A missing foster child, a fractured family, drug trafficking, a Roman Catholic priest accused of paedophelia.A small town cut off by flood waters, turning the main street into a river, and the author manages to squeeze in a side story of organically grown fruit and vegetables. 

The main protagonist is a Child Protection Officer, Dana Gibson, working with her colleague, Lachlan O'Malley. They have received a report that a foster child, a 16 year-old under his charge, has gone missing. They have an hour and a half's drive from their office in Toowoomba to the small town of Killarney, to find out what has happened. 

Killarney becomes the centre of the story as events pan out and secrets unravel. Dana discovers that her colleague, Lachlan, was born and brought up in Killarney, but has been estranged from his family since moving to the city. Dana is introduced to Lachlin's brother, who has been working with the missing foster child. She begins to form a working relationship with the local police, although it starts off in a very strained atmosphere. 

They travel back and forth between Toowoomba and Killarney over several wet days, while the story unfolds.The wet weather deteriorates into a storm which swells Killarney's Condamine River to overflowing as the main street becomes a river, making the commuting more difficult. The town is cut off and, for a few days, the locals pool their resources together in the local pub and organise rescue parties with sandbags and to help the marooned townsfolk in the lower lying areas. 

This situation helps Dana’s investigations as she uncovers many things she can use to assist her in finding the missing boy, while the police struggle. Their resources are strained with the natural disaster and the backdrop of trucks coming through the town being used for drug trafficking. 

Nikki Mottram is a talented story teller and I found the book riveting and an enthralling page turner. If you enjoy a good thrilling story, with a good plot, this is one I recommend reading. 

However, to my dismay and annoyance, I found some American words have crept into the predominantly Australian text. Especially, the word 'gotten'. The only time that should be used is in the word 'forgotten', and that's what it should be, forgotten. 

As a proofreader, I found a couple of typos. When you read the book, maybe you can find them as well..

Reviewed by Ken.

The Author

Nikki Mottram is the author of Crows Nest (UQP, 2023). She has a psychology degree from The University of Queensland and has worked in London and Australia protecting and promoting the welfare of children at risk of harm. She uses her background in child protection in her crime fiction. She has been shortlisted for the Fish Short Story Prize and the Hal Porter Short Story Competition and was a recipient of the Katharine Susannah Pritchard Writer’s Centre Fellowship. She grew up and resides in Toowoomba and brings to her work an understanding of rural communities.