricketer Caden Conroy is found dead soon afterwards. Walker is called to investigate, however as this is such a high profile case, it is handed to the Brisbane based homicide team. However, things do not add up, and Walker wants to do the right thing by his victims and keep working on the case. Corrupt police are not helping his investigating.
There are also issues happening with Walker’s family 200km up the road, to keep things interesting.
The themes of police and sporting corruption were fascinating. I certainly learned a lot about the role of gambling in sport. The book also touched on sovereign citizens, which is a very topical issue.
I have read all of the previous Walker books, and again the author does not disappoint. Walker is a very likeable character. Unlike other characters from similar type books, he is not bound up with baggage or a drinking problem etc. However he has the uncanny ability to annoy some of his work hierarchy for trying to do the right thing.
I found the book to be fast paced – plenty going on to keep me interested, with lots of twists and turns. I finished the book in two days. The ending leaves itself way open for another novel. Bring it on!!
5 stars from me. Patricia Wolf is one of my favourite authors – I will read anything she writes.
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