Recovering addict Eric Johnstone is turning his life around until one small moment sends him down a dark path. Just months after he takes a job at the retirement village in Point Imlay, the ebbing tide reveals Eric’s body, trussed to the town’s oyster beds.
When Senior Detective John Darken’s business card is discovered in the dead man’s pocket, J.D. transfers to Point Imlay to help with the investigation. But J.D.’s life is in shambles: his job is precarious, his marriage is on the rocks, and his past haunts him constantly.
Two men whose lives are entwined – but how does one end up dead?
Together, J.D. and homicide detective Emma Capsteen – another unwelcome new face in the sleepy seaside town – work to unravel the final days of Eric’s life. But instead of answers, all they uncover are more questions. Why does a local bikie have free reign? What are the residents at Seascape Gardens retirement village hiding? And, in a town whose beating heart is community, why isn’t anyone prepared to tell the truth?
D.L Hicks’ 2020 debut The Devil Inside was about a serial killer who left Biblical messages on his victims. His latest novel, The Fallback, began with one of the most uncomfortable openings I’ve read for a while – and I mean that as a compliment. I was immediately hooked.
Once again Hicks has delivered a tautly written, brilliantly plotted thriller that never lets up. While it’s disturbing in parts, at its core this is a great police procedural. Aside from building a career as an author, Hicks is a police officer with the Victorian Police. In his twenty-five years of service, he has been on the frontline of everything from drug busts to serious collisions and all manner of violent crime. His real-life experience shows in his writing – from the dialogue between characters, the descriptions of procedure and the insight into the mind of the killer – making this an authentic and gritty read.
Setting plays an important role in the novel, with the body of bus driver Eric washing up against the oysters and rocks in the NSW coastal town of Point Imlay. Eric has a connection to Gull Bay (where the first book was set) which brings Senior Detective John Darken to town. For those of you who read The Devil Inside, you’ll recognise some characters here, but this can be read as a standalone. Darken, known as JD, is a great protagonist, and it’s clear Hicks is setting this up to be a series. At least, I hope so.
The Fallback is gripping, multilayered and extremely well-written. Hicks has delivered yet another excellent crime novel – it’s clear he’s here to stay.
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