The Long Shadow

Write down something about yourself, as a mother, that worries you.
Psychologist Isabel Harris has come to the outback town of Riley because her husband Dean is assessing the hospital—the hub of the community—with a view to closing it down. Isabel, mostly occupied with her toddler, will run a mother–baby therapy group. But on the first day she gets an anonymous note from one of the mothers:

The baby killer is going to strike again. Soon.

Then a series of small harassments begins.

Is it an attempt to warn Dean off? Or could the threat be serious? A child was murdered in Riley once before.

As Isabel discovers more about the mothers in her group, she begins to believe the twenty-five-year-old mystery of a baby’s death may be the key to preventing another tragedy.

‘Once again Buist’s extensive background in psychiatry shines through… an insight into motherhood in all its rich variety and complication.’ Herald Sun
‘Suspenseful Aussie noir at its best.’ New Idea
‘Absolutely compelling.’ Virginia Trioli, ABC Radio