Tracks of the Missing

by Carl Merrison, Hakea Hustler

Deklan 'Dek' Archer and his mates arrive at school to a tense atmosphere. 'Old Mate', Mr Henry, who has lived in town for a long time, has been found murdered. He had been selling grog on the black market for years. To add to these worries, the Year 12s, who were on camp, are now missing. The police think there is a link between the missing students and the murder.

Dek and his friends are torn. Dek and Willum, his best mate, have an important football match that evening - professional recruiters are in town. Neither wants to let their coach down but they feel they must search for their friends.

Deklan's grandfather, a renowned tracker with certain otherworld gifts turns up, and expects him to go bush. This choice will change Dek's life and family forever. A journey that moves deep in to an ancient landscape uncovers secrets, and the past, which is never far away, continues to call them.

Both are tracking the truth but something is watching and hunting them.

Genres: Young Adult, Indigenous, Family, Australia, Mystery, Friendship

208 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2022

About the author

Carl is a Jaru/Kija man from Halls Creek in the Kimberleys in Western Australia. Carl loves spending time out bush with his family; fishing, hunting and swimming in waterholes. He loves AFL- he is a Level 3 coach! Carl was awarded State Finalist of the Australian of the Year Award- Local Hero for Western Australia in 2016 for his work as lifeguard, football coach, Clontarf worker and youth mentor. Carl was the 2020 Black&Write Fellowship recipient for his series of picture books: Backyard Sports. He was a shortlisted author for the Western Australian Writing Fellowship.

Reviews

[Emily Rainsford · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Year 12s have gone missing out bush in remote Country and 15 yo Deklan has to decide whether he's going to give up his shot at impressing the footy recruiters to help his grandfather track them down using traditional First Nations skills and knowledge.

This is a really unique and intriguing book, I've never read anything like it. The insights on the experiences and perspectives of First Nations people is really valuable, especially being told by a young person. I can see this connecting with modern teenagers in an accessible way. The writing is quite simple and at times a little repetitive - I'd place it in the upper middle grade space, despite the 15 yo protagonist.

The pacing of the book felt a little unbalanced to me - the first 80% is quite slow moving with the protagonist rehashing a lot of the same thoughts and fears over and over, then the last 20% moves really rapidly and skims over the most interesting and exciting part of the story, before ending quite abruptly.

I liked how there was uncertainty for most of the story about whether there would be magical realism involved or a rational explanation. It kept me wondering and drew me forward.

It might be a strange comparison but I actually found myself thinking of brilliant adult recent release Better The Blood by Michael Bennett - the similarities mostly being in the themes of the cultural pain of colonisation, the experience of feeling one foot in generational culture, one foot in the modern western world, and the overarching thread of retribution and a desire to restore a kind of karmic balance.

I'm glad I read this book, it was unique and thought-provoking, and I think it would be a great one for school libraries.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and unique novel. Dek's story is a combination of traditional Indigenous Law and Mythology with current issues surrounding the First Nations people of Australia. It didn't at all go where I expected it too, which was great. It was a real mystery and a haunting one at that. The novel examines generational trauma and current issues facing Aboriginal communities in 2022. Dek and his Grandfather discuss the past and how ancient teachings impact the modern world. The way that Dek explains concepts is excellent, especially for younger readers who may not have a point of reference. The modern world seamlessly connects with the old ways, and Dek's experience at school, in community and with is family is relatable to all young people. It's a well written book, and engaging. A recommended reading for all.

[kaitlyns_library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoy reading books about First Nations people as it helps me to better understand their connection to Country and culture. This book was no different. Merrison and Hustler highlight the casual racism experienced by First Nations people, as well as dispossession and dislocation.
But, it also shows connection to Country through tracking and locating food.
This book was educational whilst also following a mystery narrative.
I did find this book to be more of a middle grade type of novel with little descriptive sentences. This was a tell style of book.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dek is a teenager with normal teen concerns. However, when a bus filled with older classmates goes missing in the bush, he is riddled with guilt and dealing with life or death consequences for his friends. He and his grandfather need to use their unique skills to find the students as quickly as possible. Full of mysticism and fascinating bush tracking, this YA book is perfect for any AU school library.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally got time to read this book - a great insight for younger (and older) readers into some of the challenges that the newer generations of indigenous youth face trying to fit in between two cultures.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read. A murder/mystery interwoven with the customs and lore of indigenous Australians. Young adult.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting thriller dealing with murder, missing Year 12s and Aboriginal teen issues.

[Steven Kolber · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully pace-y story that I would happily hand to any student from grade 6-9.

[Anna Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic YA read. Short, fast paced, compelling story with plenty of First Nations culture woven in. References to murder, suicide, drug and alcohol. This would make an excellent read aloud for middle school students.

[Mitchy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining! You won't know what's coming next in this epic tale which very effectively portrays the real-life struggles of Indigenous Peoples in rural Australia while teaching a bounty of important cultural knowledge.

[Jasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow start, engaging through the middle. Thought provoking ending.

[Deb Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this ya novel; suspenseful and well written. Love the growing canon of Australian books centring young First Nations people, and their stories and perspectives and with this one, Dek was not squeaky clean. Great read and curious ending, maybe speculative fiction.

