Dead Heat

Goodabri #1

by Bronwyn Parry

National Parks Ranger Jo Lockwood is often alone in the wilderness, and she likes it that way – until she discovers the body of a man, brutally murdered.

Detective Nick Matheson’s new posting to the north-west of New South Wales is supposed to be an uneventful return to normal duties and a normal life. He knows organised crime from the inside out and suspects that the victim in the camping ground is not an isolated murder.

Jo is committed to helping the investigation but she has seen the killer’s face and now she’s at risk. Nick’s determined to protect her but as the body count starts mounting, his past and present collide, threatening the people he cares about most.

Trapped in rugged country in scorching summer heat, pursued by
hunters who can’t afford to fail, Nick and Jo will need to trust each
other completely, and use all their skills and knowledge in order to survive.

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Mystery, Romance, Crime, Australia, Suspense, Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

International award-winning author Bronwyn Parry has previously written six romantic thrillers set in outback Australia, published by Hachette Australia. Her first novel won the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart Award, and two of her books were finalists in RWA's RITA™ and Daphne du Maurier awards. She has also won the Australian Romance Readers award for Favourite Romantic Suspense three times.

With her latest book, The Clothier’s Daughter, Bronwyn turns her pen to another genre she loves, historical romance, and draws on her long interest in history and particularly textile and costume history to weave a story of intrigue, drama and passion.

When she’s not working at her keyboard, she enjoys researching and making historical clothing, and she's a skilled spinner, weaver, seamstress and knitter. The Clothier’s Daughter is in part inspired by her Honors thesis research on British worsted textiles.

Bronwyn lives in the New England tablelands of northern New South Wales, Australia, and loves to travel.

You can find out more about me and my books at my website, http://bronwynparry.com

Reviews

[Sandysbookaday · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: On the edge of the camping ground, among the undergrowth, a family of fairy wrens flittered in the bushes. Two young males, just coming into their adult plumage, chased each other, the half-grown tufts of blue feathers on their heads punk-like.
'At least you don't go around wrecking campsites, boys,' she murmured, zooming the camera in on them.
From this distance her voice didn't disturb them, but as she snapped a few shots they flew off, startled. She turned the camera to the dingo emerging from the low bushes, breakfast in its mouth. She caught its face close up in the frame, the eyes watching her warily, ears upright, jaws clenched tightly around . . .
The image in the viewfinder began to shake violently but she snapped the photo, and another. Five fingers. A tattoo winding past the knuckles, up to the stump of the wrist, blood dark against the pale skin.

ABOUT 'DEAD HEAT': National Parks Ranger Jo Lockwood is often alone in the wilderness, and she likes it that way – until she discovers the body of a man, brutally murdered.

Detective Nick Matheson’s new posting to the north-west of New South Wales is supposed to be an uneventful return to normal duties and a normal life. He knows organised crime from the inside out and suspects that the victim in the camping ground is not an isolated murder.

Jo is committed to helping the investigation but she has seen the killer’s face and now she’s at risk. Nick’s determined to protect her but as the body count starts mounting, his past and present collide, threatening the people he cares about most.

Trapped in rugged country in scorching summer heat, pursued by hunters who can’t afford to fail, Nick and Jo will need to trust each other completely, and use all their skills and knowledge in order to survive.

MY THOUGHTS: This is my first book by Bronwyn Parry in one of my favorite genres, Aussie outback crime. I mostly really liked this book except for one thing - the drug cartel angle. Sorry, but it is a pet peeve of mine. Putting that aside, I loved the setting. Although this is a 'fictional' town, I have spent some time out in that area having lived in Tamworth for a time. It is a beautiful area and Parry has done well in capturing its essence, although I could have done with a cowboy or two in the storyline.

Jo and Nick are both strong characters. Jo has had a great loss in her life and, although recovering, still feels it deeply. She is happiest on her own doing her job as a National Parks Ranger and taking her photos. She is sharp and intelligent with good instincts. Nick comes with a past and other police officers are wary of him, not quite trusting him. While cool and calm on the surface, like a waterhole he probably needs a sign warning of hazards and dangers in his depths. I liked that he is loyal to his friends and protective of his family.

