*** Australian Nielsen Top Ten Bestseller in May 2022 ***

‘An outstanding first novel’ SUNDAY TIMES (BOOK OF THE MONTH)

‘It is hard to believe Wake is a first novel. Plot, pacing and characterisation are so finely judged that it feels more like the work of a past master. The tension builds, and the revelations keep coming, right until the final page where a thrilling climax combines horror, relief and hope’ THE TIMES

‘Outstanding … With a slow build and complex characters, this is both a well-plotted, gripping mystery and a sensitive exploration of the aftermath of trauma’ GUARDIAN

‘Sinuous and spellbinding, this debut comes with a big reputation, which it richly deserves. Intense, evocative and with two characters to move the soul, it deserves to be a hit. It’s sensational’ DAILY MAIL

EVERYBODY THINKS THEY KNOW MINA McCREERY. EVERYONE HAS A THEORY ON WHAT HAPPENED TO HER SISTER. NOW IT’S TIME TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH…

Mina McCreery’s sister Evelyn disappeared nineteen years ago. Her life has been defined by the intense public interest in the case. Now an anxious and reclusive adult, she lives alone on her family’s destocked sheep farm.

When Lane, a private investigator, approaches her with an offer to reinvestigate the case, she rejects him. The attention has had nothing but negative consequences for her and her family, and never brought them closer to an answer.

Lane wins her trust when his unconventional methods show promise, but he has his own motivations for wanting to solve the case, and his obsession with the answer will ultimately risk both their lives.

Superbly written, taut and compassionate, Wake looks at what can happen when people’s private tragedies become public property, and the ripples of trauma that follow violent crimes. Wake won the CWA Debut Dagger in 2019.

‘Wake is a stunning, masterfully written debut novel, its remote, bleak locations adding tension to an atmospheric and compelling mystery that is hard to put down’ SUNDAY EXPRESS ‘Perfect for fans of Jane Harper’ ALLIE REYNOLDS
‘A triumphant debut’ ROSE CARLYLE ‘Intriguing and compelling. Shelley Burr is a bright new talent’ CHRIS HAMMER ‘We devoured this stunningly drawn, deeply compelling mystery in one day’ CRIME MONTHLY ‘Evocative, brutal, and sometimes confronting … The plot is complex, tightly constructed and not only keeps you reading, but guessing, right up to the last page’ GOOD READING ‘Compulsively readable, with an unforgettable setting and cast of characters, WAKE is a powerful, unsparing story of how trauma ripples outward when people’s private tragedies become public property, and how it’s never too late for the truth to set things right’ BETTER READING ‘Wake has more twists and turns than the usual novel and it is very tempting to make your own suppositions as to the end of the book, but it has a brilliant denouement. In fact the book itself is an impressive achievement for a debut novel and I’ll be searching out whatever Shelley Burr writes next’ ON magazine