Wild in the Eye

Mark Trevelyan is ten years old in 1960 and, even in the sleepy South Australian town of Melrose, the Cold War is at its paranoid height. Mark’s father is the local policeman, so when he takes on Vasily Alekseev to rewire the family home and police station, Mark is surprised and alarmed. How can his father think it’s safe to allow a Russian, most likely a spy, into his home?

Mark, terrified of the godless communists, keeps a close eye on Alekseev. But there are plenty of other strange, half-understood things going on in Melrose—and it seems that Mark’s classmate Colin Pearce knows most of them.

Perhaps it’s harmless enough to find out who drinks more than they should, or spends time with someone they are not married to. It’s not so harmless to use that information as leverage. Trouble is coming to Melrose, and it’s sweeping Mark and Colin along with it.

Evocative and powerfully nostalgic, yet propelled by the masterful tension for which Garry Disher is renowned, Wild in the Eye showcases the talents of one of Australia’s finest novelists.

Praise for Garry Disher:

‘One of this country’s finest writers.’ Tony Birch

‘He’s the crime writer that other crime writers read.’ Michael Robotham

‘Disher is the gold standard for rural noir.’ Chris Hammer

‘A master at controlling his material, taking his readers along the dusty, rutted roads that always pop up when we expect bitumen smoothness.’ Herald Sun