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The Labyrinth of Drowning (Paul Harrigan #3)

3.25 of 5 stars 3.25 · rating details · 4 ratings · 2 reviews

Two years have passed since top cop Paul Harrigan walked away from the New South Wales Police Force to be his own man. Since then his life has been a gift, and his home with his partner Agent Grace Riordan and their daughter a sanctuary.

When a trafficked sex worker is found brutally murdered in Sydney bushland, it should be just work for Grace. But the murder is too savage...more

Paperback, 311 pages

Published July 1st 2009 by Harper Collins

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Aug 02, 2009 Karen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian, crime, review-books

THE LABYRINTH OF DROWNING is Canberra based author Alex Palmer's third book featuring (now) ex-cop Paul Harrigan and his agent partner Grace Riordan.

The body of a sex-worker in Sydney bushland quickly becomes not just another case for Grace, as the violent injuries trigger flashbacks to her own sex attack many years before. Her investigation is further complicated as tensions with her boss simmer. Paul Harrigan, on the other hand, is working as a security consultant these days, happy to spend ti...more THE LABYRINTH OF DROWNING is Canberra based author Alex Palmer's third book featuring (now) ex-cop Paul Harrigan and his agent partner Grace Riordan.

The body of a sex-worker in Sydney bushland quickly becomes not just another case for Grace, as the violent injuries trigger flashbacks to her own sex attack many years before. Her investigation is further complicated as tensions with her boss simmer. Paul Harrigan, on the other hand, is working as a security consultant these days, happy to spend time with their very young daughter, he eventually is pulled into the periphery of Grace's investigation as a threat to their own home and family becomes apparent.

LABYRINTH OF DROWNING is definitely a book that will benefit from having read the two earlier ones. The investigation is balanced against considerable time spent in Grace and Paul's personal and professional lives, with the consequences (and perpetrator) of her own brutal sex attack appearing in the middle of the chase for the vicious murderer of the Thai sex worker. Not knowing who all these people are, and what has happened to them in the past would undoubtedly make the story here a little confusing. Particularly as Grace isn't a police member, but in this book, in particular, she's deeply involved in an active investigation into a murder.

LABYRINTH is another book from Alex Palmer that seems to start out with considerable impact, slows a lot in the middle, and works itself up into quite a head of steam towards the end. There's a hefty amount of self-imposed personal jeopardy sprinkled in that ending, however, that might put some readers off slightly. There is also a lot of the personal lives of the two main characters built into the narrative, particularly in this book as the threat intrudes on their home life literally and physically.

Not strictly a police procedural, THE LABYRINTH OF DROWNING would be an interesting book for anybody who liked the earlier 2, or anyone who is looking for something less structured than a procedural but not quite as free-form as a private investigator style book.
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Jul 25, 2011 Book Bazaar added it

I hadn't read any of Alex Palmer's books before and even though these characters have apparently been in a few other stories, it was easy enough to pick this up as a stand alone read.

A fast paced Australian crime novel that I would happily recommend to people who like a fast paced police procedural thriller. I will watch out for further books from Palmer.

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Apr 24, 2012 Karharry marked it as to-read

Shelves: thriller, australian

Oct 12, 2011 Tara Moss rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oct 23, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Aug 04, 2011 Emily (Em) marked it as to-read

Feb 19, 2011 Richard marked it as to-read

Jan 15, 2011 Deb Bodinnar rated it 3 of 5 stars

May 25, 2010 Kirsten marked it as to-read

Shelves: ned-kelly-award-nominee

Feb 26, 2013 Beth marked it as to-read

Shelves: nz-aust, thriller, e-books

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About Alex Palmer

Alex Palmer was born in London‚ and arrived in Sydney in the late 1960s. She studied English literature and language at Macquarie University and later gained a postgraduate diploma in information management at the University of New South Wales. Alex now writes full time. She is married and lives in Canberra.

More about Alex Palmer...

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