The Long Game

A summer of relentless heat. A local surfer named Ray Carlson is found dead in a house not far from Portsea back beach. There’s a kitchen knife deep in his chest, and blood everywhere.

Detective Sergeant Zoe Mayer is scarcely back from extended leave, and still wrestling with her demons, but she is assigned the case—alongside her new service dog, Harry, whose instincts help her in unexpected ways.

There’s an obvious suspect for the murder, and Zoe makes an arrest. But it’s all too neat, and none of Zoe’s colleagues believes her theory that the whole thing is a stitch-up.

Except now someone is trying to hunt Zoe down.

Superbly plotted, and vividly set in the beachside suburbs and hilly retreats around Melbourne, The Long Game is a mystery about a tough and clever investigator who won’t give up.

In his early days, Simon Rowell worked on outback oil rigs, managing nightclubs, and as a tour guide in Central Australia. Eventually, he transitioned into a twenty-year career in corporate branding. Rowell is known as the author of several novels, including The Long Game, Wild Card, and The Good Dog (all part of the Zoe Mayer series), along with The Echo of Others, which earned a spot on the longlist for the Ned Kelly Awards for Best First Crime in 2018. He and his wife, Karen, reside on a farm full of rescued animals on South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula.

‘Beautifully written, this clever crime thriller kept me hooked till the end.’ Sara Foster, bestselling author of You Don’t Know Me

‘A sharply written, vividly set page-turner, inhabited by memorable characters, including Harry the loyal service dog.’ Tania Chandler, author of All That I Remember About Dean Cola

‘The Long Game is a nail-biting ride. Detective Sergeant Zoe Mayer and her service dog, Harry, kept me enthralled to the end.’ Greg Woodland, author of The Night Whistler