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Skull River

Gus Hawkins

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Skull River

By: Pip Fioretti
Narrated by: Lewis Fitz-Gerald
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About this listen

In a fading gold town, the seams of violence run deep.

'I was like a man washed ashore on an island, half mad and only my warrant card and blood-soaked uniform to vouch for me. But I had to act as if I knew what the hell to do.'

In Autumn of 1912, mounted trooper Augustus Hawkins arrives at his new post in the fading gold town of Colley, NSW. On his first day, he is ambushed by a hidden gunman, his junior officer is killed before his eyes, and he escapes back to town to find the police station burning to the ground. Someone has it in for the mounted troopers.

A traumatised veteran of the Boer War, and a stranger to Colley, Hawkins is deeply shaken and ill-equipped to solve the case. But with only green troopers and a drunken, incompetent detective available to hunt down the murderer, he is forced to take the lead. Soon he finds that Colley hides a lot more than gold beneath its surface, for anyone who knows where to dig.

In Skull River, Gus Hawkins returns for a gripping and immersive hunt through a small town at the edge of a troubled empire. With black humour, Fioretti weaves a story that's both a cracking murder mystery and a razor-sharp portrayal of a country on the verge of transformation.

©2025 Pip Fioretti (P)2025 W. F. Howes Ltd Crime Crime Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Small Town & Rural Murder Detective
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I couldn’t stop listening to this book. Loved the historical setting in 1912 gold rush NSW, the hunt for a murderer, brave but traumatised Gus Hawkins and an absorbing cast of townsfolk, policemen, their horses and a heartwarming dog.

A great Australian story

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Enjoyed the characters and the countryside that shaped the people and places. Great story thank you Pip.

Great read thanks Pip

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I have loved both books in the series so far. So interesting from a historical point of view of early 20th century Australia - life was so hard!!
I've also enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the landscapes, the plot twists and uniquely Australian characters we meet.

The protagonist reminds me a bit of Harry Bosch and Jack Reacher type characters - loners who sometimes let people in, characters who are dogged until situations are resolved. Gusset Hawkin's saving grace is his compassion and care for people/animals who more ambitious/political investigators can ignore.

I hope this author continues to write crime fiction!!

Love this series

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.