The sensational new novel from the author of the bestselling thriller, The Creeper, winner of the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction 2025.
Deep in the mountains, secrets grow deadly . . .
Detective Constable Sally White knows how easily hikers can go missing in Victoria’s high country. But there’s something about the disappearance of Louis Taylor, a young man lost up Mount Viking, that’s not sitting right with her.
Louis was an aspiring journalist, researching the illegal tobacco trade – also known as chop chop – that was once so prevalent in the area. And the last person he interviewed before his hike has just met a gruesome end . . .
But with no other leads, and with the search winding down, Sally is forced to accept the young man died in a tragic accident.
Until she learns of another missing person case that bears striking similarities. Astrid Marlowe, a young lawyer, vanished in the same mountains two years before.
Were Louis and Astrid simply unlucky hikers lost in the treacherous terrain? Or did they both stumble into something – or someone – they shouldn’t?
(4/5)
Even sitting beside a fire in a fluffy robe with a cup of herbal tea, I couldn’t escape the chill of Mount Viking, a place in Victoria’s high country where hikers go missing. For Detective Constable Sally White, it’s the disappearance of Louis Taylor that has her sixth sense firing. When she learns of another missing hiker two years earlier, she knows she’s onto something. There are common threads between the two, linking them to the criminal underworld. As she risks her career to investigate the cases – cases her colleagues have dismissed as accidents – she finds herself in grave danger.
I love a book that portrays its setting in cinematic fashion. In Cold River, our detective competes with the treacherous Mount Viking for main character energy, along with Forlorn Hope – a location I Googled to see if it was real or fictional. Lo and behold, it’s real!
The story is told from Sally and Louis’ POVs. What the structure lacked in chapter-ending cliffhangers, it made up for with a carefully knitted plot that never dropped a stitch. The twists didn’t steal my breath, however, they were credible and satisfying.
This was a gripping thriller, perfect for fans of police procedurals.
(4/5)
Cold River is a gripping and atmospheric crime novel that hooked me early, even as a sometimes-reader of the genre. Detective Constable Sally White, working in the high country of Victoria, is confronted with the disappearance of a lone hiker — a case that quickly opens a web involving people in high places.
Sally’s determination drives the investigation forward, and her instinct that something is amiss adds tension to the story. While Sally’s relentless drive can be exasperating, it also makes her a compelling and believable protagonist. At times, though, her tendency to push beyond her orders, to her own detriment, left me feeling irritated with her.
The novel is fast-paced and compelling, with alternating chapters that follow both the missing hiker and the detective. Hickey’s familiarity with the region shines through; she captures the rugged landscape, the rhythms of rural life, and the tight-knit nature of small communities with authenticity. This sense of community — for better or worse — is woven throughout the story, and the insight into police procedure adds an extra layer of realism.
It’s a pleasing read for anyone who enjoys crime fiction with heart and pace.
(5/5)
Cold River is the first Margaret Hickey book I have read, and now I want to go back and read all of Margaret Hickey’s previous books. Cold River is fast-paced and thrilling with an engaging plot. When I was not reading the book, I was thinking about the lead character, Senior Constable Sally White, and the trouble that seemed to find her in the Australian Alps.
It turns out that Cold River is the second Sally White novel. I found Cold River was thoroughly readable and enjoyable without having read The Creeper; however, reading The Creeper will give me the perfect excuse to reread Cold River in the future, as Cold River is a book that I feel will hold up to multiple reads.
Cold River is the perfect book to sit down with your favourite beverage and read cover to cover, while ignoring any and all distractions like chores.
(5/5)
Cold River by Margaret Hickey is a superb Australian crime thriller that will keep you riveted from start to finish.
The main character, Sally, is a constable in the mountains who is investigating a case involving the illegal tobacco trade and a missing journalist. She is enthusiastic and determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and expose all those involved, including people close to her and people she knows.
Cold River is a thrilling read with a great story and characters. I’ve never read a book by the author before but plan to read more in the future. Highly recommend.
(5/5)
Detective Constable Sally White is back for another gripping thriller set in the Victorian High Country.
This book had me gasping and feeling all of the emotions. If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller, you’ll enjoy this read.
(5/5)
DC Sally White returns to find that some secrets cannot be hidden forever. Her life in quiet Edenville, in the Victorian high country, is disrupted when a man goes missing on a hiking trail on Mount Viking. This is similar to another hiker who disappeared in similar circumstances two years prior and was never found. As the story progresses, Sally’s life is turned upside down in her pursuit of the truth. Margaret Hickey has done it again. A bona fide page-turner that twists and turns and wrings you out while you hurtle towards the unguessable conclusion. Cold River made me shiver with anticipation, and it left me breathless. Nothing is ever what it seems. DC Sally White is such a human character that you can’t help but champion her efforts and what she goes through to unravel this mystery. She was great in The Creeper, but is outstanding in Cold River.
(4/5)
Cold River completely drew me in. Margaret Hickey has a wonderful way of bringing rural Australia to life, and I loved how the mystery slowly unfolded while revealing the hidden tensions within the community. The characters felt authentic, the atmosphere was immersive, and the twists kept me guessing until the end. A compelling and satisfying read that I’d highly recommend to anyone who enjoys Australian crime fiction.