I liked that the attraction between Nick and Jo didn't overwhelm the story, but instead was an integral part of the plot, and that it wasn't a 'mushy' romance with passionate declarations of love everywhere. There is plenty of action and nail-biting suspense with more bodies, bush fires, bent cops, and the bush equivalent of a car chase, not to mention the occasional close brush with death.

This is book one of a trilogy, and while I didn't love Dead Heat, I liked it enough to want to read the next two books.

⭐⭐⭐.5

THE AUTHOR: Bronwyn lives in the New England tablelands of northern New South Wales, Australia, and loves to travel. When she’s not working at her keyboard, she enjoys researching and making historical clothing, and she's a skilled spinner, weaver, seamstress and knitter.

I own my copy of Dead Heat by Bronwyn Parry.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spending long periods alone are something National Park Ranger Jo Lockwood is use to and she quite enjoys it. But her quiet and peaceful days would soon disappear because on one of the days that she is performing her usual checks in the National Park she comes across the body of a man who has been brutally murdered.

Once the police arrive, they join forces with the forensic team and begin looking for clues. Detective Nick Matheson asks Jo questions and she hands him all the information she has in the hope this will help in their investigation, but Jo has seen the killers face and now her life could be in danger. Nick knows he must protect Jo, but with the body count rising will he be able to keep her safe as well as everyone else who is close to him.

I really enjoyed Dead Heat and Aussie author Bronwyn Parry is becoming one of my favorite authors. Her description about the outback along with the suspense in this book will have you turning the pages quickly as you want to know what happens. Highly recommended.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jo Lockwood has only been in her new job for a few months, and she loves it. She’s a National Parks Ranger, often alone with her thoughts in the bush of New South Wales, at peace with nature and the wildlife surrounding her. But one day, after coming across a campsite which had been recently vandalized, she saw a wild dingo, and to her horror, it appeared to have a HAND in it’s mouth! Shuddering, but knowing she had to do it, she followed the dingo’s track into the bush, where she came across the body of a man who had been brutally murdered.

After the police descended on the site, Jo left them to their forensic searching, while she took a breather. She was feeling a little shaky, and wasn’t sure if it was the heat, and her lack of food and water, or the shock from the terrible situation. Detective Nick Matheson interviewed her, and discovered her to be a credible witness, with her powers of observation extremely helpful. But Nick was just returning to duty after being badly injured a few months back, and he had a bad feeling about this murder...he didn’t think it was an isolated incident. When he and Jo climbed up to the lookout, where Jo said a man on a motorbike had gone just before she discovered the vandalism, and they discovered drugs tucked away in a small secluded spot, Nick’s feelings of disquiet grew.

As the investigation progressed, and the body count grew, the danger to Jo and her ranger friends escalated. As Nick tried to protect Jo, he found himself under pressure to produce results. The high summer temperatures, the deliberately lit bushfires, the criminals who were getting more and more desperate to eliminate all witnesses, all culminated in an extreme race for survival.

This was my first novel by Bronwyn Parry, and I loved it...I was very fortunate to meet Bronwyn and have Dead Heat autographed by her. I will definitely be reading the rest of Bronwyn’s books, and I would highly recommend this to all who love a good suspense novel.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Australia's rural scrub, Dead Heat is an thrilling story of suspense and romance. National Parks ranger Jo Lockwood stumbles across a body at an isolated picnic ground, the young man had been tortured before his death and drugs are found at the scene. Detective Nick Matheson is brought in to investigate and with his past experience as an undercover officer, recognises that Jo is at risk from the assassin, especially as the body count rises and it becomes clear there is a leak in the task force. Threatened by police corruption, bush fire and a ruthless gang of drug crazed killers, Jo and Nick are forced to fight for their lives.

