Despite its laid-back image, Australia’s history is rife with dark tales and unsettling events, providing ample inspiration for crime and mystery novelists. From the heart-wrenching accounts of the Stolen Generations to the deep, enigmatic stretches of the bush and desert, Australian authors have tapped into the country’s unique environment to craft spine-chilling narratives where landscapes take on a life of their own. Here are seven outstanding examples of Australian literature that will send shivers down your spine.
Skies Adorned with Glitter by Trent Dalton
In the midst of the Pacific War’s tumultuous impact on Darwin in 1942, Molly Hook embarks on a transformative journey. The gravedigger’s daughter, along with an actress named Greta Maze and Yukio, a Japanese combatant, sets out on a quest to confront Longcoat Bob—a figure she believes has cursed her family. The trio’s odyssey allows them to meet a colorful array of individuals and unveils self-discoveries beyond their imagination.
Trent Dalton’s sequel to his acclaimed Boy Swallows Universe is a compelling blend of poignant storytelling and evocative prose, where the Australian outback actively intertwines with Dalton’s literary magic.
Parched Secrets by Jane Harper
After achieving silver screen glory, The Dry returns fans to its origins. In this foreboding tale, federal agent Aaron Falk is drawn back to his drought-plagued hometown of Kiewarra, circleing back to tragedies of his youth. Under the guise of mourning his former best friend Luke’s death, Falk probes further into the alleged murder-suicide involving Luke’s family, only to stumble upon a web of lies entangling his own past.
Jane Harper’s deft narration immerses readers in the oppressive atmosphere of Kiewarra, where lurking secrets come alive amidst the stark landscape.
The Abandoned Abode by Emily O’Grady
Emily O’Grady’s The Yellow House, an exploration of haunting lineage and childhood innocence, was lauded with the 2018 Vogel Prize. Cub, a young girl overshadowed by the grave legacies of her criminal grandfather, dwells with her kin near a defunct knackery. As relatives migrate into the neighboring yellow house, they unwittingly unearth the grim past that Cub’s parents masked fervently—a lore that challenges Cub’s perception of her place in a world marred by her ancestry.
O’Grady masterfully contrasts the pure, unassuming viewpoint of young Cub against the bleak inheritance left by her predecessor, ensuring that no reader remains unshaken by the journey.
The Shackled Feminine by Charlotte Wood
Charlotte Wood’s novel stands as a dystopian critique on gender and subjugation within a contemporary setting—at its heart are women imprisoned under the charade of reformation. Waking in a desolate compound with little recollection of their capture, these prisoners soon uncover the common thread of scandal tying them together. This revelation sparks not just a struggle for survival, but a shift in the power dynamics between captives and captors.
Winning Wood the prestigious 2016 Stella Prize, the book questions the constructs of authority and sexual politics in a thought-provoking manner.
Disturb the Slumber by Sonya Hartnett
In Sonya Hartnett’s Sleeping Dogs, the Willow family’s struggles reflect the ruin of their dilapidated dwelling. Their world, brimming with melancholy and unrest, has long been concealed from outsiders’ prying eyes. However, when artist Bow Fox visits their caravan park, the delicate balance is threatened and the family’s disturbing secrets edge closer to the light.
The tale’s climactic unraveling is one of profound impact, laying bare the psyche of a family determined to keep their histories buried.
The Odyssey of Theodora by Patrick White
Penned by Nobel laureate Patrick White, The Aunt’s Story dissects themes of mourning and existence through the prism of Theodora Goodman. Following her mother’s demise, Theodora embarks on an existential voyage across France and America, constructing realms of introspection that blur the lines between reason and the abstract. White’s 1948 publication delves deeply into human consciousness, offering a narrative dense with symbolism and internal conflict.
Lone Woman of the Wilderness by Henry Lawson
A seminal work in Australia’s literary canon, Henry Lawson’s The Drover’s Wife encapsulates the solitude and resilience of a mother in the unyielding outback. Left by her husband to care for their offspring amidst the vast and indifferent wild, she stands as a testament to the enduring human spirit—a motif central to the collective works highlighted above. Written in 1892, this poignant tale continues to resonate, inspiring adaptations and interpretations that celebrate the depth of Australia’s cultural landscape.