Police corruption, rigged betting and a syndicate protecting its own means there’s a lot going on in Hero, and DS Walker is the cop trying to pull the threads together.
Patricia Wolf sets him loose in a patch of rural Australia where the crimes reach further than they first appear when a cricketing legend is found dead. It’s a busy, twisting plot for Walker and his off-sider Vinh to solve. They make a formidable partnership, and they need to be, with all the obstacles they’re dealing with.
The domestic scenes land a bit less naturally for this single-minded hero, and the ending is probably the least convincing part of the book. But it does show how ruthless and driven Walker is, no matter what the cost.
Patricia Wolf’s clear, conversational writing style means Hero is a book to immerse yourself in, rather than linger on every sentence. It’s a fascinating mystery that keeps you guessing to the end, built around a character well worth spending time with.
Hero is the fifth novel in the DS Walker series, and I’m already looking forward to the sixth.
