Based on Roger Simpson’s hugely successful Channel 9 drama series, Halifax: Transgression is the gripping start to a new series. Featuring forensic psychologist Jane Halifax whose criminal profiling, twenty years later, might be the only way to track down Australia’s most dangerous serial killer yet. While Simpson is an award-winning writer and producer, this is his debut novel, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. It delivers all the action, drama and thrills that kept viewers coming back to the original series week after week.
The novel opens with the first murder – brazen, violent and ritualistic. Committed in the victim’s home, the killer leaves few clues as to their motive or their identity. All the police know is that the perpetrator entered the house and impaled the art collector on one of his own priceless sculptures before melting away into the night.
Inspector Eric Ringer is desperate for Dr Jane Halifax to profile the killer, but Jane is cautious. She and Eric have a past… plus, she hates these kinds of cases; a psychopath is a psychopath, any way you slice it. But there’s something about this killer that intrigues Jane. And as the bodies pile up, Jane must use all her knowledge and intuition to enter the mind of the murderer before they strike again.
What follows is an explosive read, packed with twists and turns you won’t see coming. Simpson’s experience as a screenwriter works to his advantage: he has a great ear for dialogue, the plot is briskly paced and he has a knack for setting scenes. This is not a book for the faint-hearted either, with some grisly sequences throughout, however, if you like your crime novels on the darker side, then this is perfect for you.
In Jane Halifax, Simpson has created a tenacious and compelling lead who translates seamlessly from screen to page. While actress Rebecca Gibney did a fantastic job portraying Jane in the original series, the novel gives readers access to her interior thoughts and feelings, allowing us to see her character in a completely new light.
Gripping and action-packed, Halifax: Transgression is a great start to Simpson’s new series that will appeal to both fans of the show and new readers alike. If you’re looking for an addictive new crime series to get stuck into, look no further.
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