Book Review: Something to Hide by Fleur McDonald

 

 Something to Hide

by

Fleur McDonald

A riveting new novel of rural suspense from the bestselling Voice of the Outback.

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin 

Publication date: 30th March 2021

Series: Det Dave Burrows

Genre: Rural Crime / Suspense

Pages: 336

RRP: $29.99AUD

Format read: Paperback

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

With the sickening realisation that his cover has been blown, Detective Dave Burrows knows his family is in serious danger from the vicious stock thieves and murderers, Bulldust and his brother Scotty.

Devastating news brings Dave back to Barrabine, where circumstances force him to question his determination to stay in the police force. How could he live with himself if anything happened to Mel and the kids?

Mel, understandably frightened, must decide who she'll listen to. Can she trust Dave to handle this threat hanging over their family, or is her father right to argue that she should leave her marriage immediately?

 

My review

 

I've been hanging out for this book since I finished Red Dirt Country and I wasn't disappointed.

 

Anyone that reads Fleur McDonald's books will know that Dave and Mel's marriage doesn't last so I don't think it's a spoiler to say this is the book that sees it all come undone. And, wow, Fleur McDonald does this in a spectacular way!

 

Mel is still struggling with looking after two small children whilst Dave is away on long assignments and delivers an ultimatum before he leaves on his latest job. It's his job or his family. I've been firmly on team Dave during the last few books thinking Mel was being unreasonable, but this story completely flipped me on Mel's side. We see the struggle of the wives of police officers bringing up family and living with the constant stress that they may leave for work and never return.

 

Bulldust and Scotty return in this novel and they are as ruthless and underhanded as ever, giving for some tense and heart-stopping moments.

 

Dave does investigate another case during this novel but I think his hunt for Bulldust trumps the case he is on and this plot-line had me turning pages in unfettered horror.

 

Something to Hide can be read as a standalone as there is enough backstory to know why Bulldust is a threat to Dave but I would recommend, at least, reading Without a Doubt first. 

 

 If you are looking for gripping rural crime reads Fleur McDonald never disappoints.

 

 5 / 5    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Fleur McDonald has lived and worked on farms for much of her life. After growing up in small town of Orroroo in South Australia, she went jillarooing, eventually co-owning an 8000 acre property in regional Western Australia.

Fleur likes to write about strong women overcoming adversity, drawing inspiration from her own experiences in rural Australia. She has two children, an energetic kelpie and a Jack Russell terrier.

 

 

 

Challenges entered:  Australian Women Writers Challenge #AWW2021

                                 Aussie Author Challenge #AussieAuthor21

                                 Cloak and Dagger Challenge