Stone Town
Margaret Hickey
Bantam
Penguin Random House
ISBN: 9780143777274
Description:
Stone Town is captivating new rural crime drama from the author of the bestselling Cutters End.
With its gold rush history long in the past, Stone Town has definitely seen better days. And it’s now in the headlines for all the wrong reasons . . .
When three teenagers stumble upon a body in dense bushland one rainy Friday night, Senior Sergeant Mark Ariti’s hopes for a quiet posting in his old home town are shattered. The victim is Aidan Sleeth, a local property developer, whose controversial plans to buy up Stone Town land means few are surprised he ended up dead.
However his gruesome murder is overshadowed by the mystery consuming the entire nation: the disappearance of Detective Sergeant Natalie Whitsted.
Natalie had been investigating the celebrity wife of crime boss Tony ‘The Hook’ Scopelliti when she vanished. What did she uncover? Has it cost her her life? And why are the two Homicide detectives, sent from the city to run the Sleeth case, so obsessed with Natalie’s fate?
But following a late-night call from his former boss, Mark is sure of one thing: he’s now in the middle of a deadly game . . .
My View:
William McInnes, opps sorry Mark Ariti is back in another rural crime drama – and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed this read! Once again I could see this narrative playing out as if watching the show on TV; the landscape is familiar, the characters well developed, though only the protagonist has a face I recognise, Australian actor William McInnes, the rest are yet to be cast 🙂
I am now waiting for the next episode of this series…there must be another mustn’t there??
A 5 star read.
Reading, Writing and Riesling 
This sounds like a good ‘un, Carol, with lots of atmosphere. And that’s an interesting double mystery, too! I can see how it might translate very well onto screen, too; it sounds as though there’s a strong sense of place. Glad you enjoyed it.
Enjoy I did Margot – and cant wait for the next.
I have just finished reading Stone Town, I think it has good bones, but it is convoluted and reminds me of a ex-workmate who passed on this year, I like the story but it needs working.
As a Creative Writer who lectures at La Trobe I had hoped different. It is easy for me be a Critic as I could not possibly write ✍️ a good book. I like JD Robb, Karin Slaughter, Judy Nunn and Di Morrissey but unfortunately I will hesitate to read another Margaret Hickey.
Reviewing is so subjective – we all bring so much of our own experience and expectations to the table when we read.
I too love Karin Slaughter…your others … not so much though have read the odd one or two of those.
What is your top pick for the year?