When the body of young female environmental activist and science student, Laila Fanshaw, is found floating in Lake Burley Griffin, private investigator Sandra Mahoney's life is turned upside down, not least because her partner, Ivan, was in love with Laila. Ivan is a suspect and has no alibi for the time of death.
A further strain is put on the relationship when another suspect, who worked in the Federal Environment Department, wants to hire Sandra to help him clear his name.
Sandra has to weigh up her desire to learn the truth against her children's needs. Only six-year-old Katya is Ivan's natural child; adolescent Peter has a different father. But both children are deeply affected by Laila's death and Ivan's reaction to it. Added to this, Sandra's friend in the Federal Police, Detective Sergeant Brook, is absolutely against her involvement in the case.
It takes all of Sandra's ingenuity and courage to steer herself, and her family, through the dangers that lead to an eventual unmasking of the truth.
Dorothy Johnston is currently working on a sea-change mystery series, set at the home of
Sea-change, the TV series, on the south coast of Victoria. The first of these is called
Through a Camel's Eye.
Two of her literary novels,
One for the Master and
Ruth, have been shortlisted for the Miles Franklin award. She's had numerous short stories published in magazines and anthologies, and regularly reviews fiction for Fairfax newspapers.
Dorothy is a founding member of the influential '7 Writers' group, which began meeting in Canberra in the early 1980s, and continued as a writers' workshop and discussion group for almost twenty years. A subject which continues to fascinate her from a literary point of view is Canberra, Australia's national capital, where she lived for thirty years before returning to Victoria. She is also a member of the Australian Society of Authors and Sisters in Crime, Victoria.
You can find out more about Dorothy and her books by visiting
http://dorothyjohnston.com.au.
'5 out of 5 stars - Edgy, fast-moving crime mystery at its best: highly recommended' - Amazon.com
'Johnston writes polished prose and constructs a solid plot with masterful pacing. ...' -
Awesome Indies
