Lifestyle
Book Club: 10 new crime novels you don't want to miss
If crime fiction is your preference, enjoyment or full-blown obsession, these 10 sharp new releases are the ones worth clearing space for on your bedside table right now.
By Allison Tait
The great thing about being a fan of the crime, mystery and thriller genres is that there are so many great new titles appearing all the time. But this can also be a downside – it’s almost impossible to keep up with what’s on offer!
To help you find the next stack of books for your To Be Read pile, I’ve unearthed recent crime treasures you may have missed – and a few to pre-order today. And, in great news, most of them come with new series or backlists to discover. Finding a new, prolific crime author you love is a particular joy, don’t you think?
The Hiding Place by Kate Mildenhall
Billed as a ‘literary thriller’, The Hiding Place is the story of what happens when ordinary Australian families buy a long-abandoned mining town to use as a weekend hideaway. By the end of their first night in the place, someone will be dead and secrets start to come to light.
The Redline by Adrian Hyland
Set in the fictional Windmark Ranges in rural Victoria, The Redline is book #3 in Adrian Hyland’s Jesse Redpath series (book #1 is Canticle Creek). Working alone, due to staffing shortages, Redpath is investigating the death of a local cop, and once again the setting is atmospheric and well-drawn. Great for fans of police procedurals.
The Vanishing of Vivienne Cameron by Vikki Petraitis
Subtitled ‘Forty Years of Searching for the Phillip Island Murderer’, this book is the work of true crime author and podcaster Vikki Petraitis. Marking the fortieth anniversary of the murder of Beth Barnard and the disappearance of her boyfriend’s wife, Vivienne Cameron, this book is described as a ‘forensic investigation’ into what happened – and why. Petraitis wrote her first true-crime book, The Phillip Island Murder (with Paul Daley), about this case in 1993, and her podcast series on the subject was released through the Casefiles network in 2020.
Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath
What would it take to turn you into a killer? That’s what Jack Heath asks in each of the books in his ‘Kill Your’ series featuring DS Kiara Lui. In this third instalment (book #1 is Kill Your Brother), Heath serves up a twisty, witty ‘locked-room’ whodunnit about the death of Neville Adams, who has plummeted from the roof of Warrigal Public Library. Fans of Benjamin Stevenson will enjoy Heath’s dark humour, and, while each book is linked, they also stand alone.
The Hidden by Bryan Brown
Actor and writer Bryan Brown is carving out a niche with his very Aussie crime thrillers set in small coastal towns (his debut was The Drowning). In The Hidden, we visit The Heads, on the NSW north coast, where we follow Sergeant William Jarrett as he investigates the drug overdose of a local woman and discovers a lot going on under the surface. Expect lots of short sentences and larrikin humour (and try reading it without hearing Brown’s well-known voice in your mind).
Murder on North Terrace by Lainie Anderson
In book #2 of the Petticoat Police Mystery series (book #1 is The Death of Dora Black), it’s 1917, and Miss Cocks and Ethel Bromley are walking the beat. The indomitable duo soon find themselves embroiled in the death of a powerful board governor whose body has been dumped in the Art Gallery beneath a scandalous nude painting. Inspired by Kate Cocks, one of Australia’s first policewomen, this fictional cosy mystery series takes you into the heart of historic Adelaide.
Liar’s Game by Jack Beaumont
The third book in Jack Beaumont’s fast-paced Frenchman series of thrillers (The Frenchman is book #1), Liar’s Game sees French spy Alec de Payns on the run – and wanted for murder. Beaumont is a former operative for the DGSE (the French external spy agency) and he brings all of that insider knowledge into his grippingly authentic novels. Now’s the time to get on board, before the fourth book drops in July 2026.
Like, Follow, Die by Ashley Kalagian Blunt
Ashley Kalagian Blunt’s third psychological crime thriller (her debut thriller, Dark Mode, was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction) takes her readers into the internet’s darkest places and explores themes from recent headlines about online influencers, radicalisation, and the vulnerability of young people. Driving the plot is the investigation of the deaths of two people, with lots of twists and turns. Told from the perspectives of the investigator, the perpetrator’s mother and diary entries, it attempts to answer that question we all ask sometimes when we read the headlines: ‘How does this happen?’ Out on 24 February.
Redbelly Crossing by Candice Fox
The new Candice Fox novel won’t hit bookshelves until the very end of March, but if you haven’t yet enjoyed her brand of high-octane crime thriller, you’ve got time to catch up (start with Crimson Lake). And if you’re already a fan, you’ve got time to get excited. Russell and Evan Powder are cops – and brothers who haven’t spoken for five years. When they’re both assigned to the murder of a young journalist in the small town of Redbelly Crossing (population 205), they’ll need to work together. But what if only one of them wants the truth revealed? Out on 31 March.
Click by Sarah Bailey
Also coming your way on 31 March, the new crime thriller from bestselling author Sarah Bailey will be an auto-buy for many crime fiction fans. Click is the story of Melbourne journalist Oli Groves and rookie detective Penelope Kibbs, brought together when a backpacker’s body is found with a cryptic note – and then two more women vanish without a trace. If you can’t wait until 31 March, dig into one of her earlier books like The Dark Lake or Where The Dead Go.
All book images sourced from Amazon, used with permission. Citro may receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using the links in this article.
Tell us in the comments below: who’s your favourite crime novelist?
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