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DS Walker #3
Opal
A small mining town. A brutal double murder. A killer among them.
DS Lucas Walker is off duty. He's supposed to be showing his little sister Grace the Australian outback, on her visit from Boston, but instead they're headed out bush- where Walker's cousin has been mining for boulder opal. Something seemed off when Walker heard that Blair wanted to get out of Kanpara, so he and Grace are en route to bring him home to Caloodie.
But Kanpara is in Channel Country, and a major flood is on the way.
The atmosphere in the isolated mining town is already tense with rumours of a big opal find, and whenWalker, Grace and Blair wake up the next day they find themselves completely cut off. A deluge far north has run off into the rivers that make up this unique ecosystem, and the roads will be impassable for days. As they take in their predicament, Blair receives a shocking phone call.
Two bodies have been found, brutally murdered.
The husband is an immediate suspect, but Walker is not convinced. And when Blair is taken in for questioning, the stakes couldn't be higher. Before the water recedes, he must work with local police to uncover the killer in their midst. Can Walker act fast enough to save his cousin, and keep Grace safe?
The third thrilling instalment in the gripping and bestselling DS Lucas Walker series is full of breathtaking twists and dark turns - for fans of Jane Harper, Cara Hunter and Chris Whitaker.
DS Lucas Walker is off duty. He's supposed to be showing his little sister Grace the Australian outback, on her visit from Boston, but instead they're headed out bush- where Walker's cousin has been mining for boulder opal. Something seemed off when Walker heard that Blair wanted to get out of Kanpara, so he and Grace are en route to bring him home to Caloodie.
But Kanpara is in Channel Country, and a major flood is on the way.
The atmosphere in the isolated mining town is already tense with rumours of a big opal find, and whenWalker, Grace and Blair wake up the next day they find themselves completely cut off. A deluge far north has run off into the rivers that make up this unique ecosystem, and the roads will be impassable for days. As they take in their predicament, Blair receives a shocking phone call.
Two bodies have been found, brutally murdered.
The husband is an immediate suspect, but Walker is not convinced. And when Blair is taken in for questioning, the stakes couldn't be higher. Before the water recedes, he must work with local police to uncover the killer in their midst. Can Walker act fast enough to save his cousin, and keep Grace safe?
The third thrilling instalment in the gripping and bestselling DS Lucas Walker series is full of breathtaking twists and dark turns - for fans of Jane Harper, Cara Hunter and Chris Whitaker.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2024
1475 people are currently reading
1638 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Wolf
36 books394 followersPatricia Wolf grew up in Queensland, Australia, and now lives in Berlin. She likes whisky and strong coffee, busy cities, surf beaches and wild places. Patricia has been a journalist for almost twenty years. She is a regular contributor to newspapers including the Guardian, the Financial Times and the Daily Telegraph, among others, and was formerly a design columnist at the Independent and the Lisbon correspondent for Monocle magazine. Outback is her fiction debut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
April 5, 2025
EXCERPT: In her wide-legged, pale coloured jeans and college sweatshirt, she stands out, clearly not a local. He's been anticipating her visit for months, making plans for what to show her in and around Caloodie. His mum has never some to visit Caloodie since his dad died and he knows that part of him wants Grace to go back and tell her what she's missing. But it hasn't been going to plan at all. So far, it's just been hours in the car and now they're stuck here. It's hardly a place that will keep a city kid like Grace entertained for long. Maybe he can ask Blair if Mark would show her some opals.
He turns to Blair at the same moment that Blair's phone rings. When he answers it, Walker can hear a voice shouting at the other end, nothing distinct.
Blair says, 'Say again, mate?' in a confused tone. The shouting escalates and Blair's face pales.
'Yeah,' he says, 'yeah, calm down, mate, we're on our way. Of course, I'll bring him. Yeah, we'll be there in a sec.'
He ends the call and turns towards Walker, his face shocked. 'That was Todd Mullins,' he says, keeping his voice low. 'He says there's two bodies in his bedroom . . .'
ABOUT 'OPAL': A small mining town. A brutal double murder. A killer among them.
DS Lucas Walker is off duty. He's supposed to be showing his little sister Grace the Australian outback, on her visit from Boston, but instead they're headed out bush- where Walker's cousin has been mining for boulder opal. Something seemed off when Walker heard that Blair wanted to get out of Kanpara, so he and Grace are en route to bring him home to Caloodie.
But Kanpara is in Channel Country, and a major flood is on the way.
The atmosphere in the isolated mining town is already tense with rumours of a big opal find, and when Walker, Grace and Blair wake up the next day they find themselves completely cut off. A deluge far north has run off into the rivers that make up this unique ecosystem, and the roads will be impassable for days. As they take in their predicament, Blair receives a shocking phone call.
Two bodies have been found, brutally murdered.
The husband is an immediate suspect, but Walker is not convinced. And when Blair is taken in for questioning, the stakes couldn't be higher. Before the water recedes, he must work with local police to uncover the killer in their midst. Can Walker act fast enough to save his cousin, and keep Grace safe?
MY THOUGHTS: Although Opal is #3 in the DS Walker series, it is easily read as a stand-alone, as are each of the other books, with the main murder enquiry wrapped up by the end of the book. However, you do need to be aware that there is also an ongoing story running through the series involving an outlaw motorcycle gang and the manufacture of street drugs.
Opal is a dark and gritty outback crime novel set in a fictional opal mining town in the far west of Queensland Australia. I have lived in towns like these; towns that comprise of a pub, a roadhouse and a few houses. Strangers are treated like scientific specimens, probed for interest then stored on a shelf until needed, but never entirely trusted. Living in these towns can easily become claustrophobic. Everyone knows everyone else and all their business. News, factual or made up, is currency. Tempers are frayed by failure and drugs. Multiply all this underlying tension with two bodies, rumors of a million-dollar opal, and a town cut off by floods. This is Opal.
I like Walker. He is a strong character and, in Opal, he is torn between looking out for his sister Grace, his cousin Blair, and doing the right thing by assisting in a murder case that isn't his. Wrong place, wrong time. But still he wants to get it right.
Opal has a well-constructed plot and complex characters. At one point the town closes rank against the police, effectively shutting them out. It turns out it's not just the opal miners they don't like. The climax to this story is breath-taking, tension-filled and action packed. It played out in my mind like a movie. I could feel the searing heat, the dust on my skin, the sweat that dries as it oozes out of your pores.
After the denouement, Lucas is back at Australian Federal Police Headquarters, but I doubt he'll be staying there long. I'll definitely be going on his next adventure with him.
It's a funny thing, but I was saying to another reviewer earlier in the week that I was never going to move to one of those lovely little English villages where people are murdered at an alarming rate. In the author's notes, Patricia Wolf says, 'Don't let Aussie noir crime fiction put you off a visit to outback Queensland. With its striking countryside, local characters and beautiful opals to boot, it's truly one of the most inspiring and interesting parts of Australia!' I agree. I have lived in the tiny mining settlement of Sapphire and the slightly larger town of Quilpie and survived both. More than survived. I loved my time there and still like to visit whenever I am in the region.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#Opal #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: Patricia Wolf grew up in the mining town of Mount Isa and despite her love of the outback's indigo sky and wide horizons, Patricia left Australia to travel the world and became a journalist, she now lives in Berlin, Germany.
