Im a sucker for a well written Aussie crime drama, there's something about the vast expanse of land and the small towns that really hits home for me. I am pleased to say that Aoife Clifford is now going to be an auto-buy author for me based on this page-turner; it has everything I devour in crime fiction, hidden secrets that will rock people's worlds if they're discovered, double crossing scheming characters, historic crimes that have never been solved.
Yes please, more of this!

Vivid, Atmospheric.,
The discovery of a body on a beach in a small coastal town setting sets in motion a catalogue of events and the findings of past tragedies. Secrets and lies will, eventually, out. Dark and sinister, the author paints a vivid and atmospheric picture, and with a compelling plot populated with a credible and convincing cast.

Really enjoyed this little town thriller set in Western Australia. It reminded me of Jane Harper novels. Very atmospheric and full of secrets.

I thought the characterisation was excellent, particularly Alex’s relationship with her mother who has the first symptoms of dementia.

The tension is maintained throughout. A good twisty-turns mystery. I’d recommend.

With her mother having a recent dementia diagnosis, Alex makes the move and relocates to her mother's hometown to arrange assisted living for her. When they're out for a walk on the beach and discover a leg, it seems the police aren't as interested as they should be. Barrister Alex takes matters into her own hands, uncovering more than she could ever have imagined.

Flowing at a moderate pace Clifford's writing draws you immediately into the plot, which is dark, twisty and once you start you'll not want to stop.

I'm definitely looking to read more from this author in the future.

Many thanks to Random Things Tours for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

When We Fall is the third novel by prize-winning Australian author, Aiofe Clifford. Barrister Alex Tillerson decides to view a worrying downturn in her work as an opportunity to answer her Aunt Prue’s summons to visit her increasingly dementia-affected mother, Denny who has returned to her childhood home in Merritt. Being away from her soon-to-be-ex husband and his new girlfriend is a bonus.

It quickly becomes apparent that Denny Walker isn’t going to be able to live independently much longer. An assisted-living facility could be the answer but, given the parlous state of Alex’s bank account, that will mean Denny selling the house she inherited from her mother, something to which she is unlikely to agree.

But just as she believes that being divorced with an ill mother and a flatlining career are the worst of her problems, their early morning beach walk is marred by a grisly find: Alex and Denny stumble on a sneaker-shod human leg. When police eventually turn up, Alex is appalled at Senior Sergeant Kingsley Kelly’s casual mismanagement of the scene.

The young constable makes mention of a cold case murder a few years earlier, and Alex’s young cousin Tayla shares the story of how her teenaged classmate, environmental activist Bella Greggs was found. Certain aspects of the two deaths indicate they may be linked, but when the body of gallery owner Maxine McFarlane turns up, Kelly declares that it is just a terrible accident and the city detective is sure to agree.

Maxine’s friends are convinced she was murdered because she knew who had killed Bella, and plead with Alex to talk to the detective: surely a barrister’s concerns will be heard? Is it wise to get involved? All this happens against the background of the tech billionaire who has been buying up land and has established a salmon farm, of which not all of Merritt approve.

Clifford’s tale is tightly plotted with twists and red herrings that will keep the reader guessing and the pages turning right up to the dramatic climax. Her characters are much more than one-dimensional; their dialogue is what we overhear in cafes and gatherings; and their actions and reactions to threat and challenge, entirely credible. Lies, secrets, infidelity and desperation mark these people as very humanly flawed. Gripping contemporary crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Ultimo Press.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Ultimo Press for an advance copy of When We Fall, a stand-alone set in a small Australian coastal town.

Alex Tillerson and her mother make a gruesome discovery on the local beach that the local police call an accident. The town of Merritt isn’t so sure and is whispering about murder, especially as the last accidental death in town, that of teenager Bella Greggs, is also seen as suspicious. After all she died in the woods with salt water in her lungs and the latest death is the opposite. Maxine McFarlane apparently drowned in the ocean, but there is no salt water in her lungs.

I enjoyed When We Fall, which is as much about the characters and the town as it is about a murder investigation. I found it to be quite a slow read in terms of developments in the investigation and that’s where my main interest lies.

Alex is in Merritt because she has the time, her career as a barrister is not taking off and her marriage has failed, to look into care for her mother, Denny, who has dementia. Whether it is failure in her personal life, the incompetence and disinterest of the local police or the feeling of being an interested party due to her discovery that urges Alex to investigate herself is never made clear, but investigate she does and manages to uncover a few secrets along the way and put herself in danger. As I said, I found it slow going, not least because both the victims were artists and chose to put what they knew into their drawings and paintings and that took a bit of deciphering. I really liked the solution, which came as a surprise to me, as it is believable and quite mundane in its motive.

The novel is all about life in a small town, so there are grudges, secrets and sins. There isn’t much sense of it being Australian so it’s more universal in its descriptions, especially as it seems to rain frequently in Merritt.

When We Fall is a good read that I can recommend.

This book is amazingly researched and the characters are so in depth. I wasn’t able to put it down once I picked it up as we follow along we Alex looking into a string of deaths that the police don’t seem to care about we discover town secrets and so much more.

Set in a small coastal town in Australia, this is a well written tale by the author. Alex returns from her job as a lawyer in the city, to care for her mother who has dementia. Whilst walking on the beach one morning, her mother discovers a human leg and Alex is immediately caught in the investigation. I really liked the characterisation, the intricate plotting, the buried truths and the twists throughout. A good mystery/ thriller which I would recommend. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I liked this book, but I felt there was something missing.
Maybe it was just me getting bogged down with the big cast of characters.
I love a bit of small town Australian crime, though this felt as if it could have been set anywhere.
The plot itself was engaging, going from one maybe not even a murder, to a getting answers to a few more crimes.
The family dynamics were interesting, and these are definitely characters I could read more about.
Mostly good.