The Bolthole

by Peter Papathanasiou

Genres: Small Town & Rural; Hard-Boiled; International Crime & Mystery; Police Procedurals

Synopsis

Located off the coast of South Australia, sleepy Kangaroo Island stood at the end of the line for generations. Surrounded by violent seas harbouring deadly great white sharks and forgotten shipwrecks, and with a shameful history of animal cruelty and Indigenous abductions, the Islanders cultivated a strong sense of self-sufficiency, independence and resilience. That was, until some new arrivals came with a force - multimillionaires who built immense clifftop homes in the wake of catastrophic bushfires, and travelled in private planes and helicopters. Seemingly overnight, the quiet paradise of Kangaroo Island transformed into a bolthole for the rich and privileged. And the locals aren't happy.

Richard Marlowe, a wealthy 'blow-in' to the island, goes missing, last seen wading into the ocean for a dawn swim. A shark attack is blamed, but things don't add up. Reuniting for a new investigation, Detective Sergeant Manolis and Senior Constable Sparrow travel to Kangaroo Island, but their own arrival isn't welcomed, either. Faced with obstacles imposed by both the Islanders and newcomers, their task to locate the missing man becomes increasingly challenging as they try to navigate a tiny rock waging a civil war over limited resources, a fragile environment, and fractured community dynamics.

Release date: July 3, 2025

Publisher: Quercus Publishing

Print pages: 352