Lyrebird

Lyrebird opens with an irresistible hook: a biologist deep in the forest hears a lyrebird mimicking the sounds of a brutal murder, and a woman's voice crying for help. But twenty years go past before this killing can be properly investigated and a whole sordid scheme is eventually uncovered, involving trafficked women, sexual abuse and multiple murders.

Jane Caro clearly relishes making her lead detective a sixty year old woman, hauled out of retirement to take charge of this cold case. It's nice to see an older woman with some life baggage in a leadership role -- a bit like Jane Tennison in Prime suspect, only more likeable. The threat of climate change hangs over this novel, too, this time in the form of bushfire, which makes for an action-packed climax. Lyrebird is less twisty and convoluted than Chris Hammer's thrillers, but the largely female perspective makes it a satisfying and relatable crime mystery.