Whisky Valley, by Joan Sauers

Historian Rose is still suffering the aftermath of the first novel she featured in, Echo Lake, when virtuoso violinist Billy Mah is found murdered in her patch of the Southern Highlands. Best friends with her son Sam as a kid, Rose feels a responsibility to look into Billy’s death, despite the concerns of friends, family, the local police and her therapist. The NSW southern highlands are again almost a character in the story, brought to life evocatively. The prologue, which is actually the climax to the story, is an annoying and unnecessary screenwriter’s trick. But this is an easy read of short, sharp chapters and an appealing everywoman heroine.