Candice Fox brilliantly transmutes her distinct brand of crime fiction — action-driven mysteries anchored by dynamic, unorthodox characters, sprinkled with black humour — to Los Angeles in Gathering Dark, in what readers can only hope is the beginning of a brand new series.
The imperilled runaway daughter of her former cellmate reunites ex-con Blair Harbour with Sneak Lawlor. Harbour’s not looking for trouble — the convicted murderer, out on probation, is determined to win back custody of her son — but she owes Sneak for being her only friend on the inside, never mind the overriding guilt she would feel if something happened to Dayly. That their partnership quickly allies them with one of LA’s most feared underworld figures is only the beginning of Harbour’s problems.
Meanwhile, Detective Jessica Sanchez, is facing her own crisis. She’s just inherited a $7 million mansion as a reward for solving a cold case, making her public enemy number one within the LAPD. The last thing she needs is Blair Harbour — the woman she put behind bars ten years ago — knocking on her door, begging for help.
Fox adroitly shuffles this tangled cast towards an action-packed ending that is considerably tighter and more satisfying than your average whodunit. And while I miss her evocation of the Australian landscape, her Los Angeles feels authentic. With Gathering Dark, Fox has enlivened the standard police procedural with her customary supercharged offbeat characters, and whipcracking pace. More, please.
Published: 31 March 2020
ISBN: 9780143789178
Imprint: Bantam Australia
Format: Trade Paperback
Pages: 432
RRP: $32.99
Simon McDonald 
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