The Long Game, by Simon Rowell

Zoe Mayer has just returned to her job with the homicide squad, after a break following her role in thwarting a terrorist attack at the MCG. Her first case back is the stabbing murder of a surfer on the Mornington Peninsula, which seems relatively straightforward, until a journalist alerts her to some odd coincidences with other cases. Zoe digs deeper, battling her colleagues as well as her personal trauma in an effort to find the truth. The premise of a detective with a service dog is really interesting and the intermittent flashbacks when Zoe is under pressure are a clever way of explaining the background circumstances and how they affect her work and life. It is a pity then that the plot lacks credibility and the writing is pedestrian at best. Zoe seemingly has no friends or family and her boyfriend is only there to serve a plot element; their sex scene is cringeworthy. The only fully rounded character is Harry, the service dog. It’s a suspenseful story and an easy read, but it could have been so much better.