For crime fiction fans of Dervla McTiernan and Jane Harper comes an outback police procedural where gold fever takes a deadly turn.
In the middle of the night in a remote part of Western Australia’s goldfields, the thud of a mallet on a marker peg sets off a chain reaction that unearths secrets long buried.
Detective Jessy Parkin – sent to policing purgatory in the aftermath of a tainted investigation – is tasked with finding Max Cochrane, a veteran prospector who has vanished into thin air.
What begins with a concerned daughter’s plea for help soon burgeons into a mystery as shapeshifting as a desert mirage.
Fortunes are being built on the back of Kalgoorlie’s coveted gold, but the truth might be the rarest find of all.
(5/5)
I planned on only reading a few chapters as it was getting late, but found myself so engrossed by this whodunit that I was 132 pages in before putting it down for the night!
It’s easy to picture the scenes in your head if you have travelled to the Goldfields before, and it will have you hooked till the very end. There are several amazing twists in the story, combined with an interesting insight into prospector’s way of life.
I would recommend Hot Ground to crime readers and anyone who loves Australiana.
(5/5)
I read Hot Ground over two days as I was so captivated by the story. I loved the twists that were thrown in to keep the reader not only guessing, but also changing the pace and continuing the suspense.
The characters were very relatable, and you could imagine yourself in the Goldfields trying to make a living for yourself and family while enduring that very hard lifestyle. It was an intriguing mystery interwoven with gruesome details; allowing the reader to feel the pain and anguish of the victims and their loved ones.
Jessy plays the perfect detective with all the passion of a female officer combined with the undertones of how hard it is for her as a woman to be in senior positions in the police force. She deals with her doubt in her own beliefs, in both herself and other characters in the storyline, while remaining empathetic and wary. She strives to solve the case and give closure to the relatives.
This is my debut read of a Lisa Ellery book and I look forward to exploring more of her writings. If they are anywhere as good as Hot Ground, she will have a fan for life.
(4/5)
What I liked about Hot Ground was how scenes were described vividly that you could really immerse yourself in the story.
Compared to the author’s first book, Private Prosecution, I found Hot Ground was a slower burn. I felt it was more technical at times, describing the details of prospecting. Having a few characters from the previous novel was a nice touch, although there’s enough backstory in this book that it’s not necessary to read Private Prosecution first.
After a few chapters it was a real page turner for me. And as I got closer to the conclusion, I definitely didn’t want the story to end.
You’ll definitely appreciate the story more if you’ve visited Kalgoorlie. But if you haven’t, it may give you a reason to.
(5/5)
Hot Ground is a great crime thriller with likeable characters and enjoyable pacing. As someone who doesn’t read much in this genre, and with my lack of familiarity with the Kalgoorlie area, I found everything easy to understand and loved the inclusion of a map to help me follow along locations relative to each other. The main characters were complex and enjoyable to follow, as they navigated not only the murder investigation but their interactions on a personal level. I couldn’t put down the book and I read Detective Parkin’s investigation eagerly, trying to pick up on any clues that might reveal the answer to the mystery. I’m excited to see what future books Lisa Ellery releases.
(4/5)
Hot Ground is a novel that leaves you with the sense you’ve lived and experienced the Goldfields, attended the Nullarbor Muster alongside Jessy Parkin and her cohorts.
I live in Kalgoorlie-Boulder and it was nice to read about roads and areas that were familiar. I have never been to the Nullabor Muster but have travelled the Trans Line and Ellery’s vivid descriptions were so accurate.
With so many different characters and twists, you sometimes had to stop and re-read parts to get your head around what was happening and to whom. Overall, a great read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a murder mystery with a couple of twists, some right at the end.
(3/5)
Detective Jessy Parkin’s career in homicide investigation evolves as she returns to her roots in Kalgoorlie. Ellery writes an absorbing outback noir, depicting the city, goldfields and scenery in immersive detail. Jessy uncovers complex interconnections between potential suspects and the ‘hot ground’ which lies at the centre of a disappearance of a prospector. The plot is propelled with each clue unearthed, strategically revealing and concealing motives, resulting in a satisfying investigation. Ellery also includes proficient detail about prospecting, legal technicalities and mining regulations, though occasionally this hinders pacing.
Jessy leads this story with gumption, whether she is acting in her best interest or not. Her characterisation appears a little contradictory for a twenty-eight year old. Some of her thoughts skew older, such as, ‘she didn’t trust Google’ and quite a specific reference to Tim Winton. Contrastingly, the reasons for her adolescent exasperation with her thoughtful step-mother might have been explored in more detail.