DS Lucas Walker and his stories came to be in 2019 when Patricia spent two months in northwest Queensland surrounded by the beauty and rugged harshness of the outback.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Embla books via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of Opal by Patricia Wolf for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
He turns to Blair at the same moment that Blair's phone rings. When he answers it, Walker can hear a voice shouting at the other end, nothing distinct.
Blair says, 'Say again, mate?' in a confused tone. The shouting escalates and Blair's face pales.
'Yeah,' he says, 'yeah, calm down, mate, we're on our way. Of course, I'll bring him. Yeah, we'll be there in a sec.'
He ends the call and turns towards Walker, his face shocked. 'That was Todd Mullins,' he says, keeping his voice low. 'He says there's two bodies in his bedroom . . .'
ABOUT 'OPAL': A small mining town. A brutal double murder. A killer among them.
DS Lucas Walker is off duty. He's supposed to be showing his little sister Grace the Australian outback, on her visit from Boston, but instead they're headed out bush- where Walker's cousin has been mining for boulder opal. Something seemed off when Walker heard that Blair wanted to get out of Kanpara, so he and Grace are en route to bring him home to Caloodie.
But Kanpara is in Channel Country, and a major flood is on the way.
The atmosphere in the isolated mining town is already tense with rumours of a big opal find, and when Walker, Grace and Blair wake up the next day they find themselves completely cut off. A deluge far north has run off into the rivers that make up this unique ecosystem, and the roads will be impassable for days. As they take in their predicament, Blair receives a shocking phone call.
Two bodies have been found, brutally murdered.
The husband is an immediate suspect, but Walker is not convinced. And when Blair is taken in for questioning, the stakes couldn't be higher. Before the water recedes, he must work with local police to uncover the killer in their midst. Can Walker act fast enough to save his cousin, and keep Grace safe?
MY THOUGHTS: Although Opal is #3 in the DS Walker series, it is easily read as a stand-alone, as are each of the other books, with the main murder enquiry wrapped up by the end of the book. However, you do need to be aware that there is also an ongoing story running through the series involving an outlaw motorcycle gang and the manufacture of street drugs.
Opal is a dark and gritty outback crime novel set in a fictional opal mining town in the far west of Queensland Australia. I have lived in towns like these; towns that comprise of a pub, a roadhouse and a few houses. Strangers are treated like scientific specimens, probed for interest then stored on a shelf until needed, but never entirely trusted. Living in these towns can easily become claustrophobic. Everyone knows everyone else and all their business. News, factual or made up, is currency. Tempers are frayed by failure and drugs. Multiply all this underlying tension with two bodies, rumors of a million-dollar opal, and a town cut off by floods. This is Opal.
I like Walker. He is a strong character and, in Opal, he is torn between looking out for his sister Grace, his cousin Blair, and doing the right thing by assisting in a murder case that isn't his. Wrong place, wrong time. But still he wants to get it right.
Opal has a well-constructed plot and complex characters. At one point the town closes rank against the police, effectively shutting them out. It turns out it's not just the opal miners they don't like. The climax to this story is breath-taking, tension-filled and action packed. It played out in my mind like a movie. I could feel the searing heat, the dust on my skin, the sweat that dries as it oozes out of your pores.
After the denouement, Lucas is back at Australian Federal Police Headquarters, but I doubt he'll be staying there long. I'll definitely be going on his next adventure with him.
It's a funny thing, but I was saying to another reviewer earlier in the week that I was never going to move to one of those lovely little English villages where people are murdered at an alarming rate. In the author's notes, Patricia Wolf says, 'Don't let Aussie noir crime fiction put you off a visit to outback Queensland. With its striking countryside, local characters and beautiful opals to boot, it's truly one of the most inspiring and interesting parts of Australia!' I agree. I have lived in the tiny mining settlement of Sapphire and the slightly larger town of Quilpie and survived both. More than survived. I loved my time there and still like to visit whenever I am in the region.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#Opal #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: Patricia Wolf grew up in the mining town of Mount Isa and despite her love of the outback's indigo sky and wide horizons, Patricia left Australia to travel the world and became a journalist, she now lives in Berlin, Germany.
DS Lucas Walker and his stories came to be in 2019 when Patricia spent two months in northwest Queensland surrounded by the beauty and rugged harshness of the outback.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Embla books via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of Opal by Patricia Wolf for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 1, 2024
The 3rd book in the Lucas Walker series, Opal by Patricia Wolf is a small town thriller set in outback Queensland. Although the title of the book suggests that we’re going to be treated to the ins and outs of the opal mining game, this is actually a murder mystery hampered by an enforced period of isolation.
Australian Federal Police officer DS Lucas Walker’s sister is visiting from Boston and he wants to give her a visit to remember, keen for her to meet his family and the town of Caloodie. Things start off very well and their trip from Canberra to Caloodie allows them to catch up after years of being apart. But on their arrival at Caloodie, they discover that Blair Mitchell, Lucas’ cousin, is opal mining up north in the tiny town of Kanpara and needs to get home.
Ever the helpful one, Lucas offers to make the trip and Grace, eager to see more of Australia, decides she’ll go too. So, after a day’s rest in Caloodie they set off for another long drive through the outback to Kanpara where they meet up with Blair.
The pick up was only meant to be an overnighter, but before they can head for home the next morning they wake to find the roads in and out of town have been flooded. It seems that torrential rains in the north of the country have caused massive runoff floods through Kanpara which is part of the so-called Channel Country.
They’ve barely resigned themselves to being cut off in Kanpara when the chilling discovery of a double murder rocks the tiny community. The murder is brutal, one of the murder victims was Blair’s boss and, most concerning, the murderer must still be in town thanks to the floodwaters cutting off any escape.
Walker’s policing instincts kick in and can’t help but get himself involved in the murder investigation. This is something that’s not exactly appreciated by the Queensland police detective who’s been flown in to take over the case.
Motives are plentiful. Miners are a jealous bunch and there was word that the murdered man had recently found a massive opal. Could someone have murdered him to get their hands on it? He and the murdered woman, not his wife, were killed in her bed. Jealous husband? And then there’s Blair, who had been overheard arguing vehemently with the murdered man the night before. Did he lose his cool in a big way?
An atmospheric thriller, personal dislikes and irritations between the local population is intensified by being trapped in a small town. The inclusion of a killer among them simply creates even greater tension.
Although there are periods where very little happens, the pace of the story is solid thanks to the determination of Walker to track down the killer. The fact that the detective doesn’t particularly like him and has his own ideas over who the murderer might be ensures that the action is consistent. My only little gripe about Walker is his blinkered attitude when it comes to investigating crime. Once he makes his mind up it seems there’s no reasoning with him, even when I (and any reasonable person) could see that his reasoning was flawed.
As the floodwaters begin to recede the identity of the killer becomes clear, the intensity ramps up and we’re drawn to an exciting conclusion.
My thanks to Embla Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC which has allowed me to read, enjoy and review this book.
Australian Federal Police officer DS Lucas Walker’s sister is visiting from Boston and he wants to give her a visit to remember, keen for her to meet his family and the town of Caloodie. Things start off very well and their trip from Canberra to Caloodie allows them to catch up after years of being apart. But on their arrival at Caloodie, they discover that Blair Mitchell, Lucas’ cousin, is opal mining up north in the tiny town of Kanpara and needs to get home.
