High Wire

The High Wire is a secret, unmarked red-dust backroad running from Sydney to Broome across the heart of Australia. Known only to a select few who use it for illicit purposes—such as drug running or body dumping—it’s a lawless, desolate stretch with minimal traffic and spotty mobile coverage. It’s certainly not a place where an innocent tourist would want to find themselves stranded.

Harvey Buck is a man in a hurry. He needs to get from Alice Springs to Sydney after receiving a phone call from his dying ex-girlfriend, whom he still loves despite their painful shared history from their time serving in Afghanistan. Harvey had planned to fly, but a bomb threat closed the airport, leaving him with no choice but to take the High Wire if he wants to reach her in time.

Despite his urgency, Harvey feels compelled to stop when he spots Clare Holland standing by her burned-out car. He offers her a lift for her own safety, though Clare doesn’t yet realize that staying in the desert might have been the safer option.

Also traveling the High Wire that day are three of Harvey’s former army mates, seeking revenge and planning an ambush. Harvey and Clare are about to land in their crosshairs, facing a whole lot of trouble. Meanwhile, Clare’s husband is hot on her trail, with his own reasons for wanting to find her before anyone else.

Adding to the chaos is Senior Sergeant Edna Norris, the only police officer responsible for an area spanning over 200,000 square kilometers. She’s en route to Clifton Hills police station with a runaway teenager named Talon when she comes across Clare’s burned-out car and realizes someone else has already stopped to help. Her day only gets busier when news of a bank robbery in a tiny town comes through—though she’s unaware that the local crime wave is just beginning.

Candice Fox delivers a fast-paced, rip-roaring outback thriller with High Wire. The novel is wild and chaotic but expertly tied together in a fiendish, hate-fueled plot that not everyone will survive. Harvey and Edna are standout characters—both strong, resourceful, and quick-thinking. Harvey is a tough ex-soldier with a soft center, while Edna is a seasoned outback cop with a checkered past and a quirky sense of humor, as seen in her interactions with Talon. They’ll need every trick up their sleeves to make it through this nightmare of a day.

The tension is high from the first page and never lets up in this gripping, clever rollercoaster of a novel. Expect plenty of bloodshed, collateral damage, action, twists, and mayhem. Once you start reading, be prepared to hang on to the edge of your seat.

Thanks to Penguin Random House AU for providing a copy for review.