Winner of the 2020 HarperCollins Australia Banjo Prize for Fiction.
Shortlisted for the Sisters in Crime Australia 2023 Davitt Awards for Best Crime Novel and Best Crime Debut
Shortlisted for the 2023 Danger Awards for Crime Fiction.
So excited to announce that the Det. Kate Miles series has been picked up by Canelo Crime in the UK!
The Torrent is out now in the UK in ebook and paperback.
A loving husband lost to devastating summer floods. A teenage girl injured during a robbery. Two seemingly unconnected cases that will push a detective to the brink.
An atmospheric, compelling new voice in Australian crime fiction.
‘Such a good read’ Val McDermid
In Northern New South Wales, heavily pregnant and a week away from maternity leave, Detective Sergeant Kate Miles is exhausted and counting down the days. But a violent hold-up at a local fast-food restaurant with unsettling connections to her own past, means that her final days will be anything but straightforward.
When a second case is dumped on her lap, the closed case of a man drowned in recent summer floods, what begins as a simple informal review quickly grows into something more complicated. Kate can either write the report that’s expected of her or investigate the case the way she wants to.
As secrets and betrayals pile up, and the needs of her own family intervene, how far is Kate prepared to push to discover the truth?
‘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
‘The Torrent is vivid, pacy and refreshingly original. A gripping whodunnit with heart.’ Emma Viskic
‘Gripped me tightly with its twisting narrative threads and its cast of authentic and complex characters until the very last word.’ Imbi Neeme
‘This gripping debut by Dinuka McKenzie will keep you turning the pages late into the night’ Petronella McGovern
‘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
‘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
‘Intense, dangerous and utterly compelling. I’m holding my breath to see what Dinuka McKenzie writes next.’ BM Carroll
‘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
Reviews
“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, Australian Arts and Entertainment Reviews
“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 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, Reviewer, 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, Reviewer (Murder, Mayhem & Long Dogs)
“Yet again we have another fantastic debut female Aussie crime author invading our bookshelves!” — Cass Moriarty
“A welcome addition to the landscape of Australian crime fiction.” — Simon McDonald, Bookseller & Reviewer