Ever the helpful one, Lucas offers to make the trip and Grace, eager to see more of Australia, decides she’ll go too. So, after a day’s rest in Caloodie they set off for another long drive through the outback to Kanpara where they meet up with Blair.
The pick up was only meant to be an overnighter, but before they can head for home the next morning they wake to find the roads in and out of town have been flooded. It seems that torrential rains in the north of the country have caused massive runoff floods through Kanpara which is part of the so-called Channel Country.
They’ve barely resigned themselves to being cut off in Kanpara when the chilling discovery of a double murder rocks the tiny community. The murder is brutal, one of the murder victims was Blair’s boss and, most concerning, the murderer must still be in town thanks to the floodwaters cutting off any escape.
Walker’s policing instincts kick in and can’t help but get himself involved in the murder investigation. This is something that’s not exactly appreciated by the Queensland police detective who’s been flown in to take over the case.
Motives are plentiful. Miners are a jealous bunch and there was word that the murdered man had recently found a massive opal. Could someone have murdered him to get their hands on it? He and the murdered woman, not his wife, were killed in her bed. Jealous husband? And then there’s Blair, who had been overheard arguing vehemently with the murdered man the night before. Did he lose his cool in a big way?
An atmospheric thriller, personal dislikes and irritations between the local population is intensified by being trapped in a small town. The inclusion of a killer among them simply creates even greater tension.
Although there are periods where very little happens, the pace of the story is solid thanks to the determination of Walker to track down the killer. The fact that the detective doesn’t particularly like him and has his own ideas over who the murderer might be ensures that the action is consistent. My only little gripe about Walker is his blinkered attitude when it comes to investigating crime. Once he makes his mind up it seems there’s no reasoning with him, even when I (and any reasonable person) could see that his reasoning was flawed.
As the floodwaters begin to recede the identity of the killer becomes clear, the intensity ramps up and we’re drawn to an exciting conclusion.
My thanks to Embla Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC which has allowed me to read, enjoy and review this book.
September 21, 2024
DS Lucas Walker's young sister Grace had arrived from Boston to spend some time with him, meeting his family and having a holiday. Lucas had time off from his Australian Federal Police position, so the two of them headed off on the long, thirteen hour drive to Caloodie from Canberra. Chatting about their lives, Lucas enjoyed Grace's company and on arriving at Caloodie, Lucas found that Blair, his cousin, was opal mining up in the small Queensland Channel country town of Kanpara and needed to get home. Lucas and Grace headed off the following day to bring him home.
But the unexpected flood after their arrival at the isolated mining town set off a series of events that kept the three of them trapped there, along with murder victims and a murderer. Walker's cop instincts had immediately taken over, although when the local cop took Blair in for questioning, the investigation suddenly became personal for Walker. He needed to solve the case and get Grace and Blair away from Kanpara - but how long would it take? And would the water drop enough for them to leave the area?
Opal is the 3rd in the DS Walker series by Aussie author Patricia Wolf and I really like Walker's character. Strong, determined to do the right thing, and steadfast in his beliefs; Grace was a sweetheart but a little naïve; the plot was a good one although I picked the perpetrator just before the characters did. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley & Embla Publishing for my digital ARC to read and review.
Warning: Offensive language and some graphic content
But the unexpected flood after their arrival at the isolated mining town set off a series of events that kept the three of them trapped there, along with murder victims and a murderer. Walker's cop instincts had immediately taken over, although when the local cop took Blair in for questioning, the investigation suddenly became personal for Walker. He needed to solve the case and get Grace and Blair away from Kanpara - but how long would it take? And would the water drop enough for them to leave the area?
Opal is the 3rd in the DS Walker series by Aussie author Patricia Wolf and I really like Walker's character. Strong, determined to do the right thing, and steadfast in his beliefs; Grace was a sweetheart but a little naïve; the plot was a good one although I picked the perpetrator just before the characters did. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley & Embla Publishing for my digital ARC to read and review.
Warning: Offensive language and some graphic content
October 12, 2024
This is a great series with a really likeable main character. I loved the storyline, the setting and the vivid descriptions of outback Queensland, the twists and the way it all came together at the end. Looking forward to next book in this series already.
October 7, 2024
4.5★s
Opal is the third book in the DS Walker Thriller series by Australian journalist and author, Patricia Wolf. DS Lucas Walker is looking forward to using a break from his AFP job to show his half-sister, Grace a bit of the outback he loves. But when they arrive at Caloodie, his cousin Blair is away working at an opal mining lease in Kanpara, rather desperate to return.
So he and Grace take what is meant to be a quick overnight trip to collect him. But their planned departure is delayed by floodwaters flowing down from the north, making all roads impassable, cutting off the town. In a place that already feels tinged with menace, the unique outback experience for Grace is marred by the discovery of a double murder: opal miner Mark Bailey and his secret (married) lover, Karen Mullins have been brutally attacked with an axe.
The local cop being absent, Lucas steps in to help preserve the scene until Queensland Police can send Detective Senior Sergeant Jim Stones from Longreach by chopper. Stones quickly concludes that Karen’s jealous husband has finished them off, but Lucas sees the situation as complicated by friction between the long-time residents and the opal miners, the bad feeling amongst some of the opal miners, and the presence of a member of the Vandals bikie gang.
When another opal miner dies, Stones sets his sights on Blair, even though there are plenty of other people in town with a motive to kill them. Blair is arrested on flimsy grounds and Lucas has to scramble to find the truth: he’s absolutely certain his cousin cannot be guilty. But in trying to prove that, Grace is left to fend for herself, facing danger from an unexpected quarter.
Setting her latest Aussie noir in outback Queensland, Wolf gives the reader the equivalent of a locked room mystery, at least until the floodwaters recede. Multiple narrators relate a story that includes threats at knifepoint in full view of pub patrons, vigilante patrols by gun-happy townspeople, and a case of arson.
Wolf’s depiction of outback Queensland feels truly authentic, not surprising as it comes from personal experience. The description of the heat, dust and flies, the mindset of the locals, all are a realistic representation.
Readers should be warned that there are major spoilers for the previous books within the story. There’s plenty to keep the reader guessing in the lead-up to a nail-biting climax and, with the bikie gang issue unresolved, more of this outstanding Aussie noir, perhaps including a reappearance of Lucas’s favourite German detective, looks likely. Recommended.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Embla Books
Opal is the third book in the DS Walker Thriller series by Australian journalist and author, Patricia Wolf. DS Lucas Walker is looking forward to using a break from his AFP job to show his half-sister, Grace a bit of the outback he loves. But when they arrive at Caloodie, his cousin Blair is away working at an opal mining lease in Kanpara, rather desperate to return.
So he and Grace take what is meant to be a quick overnight trip to collect him. But their planned departure is delayed by floodwaters flowing down from the north, making all roads impassable, cutting off the town. In a place that already feels tinged with menace, the unique outback experience for Grace is marred by the discovery of a double murder: opal miner Mark Bailey and his secret (married) lover, Karen Mullins have been brutally attacked with an axe.
