Darwin is unique. The characters are uniquely Northern Territory, and Matt Nable takes you there in a unique way. The oppressive heat and humidity which folds in on you is echoed in the story of these people in this time. The something which happens hangs there waiting for the clouds to roll in and break open, washing everything clean and freshening it, But that's not the way there. The rain comes in offering momentary relief before thickening the sultry atmosphere further, building the atmospheric pressure. A story of corruption and manipulation of hopes gone awry and dreams vaporizing. I loved the real feel of the characters and their stories.

If you have been looking for an atmospheric Australian mystery to read – congratulations, you have just found it!

Imagine Darwin in the 1960s. The Northern Territory is still very much one of Australia’s last frontiers. A place where crocodile hunters, buffalo shooters and cowboys gather at the local pub to escape the heat and humidity and get drunk. A place of fierce summer storms, of crocodiles lurking in waterways, of wilderness and isolation. But this is not the happy-go-lucky Territory of Crocodile Dundee, because beneath the surface of this tropical wonderland lies a dark underbelly that is the flip side of isolation. An outpost where outlaws can hide, where money speaks, where corruption is rife. A place where wealthy white men rule, but if you are black, or poor, or too honest, you’d best be keeping your head down and your mouth shut.

It is in this untamed land that we find ourselves in, watching in horror as Senior Constable Ned Potter discovers a badly decomposed body in shallow marshland. It is also here that we get to know Charlotte Clark, a young housewife who is contemplating her unhappy marriage and her bleak future. If you are wondering what these two characters can possibly have in common, don’t despair, because in the end all the threads will come together seamlessly. For now though, let’s just follow each one on their journey, living separate lives and yet being connected not only by the wild land they love but also by their own moral compass, because both Ned and Charlotte are not willing to turn a blind eye to injustice, and their actions on that fateful night will have far reaching consequences for both of them.

STILL may start with the slow languid pace of a tropical morning, but it soon picked up pace as the underlying sense of threat and danger to our two main protagonists mounted. I loved the way Nable conjured up the Northern Territory for me, from the beautiful and yet often hostile landscape to its rich cast of characters. A place so remote always attracts its share of misfits, and we find a few of them here, gathered around the bar of the Victoria Hotel or fishing on the banks of the river, talking to crocodiles. Or running for their lives through the swamp to escape a ruthless killer.

Rich in atmosphere and tension, the book slowly reeled me in but soon had me firmly in its grip. I loved both characters of Ned and Charlotte, as different and unconnected as they first seemed. I find that so often mysteries feature predictable stereotypes as lead roles, but Nable proves that his heroes can be ordinary and flawed and yet so richly drawn that they came alive on the pages. Nable writes with an honesty that was both terrifying as it was refreshing, and the book rolled out movie-like in front of my eyes. What an utter gem! I had not expected to find such depth and insight in a crime novel.

All in all, without giving too much away, STILL is the type of gritty, atmospheric Australian crime novel that doesn’t come along very often. Set in the 1960’s in one of Australia’s last frontiers, it is both refreshing and terrifying as Nable is not afraid to expose the dark underbelly that lurks beneath the surface, only showing its ugly head as it is about to strike. With two enigmatic lead characters who are both complex and richly drawn, and a wild setting that appealed to my sense of adventure, the book soon reeled me in and held me firmly in its grip. A true gem of a novel I can highly recommend to all lovers of Australian crime novels. I look forward to reading a lot more from this author in future!

This book was fantastic. The mystery unfolds slowy in an earily atmospheric novel. The landscape almost becomes a character in and of itself. I could feel the heat and the humidity as I was reading.

The mystery is extremely well done I had no idea who or why until the big reveal.. I loved riding along with Ned as he searched for the truth. Ned is an extremely flawed hero but his heart is in the right place and that shines through.
Charlotte is like so many women unhappily married and unsure of what to do about it. As with Ned her heart is in the right place and I felt a lot of empathy for her.
The narrative switches between Ned and Charlotte and I have to say its a seamless transition. The comparison to the likes of Harper and Hammer is justified.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read this novel.

I love books like this where the setting and landscape add layers of atmosphere to the story. Still is set in Darwin in Northern Australia. It is hot and very humid which causes almost daily tropical storms during summer. The wildlife consists of snakes and crocodiles and the earth is dry and red.
Ned Potter is a senior Constable in Darwin, the year 1963. That summer he discovers the body of an aboriginal man, face down in the shallow edge of a swamp. The man had been savagely beaten and shot twice. When Ned reports his finding no one seems to care and it soon becomes obvious that something bad is going on. The town is rife with racism and Ned fears he won’t be able to get justice for the victim.
Charlotte Clarke is unhappily married to one of the towns local cops, and is becoming discontent with the town and her life in Darwin. When she meets an aboriginal man who is seriously injured, she hides him and begins the slow journey of nursing him back to health while hiding it from her husband and anyone else’s prying eyes. A bond starts to form between the two and Charlotte dreams of a different life.
The narrative is switched between these two, and when more bodies are found and no one will speak up, Ned intensifies his inquiries with disastrous results for his family.
I loved this book. Watch out Jane Harper, there’s a new kid on the block and he can write!
#still #netgalley