White Ash Ridge by S.R. White

Publisher's Synopsis

During a broiling heatwave, the inner circle of a high-profile charity attend a critical meeting at White Ash Ridge, a small hotel nestled in the Australian wilderness.

As the temperature rises, a body is found lying in the thick bush, bludgeoned to death.
One of the four remaining guests is a murderer - but who, and why, is a mystery.

Detective Dana Russo knows the national spotlight will be sharply focused on the case.
The charity was formed when the founders' teenage son was killed after intervening in a vicious assault - sparking public outrage and a damning verdict on the police investigation.

But under huge pressure and with few clues - plus suspects who instinctively distrust the police - how can Dana unravel the truth?

Reviews From Elsewhere

The Unseen Library

I have always really enjoyed White’s take on the Australian murder mystery, as his focus is always on finding out all the details of the victims and the suspects to solve the case, often through the medium of interrogation.  This was once again the case in White Ash Ridge, as the protagonists, under pressure to solve the case quickly, need to find out which of the four suspects committed the crime.  As such, the story develops in a very interesting way, as the detectives both investigate in the traditional way, including finding witnesses and evidence, while also diving into the lives of everyone involved in the case.  Read Full Review

Amazon

It is intense. Mostly set in a police station somewhere in north Australia..A crime takes place a few hours from the town at a remote, isolated and rundown hotel. Most of the suspects have no idea and are very deftly managed so they don't find out until the lead detective has most of the facts before her.

The four main suspects are grilled in turn by the lead detective, Dana and her offsider, Mila. It isn't until the very end that cracks appear. Read All Reviews

GoodReads

The narrative has a strong policing element, given the introverted nature of Dana and her systematic approach to moving the investigation forward, to identify the murderer amongst the six suspects. Set in the bush and heat of rural Australia, with a subtle psychological mix of the detective team, the slow unfolding of the case, ending a classic whodunit reveal, is a delightful four and a half star read rating. Read All Reviews