The local cop being absent, Lucas steps in to help preserve the scene until Queensland Police can send Detective Senior Sergeant Jim Stones from Longreach by chopper. Stones quickly concludes that Karen’s jealous husband has finished them off, but Lucas sees the situation as complicated by friction between the long-time residents and the opal miners, the bad feeling amongst some of the opal miners, and the presence of a member of the Vandals bikie gang.
When another opal miner dies, Stones sets his sights on Blair, even though there are plenty of other people in town with a motive to kill them. Blair is arrested on flimsy grounds and Lucas has to scramble to find the truth: he’s absolutely certain his cousin cannot be guilty. But in trying to prove that, Grace is left to fend for herself, facing danger from an unexpected quarter.
Setting her latest Aussie noir in outback Queensland, Wolf gives the reader the equivalent of a locked room mystery, at least until the floodwaters recede. Multiple narrators relate a story that includes threats at knifepoint in full view of pub patrons, vigilante patrols by gun-happy townspeople, and a case of arson.
Wolf’s depiction of outback Queensland feels truly authentic, not surprising as it comes from personal experience. The description of the heat, dust and flies, the mindset of the locals, all are a realistic representation.
Readers should be warned that there are major spoilers for the previous books within the story. There’s plenty to keep the reader guessing in the lead-up to a nail-biting climax and, with the bikie gang issue unresolved, more of this outstanding Aussie noir, perhaps including a reappearance of Lucas’s favourite German detective, looks likely. Recommended.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Embla Books
July 11, 2025
NGL, I was a bit annoyed with Lucas throughout the whole book. His prejudices and low-key sexism really derailed the case, and when we finally found out who committed the murders, it felt kind of anticlimactic.
That said, I still want to know what happens with Markovich, so I will continue the series, but seriously, Lucas, come on, dude!
That said, I still want to know what happens with Markovich, so I will continue the series, but seriously, Lucas, come on, dude!
August 23, 2025
This is the third story featuring Detective Sergeant Lucas Walker, this time set in an isolated mining town in Channel Country, with a flood on the way. When two bodies are found brutally murdered, Walker must work with local Police to find the killer.
Another brilliant crime fiction story written by Australian author Patricia Wolf!
Another brilliant crime fiction story written by Australian author Patricia Wolf!
October 10, 2024
I hope the real AFP aren’t as stupid as DS Walker
October 7, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed Opal, the third novel in the DS Lucas Walker series.
Poor Lucas should know by now not to try to go on holiday as he always seems to find himself in the midst of something. This time he is taking his sister Grace to visit family in Caloodie, his home town. After deciding to travel to Kanpara to pick up his cousin Blair who has been working with an opal miner, Lucas finds himself and Grace stuck there when floodwaters from up north cut off the town.
Then there is the discovery of two bodies, Blair's boss Mark and his mistress Karen. They have been bludgeoned to death in bed and there is now a murderer stuck in Kanpara with the residents. When Karen's husband Todd dies in a suspicious house fire a couple of days later, Lucas knows he needs to help solve this before any more people die and to keep Grace safe.
With the investigation stalling, Lucas is rattled when DSS Stones arrests Blair and charges him with all three murders and transports him to Longreach. Has Lucas missed something? He feels Blair is not capable of this but some of the evidence is concerning. Does he really know Blair?
In a town divided, the police must try to sift through the lies, deception and outright mistrust of authority to get to the bottom of this. To make matters worse Lucas discovers that one of the residents is an ex Vandals bikie and this brings all sorts of trauma to the surface again.
The isolation of the town, not only by the floodwaters, lends a ruggedness to the story that is menacing. I just love when the setting has such a hand in the story and this is something this author does well in my mind.
I enjoyed the way this book was brought to it's conclusion and I certainly look forward to more crime fighting adventures featuring DS Lucas Walker. I do hope he gets to have a real holiday one day!
Poor Lucas should know by now not to try to go on holiday as he always seems to find himself in the midst of something. This time he is taking his sister Grace to visit family in Caloodie, his home town. After deciding to travel to Kanpara to pick up his cousin Blair who has been working with an opal miner, Lucas finds himself and Grace stuck there when floodwaters from up north cut off the town.
Then there is the discovery of two bodies, Blair's boss Mark and his mistress Karen. They have been bludgeoned to death in bed and there is now a murderer stuck in Kanpara with the residents. When Karen's husband Todd dies in a suspicious house fire a couple of days later, Lucas knows he needs to help solve this before any more people die and to keep Grace safe.
With the investigation stalling, Lucas is rattled when DSS Stones arrests Blair and charges him with all three murders and transports him to Longreach. Has Lucas missed something? He feels Blair is not capable of this but some of the evidence is concerning. Does he really know Blair?
In a town divided, the police must try to sift through the lies, deception and outright mistrust of authority to get to the bottom of this. To make matters worse Lucas discovers that one of the residents is an ex Vandals bikie and this brings all sorts of trauma to the surface again.
The isolation of the town, not only by the floodwaters, lends a ruggedness to the story that is menacing. I just love when the setting has such a hand in the story and this is something this author does well in my mind.
I enjoyed the way this book was brought to it's conclusion and I certainly look forward to more crime fighting adventures featuring DS Lucas Walker. I do hope he gets to have a real holiday one day!
November 7, 2024
"Opal" is the third book in the Australian DS Lucas Walker thriller series by Patricia Wolf and not only an incredibly gripping edge-of-the-seat thriller, but also an intriguing locked-town mystery. The small town of Kanpara in the Australian Outback is cut off from the rest of the world by a seasonal flood, and when two people are killed in the most brutal way possible, DS Walker supports the local authorities to find the killer. He is also keen on protecting his younger sister Grace, who has flown over from the USA to spend some time with her brother, but as it turns out, even in a small two-horse town, where everyone knows everyone, it's difficult to make progress in solving a case that centers around a mysterious and valuable opal one of the victims is supposed to have found. When another murder happens, it becomes clear that they are facing a very dangerous killer who might strike out again any minute. There are many suspects, many twists and turns, many dangerous incidents that also involve Walker and his sister, but things finally come to a head, when the flood recedes and the killer is finally able to escape from the scene of crime. The showdown at the end of the book is really spectacular.
As in the predecessors, you again get non-stop action and suspense from page one. Reading this book is like watching a film since you get detailed descriptions of the beautiful setting, the characters involved and their emotions. You get drawn into the plot completely and watch it unfold right in front of your eyes. And I really adore the main character DS Lucas Walker, who is such a caring, emphatic and nice human being! So I can't wait to read the next book in this outstanding series!
As in the predecessors, you again get non-stop action and suspense from page one. Reading this book is like watching a film since you get detailed descriptions of the beautiful setting, the characters involved and their emotions. You get drawn into the plot completely and watch it unfold right in front of your eyes. And I really adore the main character DS Lucas Walker, who is such a caring, emphatic and nice human being! So I can't wait to read the next book in this outstanding series!
December 19, 2024
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Opal by Patricia Wolf is the third book in the DS Walker series and each book just gets better and better! What a chilling read this was, atmospheric, suspenseful and menaced.
A locked room type of thriller set in a small Australian mining town where a woman and man have just been found brutally murdered and tensions are soaring.
