River of Salt, by Dave Warner

A young mob hitman escapes his dark past in Philadelphia to start a new life on the north coast of New South Wales. A murder disrupts his surf bar serenity and brings his old skills to bear in assisting the local corrupt cop to solve the case. Set in 1961, red herrings abound along with several glaring anachronisms. It's all rather bloddy. but love and music find a way.