With its somewhat grisly opening, it quickly becomes clear that Dead Heat places the emphasis on the suspense elements of the book. The country is often viewed as an idyllic setting free from the crime that plagues urban centers but Parry demonstrates it is also an ideal setting for illegal activity given its isolation. This is a strongly plotted novel that incorporates organised crime, police corruption, gang activity and murder in a fast paced and exciting story. I reluctantly put it aside only to attend to my family's pleas for a meal. The threat from a sniper keeps the tension wound tight as does the brutality of the deaths of those connected with the case, the violence is not gratuitous but is fairly explicit. There are some great twists, a conscienceless killer means his moves are unpredictable, and while not all of the elements of the plot are credible, the action keeps the pages turning.
I had expected that Jo would be the key protagonist of Dead Heat but she shares the role with Nick and the third person perspective means we know what they are both thinking and feeling. I liked Jo but her characters reserve prevented me from identifying strongly with her. I didn't feel I learnt as much about her, apart from her love for the job and her grief at the loss of her fiance, as I would have liked. Nick's history helps to flesh out his character, his tragic childhood plays a part in the drama of Dead Heat as does his complicated immediate past as an undercover officer.
The romantic relationship between Jo and Nick relies on a physical attraction that is intensified by the tense circumstances they find themselves in. Both are shy of commitment, Jo's fiance died in a search and rescue incident and Nick has avoided relationships for years due to the dangerous nature of his undercover work. Though accelerated, their connection that doesn't feel forced and sensibly, Parry doesn't insist they declare undying love for each other but makes the potential of the relationship clear.

Bronwyn Parry is another author I have discovered thanks to the Australian Women Writers challenge, this is her third book and I have every intention of reading the first two, As Darkness Falls and Dark Country. Dead Heat is an exciting and engaging blend of crime, suspense and romantic fiction, with interesting characters and a fast paced story in an uniquely Australia setting.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a slight confession to make, until recently I had never heard of Bronwyn Parry and thus never read of any her work. And to be perfectly honest, I’m not even sure what drew me to her novel in the first place, but boy am I glad that the universe had other plans for me. Just wish I'd read it sooner :) Read as part of the Australian Women's Writers Challenge 2013.

Set within rural NSW, Dead Heat is the story of Jo Lockwood, a National Park Ranger, who despite having been in town for a couple of months, prefers to be alone in the outdoors. She thrives on it in fact. That is until one day while making her rounds in the newly opened National Park she stumbles across the discovery of a brutally murdered body and her world is thrown into chaos. Cue Detective Nick Matheson, who’s recent posting in the area is meant to be his quite return to ‘normal duties’ following some ten years as an undercover officer. Matheson quickly discovers Lockwood to be not only an asset to the case in terms of her local knowledge of the area (remember she works virtually non-stop in the bush), but is also quick to establish that while Lockwood holds the case’s key to being solved, after all she has potential met and seen the killers face already. Within a short time a second body is discovered, and then a third, turning Lockwood’s idyllic country town into a criminal playground with gun running, police corruption, snipers and the discovery of drugs pointing towards the establishment of a new criminal cartel. None of which bodes well for poor Jo Lockwood with evidence quickly emerging to suggest she may be the next target. So together, Lockwood and Matheson are thrown together on one hell of a rollarcoaster ride to not only solve the initial crime, but to stop the criminal master minds from hurting anybody else – especially where Jo Lockwood may be concerned.

From the get go, Dead Heat is one hell of a page turner, so much so that I found myself reluctant to put the book down for even a second, little know to get some sleep and go to work. The story is a captivating mix of suspense and romance, where refreshingly enough, nothing seems too forced. A point I think is helped through the dual protagonist’s nature of the story, whereby Parry uses third person narration to give the reader beter insight into both Jo and Nick’s thought process', feelings and actions. The characters themselves are for the most part well rounded, both characters revealing certain strengths and weakness as the story develops, and their romance is neither forced nor rushed. In fact, for most of the book it sort of just dangles there, slightly out of reach for both characters, and although the strength of their connection is illustrated, Parry wisely distances herself from forcing the characters into a relationship too quickly and too conveniently. Instead, she allows their connection, and emotions, to develop naturally over time, creating a well rounded set of characters and novel (she has the same natural progression with the story itself). While I understand that Parry had a lot more to work with Nick Matheson’s character with his troubled past and the problems associated with being undercover for so long, I still feel that I would have liked to see Jo Lockwood’s character develop a bit more, especially in terms of her back story. Don’t get me wrong, her character is by no means stunted or one dimensional, its just we never seemed to move further into her past other than to acknowledge the loss of her fiancé some years before.

