05 August 2026
‘Excellent. Auhl deserves a series of his own’ THE TIMES
‘A superb chronicler of cop culture’ SUNDAY TIMES
‘Disher’s sublime touch for atmosphere and tension permeate this absorbing, emotional story’ DAILY MAIL
TIME WON’T BURY THE TRUTH
Sergeant Alan Auhl has come out of retirement. Once a shining light in Victoria’s homicide squad, he now runs the Cold Case Unit, casting an experienced eye over unsolved murders and missing persons. The young detectives think he’s washed up, but this doesn’t faze Auhl. He does things his own way, and his way delivers.
Whether he’s identifying a skeleton found under a concrete slab, gathering enough evidence to finally convict a doctor who killed three women, or answering a daughter’s plea that her father’s death was no accident, Auhl always gets results. Because every case, no matter how cold, deserves justice.
From the author of the beloved Paul Hirsch mysteries and Hal Challis investigations comes a riveting standalone, perfect for readers of Ian Rankin, Jane Harper and Chris Hammer.
It’s been three years since the publication of your debut novel and Claire’s first outing, You’d Look Better as a Ghost. What was it like to return to our favourite part-time serial killer?
Claire is a constant and rather demanding presence inside my mind, and the challenge is keeping her out of everything I write – she’d make a guest appearance in my shopping lists if she could! So, it was quite a relief to reconnect with her properly and let her take centre stage.
Things are a little different for Claire this time; she’s landed a new job at the local pub. Why did you choose to move her here, what did the pub setting offer?
I think Claire works best when she’s surrounded by different types of people, providing her with a wide range of options of who she’d like to kill next. Having worked in a pub in the past, I knew that it would be a great environment for her to come face to face with plenty of potential targets. Plus, it made sense to put a hammer-wielding serial killer in a place where people are literally queuing up to get hammered!
More Claire means more murders… How do you come up with her methods of murder? Do you have to do a lot of research into gruesome deaths?
I think there’s probably a limit to the amount of research I can do for my books before authorities are alerted, but luckily, I didn’t have to focus on anything too gruesome for this book. Although looking back at my notes, the scribbles about blood spatter, date rape drugs, and autoerotic asphyxiation may look a bit dodgy!
Readers are always struck by the brilliant sense of dark humour in your books. What draws you to use comedy in your writing?
I think it’s just the way I am. I’ve always looked for humour in any situation, especially when times are tough. Maybe if you do it enough, eventually it just becomes an automatic way of thinking. I’m fascinated by the balance between horror and humour when I write and I like to challenge myself to try to achieve both – sometimes at the same time.
Do you have any other serial killer books that you can recommend to readers?
Yes, loads! In no particular order I would recommend Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, Hannibal by Thomas Harris, You by Caroline Kepnes and Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse. I like the serial killers in these books because they’re all people I would personally like to get to know – albeit at a safe distance!