DS Lucas Walker has his half-sister Grace visiting from Boston and they’re off for a road trip to Caloodie his home town to spend time with each other and for Grace to meet the family. Lucas has an ongoing habit where every time he seems to go on a holiday he ends up working.
Meanwhile his cousin Blair is stuck in Kanpara where he’s been opal mining and Lucas and Grace travel there to pick him up but they are delayed returning to Caloodie due to floodwaters and a double murder.
When the investigation gets personal for Lucas he finds himself once again totally wrapped up in the case and Grace is left to her own devices.
I had a wild guess who the killer was and was correct but it was definitely edge of the seat and a great climax.
Lucas Walker is an engaging and likeable character and I look forward to his next crime fighting adventure. A fine piece of Australian noir.
Publication Date 01 October 2024
Publisher Echo Publishing
Thanks so much Echo Publishing for a copy of the book to read.
Opal by Patricia Wolf is the third book in the DS Walker series and each book just gets better and better! What a chilling read this was, atmospheric, suspenseful and menaced.
A locked room type of thriller set in a small Australian mining town where a woman and man have just been found brutally murdered and tensions are soaring.
DS Lucas Walker has his half-sister Grace visiting from Boston and they’re off for a road trip to Caloodie his home town to spend time with each other and for Grace to meet the family. Lucas has an ongoing habit where every time he seems to go on a holiday he ends up working.
Meanwhile his cousin Blair is stuck in Kanpara where he’s been opal mining and Lucas and Grace travel there to pick him up but they are delayed returning to Caloodie due to floodwaters and a double murder.
When the investigation gets personal for Lucas he finds himself once again totally wrapped up in the case and Grace is left to her own devices.
I had a wild guess who the killer was and was correct but it was definitely edge of the seat and a great climax.
Lucas Walker is an engaging and likeable character and I look forward to his next crime fighting adventure. A fine piece of Australian noir.
Publication Date 01 October 2024
Publisher Echo Publishing
Thanks so much Echo Publishing for a copy of the book to read.
December 5, 2024
An excellent read (listen). Well-plotted and I love the main character. He was a bit late getting to the answers and I wasn’t always convinced by his cousin who seemed more like a 14 year old than a 21 year old but otherwise a gripping and intelligent novel. Looking forward to the next one. NB you do really need to read the first two in the series because this gives away the plot from the earlier novels.
February 17, 2025
Opal delves into the high-stakes dog eat dog world of opal mining.
Mark is rumoured to have found a million dollar opal, soon after he is found dead, in bed with his ex business partner's wife. Both have been brutally murdered.
Is this the work of a jealous husband or someone looking for the rumoured opal?
When DS Walker arrives in the small outback town to pick up his cousin, Blair, he is immediately pulled into the investigation. Overnight the town becomes isolated by rising flood waters and there is no way out.
A town isolated by flood waters, relentless heat and a killer in their midst makes for compelling reading.
As DS Walker assists local police the suspect list rises and it appears many in the small town had a grudge against the murdered man. Throw in the mix disgruntled opal miners and a fugitive who doesn't want to be found and Wolf has created a tense and atmospheric read.
Each book in the series reads well as a standalone with the major murder investigation wrapped up by the end of the book. However there is also an ongoing story, throughout the three books, with an outlaw motorcycle gang involved in drug manufacture.
Even though Opal got a little bogged down at times this dark and gritty police procedural kept me invested until the final breath holding conclusion.
I highly recommend all three books to crime readers looking for a new series to delve into.
Mark is rumoured to have found a million dollar opal, soon after he is found dead, in bed with his ex business partner's wife. Both have been brutally murdered.
Is this the work of a jealous husband or someone looking for the rumoured opal?
When DS Walker arrives in the small outback town to pick up his cousin, Blair, he is immediately pulled into the investigation. Overnight the town becomes isolated by rising flood waters and there is no way out.
A town isolated by flood waters, relentless heat and a killer in their midst makes for compelling reading.
As DS Walker assists local police the suspect list rises and it appears many in the small town had a grudge against the murdered man. Throw in the mix disgruntled opal miners and a fugitive who doesn't want to be found and Wolf has created a tense and atmospheric read.
Each book in the series reads well as a standalone with the major murder investigation wrapped up by the end of the book. However there is also an ongoing story, throughout the three books, with an outlaw motorcycle gang involved in drug manufacture.
Even though Opal got a little bogged down at times this dark and gritty police procedural kept me invested until the final breath holding conclusion.
I highly recommend all three books to crime readers looking for a new series to delve into.
February 6, 2025
Setting: 'Kanpara', Queensland, Australia; modern day.
In this third outing for Detective Sergeant Lucas Walker, Lucas is taking a long-deserved, though reluctantly-taken, holiday from his AFP duties in Canberra. His younger sister, Grace, is due to arrive in Sydney from Boston, USA and he is taking her to meet the family in Caloodie, Queensland. But, on arrival, he finds that his cousin, Blair, is several hundred kilometres away in the small opal-mining town of Kanpara - population 158 - trying to get a ride home. So Lucas decides to drive up to pick Blair up - and Grace insists on going along for the ride. Arriving in Kanpara, the pair intend to stay overnight before travelling back to Caloodie with Blair - but overnight flood waters rise following heavy rainfall in the northern tablelands and the town is totally cut off. Then reports come in of a double murder in the town, one of the victims being Blair's mining partner. As police fly in a detective to investigate the murders, Lucas once again finds himself involved in an unexpected murder investigation, which will test family loyalties and put his life and Grace's in danger....
This was another great crime thriller from the author - excellent characters, unpredictable storyline, unexpected culprits and all set against a wonderfully-portrayed Aussie backdrop where you can almost feel the winter Outback heat and smell the rising floodwaters. Looking forward to reading more of this series - 9/10.
In this third outing for Detective Sergeant Lucas Walker, Lucas is taking a long-deserved, though reluctantly-taken, holiday from his AFP duties in Canberra. His younger sister, Grace, is due to arrive in Sydney from Boston, USA and he is taking her to meet the family in Caloodie, Queensland. But, on arrival, he finds that his cousin, Blair, is several hundred kilometres away in the small opal-mining town of Kanpara - population 158 - trying to get a ride home. So Lucas decides to drive up to pick Blair up - and Grace insists on going along for the ride. Arriving in Kanpara, the pair intend to stay overnight before travelling back to Caloodie with Blair - but overnight flood waters rise following heavy rainfall in the northern tablelands and the town is totally cut off. Then reports come in of a double murder in the town, one of the victims being Blair's mining partner. As police fly in a detective to investigate the murders, Lucas once again finds himself involved in an unexpected murder investigation, which will test family loyalties and put his life and Grace's in danger....
This was another great crime thriller from the author - excellent characters, unpredictable storyline, unexpected culprits and all set against a wonderfully-portrayed Aussie backdrop where you can almost feel the winter Outback heat and smell the rising floodwaters. Looking forward to reading more of this series - 9/10.
November 9, 2024
Opal by Patricia Wolf is the third novel featuring Australian Federal Police officer Lucas Walker. Due to developments in the previous novel, and for his protection, Walker now finds himself figuratively chained to a desk while only given the safest tasks to complete.
