Wild Card by Simon Rowell

Publisher's Synopsis

One foggy morning on the banks of the Murray River, a body is found in a burnt-out area of grassland. The heavily tattooed victim, who has suffered two bullet wounds to the head, is identified as Freddie Jones, a bikie from Moama.

Detective Sergeant Zoe Mayer is on the case, alongside her trusty service dog, Harry. Although Zoe is determined to track down the murderer, she finds herself stonewalled at every turn—by Freddie’s family, his associates and even the local police. But then a second body is discovered, and soon all bets are off… 

My Review of Wild Card by Simon Rowell

Wild Card is an Australian police procedural set in Echuca on the Victoria-New South Wales border. Features Detective Sergeant Zoe Mayer and her service dog Harry. We first met this pair in The Long Game and learned that she was still in the process of recovering from PTSD after a traumatic incident on grand final day the year before - hence the service dog.

The case involves the shooting death of a local bikie. The man was found dead next to the Murray River just outside of Echuca. Not only had he been shot in the head but the surrounding area had been set on fire. Both the fire and the location of the body suggested he was meant to be found reasonably quickly.

The victim is a local bikie gang member named Freddie Jones and the way he was killed, the positioning of the body and items left with the body suggests it was personal and designed to send a message. The fear is that a gang war may be soon to follow.

Because the case lies smack on the border and the dead man lived in Moama, NSW there are cross-jurisdiction problems to overcome. This means liaising with the local NSW police sergeant Mick Kovacks and he appears to have come to an agreement with the bikie gang claiming it has resulted in zero illegal activity from them. Zoe and her team aren’t exactly convinced. When details only known to the investigating team start leaking around town she has to lay down the law to the local cops.

A second murder, this time a guy with known ties to organised crime and the place is a tinderbox. The body was found on the same spot as Freddie’s. Question is, is this the start of a series of revenge killings? The pressure is on to solve these murders before things rocket out of control.

As with the first Zoe Mayer book, the point of difference that keeps things fresh is the presence of Harry and the role he plays in Zoe’s well-being. But this is admirably backed up by the strong team of returning characters that work together in well-drilled harmony - Charlie Shaw, Jarrah Walters, Mary McDonald and Anjali Arya. They prove to be a formidable unit that cuts straight to the important aspects of the investigation to keep it moving at a solid pace.

Given that there’s a group of city-slickers encroaching on the territory of the small town, we weren’t bombarded with an all out territorial dispute from the local cops. While unexpected, it was also appreciated and we were allowed to concentrate mainly on the rapidly unfolding investigation. To this end, it was the interactions between Zoe, her team and a few of the townsfolk that became pivotal in the way it played out.

A single murder quickly grows into a double homicide and then, all out gangland warfare in a quickly escalating drama. It’s all very tightly plotted and, rather than allowing things to run away out of control, Simon Rowell manages to keep a solid grip on his story and builds it expertly to a dramatic conclusion. This proves to be quite an emotional ride.

I found Wild Card to be an outstanding follow-up to The Long Game.