AUSTRALIAN CRIME FICTION JUNE 2026: DEVIL MOUNTAIN by INESSA JACKSON and WHERE TRUTH ENDS by MARK SMITH

The steady stream of new Australian crime fiction in 2026 has turned into a torrent, making it hard to keep up with it all.

I have managed, however, to find time to read two of the more recent releases by Mark Smith and debutant Inessa Jackson. They are very different books, but both offer good entertainment for their target audiences.

Mark Smith’s first adult novel, Three Boys Gone, was an emotionally charged book that skirted the edges of the crime genre. His new book, Where Truth Ends (Macmillan, 26 May 2026), is more firmly ensconced in the thriller realm with a good plot and flashes of action.

Melbourne climate protestor Meg Maher thought that she was engaging in a peaceful demonstration, but when it ends in a violent explosion, she finds herself on the run. The authorities label it a terrorist incident, and every anonymous member of her group becomes a suspect. As the investigation closes in, Meg is forced to question everything about what happened, who did what, and whether the group was infiltrated by other elements who now want her out of the way.

The story alternates between the present, with Meg trying to keep one step ahead of the authorities and the mysterious men in a black van that seem to be after her, and three months earlier when the protest group first met in a secret rural camp and plotted the demonstration. As the two plot lines merge, the full extent of what is happening becomes clearer.

Where Truth Ends is a powerful thriller that ventures into fresh territory for local crime writing, and provides both excitement and societal insights. There is a lot of discussion about the politics and morality of protest, as well as the merits of climate change. Most of the discussion is interesting, but it does slow the pace at times. The involvement of Meg’s parents in trying to protect her adds some emotional weight to the story, but they are a bit annoying and ineffectual. However, all the characters are well sketched and believable in their behaviours.

In all, Where Truth Ends is a solid, well written thriller that credibly deals with a complex issue.

Where Truth Ends was released in Australia on 26 May 2026. It was released in the United Kingdom on the same day as an Audible book. Thanks to the publishers and the Canberra Weekly for a copy of the book for review.

A traumatised detective deals with murder and small town secrets in Inessa Jackson’s engaging Devil Mountain, (Affirm, 26 May 2026).

Detective Sergeant Anastasia Brown is given the opportunity to escape from recent humiliation and peer judgement arising from an incident in the Sydney Homicide Unit, when grisly remains are discovered in a small rural town on the New South Wales Central Coast. The body of a popular doctor has been found at the foot of a local mountain, chained and burned, with arcane ­symbols carved into the soles of his feet. Adding to the drama, the schoolboy who stumbled on the remains swears that he saw a ghost lingering in the trees.

Locals believe that the mountain is haunted, and the activities of an elusive Wiccan coven who regularly worship there also adds to the location’s spooky reputation. Juggling the hints of the supernatural with a town full of suspects, and dangers from her past, Ana must tread a fine line if she is the find the killer, and a missing girl, before the mountain claims another victim.

Devil Mountain is a light and enjoyable read. The story proceeds at a good pace, and there are enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. The mild supernatural elements add a bit of interest and there is the regulatory low-key romance lurking in the background. The policing and pathology details strain credibility, but fortunately some of the earlier locational glitches have been corrected in the final copy. The characters and suspects are the usual small town mix, and Inessa sensitively touches on recent popular topics around sexual harassment, misogyny, and the pressures of small town life, especially for doctors.

In all, Devil Mountain is a fun read that builds to a surprising revelation, and a tense conclusion.

Devil Mountain was released in Australia on 26 May 2026. It will be released in the United Kingdom on 11 June 2026 as an Audible book. Thanks to the publishers and the Canberra Weekly for a copy of the book for review.