Small Town. Big Secrets.
Fleeing problems in her own marriage, child protection worker Dana Gibson leaves Sydney for a job in the Queensland town of Toowoomba. Her first house call is to nearby Crows Nest to assess the children of Sandra Kirby, which results in her getting both her new boss and a local detective offside. Dana soon learns that, in the country, city rules do not apply.
When Sandra Kirby and her best friend are found shot dead, Dana is drawn into an investigation that will force her to strip away the friendly veneer of small-town life, while grappling with ghosts of her own. As buried secrets, bitter tensions and corruption come to light, how far will locals go to stop her uncovering the truth of what happened?
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About the Author
Nikki Mottram uses her background in child protection in her crime fiction. She has a psychology degree from The University of Queensland and has worked in London and Australia in positions protecting and promoting the welfare of children at risk of harm. She has been published in the Boroondara Literary Awards anthology and shortlisted for the Fish Short Story Prize and the Hal Porter Short Story Competition. In 2018, she was the recipient of a Katharine Susannah Pritchard Writers' Centre Fellowship. She grew up and resides in Toowoomba.
Industry Reviews
'Crows Nest is the best kind of crime writing – thrilling, raw and true. There's a vibrant heart beating on every page. A page-turner in the truest sense of the word.' – Ben Hobson
'A dark and gripping mystery that’s sure to keep you guessing.’ – Mark Brandi
'A propulsive, addictive small-town thriller that will have you desperate to know whodunit. Dana is such a character of our times – good, bad and everything in-between. Dark and suspenseful, with just the right amount of hope to keep the pages turning.’ – Sarah Bailey