On a more personal note, having recently travelled through many of the places in which Parry’s novel is set, I frequently caught myself smiling whilst reading. The likeness to the places, and the people, were captured so perfectly that I could help but nod my head in agreement at some of the remarks throughout the novel. At times, I even found myself in awe almost at the way in which Parry not only represented these towns, their communities and the landscape, but the way in which each and everyone of them were utilised almost as characters themselves. When thinking back to the times that I’ve heard people – mainly Professors at Uni – speaking about Australian fiction and literature (which in itself is such a rare thing to be hear) everyone almost always feels the end to mention the fiction itself in regard to place – both in name and setting – and until now I’ve never really understood the preoccupation that people have with it. I mean at times, it simply felt as though once could only discuss Australian fiction if they were discussing it terms of the landscape, because nothing else ever really mattered and you could never rate a piece of work based on anything else for it, nor could you talk about Australian writing (or so it seemed) if you did not highlight and talk exclusively about place, the landscape etc.. Now, having travelled rurally around the country, I understand a bit of the concept in terms of how the place and landscape makes the people who they are in an exclusively Australian setting. And in Parry’s novel you can see the way in place and the landscape, in fact the country-ness and rural-ness is not only explored in terms of the setting, but through characters, the plot, and almost used as a character itself, and while Parry does a marvellous job at this, I still think there is so much more going on in the novel that Parry and other Australian writers need to be credited for that has absolutely nothing to do with place, that can be uniquely Australian in feel presentation or representation. And frankly I feel that the way that Parry does this in this particular novel is through the representation of the crime and the legal processes and difficulties that within Australia aren’t recognised or really thought of. Take for instance, Lockwood and her outlook of the country as this beautiful being, who is honest and dangerous, although not there to hurt you; its small, it’s quiet and its idyllic and somewhat romantic. Parry takes this setting and infuses it with both the ease in which a criminal cartel could establish itself within such a quiet and isolated aspect of society and place, which also establishing some pretty big hurdles for not only the crims (they don’t know the area, they don’t know the land or the way in which things run) but for the authorities as well (having to wait for hours for resources and people – being ill equipped for something on this magnitude – and the simply fact that things could simply slip through so much easier. The initial murder may never have been discovered because people the country is so vast and isoalted ). Its this twist on what known and often stereotypical (the land as one, quiet, beautiful and isolated) that really works for Parry and makes the story and the writing stand out so much more.

As mentioned earlier, this is the first work of Bronwyn Parry’s that I’ve read, and it was such a gem of a book to find that I'm looking forward to reading her other two novels now. I’m glad that for whatever reason, I stumbled across Dead Heat, as its not only widened my reading pool, but introduced me to another new voice and face on the Australian writing front, while opened my eyes a bit more to the diversity within not only female writing (I’ve read this book as part of the Australian Women’s Writer’s challenge for 2013), but for rural and romantic suspense type novels.

[Sally906 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bronwyn Parry is fast becoming one of my must buy authors.

I am very reluctant to call this book a romance. Sure there is attraction between the two main characters but the focus is on suspense and murder with the opening murder being a grizzly one indeed. National Parks ranger Jo Lockwood stumbles across a mutilated body in an isolated park in north-west region of New South Wales while on a routine inspection of camping grounds. The victim had been tortured before his death and a stash of drugs are found near the scene. Detective Nick Matheson is brought in to investigate the crime and soon realises that that Jo is at risk from the murderer as it would appear she had spoken to him without realizing it. As the body count rises it becomes clear there is a leak in the task force. Jo and Nick have to find out where the murderer, and his increasingly growing gang, is and stop him. They also have to battle against snipers, bushfires and finally one-on-one combat as they struggle to expose police corruption and thwart an illegal drug smuggling route being set up.

This is a fast-paced and exciting story with some unexpected twists that kept me on the edge of my seat for a four hour flight.

[Jenny Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Heat by Bronwyn Parry is a gem. This is first class romantic suspense with well-developed main characters, no shying away from hard choices and hard lives, and high tension with believable and dramatic action. But what really sold me was the vividly Australian setting. The little details made both place and characters come alive.

The writing was crisp and strong (matching the storyline and hero/heroine).

Having started the book, I read it in one gulp. I won a copy of “Dead Heat” which pushed it up the TBR pile, but it was already on my AWW2012 list thanks to reviews such as Shelleyrae’s on Goodreads.

