Booksology The Prospect by Fleur McDonald is a newish direction for the West Australian author. Her two Dave Burrows series’ were go-tos for me but she moved publishers to one whose books I don’t seem to get for review so I missed this one until I came across it in a second-hand bookstore. It does however feature characters we’ve met in her previous series (though I didn’t remember anything specific about them). And here, when we’re first (re)introduced to Zara and Jack they’ve recently moved to Kalgoorlie following journalist Zara inadvertently revealing details of a source and tanking her career and meaning Jack – previously a police detective back in South Australia – having to return to uniform duties and trying not to resent Zara as a result.
The Prospect by Fleur McDonald Published by HarperCollins Publishers Australia on 02/04/2025 Source: Purchased Genres: Crime Fiction ISBN: 1460766881 Pages: 368 Goodreads
After a scandal, investigative reporter Zara Ellison and her partner, policeman Jack Higgins have moved to Kalgoorlie – each struggling with this fresh start. This wild mining town has its own rules, and its inhabitants – drawn by the lure of gold and riches – guard their secrets carefully.
Zara feels adrift in the swirling red dust of the lawless, bush city, without sources or any leads for the hard-hitting stories she’s known for. Jack is out of the detective squad and trying to find his feet back in uniform.
On an isolated stretch of highway, a pair of grey nomads is involved in a devastating accident which leaves more questions than answers. Zara starts digging for her own kind of gold, while Jack’s investigation sends him on a parallel path towards a dangerous smuggling ring.
In the wide open spaces of the outback, some secrets are buried deep.
The book opens with Zara chasing down a story from an unorthodox independent gold miner and stumbling across an accident shortly after. I have to say, I was a bit shaken by the accident and death of two characters we meet only briefly. There’s something confronting about a middle aged couple – finally making their dream trip around the country (fighting however about their pace of travel) – only to have them both die in a tragic accident. Initially I hoped they wouldn’t be killed off. That surely they’d live to regret their argument and there would be a redemptive story arc for the retired lawyer unable to slow down. But nope.
When it turns out the caravan hosted three GPS trackers and hidden gold bullion the police realise there’s more to the story and Jack gets to temporarily reprise his detective duties.
When his new colleagues discover Jack’s partner is a journalist there’s immediate distrust even though he reassures them that they don’t share work stories. And here it’s evident as both Jack and the police, and Zara, very separately discover clues that have them realising there’s something bigger at play and someone is using caravanners to transport gold between towns and states.
In the background McDonald includes more colour of course including an outlaw motorcycle gang and a wannabe politician in the heart of mining country trying to put a stop to mining. And things don’t go smoothly for Zara and Jack, with Zara’s life ultimately at risk.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
