Successful Australian crime writer Sarah Bailey is back with a standalone thriller, The Housemate. Olive Groves is a journalist in Melbourne and worked on the housemate homicide case nine years earlier. Elements of the case remain in question when new evidence comes to light that will shake things up.
"Secrets tend to come out eventually, whether they are forced into the light kicking and screaming, or simply float to the surface. The pulsing momentum of unfinished business can be strong." Page 45Oli has a few annoying habits (like stubbing out her cigarettes wherever she pleases) but is a compelling character and I enjoyed her relationship with younger colleague Cooper, who is at the forefront of developing a true crime podcast. The dynamic between hardened and experienced Gen Y journalist Oli when paired with enthusiastic millennial Cooper was entertaining, and mirrored the struggle and contrast between traditional media and the rise of the podcast.
Taking place between Melbourne and the Dandenong Ranges, I was caught up in the pressure cooker environment of being the first to break a story or publish a new lead and the consequences for inaccurate copy in this high pressure journalistic setting.
Sarah Bailey is the author of the bestselling Gemma Woodstock trilogy The Dark Lake, Into the Night and Where the Dead Go and I have no hesitation recommending The Housemate for those looking for a way into this author's work and those seeking a break from the standard police procedural.
