by Jon Cleary
First published 1990
Detective Inspector Scobie Malone thought he had left the Springfellow case behind decades ago. In March 1966, he was just a rookie cop when Sir Walter Springfellow, Australia's top intelligence official, vanished without a trace from Sydney airport. No remains surfaced despite extensive searches. Now, twenty-one years later, hikers discover bones in the hills outside the city. The remains appear to belong to the missing spymaster, thrusting Malone back into his old investigation. But before he can make sense of the discovery, another Springfellow turns up dead. One family member faces murder charges, and Malone suspects the two deaths across two decades connect in ways that could destroy people he cares about. The detective must navigate between his duty to uncover the truth and his personal relationships, all while untangling mysteries that span a generation.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: cold-case, personal-stakes
Setting: Australia, Sydney
Period: 1966, 1987
382 pages · Paperback · HarperCollins Publishers