“A gripping, confident thriller with a deeply felt emotional core. McKenzie captures the intensity, contradiction, love and damage of family with rare nuance, bringing a fresh and grounded perspective to the genre.”

Shankari Chandran, Miles Franklin Award-winning author

“Brilliantly clever and twisty! She Lied First delves deep into complex family relationships. And just when you think you’ve figured it out, McKenzie reveals another secret. This is an absolute page-turner with relatable characters and multiple layers of intrigue.”

Petronella McGovern, Author

“Packed with secrets and lies, Dinuka’s first standalone suspense is a twisty kaleidoscope of a novel. The pieces of the puzzle slide together in an immensely satisfying way.”

Allie Reynolds, Author

“A complex, suspenseful, mind-bending story of lies, secrets and betrayal.”

Cass Moriarty, Author

‘Such a good read.’

Val McDermid, Author

‘The Torrent is subtle and clever and Dinuka has talent to burn. It unfolds so beautifully and the writer is in control every step of the way. Highly, highly recommended!’

Dervla McTiernan, Author

‘The Torrent is vivid, pacy and refreshingly original. A gripping whodunnit with heart.’

Emma Viskic, Author

‘Gripped me tightly with its twisting narrative threads and its cast of authentic and complex characters until the very last word.’

Imbi Neeme, Author

‘This gripping debut by Dinuka McKenzie will keep you turning the pages late into the night.’

Petronella McGovern, Author

‘A fast-paced, page-turning crime novel… Detective Kate Miles is a strong, unforgettable lead, expertly crafted by McKenzie who is an exciting new talent to watch on the Australian literary scene. McKenzie’s prose is energetic and bursting with suspense from the first page to the very last.’

Holden Sheppard, Author

‘A swirl of secrets and lies sweeping through to a deeply satisfying conclusion. McKenzie is an exciting voice — a new contender for Queen of Australian crime.’

Katherine Kovacic, Author

‘Intense, dangerous and utterly compelling. I’m holding my breath to see what Dinuka McKenzie writes next.’

BM Carroll, Author

‘A stunning and compelling debut, driven by a cast of engaging characters that came to life on the page. The Torrent is a gripping police procedural with heart that kept me reading into the night!’

Rae Cairns, Author

“Yet again we have another fantastic debut female Aussie crime author invading our bookshelves!”

Cass Moriarty, Author

“Kate Miles is a great new addition to the Australian crime scene… McKenzie has found a new angle and feels like a fresh voice in the increasingly crowded market of Australian rural crime fiction.”

Robert Goodman, The Blurb

“A stunning crime debut worthy of local and overseas accolades… The Torrent reads like the work of a well-established author of long-standing.”

Craig Buchanan, Arts Hub

“A realistic, character-driven policier that holds a mirror to contemporary tensions in rural Australian life and builds expertly from slow burn to adrenaline-fuelled climax.”

Cameron Woodhead, Sydney Morning Herald

“What is refreshing about The Torrent is that, unlike many of its predecessors, its version of small-town Australia includes characters from diverse backgrounds without any need to explain or justify why they are there.”

May Ngo, Kill Your Darlings Magazine

“There have been some outstanding Australian crime fiction debuts in very recent years… Now there is a new author that you can add to that stellar list, Dinuka McKenzie.”

Jeff Popple, Murder, Mayhem & Long Dogs

“A welcome addition to the landscape of Australian crime fiction.”

Simon McDonald, Bookseller & Reviewer

“Dinuka McKenzie has written a searingly intelligent, engrossing and masterfully-written story of crime, family and loyalty in a beautifully Australian setting.”

Anne Gibson, SheReviews, SheSociety

‘A dark domestic rural mystery written by a born storyteller. More please.’

Michael Robotham, Author

‘How lucky are we to have Dinuka McKenzie? Taken is a masterclass in crimes that are too close to home, and I’m so pleased to see Detective Sergeant Kate Miles return. Prepare yourself for another fast-paced thrill-ride with heart.’

Hayley Scrivenor, Author

‘Thrilling, yes. Action-packed, absolutely. Most importantly, though, utterly moving. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as connected to a character as I am to Kate Miles, who is now, I’m happy to say, my favourite fictional detective. Dinuka McKenzie will have you feverishly turning pages, mark my words.’

Ben Hobson, Author

‘A brilliant follow-up to The Torrent, this book should be top of your reading list for 2023. McKenzie takes readers into a dark, labyrinthine maze of secrets and lies: everyone seems to be guilty of something, but does it mean they’re criminals? This intense, twisty mystery will have you hooked from the start.’

Katherine Kovacic, Author

“Readers will reach the end and marvel at McKenzie’s skills of misdirection, distraction and diversion.”

Cass Moriarty, Author

“Just a well-spun tale of abduction and murder, told with McKenzie’s clean, clear prose. I can’t wait for more.”

Simon McDonald, Bookseller

“…a visceral evocation of just how hard it can be for women with ambition to succeed in a career in which they are destined to fail because of their gender.”

Sue Turnbull, The Age

“I would rate this as being an outstanding crime novel that is likely to be in the mix for award consideration at the end of the year.”

Jeff Popple, Murder, Mayhem and Long Dogs

“This thrilling book… kept me enthralled.”

Ashleigh Meikle, The Book Muse

“Taken is a rich and satisfying read, compelling in its crime action, and thought-provoking in its literary depth.”

Barbie Robinson, Living Arts Canberra

“…it’s the characterisation that I will remember. In Kate Miles, McKenzie has created a wonderfully complex woman — prone to both overconfidence and self-doubt. I can’t wait to read more.”

Claire Nichols, ABC RN The Book Show

“McKenzie keeps the pressure up to the point where Taken almost demands to be read in a single sitting.”

Robert Goodman, Public Service News

“You are drawn in from page one and kept there because there’s a beating heart of human truthfulness at work every step of the way, enhanced by the fact that McKenzie not only understands the complex contradictions of the human condition but that she knows how to write about them superbly and enticingly well.”

Aussie Moose, Sparkly Pretty Briiiight

“McKenzie never loses sight of the problematic gender politics still at play.”

Sue Turnbull, Sydney Morning Herald

“The author has a knack of combining complex police procedure with personal stories with heart.”

Cass Moriarty, Author

“Tipping Point is a strongly feminist work, not of the shouty kind but rather a persistent reminder that human relationships are complex but that the simplicity of respect and love for others works for the good of all.”

Barbie Robinson, Living Arts, Canberra

“Tipping Point is a truly masterful piece of Australian crime fiction. Pure perfection!”

Josh Hortinela, Author and Bookseller

“There are few other Australian crime writers in the same league as McKenzie, whose books I’ve run out of superlatives for. She is as close to a sure-thing as you can get.”

Simon McDonald, Bookseller

“A top notch crime novel, that sets an early high bar for Australian crime writing in 2024.”

Jeff Popple, Murder Mayhem and Long Dogs

“Dinuka pulled this off eloquently and effectively to create a thrilling addition to the Kate Miles series, and one that goes deeper into her family and connections to Esserton.”

Ashleigh Meikle, The Book Muse

“I’m really enjoying this series that offers an excellent balance of action and personal-life nuance.”

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