It is always a joy to come across an author you have never read before. It’s like finding hidden treasure! No Trace is an absolute gem. The hero of No Trace turns the tables on everyone’s classic idea of what a hero should be. Gabe is not young. His bones ache, he is beaten and scarred by life, love, loss and the relentless sun of life in the Pilbara.
He has, in the course of saving a smuggled refugee from death, angered some dangerous people. He exposes a major criminal operation, and the criminals seek revenge. A skilled dog trapper, Gabe has been laying low for a year on a remote cattle property. He’s been living by his one rule for everything, leave no sign, leave no trace. He avoids the tourist groups that come for an authentic cattle station experience. But his grainy image in the background of a Facebook post turns him from the hunter of dogs to the hunted.
Due to insider sabotage and swift cruel flooding, Gabe finds himself isolated and caught in a race to find the killer among the latest tourist group, as well as deal with the imminent arrival of the people who want him dead.
Rural Western Australia turns out to be the perfect place to set an action thriller. It’s tough, hard and gritty, with its scorched desert and red dust. Gabe grew out of this, the bare land suits him, his connection to Country is reverent and respectful. It’s the absolute strength of this connection that keeps him there.
An absorbing, exciting, page-turning thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed. I highly recommend this book.
Reviewed by Alison Logie
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Trant is a WA country boy turned suburban writer, following a wide range of careers from marine draftsman to farmer, and pastoralist to FIFO pot-washer. Mike grew up on the family farm at Eneabba, before moving to Geraldton then out to Yalgoo before heading to Perth. His debut novel Ridgeview Station was inspired by his time on Gabyon Station, and he highly recommends a visit for those curious about life on a sheep station.
When he’s not writing, Michael can be found plucking away at his guitar in attempts to replicate his idol Tommy Emmanuel, or swearing at his beloved Fremantle Dockers.
He still travels to Three Springs to drive tractors ‘just to keep my hand in,’ but despite the advent of autosteer machines, refrains from taking the laptop to write, as that would not end well for power poles, fences or trees.
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