The Long Shadow

Write down something about yourself, as a mother, that worries you.

Psychologist Isabel Harris has come to the outback town of Riley because her husband Dean is assessing the hospital—the hub of the community—with a view to closing it down. Isabel, mostly occupied with her toddler, will run a mother–baby therapy group. But on the first day she gets an anonymous note from one of the mothers:


The baby killer is going to strike again. Soon.

Then a series of small harassments begins.

Is it an attempt to warn Dean off? Or could the threat be serious? A child was murdered in Riley once before.

As Isabel discovers more about the mothers in her group, she begins to believe the twenty-five-year-old mystery of a baby’s death may be the key to preventing another tragedy.

Anne Buist is the Chair of Women’s Mental Health at the University of Melbourne. She has thirty years’ experience in perinatal psychiatry, and works with the legal system in cases of abuse, kidnapping, infanticide and murder. Her Natalie King: Forensic Psychologist series of thrillers is published by Text.

‘The strength of this crime novel by Professor Anne Buist, Chair of Women’s Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, lies in its exploration of the workings of the Family Court and its experts…This book should come with a warning: you may never be able to look at your own children’s drawings in the same way again.’ Sydney Morning Herald on This I would Kill For

‘Buist, chair of mental health at the University of Melbourne, is deeply versed in the institutional, legal and emotional implications of such a case. She has crafted a skilled and multi-layered procedural, one that is more about psychological than criminal matters, although their intersection is inevitable and crucial…Buist has given us a three-­dimensional heroine and richly imagined scenes of conflict in public and private. Most of these disputes are managed within legal bounds. Buist’s insights into the enmities and frustrations of bodies bound to help children are sharp.’ Australian on This I would Kill For

‘Full of authenticity and gravitas.’ Daily Telegraph on Dangerous to Know

‘A thrilling read that will have you on the edge of your seat.’ Buzzfeed on Dangerous to Know

‘An intelligent, well-paced thriller.’ Adrian McKinty on Dangerous to Know

'Natalie King is not your average heroine nor is Medea's Curse a predictable by-the-numbers thriller...An intelligent, thought-provoking tale.' Courier Mail on Medea's Curse

'A gripping ride of crime and tension, with a Lisbeth Salander-like lead roaring through danger and intrigue at a million miles an hour.' Adelaide Advertiser on Medea's Curse

'Buist brings her considerable experience as a perinatal psychiatrist to bear in this novel, giving it authenticity and gravitas.' Daily Telegraph on Medea's Curse

'An intelligent thriller.' Who Weekly on Medea's Curse

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