Walker, though missing the productive nature of day-to-day work, is awaiting the arrival of his sister, Grace, with plans to treat her to the finer parts of Australian life and to show her when it comes to the outback, not all is doom and gloom.
Walker’s plans include driving a good distance away with Grace to retrieve his cousin Blair from Kanpara. Blair has been working with another man mining opal in Kanpara. Kanpara is a very small town with tensions created between locals and opal miners.
Unbeknown to most, a torrential downpour has created massive flooding and after their arrival, because all roads have now been overtaken by water, Lucas and his sister must remain in Kanpara until flood waters recede.
While waiting for the roads to become passable in a town where no one can enter or leave, a horrible crime occurs, thrusting Walker into an investigation possibly including possible past foes, a collection of dangerous miners, and a town with people not always whom they seem to be.
Wolf then allows her tale of murder and deceit to lumber forward at just the right pace which allows each character to become relevant to an interesting story about a complex murder investigation. Wolf also provides a detailed explanation regarding opals, which adds depth to the story.
Wolf’s Walker novels also continue to capture the Australian environment so well that it makes it easy to become lost in her novels while providing interesting textures to her stories.
Readers of Australia’s Garry Disher and Shelley Burr should also be of interest in the Lucas Walker novels.
Netgalley provided an ARC of Opal for the return of a fair review.
Walker, though missing the productive nature of day-to-day work, is awaiting the arrival of his sister, Grace, with plans to treat her to the finer parts of Australian life and to show her when it comes to the outback, not all is doom and gloom.
Walker’s plans include driving a good distance away with Grace to retrieve his cousin Blair from Kanpara. Blair has been working with another man mining opal in Kanpara. Kanpara is a very small town with tensions created between locals and opal miners.
Unbeknown to most, a torrential downpour has created massive flooding and after their arrival, because all roads have now been overtaken by water, Lucas and his sister must remain in Kanpara until flood waters recede.
While waiting for the roads to become passable in a town where no one can enter or leave, a horrible crime occurs, thrusting Walker into an investigation possibly including possible past foes, a collection of dangerous miners, and a town with people not always whom they seem to be.
Wolf then allows her tale of murder and deceit to lumber forward at just the right pace which allows each character to become relevant to an interesting story about a complex murder investigation. Wolf also provides a detailed explanation regarding opals, which adds depth to the story.
Wolf’s Walker novels also continue to capture the Australian environment so well that it makes it easy to become lost in her novels while providing interesting textures to her stories.
Readers of Australia’s Garry Disher and Shelley Burr should also be of interest in the Lucas Walker novels.
Netgalley provided an ARC of Opal for the return of a fair review.
October 21, 2024
Fan bloody tastic! Total edge of your seat guessing game with an awesome twist. I love DS walker!
November 15, 2024
So glad to have found Patricia Wolf, her Lucas Walker series is absolutely brilliant. Cannot wait for the next instalment.
August 23, 2025
Opal is book three in the DS Walker series by Patricia Wolf. DS Walker was looking forward to his holiday, which would allow him to take his little sister to visit his family, Caloodie, in the beautiful Australian outback. Upon arriving in Caloodie, Lucas discovered that his cousin needed his help to escape the opal mining town of Kanpara. However, he did not expect that Grace wanted to come, and he got caught in Kanpara due to flooding and murder. The readers of Opal continue to follow DS Lucas Walker to discover what happens.
Readers of Opal will understand how hard it is to live and work in mining towns. In addition to the beautiful Australian outback, you can also live in rural townships. Wow, I love how Patricia Wolf wove the twists and turns in this book's plot, keeping me on the edge of my seat, and I forgot all about bedtime until I finished it.
I love Patricia Wolf's portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. Opal is well-written and researched by Patricia Wolf. I like Patricia Wolf's description of the settings of Opal, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
I recommend this book.
Readers of Opal will understand how hard it is to live and work in mining towns. In addition to the beautiful Australian outback, you can also live in rural townships. Wow, I love how Patricia Wolf wove the twists and turns in this book's plot, keeping me on the edge of my seat, and I forgot all about bedtime until I finished it.
I love Patricia Wolf's portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. Opal is well-written and researched by Patricia Wolf. I like Patricia Wolf's description of the settings of Opal, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
I recommend this book.
April 12, 2025
A little predictable and too long. DS Walker and his sister visiting from Boston get marooned in a menacing place in the Outback. They were there to pickup Walker's cousin who was mining and naturally it was the cousin's boss who was murdered. I think you know where this is going. Murders and a century flood leave them high and dry for a week. The deaths ignite passions and antipathy between opal miners and townspeople.
March 2, 2025
DS Walker and his colleagues and friends just gets better and better! And there will be more! Yeah, nah! Nah, yeah!
February 26, 2025
I listened to Outback, Paradise and Opal (no’s 1-3 of the DS Walker series) one after the other. The stories are solid Aussie crime/ Outback noir and DS Lucas Walker is a likeable bloke who says “yeah nah” and loves a bacon and egg roll or a chicken parmie and hunts down nasty drug dealing bikies. This last story Opal was my least favourite due to the fairly nauseating relationship Walker has with his little sister and all we hear about is how he has to keep her safe from murderers. Anyway, the audiobook format worked well for these stories as they were easy and undemanding to follow and good entertainment. The narrator Adam Fitzgerald is good to listen to and adds the right voice to Walker. His German accent is iffy but didn’t grate too much, overall I think he’s absolutely the right narrator for these books.
September 4, 2024
This eARC was received through Netgalley.com and I am providing an unbiased review.
This is the third novel in the DS Walker series, and once again has proven that Wolf has a great story-telling presence. This book starts not too long after the end of the second novel, and finds our MC not only trying to still find the biker leader of previous crimes, but now on a vacation with his visiting little sister from the US. From the synopsis, you can see where this goes from there....
I have been lucky enough to read all three novels of this series, and I anxiously await each one, hoping that this series doesn't just end after a "few books". Not knowing anything about Australia, it's policing system, geography, et cetera, Wolf does a wonderful job of describing ther world detail in a way even a non-resident will enjoy the read.
This is the third novel in the DS Walker series, and once again has proven that Wolf has a great story-telling presence. This book starts not too long after the end of the second novel, and finds our MC not only trying to still find the biker leader of previous crimes, but now on a vacation with his visiting little sister from the US. From the synopsis, you can see where this goes from there....
I have been lucky enough to read all three novels of this series, and I anxiously await each one, hoping that this series doesn't just end after a "few books". Not knowing anything about Australia, it's policing system, geography, et cetera, Wolf does a wonderful job of describing ther world detail in a way even a non-resident will enjoy the read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2024
4.5 ★s
Opal is the third book in the DS Walker Thriller series by Australian journalist and author, Patricia Wolf. The audio version is narrated by Adam Fitzgerald. DS Lucas Walker is looking forward to using a break from his AFP job to show his half-sister, Grace a bit of the outback he loves. But when they arrive at Caloodie, his cousin Blair is away working at an opal mining lease in Kanpara, rather desperate to return.
So he and Grace take what is meant to be a quick overnight trip to collect him. But their planned departure is delayed by floodwaters flowing down from the north, making all roads impassable, cutting off the town. In a place that already feels tinged with menace, the unique outback experience for Grace is marred by the discovery of a double murder: opal miner Mark Bailey and his secret (married) lover, Karen Mullins have been brutally attacked with an axe.