By the conclusion, Jessy is proven quite the capable investigator who also still has room for personal development to be explored in the future. Overall, Hot Ground’s rich setting, bursts of tension and attention to procedural detail provide a solid base on which the compelling mystery unfolds.
(3/5)
This book puts a rather unique spin on the murder mystery. In the essence of Jane Harper, Ellis explores one of the geological remote areas Australia, while giving a rather unusual twist to the murder/crime/mystery genre, combining a current ongoing investigation with a very old cold case. The story of Gold Fever is in itself an old one and the author exploits that history in a (mainly) compelling way eventually bringing past and present together in a cohesive and satisfying manner.
However, much of the writing seems disconnected for long enough to loose the reader’s interest e.g. the prologue and the 1st chapter. In addition much of the description is overblown and loose e.g. the over use of legalise re gold claims.
Overall, an interesting read, and I have a strong belief that the author will mature into one of Australia’s mystery icons.
(4/5)
I had high expectations for this book. It took me a few chapters to get into, but once I did, I was hooked.
Though I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and the character of Jess, I found myself puzzled when certain characters appeared suddenly and plotlines unfolded without background information. It became clear only later that these threads were connected to another of the author’s books. I did not think this was necessary for the plot of Hot Ground and just muddied the storyline.
Jess’s character made her compelling and authentic, keeping me invested in her journey from the very start, with enough twists in the plot to keep up the suspense of the whodunnit.
(4/5)
Lisa Ellery’s Hot Ground is an outback thriller that crackles with tension and grit. From the opening pages, I was hooked by the heat, dust, and unease of the Western Australian goldfields; a setting Ellery brings to life so vividly it feels like another character in the story.
What really impressed me were the people on the page: flawed, layered, and completely believable. Ellery doesn’t hand you neat heroes and villains; instead, she gives you complex lives where history, secrets, and survival collide in ways that feel raw and authentic. The relationships, whether built on loyalty, fear, or greed all ring true and drive the story forward.
Yes, there are stretches where the mining and procedural detail felt a little heavy. But just when I started to drift, a twist, a sharp line of dialogue, or a flash of danger pulled me right back in. The pacing ramps up beautifully, and by the final act, I was racing through pages, desperate to see how it would land.
If you’re a fan of Jane Harper or Australian noir, Hot Ground delivers atmosphere, suspense, and small-town secrets in spades. It’s moody, compelling, and leaves a scorch mark long after the final page.
(4/5)
I absolutely loved Hot Ground. As soon as I started reading, the author had me intrigued.
This is a story about police detective in Kalgoorlie with a spunky personality. She leads the story with charisma and an ambition to find the person responsible for this crime. I thought the writing in this book was easy to read and even though I have zero knowledge about any of these amazing facts, I learnt so much about the goldfields and prospecting in this part of our country.
As well as being captivated by the story, I was intrigued to understand the facts of gold mining. There were parts I didn’t understand as Lisa dove into facts so intense about the prospecting business it spun my head a little but in no way did that make me want to put this book down. I found some parts creepy and kept me on the edge of my seat.
I definitely recommend Hot Ground and will pass it on to my friends. An excellent read. Thank you Lisa for writing such a great book.
(5/5)
What a cracking story that has sassy Kalgoorlie Detective Jessy Parkin following a plot that has so many twists, proving that the lure of gold can make villains out of anyone.
Lisa perfectly captures the spirit of Kalgoorlie, the Goldfields and all the quirky characters that make this region the last vestige of the Australian Wild West.
Written in a hard-to-put-down and witty style it’s also an education in the workings of gold prospecting and the challenges of policing in remote locations.
I thoroughly enjoyed Hot Ground and give it 5 out of 5 stars!!
(4/5)
Based in Western Australia, this book offers sceneries that will strike a chord with you if you have ever travelled to the outback; the isolation, loneliness, desolation and breathtaking beauty of it all.
It’s an enjoyable tale that provides enough context to make the huge expanses seem real and to come alive, whilst also engaging you into the story, wondering who is involved, why and how they did it. The plot progresses smoothly and also has some moments that add depth and realism to the narrative. It’s not so dramatic as to be unbelievable, you might almost think that this could occur if you happened to be in this remote area.
Finally, the ending ties it altogether and answers any lingering questions, leaving you to wonder if there might be some more adventures down the track for these characters. Overall, Hot Ground an enjoyable book that you can settle into and enjoy.