It’s lovely to have a book on my shelves where when someone says “Australian romantic suspense?” I say, read Dead Heat!

[MarciaB - Book Muster Down Under · Rating 4 out of 5]

“National Parks Ranger Jo Lockwood is often alone in the wilderness, and she likes it that way – until she discovers the body of a man, brutally murdered.

Detective Nick Matheson’s new posting to the north-west of New South Wales is supposed to be an uneventful return to normal duties and a normal life. He knows organised crime from the inside out and suspects that the victim in the camping ground is not an isolated murder.

Jo is committed to helping the investigation but she has seen the killer’s face and now she’s at risk. Nick’s determined to protect her but as the body count starts mounting, his past and present collide, threatening the people he cares about most.

Trapped in rugged country in scorching summer heat, pursued by hunters who can’t afford to fall, Nick and Jo will need to trust each other completely, and use all their skills and knowledge if they want to survive.”

The Australian Outback – what an awesome and refreshingly different setting for romantic suspense.

Our heroine is Jo Lockwood who is employed as a National Parks Ranger in the New South Wales outback. A relatively recent newcomer to the small town of Goodabri, after having suffered a tragic loss of her own five years before, she hasn’t yet had a chance to make many friends besides her work colleagues. By no means a recluse or an introvert, she loves her job and prefers the tranquillity of the scrub.

That tranquil world is turned upside down when, on a routine inspection of one of the park camping grounds, she discovers that it has been well and truly trashed. She alerts her boss to this fact and, promising that she’ll photograph and document the destruction while she waits for either him or the police to arrive, and along with the help of a lone dingo, she discovers the gruesome remains of a murdered man.

Nick Matheson, our hero, a man with great inner strength and discipline, arrives on the scene. Called in to investigate this gruesome discovery, it is his first case since taking up “normal duties” in the little town of Goodabri. Haunted by his own dark past and emotionally stretched by past events, for 10 years he has lived immersed in undercover roles and it appears that little else remains of the man he once knew. A boy who grew into a man with the “docks” of Sydney as his playground, his past is about to dangerously collide with his present as Jo threatens to unravel his defences.

With the body count continuing to rise, we are drawn into a tale where danger lurks at every corner and there are some close encounters that will leave you breathless with anticipation as the killer and his brazen cohorts close in on Jo, making attempts on her life, but with Nick, who is determined to keep her safe, close behind.

As with all books in this genre, but without all the mushy, too-soon “I love you’s” that we so frequently see, there is bound to be a love scene.

Not detracting at all from the main storyline, where corruption, bush fires, violence, drugs and murder merge to form the basis for extreme suspense and intrigue, Bronwyn Parry has tastefully and tenderly written the bringing together of these two emotionally wounded characters. Being a sucker for a good love scene where my characters’ emotions are laid bare for all to see, and after Ms Parry skilfully drew me in to these characters lives and deeply personal thoughts, this scene brought tears to my eyes.

With all her Australian colloquialisms, vivid descriptions of the outback - which I have not yet had the honour of visiting - and a smattering of symbolism which I thought was warranted, Bronwyn Parry has created a fast-paced, truly “‘stralian” novel with strong, resilient protagonists alive with character and a story with lots of intrigue and plenty of twists to keep the pages turning well into the night.

Dead Heat is the first book by Bronwyn Parry that I have had the pleasure of reading, and I did so as part of a group reading challenge on Goodreads. Boy am I glad I did, as I have just discovered another brilliant Aussie writer who has earned herself a place on my bookshelves.

[Lauren Keegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bronwyn Parry is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors and alongside a handful of other Australian authors has also made me fall in love with the romantic suspense crime genre.

Dead Heat is an action packed, suspenseful story set in the wilderness of the north-west region of New South Wales. Jo Lockwood is a woman passionate about nature and takes her job as a National Parks Ranger, very seriously. When she stumbles across the mutilated dead body of a man in her beloved parklands she is determined to help Detective Nick Matheson in his new position with the local police network to find the killer.

Jo and Nick are intriguing characters who at the outset are distant and detached but actually have many layers of complexities and many defences built up over the years with the aim to protect themselves and those they love. Jo has set her heart aside and focused on her work since the death of her fiancé five years prior while Nick has worked undercover for a decade alongside some of the deadliest criminals in the state. He has played so many roles in his life he is not quite sure he knows who the real Nick is anymore.

Despite the characters controlled demeanours, their analytical mindsets and tendency to continually scan the environment and evaluate each other and anyone else in their paths- I was drawn to them both because Parry provides a delicate insight into the conflicts of Nick and Jo both internally and externally and I really wanted them to break down their barriers and to find happiness not just with each other but to find contentment within themselves. But the risk of letting go and opening up is quite high for them both and in doing so could put each of their lives in danger- Nick has made many enemies during his life in the underworld.

There’s plenty of action in Dead Heat and an intriguing crime plot that has many twists and turns, continues to ramp up the suspense and Parry really puts her (poor!) characters through many, many hurdles to demonstrate their resilience right until the very end. Jo and Nick are tested emotionally, physically and professionally. The moment I picked up this book I didn’t want to put it down and I guarantee I won’t be the only one in that position!

Fans of crime and suspense who want strong, multi-layered characters and a dash of romance set in the Australian wilderness will love Dead Heat.

[puppitypup · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romantic Suspense Well written with a good sense of realism. It got a mite bogged down in the middle, but otherwise I really enjoyed it. I'd give it 3 1/2 stars.

[Bree T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jo Lockwood is a National Parks Ranger who has recently taken up a new job at a newly-declared State Forest in north-western NSW. The solitary life doesn’t much bother her, she enjoys her own company and the peacefulness that comes from working with nature. That peace is shattered when she discovers the dead body of a man who has been brutally tortured not far off a walking track.

Detective Nick Matheson is also starting a new job. He’s a former undercover officer who was involved in a scandal when an operation went wrong and now he finds himself in a supposedly quiet area in northern NSW where the peace is disrupted by Jo’s discovery of a body. Nick is immediately suspicious about certain things about the murder and crime scene – to him this doesn’t look like a once off. It isn’t long before they dig up some links to an unsolved murder on the Mid North Coast of NSW and some whispers of an infiltrating overseas group.

Jo and Nick realise before long that it seems Jo may have inadvertently spoken to the leader of this organisation and because of that, could identify him. Her life is now in great danger and Nick wants to protect her. Jo is determined not to leave the area though, consenting to police protection in her own house but the bodies keep coming and before long Jo realises that this danger is not going to go away until one of them – her or the leader – is dead.

Dead Heat is the latest novel from Bronwyn Parry and it had been on my radar for a little while. I’d seen some good reviews and I do love a good suspenseful mystery. When I finally got my hands on it by way of my local library, I was definitely not disappointed. Dead Heat opens with a bang with Jo discovering the body of a dead man that, they later discover, has been tortured horribly before finally being shot.

I’ve been reading a lot of rural lit lately, a genre that I have mentioned before on the blog as gaining a lot in popularity in recent times. Usually they’re set on farms and although I’d include this in the broad spectrum of rural lit there are a few differences. The setting is undeniably rural, deep in north-western NSW in a made-up town that sounds suspiciously like a couple of real towns, name-wise. A large area has just been given over to official National Park status and it’s Jo’s job to keep law and order around the various camp grounds, walking tracks and also to supervise backburning and/or the putting out of deliberately or accidentally lit fires with the support of the CFA (Country Fire Authority). There’s a lot of appreciation for the land in this book, Jo in particular has a real affinity for it and it’s clear she loves her job. She suffered a trauma in recent times and she’s moved location to perhaps escape the memories. She seems very comfortable in her own company either at home or out in the bush, alone out there with only her camera.

In terms of characterisation, I felt that both Nick and Jo were very strong. Nick comes from a very poor and violent background, dragged himself out of it and made detective in the police force, going into some very dangerous undercover operations. He has an inner strength and discipline that is necessary for his job, that has allowed him to do things for his work. He has played many roles and sometimes feels as though it is hard to be just ‘Nick’ and that people are wary of him because of the rumours and scandal that has surrounded him.

