Blue Moon

I have written before about how much I enjoy Australian crime thrillers. I have long been a fan of Jane Harper, Chris Hammer, Sarah Bailey and have recently become acquainted with Garry Disher. So whenever I hear about a new voice in Australian noir, I jump at the chance to find a new thriller I can sink my teeth into.

In May 2022 journalist Matthew Spencer published his debut novel, Black River. Set in Sydney at the peak of summer, there is a serial killer on the loose which has the whole city on edge. The 'Blue Moon Killer' has murdered two people already in Gladeseville, a suburb on the north side of the Parramatta River. When a body of a teenage girl is found at an elite boys school in North Parramatta, more than 10km up river, there are enough similarities to concern police that they will have to cast a wider net. 

Adam Bowman is a journalist working the late night shift at a national paper owned by a media baron. He goes out to cover the case and has an advantage as he grew up at this elite school where his father was a teacher. He knows the shortcuts and secret entries, so can make his way into the sprawling campus with ease. 

Detective Sergeant Rose Riley is a driven investigator determined to crack the case. Working as part of an investigative team Riley recruits Bowman to assist with well timed leaks and exclusives. The relationship between the two is symbiotic, but not wholly trusting, and I was pleased that there wasn't a romance whacked into this storyline. 

The characters are well crafted with sufficient information to make them realistic, and enough backstory yet to be revealed should this novel end up becoming the first in a series.  I really liked how Spencer portrayed the state of journalism - with Bowman working at an office which has been gutted by cutbacks, an absentee media owner who calls the shots, and the pressure to break stories with a blistering headline and exclusive access.

The story was complex enough to keep the reader guessing, with a lot of characters to keep track of. The page-turning pace builds to an exciting and satisfying conclusion. Spencer has an intriguing writing style, in which he uses Aussie slang and brand names, some of which may be problematic for an overseas market. But personally I loved it. Having made Sydney my home for the past 25 years, I appreciated the Spencer wove in aspects of the city from Surry Hills to Balmain to Parramatta. After so many Aussie crime novels set in fictional outback towns, it was great to have one set here in the Harbour City. 

Overall, an excellent debut novel and a wonderful new voice in Australian crime thrillers.