(4/5)
Lisa Ellery’s second novel deftly mixes ‘police procedural’, legal thriller and (surprisingly) ultra-detailed mining themes. All set against the stunning Kalgoorlie/Perth backgrounds, in which big skies and red sands are almost palpable.
The read is fascinating and authentic, with constant new information and changing plot points, which moves the narrative along when it so easily could have been bogged down in details.
My minor criticisms are that sometimes the grammar goes off the rails (‘me’ instead of ‘I’ and other niggles) which I only mention because it is distracting – important because the story has so many facts that concentration is mandatory. Sometimes, I felt that the old Chekhov adage (… a gun mentioned in Act One must be fired later in the play) could have been put to tighter use.
Frustratingly, the ‘voice’ of the narrator is a little indistinct, all characters speaking alike, failing to punch home their place in the storyline. In my experience, police have certain verbal tics, as do lawyers, miners and nouveau-riche money -grubbers. A bit more of that would have made this long tale easier to navigate.
Having said that, it is a terrific read and I think Hot Ground would be a riveting TV series.
(4/5)
I have always been fascinated by the gold fields so when this book arrived I was straight into it.
Face paced and action filled – Lisa Lisa keeps you engrossed from the start. I really enjoyed the setting and felt really involved in the action.
Detective Jessy is complex and interesting. I am really looking forward to seeing what Lisa does for her next novel, but I hope she keeps it set in a similar location.
I loved feeling like I was part of the outback community and invested in the action! Hot Ground was great!
(4/5)
Having read Lisa’s first novel, I have eagerly awaited this next instalment. It was wonderful to read a book set in Western Australia, and specifically Kalgoorlie – Lisa does a fantastic job of capturing the eccentricities of the town, and brings the spark of the community to life.
The pace of this novel is good, moving along quickly, and although I was a little apprehensive about the mining theme (not having much knowledge in this area), the content was well pitched for an amateur reader to be able to follow along. Overall, Hot Ground is another strong story from this author and I look forward to all her upcoming releases.
(5/5)
I was immediately drawn into the story and stayed hooked until the very end. I loved the goldfields imagery, and the characters felt real and relatable. The Aussie analogies added a wonderful touch of humour.
The complexity of the investigation and the way it unfolded, giving a glimpse into a different side of the mining industry, was truly intriguing. I thoroughly enjoyed Hot Ground and highly recommend it!
(5/5)
A missing prospector. A nearly century-old body at the bottom of a mine shaft. A drive by attack on the missing prospector’s son-in-law. Are these crimes connected? And how? While the team from Perth are quick to declare an open-and-shut case, Detective Jessy Parkin isn’t so sure, and she won’t stop investigating until she has all the answers.
Hot Ground is a brilliantly written, tense crime drama. It has everything that kept me glued to the pages right to the end – An engaging writing style with sneaky alternate viewpoints snuck in between the main plot; a strong female main character who is unafraid to stand up for herself and who fights for what she believes in, despite pressure from more senior officers; and a twisted web of events and characters that kept me guessing right to the last.
This is the second book featuring Det. Jessy Parker, which I didn’t realise until much later. While past events are mentioned, enough background to the events and characters are provided so it reads easily as a standalone.
While this might be the first book I’ve read by Lisa Ellery, it certainly won’t be the last.
(4/5)
Hot Ground became compelling reading once the initial concept and central characters were defined. The murder-mystery story held my attention and knowing the remoteness of the location, I felt the great limitations experienced by the central character and the other police characters involved.
I was able to put the book down between sessions of reading, but it is a thought-provoking story which lingered in my memory in these in-between periods. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
(5/5)
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Lisa Ellery’s first book, Private Prosecution, I was super-keen to read Hot Ground, and I was not disappointed.
I spent over two decades living on the WA Goldfields, and this book saw me returning to the streets of Kalgoorlie, took me deep into the heart of red dirt country, among dangerous abandoned mining sites. I lost myself once more in the beautiful but haunting Australian bush.
I really enjoyed spending time with protagonist, Detective Jessy Parkin. A flawed and likeable character, I found I was really cheering her on the whole way through. There is a complex cast of characters and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end. I’ve learned a lot about mining tenements!
I recommend this book to anyone who likes to lose themselves deep in story and come out the other side feeling like you’ve worked hard for justice alongside stand-out characters. I can’t wait for Lisa’s next book.