On the Run

As soon as I put down Garry Disher's Peace (2019), I grabbed a copy of Consolation (2020) to continue the story of Constable Paul Hirschhausen. 

In the sleepy town of Tiverton someone is preying on the vulnerable. Elderly women are having their undergarments stolen from washing lines by a 'snowdropper'. Some men posing as roofers are seeking cash in exchange for unnecessary repairs. And some mail has gone missing in a possible fraud. Father and son survivalists have gone on the run, stealing cars and making threats. On top of all this, Hirsch gets a call from a teacher asking him to do a wellbeing check on a student. Plus, with Sergeant Brandl out of action, Hirsch is temporarily managing the Redruth station and his own beat. It's a lot of pressure, so when a stalker starts sending him texts Hirsch is making a few mistakes which could have dire consequences.

There is a lot happening in Consolation, but Disher's brilliant pacing does not overwhelm the reader.  Set in an icy cold winter, with frost building on the mallee scrub and tyre tracks freezing into corrugated channels, the rural landscape and environment is realistically crafted. 

Hirsch has now been in Tiverton for eighteen months and Disher has evolved his outsider's gaze to one tinged with an insider's respect, love and care for his community. He has settled in now, forged relationships and truly understands the rhythm and  heartbeat of his patch. It is also lovely how his relationships with work colleagues have grown over this time. 

I have really enjoyed the Hirschhausen series - Bitter Wash Road (2013), Peace (2019) and Consolation (2020) - and with only one left I feel the need to pace myself before reading Day's End (2022). Garry Disher is an under-appreciated Australian novelist, and I look forward to getting into his other crime series like the Wyatt novels and the Challis and Destry novels, as well as his standalone stories.