Whispering Death, by Garry Disher, is a refreshing read, set as it is just across the Tasman in parts of Australia that will be familiar to some readers.
Disher has twice won the Ned Kelly award for the best crime novel and although I don't know what that means in status terms, Whispering Death has a lot to recommend it.
Three main plots are included in the book.
A rapist in a police uniform is stalking on Inspector Hal Challis' Peninsula beat.
Challis can be seen either as a dour country-style policeman or an innovative manager who is prepared to talk about the frustrations of tight budgets and lack of resources.
Grace, the real main character, is a thief with a complex background that, pleasingly, is only revealed bit-by-bit instead of in a huge dump of information at the end of the book.
The third plot revolves around Grace but it draws in other characters as they show themselves to be part of her family past, a past she has recently learned of.
In a bit of a contrast, the obligatory sex scene is between female police officers - one of whom just wants to experiment.
Do not expect a complicated novel, but do expect some clever writing and a satisfying ending.
Dene Mackenzie is a Dunedin writer.
