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During a stifling summer in Sydney, the body of a chaplain’s daughter is found wrapped in black plastic on the deserted grounds of an elite boarding school. Is it the work of the killer who’s been stalking the privileged neighborhoods along the Parramatta River? Gut instinct tells Detective Sergeant Rose Riley something even more devious might be at play.  Eager to find the so-called Blue Moon Killer before he strikes again, Riley forms an uneasy alliance with Adam Bowman, a journalist with a valuable, and unsettling, link to the school’s history. As Riley’s investigation takes her deep into the secret lives of Sydney’s prominent citizens, Bowman delves into the darkest places of his own childhood for answers. When their paths converge, Riley must use every bit of her cunning to stop another murder.  Excavating Bowman’s past might just be the key to unlocking the case. Or it could prove to be Riley’s undoing. 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Adam Bowman, a battling journalist who grew up as the son of a teacher at Prince Albert College, might be the only person who can uncover the links between the school murder and the 'Blue Moon Killer'. But he will have to go into the darkest places of his childhood to piece together the clues. Detective Sergeant Rose Riley, meanwhile, is part of the taskforce desperately trying to find the killer before he strikes again. Adam Bowman's excavation of his past might turn out to be Rose's biggest trump card or it may bring the whole investigation crashing down, and put her own life in danger.  Taut, suspenseful and utterly compelling, Black River is the best thriller you'll read this year.  'A meticulous, propulsive thriller with a cast of standout characters and intriguing setting. I could not stop reading it.' SARAH BAILEY  'Sharply plotted and relentlessly paced, it kept me guessing until the last page.' MICHAEL ROBOTHAM  'Propulsive and intricate. A gritty Sydney comes to life in Matthew Spencer's compelling cast of characters. A crime thriller that is absolutely not to be missed.' HAYLEY SCRIVENOR   'Black River hooked me and wouldn't let me go. You're going to want to read this one with all the lights on.' TIM AYLIFFE  'Dark, gritty, tense, atmospheric. I loved Black River.' CANDICE FOX","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49629785620753,"sku":"GOR012727588","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1761066188.jpg?v=1759230566"},{"product_id":"black-river-book-matthew-spencer-9781761069376","title":"Black River","description":"A long, burning summer in Sydney. A young woman found murdered in the deserted grounds of an elite boarding school. A serial killer preying on victims along the banks of the Parramatta River. A city on edge.  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A gritty Sydney comes to life in Matthew Spencer's compelling cast of characters. A crime thriller that is absolutely not to be missed.' HAYLEY SCRIVENOR   'Black River hooked me and wouldn't let me go. You're going to want to read this one with all the lights on.' TIM AYLIFFE  'Dark, gritty, tense, atmospheric. I loved Black River.' CANDICE FOX","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49632014500113,"sku":"GOR013541209","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1761069373.jpg?v=1759228880"},{"product_id":"elected-friends-book-matthew-spencer-9781590510834","title":"Elected Friends","description":"Robert Frost and Edward Thomas met in a bookshop in London in 1913. 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Matthew Spencer nails it.' Chris Hammer  'A tightly plotted, fast-moving, beautifully written whodunnit.'  Jane Caro   'A great read.'  Michael Brissenden   'Spencer is a master of the craft; Broke Road satisfies on every level.'  Malcolm Knox   SHORTLISTED for the 2026 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original by the Mystery Writers of America  A late-night phone call is never good news for Homicide Detective Sergeant Rose Riley. This time she's being sent up to the Hunter Valley, where a woman has been found dead in her home.   Rose grew up further along the valley. She knows that for every vineyard and golf course resort visited by tourists to the 'wine country' there are as many dilapidated fibro houses and drug dens, in the shadow of one of the state's largest prisons.   A media hound points the finger at the husband, angering Rose but capturing the attention of journalist turned true crime author Adam Bowman. His book on the 'Blue Moon Killer' made him famous but the case nearly cost Rose her life, and she's not sure how she feels about seeing him again.   Suspects abound, from the grieving husband to sinister business interests and suspicious locals. But when new evidence connects the crime to an old case, Rose realises they have no time to lose. The murderer is ready to strike again.  'If you like a good police procedural, you'll love this.' Chris Hammer, author of The Valley   'Broke Road is a real page-turner. I even stayed up late to finish it ... and that never happens!' Jane Caro, author of Lyrebird   'Place, pace and brilliantly detailed police procedure. Matthew Spencer's Broke Road has everything you'd want from a crime thriller. Well drawn characters driving an intricate sophisticated plot.' Michael Brissenden, author of Smoke    'Black River showed Matthew Spencer's expertise in building a world with familiar surfaces and dark undercurrents. Broke Road is another taut, compelling crime thriller set in a community in transition: wineries in the sunshine, struggling mining towns in the shadows. The suspense builds in each scene as Riley and Bowman try to unlock the secrets behind a brutal slaying.' Malcolm Knox, author of The First Friend   'A propulsive whodunit...Spencer's second novel is a page-turner that will have readers guessing until the end.' The Australian  'Spencer has a few writerly superpowers but one of his strongest is his meticulous police procedural. When you open a Spencer book, you are not only in safe hands, you are watching a meticulous craftsman at work. You are in for a fast intelligent ride on Broke Road. Best buckle up!' 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