The local cop being absent, Lucas steps in to help preserve the scene until Queensland Police can send Detective Senior Sergeant Jim Stones from Longreach by chopper. Stones quickly concludes that Karen’s jealous husband has finished them off, but Lucas sees the situation as complicated by friction between the long-time residents and the opal miners, the bad feeling amongst some of the opal miners, and the presence of a member of the Vandals bikie gang.
When another opal miner dies, Stones sets his sights on Blair, even though there are plenty of other people in town with a motive to kill them. Blair is arrested on flimsy grounds and Lucas has to scramble to find the truth: he’s absolutely certain his cousin cannot be guilty. But in trying to prove that, Grace is left to fend for herself, facing danger from an unexpected quarter.
Setting her latest Aussie noir in outback Queensland, Wolf gives the reader the equivalent of a locked room mystery, at least until the floodwaters recede. Multiple narrators relate a story that includes threats at knifepoint in full view of pub patrons, vigilante patrols by gun-happy townspeople, and a case of arson.
Wolf’s depiction of outback Queensland feels truly authentic, not surprising as it comes from personal experience. The description of the heat, dust and flies, the mindset of the locals, all are a realistic representation.
Readers should be warned that there are major spoilers for the previous books within the story. There’s plenty to keep the reader guessing in the lead-up to a nail-biting climax and, with the bikie gang issue unresolved, more of this outstanding Aussie noir, perhaps including a reappearance of Lucas’s favourite German detective, looks likely. Recommended.
Opal is the third book in the DS Walker Thriller series by Australian journalist and author, Patricia Wolf. The audio version is narrated by Adam Fitzgerald. DS Lucas Walker is looking forward to using a break from his AFP job to show his half-sister, Grace a bit of the outback he loves. But when they arrive at Caloodie, his cousin Blair is away working at an opal mining lease in Kanpara, rather desperate to return.
So he and Grace take what is meant to be a quick overnight trip to collect him. But their planned departure is delayed by floodwaters flowing down from the north, making all roads impassable, cutting off the town. In a place that already feels tinged with menace, the unique outback experience for Grace is marred by the discovery of a double murder: opal miner Mark Bailey and his secret (married) lover, Karen Mullins have been brutally attacked with an axe.
The local cop being absent, Lucas steps in to help preserve the scene until Queensland Police can send Detective Senior Sergeant Jim Stones from Longreach by chopper. Stones quickly concludes that Karen’s jealous husband has finished them off, but Lucas sees the situation as complicated by friction between the long-time residents and the opal miners, the bad feeling amongst some of the opal miners, and the presence of a member of the Vandals bikie gang.
When another opal miner dies, Stones sets his sights on Blair, even though there are plenty of other people in town with a motive to kill them. Blair is arrested on flimsy grounds and Lucas has to scramble to find the truth: he’s absolutely certain his cousin cannot be guilty. But in trying to prove that, Grace is left to fend for herself, facing danger from an unexpected quarter.
Setting her latest Aussie noir in outback Queensland, Wolf gives the reader the equivalent of a locked room mystery, at least until the floodwaters recede. Multiple narrators relate a story that includes threats at knifepoint in full view of pub patrons, vigilante patrols by gun-happy townspeople, and a case of arson.
Wolf’s depiction of outback Queensland feels truly authentic, not surprising as it comes from personal experience. The description of the heat, dust and flies, the mindset of the locals, all are a realistic representation.
Readers should be warned that there are major spoilers for the previous books within the story. There’s plenty to keep the reader guessing in the lead-up to a nail-biting climax and, with the bikie gang issue unresolved, more of this outstanding Aussie noir, perhaps including a reappearance of Lucas’s favourite German detective, looks likely. Recommended.
December 16, 2024
I am a huge fan of Patricia Wolf and her third novel Opal is fabulous.
August 28, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.
This was too slow moving for me. The only characters I liked and were invested in were Lucas, Grace and Blair. Other reviewers mentioned, and I concur, that it was confusing when characters were sometimes called by their first names and other times by their last. I had to pause and think about who was who. Also, I thought it was a bit overdone how many times Lucas left Grace alone, after all the times he talks about spending time with her. Granted, he was pulled into this mystery, but there's a killer on the loose and you're leaving your little sister in the middle of nowhere with people you don't know well and she's in your country for the first time. Seemed unrealistic to me. Anyway, the story did pick up speed a lot towards the very end. I really enjoy this series, though, and look forward to the next.
This was too slow moving for me. The only characters I liked and were invested in were Lucas, Grace and Blair. Other reviewers mentioned, and I concur, that it was confusing when characters were sometimes called by their first names and other times by their last. I had to pause and think about who was who. Also, I thought it was a bit overdone how many times Lucas left Grace alone, after all the times he talks about spending time with her. Granted, he was pulled into this mystery, but there's a killer on the loose and you're leaving your little sister in the middle of nowhere with people you don't know well and she's in your country for the first time. Seemed unrealistic to me. Anyway, the story did pick up speed a lot towards the very end. I really enjoy this series, though, and look forward to the next.
July 9, 2024
3.5 ⭐
Good to be back in Australia with Walker, and to learn a few things about opals, which I've never given a moments thought to previously.
Overall I enjoyed the book, it had a good mix of characters, a good location and plenty going on.
I felt slightly as if Grace was a bit of a stereotype, on her phone any second she could be.
I also thought it was too easy to guess who did it.
Non the less, its an enjoyable addition to the series, and I'm looking forward to the next one already.
Good to be back in Australia with Walker, and to learn a few things about opals, which I've never given a moments thought to previously.
Overall I enjoyed the book, it had a good mix of characters, a good location and plenty going on.
I felt slightly as if Grace was a bit of a stereotype, on her phone any second she could be.
I also thought it was too easy to guess who did it.
Non the less, its an enjoyable addition to the series, and I'm looking forward to the next one already.
August 14, 2025
Opal is the 3rd book in the DS Walker series and as the title suggests, is set in the opal mining community in Australia. DS Lucas Walker is off duty, and is taking the opportunity to show his sister, Grace, the outback while she is visiting from the US. Instead, he gets a message from his cousin Blair, who wants to get out of Kanpara where he has been mining boulder opal, so they head there to bring him home to Caloodie. Unfortunately, Kanpara is in Channel Country, and a major flood is on the way. The night they arrive they meet some locals and stay the night at the local pub, with plans to leave the next day. When they wake up, they find that they are cut off and there has been a brutal double murder. Walker is asked to assist in the investigation. The husband of the murdered woman is the first suspect, but then Blair is arrested. Lucas knows that Blair would never kill anyone, but he also knows that he is hiding something. Once Blair is arrested, Lucas is no longer working with the police, but he still investigates on his own. Can he find the real killer to get his cousin off the hook?
