Red Dirt Road
'A rising star of Australian crime fiction ' SUNDAY TIMES
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4.2 • 12 Ratings
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- £3.49
Publisher Description
'A rising star of Australian crime fiction ' SUNDAY TIMES
'Gripping' GUARDIAN
S. R. White is the real deal.' CHRIS HAMMER, author of SCRUBLANDS
One outback town. Two puzzling murders. Fifty suspects.
In Unamurra, a drought-scarred, one-pub town deep in the outback, two men are savagely murdered a month apart - their bodies elaborately arranged like angels.
With no witnesses, no obvious motives and no apparent connections between the killings, how can lone police officer Detective Dana Russo - flown in from hundreds of kilometres away - possibly solve such a baffling, brutal case?
Met with silence and suspicion from locals who live by their own set of rules, Dana must take over a stalled investigation with only a week to make progress.
But with a murderer hiding in plain sight, and the parched days rapidly passing, Dana is determined to uncover the shocking secrets of this forgotten town - a place where anyone could be a killer.
A gripping and vividly atmospheric story from the international bestseller, this is a searing story perfect for fans of Jane Harper, Chris Hammer and Garry Disher.
Praise for S. R. White:
'A taut, beautifully observed slow-burner with an explosive finish' Peter May
'Original, compelling and highly recommended' Chris Hammer
'A fascinating case' SUNDAY TIMES
'It draws you in - and rewards with a truly powerful ending' HEAT
'This slow-burn novel catches light' THE SUN
Customer Reviews
Hot and dusty Aussie noir
Set against the stark, unforgiving backdrop of rural Australia, this novel is as much about isolation, trauma, and the human condition as it is about solving a brutal crime.
At the center of the story is Detective Dana Russo, a complex and introspective individual whose quiet intensity drives the narrative. Russo is tasked with investigating the murder of a young woman found brutally slain near a remote farming town. As she delves into the community’s secrets, the desolate setting becomes almost a character in itself—oppressive, beautiful, and brimming with quiet menace. The heat, dust and local intrigue weigh heavily on the story.
A psychological slow-burner, the author peels back the layers of the mystery with precision, revealing character motivations, hidden histories, and emotional scars.
Russo is not flashy or flamboyant, but rather thoughtful, empathetic, and deeply affected by the people and cases she encounters. Her calm and measured approach allows the novel to explore dark and disturbing territory without ever tipping into sensationalism.
The interrogations are quietly riveting, revealing just as much through what’s left unsaid as what’s spoken aloud. Through subtle shifts in tone and body language, characters are unmasked layer by layer.
The mystery itself is satisfying and well-constructed, with clues scattered expertly throughout. But Red Dirt Road offers more than just a clever puzzle—it provides insight into the hidden costs of violence, the limits of justice, and the quiet resilience of those who’ve endured the worst life has to offer.
Red Dirt Road is beautifully written, emotionally resonant, and rich in atmosphere.