Stormchild

Storm Child is the fourth book in the Cyrus Haven series by award-winning Australian author, Michael Robotham. A relaxing Sunday at the seaside in late August takes an awful turn when the bodies of refugees begin washing up. The sight of Cyrus Haven carrying a dead child from the water dredges up memories that Evie Cormac has been avoiding, sending her into a catatonic state that requires hospitalisation

Of the twenty souls aboard the little boat, seventeen are dead, two young women are missing, and the only known survivor is a fourteen-year-old Albanian boy. While Cyrus is busy chatting to an angry black lawyer in motorcycle leathers, a recovered Evie happens upon the teen in his hospital room and is able to communicate in her native language. Both he and the lawyer claim this isn't a tragic sinking of an inadequate vessel, but a deliberate act by men on a fishing trawler who rammed the boat multiple times. And one of the missing women is the teen's older sister.

The whole situation triggers Evie's recall of her own experience entering the UK, but Cyrus is wary of pushing it too far. When they are apprehended, Evie's vague recognition of one of the men on the offending fishing trawler sends Cyrus to Scotland to learn more about this man. And naturally Evie refuses to be left behind. That turns out to be no picnic: they encounter some very nasty types intent on serious harm; there are guns and someone almost drowns.

Exploring the refugee situation, philanthropy, and modern slavery, this instalment is topical and thought-provoking. Robotham delivers a tightly plotted story sprinkled with enough misdirection to keep the reader guessing and the pages turning right up to the heart-thumping climax. There's plenty of dark humour and the banter is often entertaining, but there are also characters with a jaw-dropping disregard for human life.

Once again, the narrative alternates between Evie and Cyrus: the situation brings back many of Evie's memories that provide readers with her backstory, while Cyrus has several occasions recalling the wise words of his teacher, Joseph O'Loughlin. With most questions answered by the final pages, and one or two surprises, it feels like their story might be complete, but more of Cyrus and Evie will always be welcome. Unputdownable.

This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand