The peaceful routine in Willbrook, a small town deep in the Australian outback, is shattered when Gabriel staggers into the police station. He tells Sergeant Jenkins that he was hitch-hiking and a man called Heath drugged him, tied him up, told him he was number 55 and was going to die. Gabriel escaped and made his way to the town for help.
Just as the manhunt is about to get underway, Heath is caught stealing a car, trying to escape the town. He tells Sergeant Jenkins that he was hitch-hiking and a man called Gabriel drugged him, tied him up, told him he was number 55 and was going to die...
Which one is the killer? Can Sergeant Jenkins uncover the truth? He's helped and hindered in not equal measures by his ex partner, now his superior officer who has returned from the big city to lead the case.
This is a fun set up for a mystery and I did find myself changing my mind as to which one was guilty several times.
Delargy manages to build up a good amount of tension, both in the case itself and Jenkins' personal issues with Mitch, his commanding officer. The barren landscape and the small town are almost characters in their own right. There's a very good sense of place and atmosphere.
Jenkins is a great protagonist and we (I) feel every bit of his frustration and confusion.
It's a cracking psychological thriller. The explanations are satisfactory and the ending packs an emotional punch. What more can you ask for?
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