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Melaleuca
A country town, a brutal murder, a shameful past, a reckoning to come… The injustices of the past and dangers of the present envelop Aboriginal policewoman Renee Taylor, when her unwilling return to the small outback town of her childhood plunges her into the investigation of a brutal murder.
Reviews
‘A page-turner with purpose. Refreshing, surprising, and propulsive. Angie Faye Martin is a name to watch.’ Tracey Lien, author of All That’s Left Unsaid
‘Melaleuca is rich with authenticity and heart. Angie Faye Martin skillfully paints a picture of outback Queensland so that the scents, sounds and heat become a physical experience for the reader.’ Laura McCluskey, author of The Wolf Tree
‘Atmospheric and blistering. Melaleuca will leave you wanting more. What a remarkable debut.’ Fleur McDonald, author of The Prospect
‘A fresh, authentic perspective to the much-loved genre of the Australian outback thriller. Compelling, thought-provoking and twisty, Melaleuca is both a gripping, tightly plotted mystery and an unflinching exploration of the dark underbelly of institutionalised racism and corruption in Australia.’ Kate Horan, author of The Inheritance
‘This intense, heart-wrenching and beautifully written novel introduces a bold, and important voice in Australian crime fiction. Set in a small, outback Queensland town, it features the resilient, courageous, and marvelously flawed Aboriginal detective, Renee Taylor. An atmospheric, compulsive read that I defy you to put down.’ Karen Brooks, author of The Good Wife of Bath
‘Powerful First Nations crime noir that interrogates law enforcement and how it intersects with Indigenous victims. Melaleuca is a compelling exploration of a police officer caught between two worlds, small-town complicity and justice long overdue.’ Dinuka McKenzie, author of The Torrent
‘Angie Faye Martin brings an important new voice to Australia’s rich rural crime tradition. With a gutsy First Nations heroine, an atmospheric setting and a shocking crime that exposes a small town’s prejudices, this is a book that deserves a large and enthusiastic audience.’ Cassie Hamer, author of The Stranger at the Table
An essential, compelling and genuine new voice in Australian crime fiction. As someone who grew up in regional Queensland, the places and people of Angie Faye Martin’s Melaleuca are viscerally recognisable. Given the global popularity of Australian rural noir, it feels overdue to have a First Nations author and protagonist set a murder mystery in a small town. Angie Faye Martin’s Melaleuca hits it out of the park: a police procedural threaded with ACAB worldweariness, dark twists and black humour. Full of heart, blistering with outraged lived experience. I hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of Detective Renee Taylor on our shelves. Clare Fletcher, author of Love Match and Five Bush Weddings
A ripping crime story, told from a refreshing perspective. It will keep you turning the page and second-guessing yourself as Detective Renee Taylor exposes the darkness of murder and racism in a country town. A well-told story with unexpected revelations, great characters, an authentic voice and a truly satisfying resolution. Jo Dixon, author of The Shadow at the Door
A blistering outback noir that doesn’t flinch away from Australia’s Indigenous history at the hands of colonisation and the ongoing ramifications. Martin expertly weaves past and present, exploring the way history echoes through generations and the ongoing struggle against decisions made far from you that have real world consequences in daily life. Tense, vivid and real, Melaleuca will keep you turning pages as hidden truths finally come to light. Alli Parker, author of At the Foot of the Cherry Tree
Connect
Angie Faye Martin
angie@versedwritings.com
PO Box 2418 Redcliffe North QLD 4020
I acknowledge the Gubbi Gubbi people as the traditional custodians of the land on which my home and work is based, and I pay my respects to their deep and continuing connection to this land and nearby waters.
I acknoweldge all Elders past and present for their guidance and knowledge sharing.
Angie Faye Martin 