I read the first DS Walker book earlier this year and am now enjoying working my way through the series. Each book seems to get better and better. I love the setting in these books, especially as they are all relatively isolated communities. It was nice to learn a bit more about Lucas' background and family. He is so good with Grace, although she is a lot younger than him. I didn't know anything about boulder opal mining, so found that interesting. Throughout this series, there is an undertone of drug gangs and there is some of that again. There are some characters that Lucas investigates that have a criminal background and are very suspicious, so of course that is the route his investigation takes. The actual murder or murderers were not on my radar until near the end of the story, and there were several twists and surprises along the way. The story is tense, with several edge of your seat moments. I really like the character of Lucas Walker and enjoyed the well developed characters we meet in this book. Another great addition to this series and one that I recommend to those who like crime thrillers and books set in the outback of Australia. I listened to this one narrated by Adam Fitzgerald. He is the voice of Lucas Walker in my mind and I like the voices he gave the other characters as well. Even his female voices are well done. If you enjoy audiobooks, I definitely recommend you listen to this series.
I read the first DS Walker book earlier this year and am now enjoying working my way through the series. Each book seems to get better and better. I love the setting in these books, especially as they are all relatively isolated communities. It was nice to learn a bit more about Lucas' background and family. He is so good with Grace, although she is a lot younger than him. I didn't know anything about boulder opal mining, so found that interesting. Throughout this series, there is an undertone of drug gangs and there is some of that again. There are some characters that Lucas investigates that have a criminal background and are very suspicious, so of course that is the route his investigation takes. The actual murder or murderers were not on my radar until near the end of the story, and there were several twists and surprises along the way. The story is tense, with several edge of your seat moments. I really like the character of Lucas Walker and enjoyed the well developed characters we meet in this book. Another great addition to this series and one that I recommend to those who like crime thrillers and books set in the outback of Australia. I listened to this one narrated by Adam Fitzgerald. He is the voice of Lucas Walker in my mind and I like the voices he gave the other characters as well. Even his female voices are well done. If you enjoy audiobooks, I definitely recommend you listen to this series.
December 15, 2024
Opal is another great instalment in Patricia Wolf's series featuring Australian Federal Police Detective Sergeant Lucas Walker.
Walker's undercover status having been blown by the case that featured in the preceding book (Paradise), D.S. Walker has been working behind a desk at the AFP's Canberra Head Office. He's pleased to take a break from work, during which he intends to drive his American half-sister Grace to their mother's hometown of (fictional) Caloodie, in far-western Queensland, giving her a chance to get to know her extended family and see where he grew up. However, no sooner have the two arrived in town that they're deputed to drive several hours to the south to collect their cousin, Blair Mitchell, who's been working for an opal mining operation in (also fictional) Kanpara, several hours south of Caloodie in Queensland's channel country.
Walker's undercover status having been blown by the case that featured in the preceding book (Paradise), D.S. Walker has been working behind a desk at the AFP's Canberra Head Office. He's pleased to take a break from work, during which he intends to drive his American half-sister Grace to their mother's hometown of (fictional) Caloodie, in far-western Queensland, giving her a chance to get to know her extended family and see where he grew up. However, no sooner have the two arrived in town that they're deputed to drive several hours to the south to collect their cousin, Blair Mitchell, who's been working for an opal mining operation in (also fictional) Kanpara, several hours south of Caloodie in Queensland's channel country.
August 6, 2025
Soon my brother will write me a review and then this will become an epic discussion through the medium of Goodreads, but until then...
When I was in Australia I went to Coober Pedy, an underground opal mining town. It was a deeply surreal time; I had caught a really nasty fever and became very unwell as we travelled into the town. My friend took me to the hostel and got me some medical help but I have no recollection of this happening. I woke in a cave hostel, completely dug out of the rock face. 9/11 had happened the day before and I had been having hallucination dreams about it. I was in the youth hostel communal living space on a sofa as I think the general thoughts were to keep me in public so people were checking in on me, but I'm not sure. The TV was on 24/7 with 9/11 and the aftermath continually running. It appeared that it permeated my dreams and I wasn't sure what was real and what wasn't.
When I finally got up, we were in a cave, in a remote part of Australia. Unbelievable heat and strange people and customs.
Opal is set in Queensland where the Opal mining is surface mining, but the town was so reminiscent of Coober Pedy I was amazed. I don't think the endless violence in these books reflects the people of Australia, but it is similar to Midsummer Norton, where the TV series murder rate is 85% of the residents (either dying or killing!).
The descriptions of the Queensland Channel Country were amazing. We only saw it when it was dry, but it is vast and beautiful. A flood system within a desert. Amazing.
I think I enjoyed this more than Paradise. Though maybe the characters were a bit too mad...
When I was in Australia I went to Coober Pedy, an underground opal mining town. It was a deeply surreal time; I had caught a really nasty fever and became very unwell as we travelled into the town. My friend took me to the hostel and got me some medical help but I have no recollection of this happening. I woke in a cave hostel, completely dug out of the rock face. 9/11 had happened the day before and I had been having hallucination dreams about it. I was in the youth hostel communal living space on a sofa as I think the general thoughts were to keep me in public so people were checking in on me, but I'm not sure. The TV was on 24/7 with 9/11 and the aftermath continually running. It appeared that it permeated my dreams and I wasn't sure what was real and what wasn't.
When I finally got up, we were in a cave, in a remote part of Australia. Unbelievable heat and strange people and customs.
Opal is set in Queensland where the Opal mining is surface mining, but the town was so reminiscent of Coober Pedy I was amazed. I don't think the endless violence in these books reflects the people of Australia, but it is similar to Midsummer Norton, where the TV series murder rate is 85% of the residents (either dying or killing!).
The descriptions of the Queensland Channel Country were amazing. We only saw it when it was dry, but it is vast and beautiful. A flood system within a desert. Amazing.
I think I enjoyed this more than Paradise. Though maybe the characters were a bit too mad...
September 17, 2024
Rated 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
In Opal, the third installment of the DS Lucas Walker series, we find Lucas taking a break in an opal mining town in Queensland's Australian outback. This time, he’s on holiday with his sister Grace when they get caught up in a double murder investigation. The setup is reminiscent of the first book, Outback, where Lucas was also on holidays when he became involved in a case. Intended to show his 21-year-old sister from Boston, the wonders of the outback, Lucas is sidelined by a massive flood that traps them in the town where they went to pick up their cousin, Blair.
The story is engaging, though it unfolds at a slower pace. It provides a vivid portrayal of life in a small mining town. I really like DS Lucas Walker and his cousin Blair, and I’m eager to see where the series goes next. Lucas's dog, Ginger, also adds a fun touch to the story.
While there are some references to characters from previous books, such as the Bikkies gang and Barbara, I think Opal can be enjoyed as a standalone novel.
In Opal, the third installment of the DS Lucas Walker series, we find Lucas taking a break in an opal mining town in Queensland's Australian outback. This time, he’s on holiday with his sister Grace when they get caught up in a double murder investigation. The setup is reminiscent of the first book, Outback, where Lucas was also on holidays when he became involved in a case. Intended to show his 21-year-old sister from Boston, the wonders of the outback, Lucas is sidelined by a massive flood that traps them in the town where they went to pick up their cousin, Blair.
The story is engaging, though it unfolds at a slower pace. It provides a vivid portrayal of life in a small mining town. I really like DS Lucas Walker and his cousin Blair, and I’m eager to see where the series goes next. Lucas's dog, Ginger, also adds a fun touch to the story.
While there are some references to characters from previous books, such as the Bikkies gang and Barbara, I think Opal can be enjoyed as a standalone novel.
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