A loving husband lost to devastating summer floods. A teenage girl injured during a robbery. Two seemingly unconnected cases that will push a detective to the brink.

An atmospheric, compelling new voice in Australian crime fiction.

‘Such a good read’ Val McDermid

Winner of the 2020 Banjo Prize. Shortlisted for the 2023 Davitt Awards and 2023 Danger Awards.

In Northern New South Wales, heavily pregnant and a week away from maternity leave, Detective Sergeant Kate Miles is exhausted and counting down the days. But a violent hold-up at a local fast-food restaurant with unsettling connections to her own past, means that her final days will be anything but straightforward.

When a second case is dumped on her lap, the closed case of a man drowned in recent summer floods, what begins as a simple informal review quickly grows into something more complicated. Kate can either write the report that’s expected of her or investigate the case the way she wants to.

As secrets and betrayals pile up, and the needs of her own family intervene, how far is Kate prepared to push to discover the truth?

‘The Torrent is subtle and clever and Dinuka has talent to burn. It unfolds so beautifully and the writer is in control every step of the way. Highly, highly recommended!’ Dervla McTiernan

‘The Torrent is vivid, pacy and refreshingly original. A gripping whodunnit with heart.’ Emma Viskic

‘Gripped me tightly with its twisting narrative threads and its cast of authentic and complex characters until the very last word.’ Imbi Neeme

‘This gripping debut by Dinuka McKenzie will keep you turning the pages late into the night’ Petronella McGovern

‘A fast-paced, page-turning crime novel … Detective Kate Miles is a strong, unforgettable lead, expertly crafted by McKenzie who is an exciting new talent to watch on the Australian literary scene. McKenzie’s prose is energetic and bursting with suspense from the first page to the very last.’ Holden Sheppard

‘A swirl of secrets and lies sweeping through to a deeply satisfying conclusion. McKenzie is an exciting voice – a new contender for Queen of Australian crime.’ Katherine Kovacic

‘Intense, dangerous and utterly compelling. I’m holding my breath to see what Dinuka McKenzie writes next.’ BM Carroll

‘A stunning and compelling debut, driven by a cast of engaging characters that came to life on the page. The Torrent is a gripping police procedural with heart that kept me reading into the night!’ Rae Cairns

Author Biography

Dinuka McKenzie is an Australian writer and the author of the Detective Kate Miles crime series published in Australia and the UK. She is the winner of the 2020 HarperCollins Australia Banjo Prize. Her writing has been shortlisted for the Sisters in Crime Davitt Awards, the Bad Sydney Crime Danger Awards, longlisted for the Richell Prize, and highly commended in the Australian Crime Writers’ Association Louie Award. Her short fiction has appeared in the 2022 Dark Deeds Down Under crime and thriller anthology. Dinuka lives in Southern Sydney on Dharawal country.