There is an element of romance in this book but it remains mostly in the background. There’s an immediate attraction between Nick and Jo but both of them work hard to suppress it. The story of the murders and who is behind them is always first and the most important part of the book. Parry takes a long time to build her story, carefully fleshing out details and weaving an intricate crime web that is quite impressive! Nick and Jo spend a lot of time together under the guise of Nick protecting Jo from a very real danger and I appreciated that – they get to know each other with Nick being able to relax himself just a bit and actually talk to someone as his own person, rather than just a character he has undertaken in order to complete a job. Both of them have had some pain in their past and they aren’t sure they can see a future together, given Nick’s job. They talk about things, primarily the case and I thought that Nick sharing things with her and Jo sharing things that she finds out, was very refreshing. All too often I read mystery/crime novels where the characters all keep secrets from each other, presumably to draw out the suspense and lengthen the time until things are solved which usually only serves to frustrate me! I appreciated this novel because the criminal is identified early on into the story and the book then revolves around actually catching him.

Dead Heat was a wonderful read – it drew me in right from the beginning and kept me intrigued all the way. It’s Bronwyn Parry’s third novel and I’ll definitely be tracking down her previous two to read as well because I very much enjoyed the way she writes. I also enjoyed the unique setting, showcasing the lovely natural bush that can be found in much of the north of my home state.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another suspense filled novel by Bronwyn Parry with the right amount of romance to set it above par. loved this story between Nick and Jo and the level of detail in every aspect of the story.

[Clare Bear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't stop reading. Finished at 3.30am

[Helen Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book by Bronwyn Parry. A real crime page turner. I enjoy stories set in rural Australian towns and surrounds. The characters are rounded, believable and human. Lots of action with a lot of feeling woven into this great novel.

[Deb Bodinnar · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading some of the other reviews, I feel my comments/review on the books I read sound a little "ordinary and unprofessional", but they are heartfelt and real!!
That said... I enjoyed Bronwyn's third novel amazing and did not want to put it down but sleep and work made me. The setting of the NSW outback is a nice change from the main streets of big cities and is one I can relate to, having lived in the bush myself. The relationships of the people who live in these areas is captured by Bronwyn perfectly and the main characters are real and believable.
I would reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys a good crime and a touch of romance!!

[Joanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

The theme is okay, but the plot and ending is pretty much expected from B.P. Nothing beyond my expectation, which means, its kind of repeating the theme on the Dark Country, with complexity and in a greater scale. Would expect something different from BP. She becomes rather predictable with her writing. With a couple of name change, and the place change, this could be one of the latest book for the Dark Trio Series that BP is writing. I rather she keeps the Dark Trio Series, rather than creating something half new, half old, and something pretty predictable for her reader.
Over all is okay, but nothing that give me the sparks to reread it again, like it did with BP's last two books.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great story Nick and Jo are such tortured people with a lot to overcome before they can learn to trust and what they go through in this edge of your seat suspense wil have you up late and turning the pages.

Bronwyn writes such deatailed and amazing stories and I loved this one and fell into it from the first chapter Nick is such a fantastic hero and Jo so strong and amazing. The other characters in the story add so much to this one.

Highly recomend thanks Bronwyn for hours of reading pleasure bring on the next one

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I made the start that was the end of me and now here I am, an hour after I got prepared to call it a night with quite a chunk to read in the morning and I got handcuffed to the book, I swear I did, with my eyes propped open so I couldn’t look away. It doesn’t really matter why I’m still up, but the book is finished and it’s time to share my thoughts.

My complete thoughts can be found over at Beauty and Lace at: bookgirl.beautyandlace.net/book-club-...

[Jaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

thrilling

[Kate Loveday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Heat is a fast paced and exciting romantic suspense novel, with rather more suspense than romance. I found this book hard to put down.

Jo Lockwood loves her job as a National Parks ranger in the north west of New South Wales. She loves the country side, the wildlife, and she enjoys being on her own for much of the time. That all changes the day she finds a park site has been vandalised. As she sets about clearing up and repairing as much damage as possible, a dingo emerges from the bush. In its mouth it carries bloodied human hand.

Full of horror she searches the nearby bush and discovers the body of a young man who has been
tortured and murdered.

Detective Nick Matheson is assigned to the case. He has recently been posted to this normally quiet, low crime area, in order to resume an uneventful life after ten years as an undercover cop. He finds Jo a reliable and observant witness, outwardly calm although shocked by the grisly murder.

As the investigation proceeds it is discovered that this quiet area has become a site for organised crime, with drugs, police corruption, gang activity, illegal weapons and more murders piling up.

