Stillwater
A Luke Harris Thriller #1
Tanya Scott
Reviewed by Helen
Jack Quinlan is seven years old when his mother passed away from a drug overdose, child services locates his father Michael Quinlan, and here he lives a life of trauma and violence not necessarily from his father known as Quin but from associates they are living in a friend’s house Kevin and his Mother, Gail has always been caring and made sure he was OK, but as a young boy he is discovered by Gus who sees that Jack is a very smart young boy and he decides that he will do very well in his line of work which is not what anyone parent would wish for their child, a life of crime.
But as the years go by and Jack finishes his schooling he sees that his life will end in in jail like his father and when he thinks the time is right he leaves moves well away from Melbourne and the life of crime, changes his name to Luke Harris and starts over again, seven years later Luke returns to Melbourne to go to university and take up the commerce degree he put off years ago, hoping the past will leave him alone, that works for a while until Gus finds him again and Luke is back in his employment against everything he ever wanted.
While Luke is working as a career to a disabled young man, Phil Wylie, his father Jonathon starts getting Luke to work extra for them this brings into contact with Emma Wylie and soon they seem to becoming friends but it also appears that Jonathon has links to Gus and soon Luke finds himself caught in the middle, with danger on both sides and Emma being danger as well and there is the problem of secrets being uncovered that could change Luke’s life again.
This is a brilliant debut that had me turning the pages, fast paced with wonderful characters there are twist and turns as the past is uncovered and we learn what young Jack’s life was like, can he pull himself out of the life he led to become the person he wants be and what of Emma?
I do highly recommend this one to any reader who loves a good crime, mystery.
But as the years go by and Jack finishes his schooling he sees that his life will end in in jail like his father and when he thinks the time is right he leaves moves well away from Melbourne and the life of crime, changes his name to Luke Harris and starts over again, seven years later Luke returns to Melbourne to go to university and take up the commerce degree he put off years ago, hoping the past will leave him alone, that works for a while until Gus finds him again and Luke is back in his employment against everything he ever wanted.
While Luke is working as a career to a disabled young man, Phil Wylie, his father Jonathon starts getting Luke to work extra for them this brings into contact with Emma Wylie and soon they seem to becoming friends but it also appears that Jonathon has links to Gus and soon Luke finds himself caught in the middle, with danger on both sides and Emma being danger as well and there is the problem of secrets being uncovered that could change Luke’s life again.
This is a brilliant debut that had me turning the pages, fast paced with wonderful characters there are twist and turns as the past is uncovered and we learn what young Jack’s life was like, can he pull himself out of the life he led to become the person he wants be and what of Emma?
I do highly recommend this one to any reader who loves a good crime, mystery.
5 stars
August 12, 2025 by Allen & Unwin AU
