Canticle Creek

Book excerpt: ‘Hyland has mastered the architecture of noir—his sinister tale seethes with small-town atmosphere and satisfying twists, set against the dangers and harsh beauty of the Australian landscape.’ – Sydney Morning Herald ‘The writing is generous and whip-smart, with sentences that will stop readers in their tracks to savour them... Heart-racing twists propel the novel to its denouement, while the oppressive heat and arid landscape add an extra layer of threat to the unfolding drama.’ – Books + Publishing Canticle Creek is a twisty crime thriller set in small town Australia. When Adam Lawson's wrecked car is found a kilometre from Daisy Baker’s body, the whole town assumes it’s an open and shut case. But Jesse Redpath isn’t from Canticle Creek. Where she comes from, the truth often hides in plain sight, but only if you know where to look. When Jesse starts to ask awkward questions, she uncovers a town full of contradictions and a cast of characters with dark pasts, secrets to hide and even more to lose. As the temperature soars, and the ground bakes, the wilderness surrounding Canticle Creek becomes a powderkeg waiting to explode. All it needs is one spark.