I'm a bit behind in my reviews, so as well as reading the novel, I've also managed to listen to the audiobook narrated by Ric Herbert who does a fabulous job once again of bringing Gabe to life and I have to say whether you read it or listen to it, this is a must-read novel.
After being completely blown away by Michael Trant's novel Wild Dogs this time last year, I was super excited to get to the post office and find a copy of his new novel and follow-up No Trace waiting for me. Once again I found myself being taken on a hell of a ride with this outback action thriller. Gabe who's been laying low on a friend's cattle property, Goldmont Station since all hell broke loose with the people smugglers and drug dealers the last time we met up with him. Gabe killed a lot of bad men trying to save Amin, the Afghan refugee he saved from being executed and his family and fellow refugees and those bad guys who escaped are probably not too happy with him (understatement of the year).
Gabe is still working as a dogger, but is full-time at Goldmont Station, staying low but remaining on edge, the fear of being recognised or found is always there. As well as Gabe's friend and his family and the workers, several tourists have arrived at the station to stay and learn about station life. Gabe has some well-earned paranoia and when bad things start happening on the station he doesn't think it's just bad luck. Who are the tourists really? Can they all be trusted? and why are they there?
Bad luck seems to have arrived at Goldmont, with a helicopter crash, a dead body and an accident involving a child and everyone is drawn into the danger that has followed Gabe. Gabe once again shows that beneath his grumpy, taciturn persona is a man who will do whatever it takes to keep innocent people from being harmed even at the cost of his own life.
This book was just as hard to put down as Wild Dogs and my eyes were hanging out of my head by the time I finished it at 1 am because there was no way I could sleep while Gabe and everyone caught up in the danger were still in trouble.
Blurb
From the author of WILD DOGS comes an electrifying combination of outback action thriller and the classic locked room mystery.
'Did you have to kill them all?'
It's the question Gabe Ahern has been running from since he bust open a major criminal operation – and left a dozen men dead. He knows that one day the 'bad guys' will come for revenge.
A skilled dog-trapper, Gabe has one leave no sign, leave no trace. And for the last year he's been successfully hiding out on a friend's remote cattle property in the Pilbara.
But when Goldmont Station opens its gates to a bunch of city folk eager for an authentic outback experience, Gabe can feel eyes on his back. Are all these visitors really tourists?
In the space of 24 hours, the station's helicopter falls from the sky . . . the phones and internet go down . . . and one of the guests turns up dead . . .
With major flooding suddenly cutting off all exit roads, Gabe fears he's as trapped as the dogs he hunts. And that his bloody past has finally caught up with him.
About the author
Michael Trant is a WA country boy just beginning his new life as an author, following a wide range of careers from marine draftsman to farmer, and pastoralist to FIFO pot-washer. Michael is now based in Perth, having grown up on the family farm at Eneabba, before moving to Geraldton then out to Yalgoo. 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.
Michael writes with an authentic rural voice, drawing on his experiences to open readers to places and lifestyles foreign to many. He has a passion for farming, writing, and gaming, the order of which vary throughout the year. He still works on farms as a tractor driver, mainly to annoy those teachers who claimed no one would pay him to stare out a window all day.
He is the author of Ridgeview Station, Wild Dogs, and No Trace.
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