Luke thought he'd left his violent past behind in this suspenseful debut crime thriller for fans of Lee Child and Jane Harper.
'A thrilling Australian debut, full of heart and crackling with tension.' Jane Harper
After years away from his home town of Melbourne, Luke Harris is back on track. All he wants is a normal job, his own house and a dog.
But Luke is a man with a past, when life was anything but peaceful and his skills ran to the dark side. A past not easily forgotten - or forgiven.
When he crosses paths with Gus Alberici - the brutal criminal he worked for as a teenager - he's dragged reluctantly back to his old life. Luke's father has vanished, along with a chunk of Gus's cash. And something is up with his new girlfriend's father ...
As his past and present collide, can Luke keep his long-held secrets - and outsmart a man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants?
About the Author
Tanya Scott is a writer, doctor and medical educator. With years of experience working in mental health care, she has learned more from her patients than from any textbook - not just about physical and mental health, but about humanity, resilience and the absurdity of life.
She is based on Wadawurrung Country, on the Victorian Surf Coast, with her family and pets. When not writing, she can be found with her head in a book or braving the wind at the beach. Stillwater is her first novel.
Industry Reviews
'A genuine page turner, yet instilled with empathy. Luke Harris is a younger, tougher, more troubled Jack Irish. A remarkable debut, Tanya Scott nails it.' Chris Hammer, author of Legacy
'A thrilling Australian debut, full of heart and crackling with tension.' Jane Harper
'Tanya Scott explodes onto the crime scene with this rip-roaring debut that I read in a single sitting. Stillwater is an instant classic of the genre.' Hayley Scrivenor, author of Girl, Falling
'Packed with tension, twists, and heart, Stillwater is a thrilling read in every sense of the word. Tanya Scott expertly balances a page-turning, explosive plot with an intimate exploration of trauma and healing, while showing us just how fine the line between saint and sinner can be. What a remarkable debut!' Jacqueline Bublitz, author of Leave the Girls Behind
'Strap in for a high-octane ride through the seedy underbelly of Aussie crime led by a character with a huge heart. Stillwater is packed full of action and empathy. It's hard to read at anything less than a cracking pace.' Sarah Bailey, author of Body of Lies
'A propulsive, gritty thriller with compelling characters and edge of your seat action from a stunning new voice in Australian crime.' Mark Smith, author of Three Boys Gone
'Stillwater is a gritty Australian crime thriller with plenty of action and suspense. It's artfully paced, written in a muscular style, and the fortunes of its flawed (anti-) hero should keep readers on the edge of their seats.' Sydney Morning Herald
'Tanya Scott's debut, Stillwater, masterfully weaves together the past and present in a suspenseful, emotionally charged crime thriller...a gripping debut filled with moral ambiguity and unexpected twists, and will appeal to fans of Jane Harper and other thoughtful, character-driven crime fiction that explores how the past can resurface in unexpected and dangerous ways.' Australian Bookseller & Publisher
'Scott makes the life-or-death stakes of Jack's dilemma palpable, and the novel's terse prose and three-dimensional characters add depth. This gritty coming-of-age tale grabs readers' attention and doesn't let go.' US Publishers Weekly
