The Fallback is the second novel by Australian police officer and author, DL Hicks. When the mutilated body of retirement home bus driver, Eric Johnstone is found tied to the oyster beds in the lake at Point Imlay, two detectives from out of town are called in.

Detective Senior Constable John Darken (JD) offers to help the local police for two reasons: he has known Eric for many years, and travelling away from Gull Bay may help to distract him from the trauma that required him to take mental health leave. Detective Senior Constable Emma Capsteen is sent from the city because she is the one available on the Homicide team. Her attitude does rub many of the locals up the wrong way.

The cause of death isn’t clear: drowning or drugs or that blow to his skull? And while the local chapter of the Sixers and Niners, bikers involved in drug dealing and gun-running, seem the most likely suspects, they are not the only ones with motives. Some of Eric’s activities, both outside work and at Seascape Gardens, are quite shocking and put this supposedly-reformed petty criminal at odds with several others.

JD reveals to the Senior Sergeant at Pint Imlay, Eric’s true identity and the reason for his departure from Gull Bay, which constitutes yet another potential motive for his killing. The mutilations also strike a chord with JD: he’s certain he has seen this before.

But despite witness interviews, CCTV, research and legwork, the team makes little headway and the case stalls. Then another body is found with the same mutilations: do they have a serial killer on their hands? A telephone threat against yet another local seems to support this.

When they finally have a breakthrough, survive a dramatic showdown without too much bloodshed, and make some very satisfactory arrests, it all feels a little too easy to JD, but he’s pleased to be heading back to Gull Bay and his loyal St Bernard.

Readers familiar with Hicks’s earlier novel, The Devil Inside, will recognise some characters, but this one easily stands alone and there are no real spoilers for the debut novel, so first-timers can delve into that one confident of another excellent murder mystery.

Even the most astute reader is unlikely to guess the true killer and motive before the jaw-dropping reveal and, with a certain issue from JD’s past still unresolved, Hicks has plenty of scope for continuing with this interesting and well-drawn protagonist. Excellent Aussie crime drama.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Pantera Press.