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2023: What deadly secrets have been swept away by the flood?
The Torrent
What you need to know before your trail
In Northern New South Wales, heavily pregnant and a week away from maternity leave, Detective Sergeant Kate Miles is exhausted and counting down the days. But a violent hold-up at a local fast-food restaurant with unsettling connections to her own past, means that her final days will be anything but straightforward.
When a second case is dumped on her lap, the closed case of a man drowned in recent summer floods, what begins as a simple informal review quickly grows into something more complicated. Kate can either write the report that’s expected of her or investigate the case the way she wants to.
As secrets and betrayals pile up, and the needs of her own family intervene, how far is Kate prepared to push to discover the truth?
Locations
ResetTravel Guide
Esserton, New South Wales, Australia
The author says:
The Torrent is set in the fictional town of Esserton in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia on the traditional lands of the Bundjalung people. The landscape in this part of the country is lush, green and subtropical with a mixture of small regional towns, rural hinterland (largely pasture and cane farming) and extensive national parks with elevated peaks and rainforest vegetation. Located approximately 17 kilometres inland from the coast (Pacific Ocean), Esserton is situated immediately south of the real-life township of Murwillumbah on the banks of the Tweed River and close to the state border of New South Wales and Queensland.
The Northern Rivers region of New South Wales is historically prone to flooding including the devastating river floods of 2010/11 and 2022. While I am not a local or resident of the Northern Rivers, I decided to locate my story in this region because of the flood history of the Tweed River and the plot of The Torrent, which centres around a death in floodwaters. It is a singularly beautiful part of the country that I love visiting when I travel up north from Sydney for research trips.
Booktrailer Review
Well, take me to Esserton in North South Wales for a crime thriller from a new to me author.
As the title suggests, this is a fierce novel with a unsettling premise and an unsettling location. Kate Miles is about to have a baby but she’s a DS and so has to hand over to new arrival Josh before she goes on leave. Trouble is there’s an attack on a sixteen year old girl and she feel compelled to work on the case instead.With that case ongoing, she is asked to review that of a death – a man named Joel died in the recent floods. His wife survived and now she seems to be the suspect. Kate is asked to investigate and once she gets involved, quite appropriately, the flood gates open.
Kate is a fierce lady and you know she’s going to solve both cases but she’s pregnant and about to give birth so I was a bit worried. Good being strong, but come on! Anyway, as I read, I realised just why Kate is as stubborn and determined as she is. By the end of the novel I really wanted to know Kate and her story some more so glad this is a debut to a new series!
BookTrail Boarding Pass: The Torrent
Destination/location: Fictional Esserton, South Murwillumbah, NSW Author/guide: Dinuka McKenzie Departure Time:2023
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