As Jo is the only person who has seen the face of the killer, a ruthless man without respect for human life, she becomes a target for assassination. Each with their own painful histories, Jo and Nick must work together if she is to survive. Nick vows that he will do anything to keep Jo safe, and the tension mounts as they become targets for a sniper, while trying to evade gang members chasing them through dense countryside and outrun a bushfire.

Along the way they both discover that their feelings have become much more than the admiration they initially felt for each other.

Bronwyn Parry has penned a story with many twists that will keep you turning the pages to the end.

[MELK · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit disappointed in this one. I was really hoping to find a new Romantic suspense author and this being set in Australia was so intriguing. However, I couldn’t get into this. It never drew me in.

First of all, as far as language goes, is seems a common occurrence in the genre that the main characters must use the word “awareness” to describe their attraction to someone. I hate it!!There was generally a lot of detached or clinically described emotion in this book (“the prime example of male before her” I beg you, CEASE AND DESIST). The conversations between Nick and Jo often felt stilted as well (they used each other’s names constantly, like it was punctuation, people don’t speak like that!). There was also quite a lot of repetitive internal monologue that I suppose was meant to enhance the relationship being built between Jo and Nick but it became a bit tiring because it didn’t feel authentic. Not a lick of chemistry between them.

Jo and Nick themselves were fine. Nick felt more fleshed out than Jo but they were both likeable.

The crime at the centre of this story starts off intriguing but soon evolves into nonsensical when we discover it involves a Mexican drug lord laying waste to people across a low populated regional area simply because he was seen by one woman and she might recognise him. What a bizarre sequence of choices for this international criminal to make. Said drug lord then lets them run free through the bush for a bit after having captured them. This feels thrown in to make way for that last dash of tension and suspense and I wish it had been executed better. Things at this point got quite confusing, logistically, the scene direction was muddy.

Speaking of logistics, I really couldn’t figure out where geographically this story was supposed to be in NSW.

[Shelagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Dead Heat. Gripping edge-of-my-seat drama kept,me glued to this story and turning the pages as fast as I could. I couldn't believe all the challenges that author Bronwyn Parry threw at Jo and Nick, yet time and again they soldiered on, found their inner strength and surprised not only each other but me with their resilience. These are two incredibly strong characters facing incredibly challenging circumstances with one plot twist after another to keep them on their toes. It's no wonder thos story has won so much recognition. Just brilliant!

[Jacqui · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the suspense of this book, was really well written and character development was intriguing . The portrait of Australian bush was perfect, and I would highly recommend a read of this series !

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it didnt want to put it down

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really fast paced book which had some nice complications

[Tanja Dieckmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable start and ending but the middle bit you cant put down.

[Scott Telfer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the book s good read, kept the pages turning for me.

[Tanya Boulter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really good Australian mystery romance

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quintessentially Australian, but international baddies!!

[Ann-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK so where do I begin. I found it hard to get in to this book and let my mind pull me into the story, it wasn’t a boring start just one that didn’t compel you to want to read more but rather dragged you along. That was until about half way through when I suddenly couldn’t put it down.
Lets set the scene.
Jo has stumbled upon a murder scene which was definitely not in the job description as Park Ranger and our new detective to the town Nick has been called out to investigate.
Jo keeps stumbling upon all the ‘baddies’ and this involves her deeper and deeper into the whole crime.
Hugh is Nick’s old partner and friend has been called out to the country to help with the investigation. This is where things get interesting. There is much more to Hugh and Nick then Jo first thought and how involved does it all get. (Not giving too much away here).
I found that once it started bringing in all these other characters and having all these new and different paths to follow I got myself really interested in the story and I couldn’t wait to see what happens next but this was already half way through the book.
I thought the friends and workmates brought a depth to the story that would have been a simple romance story with out it.
If its a great story then I don’t just read a story but rather see it in my head as I’m going through the book. This had my mind looking for things that I couldn’t work out (map wise) I would have liked a map of the area so that I could see how close everything was and why that path was so important. Then I could have followed along a lot easier as I found it difficult to visualise where they were at times.
Over all I loved the book and found myself glued right up until the end it was just a shame that it took half the book for that to happen.