Award winning Australian author Adrian Hyland makes a return to the publishing scene with Canticle Creek, an evocative and tense crime fiction novel. Case Study will fascinate anyone with an interest in the radical psychiatry that went hand in glove with ’60s counterculture. It’s a disorienting, darkly funny novel, constructing a tale about the labyrinth of identity within the game-like frame of metafiction. An author becomes obsessed with writing about an enfant terrible of psychiatry, one Collins Braithwaite, and stumbles across notebooks from a peculiar case. A young woman calling herself Rebecca presents for treatment as one of Braithwaite’s clients, but she is really gunning for the charismatic shrink himself. Rebecca is convinced her sister, Veronica, a former patient who committed suicide, was driven over the edge by him. Determined to bring him down, she initiates a game of cat-and-mouse between therapist and client – one that hangs on the monkey bars of literary and psychiatric satire before falling onto sharper philosophical ground. A brilliant Aussie thriller, The Wiregrass is perfect for fans of Jane Harper, Chris Hammer and Candice Fox.’ - Books and Publishing The writing is polished and engaging, and the dialogue has a familiar rhythm. The setting is recognisably Australian, Hyland’s prose effortlessly evokes the baking hot weather, and varied landscape of rural Victoria.

The Wiregrass | Adrian Hyland | 9781761152818 | NetGalley

I have just finished reading this book,it was a little different from the fiction I usually read but thoroughly enjoyed it. Become a Readings Member to make your shopping experience even easier. Sign in or sign up for free! Jesse a Police officer in a small Australian town tries to help a young man to keep out of trouble.I’ve read all of Adrian’s books, several of which are set in NT. He experienced the Kinglake area Victorian bushfires and has written a book about this (from the perspective of a local policeman I think) so I wasn’t surprised to see the bushfire theme in his latest book. Robert Kenny’s memoir of the same fires still haunts me, for example his boots melting. For mine, the other outstanding crime novel by an Australian in 2021 was Unforgiven by Sarah Barrie whose books are gripping. Canticle Creek was a hot bed of secrets amid the soaring heat of the summer sun. As Jesse made herself known to the local cops, she made some friends – and enemies - while investigating. Possum, a sixteen-year-old young woman who had more smarts than some adults Jesse had met, was intelligent and helpful. But what would they find in the small town of Canticle Creek? Full of questions, Jesse travels to the area of the crash, just to make sure what local police say happened is what really went down – and that she didn’t just let a murderer run free to Victoria. What she finds in Canticle Creek are a whole lot more questions, along with breathtaking surrounds, talented artists, nosy teenagers on horses, drug dealers, roadside assaults, blazing fires – well, you get it. It’s everything you need for a rural police thriller, and a hell of a lot more, too. As the temperature soars, and the ground bakes, the wilderness surrounding Canticle Creek becomes a powderkeg waiting to explode.

Canticle Creek by Adrian Hyland | Goodreads

When Jess keeps Adam out of juvenile prison, she hopes it will give him a second chance and give him the opportunity to fulfill his artistic challenge. Its a fantastic read, bringing to life modern Australia in vivid colours. I thoroughly enjoyed it and really hope the author has more in store for Jesse! Canticle Creek is a brilliantly written police thriller that delivers a real sense of danger but also a powerful polemic on what man is doing to the environment. A novel deserving of a wide audience and certainly one of my favourite reads of the year.

The Sydney Morning Herald

Published by Ultimo Press https://ultimopress.com.au/ @ultimopress (an imprint of Hardie Grant Publishing) https://www.hardiegrant.com/au/books @HardieGrant It’s been a decade since I have read Adrian Hyland’s Gunshot Road and Diamond Dove yet both Australian crime novels remain favourites, so I jumped at the opportunity to read Canticle Creek. Nash Baker was once a celebrated cop, but his career was ended when he chose to take justice into his own hands. Now he’s living a quiet life in a small town caring for the local wildlife and trying to stay away from trouble.

Canticle Creek (Adrian Hyland) - book review - The Blurb Canticle Creek (Adrian Hyland) - book review - The Blurb

Jesse Redpath is an interesting detective to spend time with, facing up to sexism and the walls put in front of a woman detective, especially one investigating a case outside her jurisdiction. A second outing would be welcome if Hyland has a mind for it. She has great intuition, a strong sense of what’s right and is a savvy detective. She’s also very down to earth and easy to like. The time she spends with her father is a treat – a grumpy old curmudgeon with softer edges than he’d care to admit, very proud of his daughter but not keen to let on. Their relationship plays into the story nicely.Fire is never far from people’s minds and lingers as a threat throughout the book until Hyland uses his knowledge and experience to bring its dangers vividly and viscerally to life. To some Australia retains the image of harsh man’s world, but here it is strong, determined women who make the difference. Jesse, Nadia, and Possum follow Daisy’s lead and are more perceptive to what is going on and when it really matters possess the necessary courage. Brute strength is not always the answer, sometimes you need to listen to the message and act upon it before time ultimately runs out. Kenji Takada, a Japanese artist, was just passing through when he came across Canticle Creek, captivated he painted it and decided to put down roots and stay. Here he captures the landscape and leaves his own mark on the area. His daughter and granddaughter are the continuing strong influence on the area. Jesse and Ben were devastated when they heard that Adam was dead, he had murdered a young girl and smashed a stollen car killing himself in the process..............this wasn't the Adam that they knew so they set off for the small town of Canticle Creek a short distance from Melbourne to investigate. Jesse Redpath was a police officer in the small town of Kulara in the Northern Territory where she saw more than most and controlled more than most. Since Jesse took over, crime had greatly lessened in the area. When young Adam Lawson went up before the magistrate once again, Jesse persuaded him to allow Adam to live with her father Ben, and work at the local pub, to work his hours out. If he absconded, he would be arrested and thrown in jail. Adam managed quite some time with Ben Redpath – both of them artists and Ben directed Adam, gave him some pointers. But Adam had itchy feet, apologizing to his mentor and taking off down south.

Canticle Creek – Peter turns the page Canticle Creek – Peter turns the page

Hyland has mastered the architecture of noir – his sinister tale seethes with small-town atmosphere and satisfying twists, set against the dangers and harsh beauty of the Australian landscape.’ ― Sydney Morning Herald Things were going well it seemed, with Adam and Jesse’s father, they shared a common interest in art.I feel I’d recognise his people if I ran into them in a dusty pub (or an art gallery). His descriptions of characters and landscape are memorable. I really enjoyed this and his two Emily Tempest books. I hope we don’t have to wait another ten years for a new one. He and Garry Disher are both worth waiting for, though. Adam Lawson was a loveable rogue, he left his graffiti everywhere but Jesse could see potential in his graffiti, when he came up before the magistrate, Jesse persuaded the magistrate to allow Adam to live with her father and work at a local bar, this worked well, her artist father could see Adam's talent and nurtured it. Jesse Redpath is a cop from the Territory. She helps a young Adam when he does something illegal by offering him a second chance; helping her dad and working in the local roadhouse. A week later, Adam runs away and Jesse doesn’t think about him again except to send a warrant. I enjoy Hyland’s writing and his people. It’s interesting that his main characters are tough youngish women. They still fancy a good bloke, but he leaves the bedroom scenes to our imagination. This isn’t what I call a “straw hat rural romance (the books with the girl in a straw hat on the cover). It’s a proper mystery, with action and some violence.