[Talia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4: really enjoyed this, great YA novel. Ending was quite a twist that I didn’t see coming!
Would highly recommend it to my students

[Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Thank you Magabala for this book in exchange for an honest review

Tracks of the Missing is a unique novel set in the rural outback of Australia mixed with traditional indigenous law and mythology. In Dek’s community, Mr Henry was found murdered and the high schoolers that were on camp, are now missing.
This thrilling story was well written and while it may be short, will still have you wondering the time old question, ‘who dunnit?’

[Noah Melser · Rating 2 out of 5]

Young adult fiction review: clunky writing on this outback mystery. Takes a while to get to the suspense which would drag for the young people. The first person voice is really neutral which limits the book and the landscape and feelings and Indigenous history are really literally told, where more subtle play between voice, land, language and experience could have made it more compelling. Scenes near the end almost get there and it's interesting why the last section took so long to get to. Still a lot better than the American YA dribble.

[Arabella · Rating 3 out of 5]

We weren’t able to finish the book in class but I really liked the part I got up to.

[Tammy Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

I approached Tracks of the Missing primarily through a teacher lens, as I was on the hunt for an Indigenous-authored text to use in Essential English. From a classroom perspective, this is a strong and accessible novel for lower-ability secondary students. It is a relatively short read, clearly written, and structured as a thriller, which is a refreshing change from the more traditional genres often taught in schools.

The thriller format works particularly well. The tension and mystery surrounding the disappearance would likely hook students quickly, and the ending in particular would generate rich class discussion. There is strong potential for analytical work unpacking structure, foreshadowing, character motivations and the construction of suspense.

Thematically, the novel offers substantial depth. It engages directly with Indigenous culture, intergenerational trauma, stereotypes and youth crime without skirting around uncomfortable issues, which is particularly powerful coming from an Indigenous author. Some reviewers have desired more subtlety; however, I appreciated the explicit descriptions and explanations that could be unpacked with students, particularly in lower-ability English classes. Its honesty makes it powerful and relevant, though it would require thoughtful framing and guided discussion to ensure conversations remain respectful and informed. The novel also explores relatable teenage dynamics, identity and belonging, which would resonate with most students.

There are sections where the characters’ reflections drag slightly and may cause some disengagement during class reading. The pacing is uneven at times, with a slow build-up followed by a rapid resolution. Teachers may wish to scaffold these sections carefully to maintain engagement. However, the brevity of the novel makes it manageable within a busy term and suitable for mixed-ability groups.

In short, this is a highly teachable text. It offers meaningful cultural and social conversations, an accessible writing style, and a genre that could genuinely excite students. While not without minor pacing issues, it would make a valuable addition to a secondary English classroom.

An audiobook is also available on Audible and Spotify. The narration is engaging and would be a useful option for classroom listening or supporting students who benefit from audio access.

[Sarah Grove · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall an interesting plot and focus, but lacked some sophistication in writing style.

I loved the premise of this novel and found the Indigenous cultural insights very interesting. However, I found the novel to be very repetitive. The protagonist seemed to repeat his thoughts over and over again, without much growth between each iteration.
There were plenty of times when I thought the novel did a great job of portraying some aspect of current issues faced by Indigenous people in a subtle way, but then the novel explained overtly what it was trying to portray. It just pulled me out of the novel, as I felt it didn't give me as the reader the benefit of the doubt that I could put two and two together.
I think the ending was very interesting, but again, could have been refined.

[Jen Nishi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling story of mystery and inner conflict. I did not expect so much commentary on racism in small town Australian outback but I loved it! I also loved that it was written in an Indigenous Australian esque dialect. It felt like an authentic story and I kept turning those pages as a result. I got a little confused on what exactly “footy” was but a google search cleared that up. I did not expect that ending! But it was good!

[Miller · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is horrible; I would not recommend it to anybody. It's the definition and textbook example of 'telling instead of showing'. The characters are bland and 2 dimentional, not relatable at all, unlikable, and horrible. The entire story is a massive information dump, and each chapter is merely a repetition of the others, with only one or two distinct lines. If you'd like to read a book, you can use this one. It's a big blend of boringness and nothingness.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Merrison Merries #3
Third book I've read from this geezer and there was a lot to like about this book, but the fact that it went down the 'tribal law' path put me off - I can't see tribal law having any part of modern life and society.
A decent read but there needed to be more on the negative side of tribal law because it was brutal and it was sometime unjust.

[Charlotte]

I really enjoyed this book. It was the quickest I have read a book in a long time. I was really intrigued to find out what happened. I liked how there was a main plot line of the missing bus and a side plotline of the football. The ending was quite abrupt and I was a little confused but overall it was a great book and I would recommend.

[Peter Keightley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book! Starts out slow but is one of the best books I have ever read. I recommend the book to all kids looking for a Crime novel. Helps gain an understanding of the First Nations people of Australia.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting story, execution a bit repetitive and clunky

[Katg · Rating 2 out of 5]

YFIC. Lost ur 12 school bus, grandfather & Deklan tracking through country, talk of monsters, Lightfoot, law then conclusion

[Mike Taverner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book - unexpected ending. I guess books like thee, targeted at youth, provide a great Aboriginal perspective.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tells the story of whater the younger gerneration can lean fron their Elders.

[LoLo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as audiobook narrated by Mark Cole Smith

[Elene · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay, I had to read it for school

[Aalya☆ · Rating 1 out of 5]

So bad and boring I hated this book so much, do not read! I hate hate hate this book!