BEST DEBUT CRIME NOVELS OF 2025
Debuts are the lifeblood of crime fiction.
Without new authors and new ideas, the genre would become stale and boring. Every year we see an influx of new authors, including an increasing number of self-published and small press books. While many debut authors pursue familiar paths and storylines, there are always those who bring new ideas and approaches to the genre. This was certainly the case in 2025.
There have certainly been some outstanding debuts in recent years, with authors like Dinuka McKenzie, Shelley Burr and Michael Bennett going on to establish solid careers on the back of their impressive first novels. Every year I try to keep across the breadth of debut crime writing from around the world, but unfortunately it is not possible to keep up with all of it. From what I have seen, there were some very strong debuts in 2025 with the novels by Jakob Kerr, Tanya Scott and Alex Dook being the equal of the best debuts in recent years. The others on the list below, were also good, but beyond that the quality, in my opinion, seemed to taper off a bit compared to other recent years. Nevertheless, the six debuts below really stood out for me and would find their way onto a ‘best of’ list in any year. I have also identified another three books that are also well worth considering for a read. Pleasingly, four of the six top books below are from Australian and New Zealand, both of which continue to impress with their ability to produce outstanding new authors each year.
The following six novels cover the vast expanse of the genre from pacy hard boiled urban crime to lush rural mysteries to a good historical crime story and a semi-cosy spy novel.
They are set out in a rough order of preference below. I found it very hard to separate the first three books, all of which were very well written and interesting in their approach. In the end I thought that Jakob Kerr’s Dead Money was just a little more polished and original than the ones below it. But there was not much in it. All of the six books were enjoyable reads and I think that each of the authors have promising careers ahead of them.
I was late to Jakob Kerr’s Dead Money, (Bantam), which was released in America in late January 2025, but was very glad to finally get to it.
It is an outstanding book with a good contemporary feel and a well worked plot. The story centres on Mackenzie Clyde, an unofficial “problem solver” for Silicon Valley’s most ruthless venture capitalist, who is roped into a murder investigation when the CEO of a super hot tech startup is murdered, leaving behind billions in “dead money” frozen in his will. Mackenzie’s boss is the company’s chief investor and with the official investigation going nowhere Mackenzie is asked to step in and resolve things, fast.
It is a clever, twisty story, that makes adroit use of flashbacks to flesh-out Mackenzie, and bring clarity to the book’s labyrinth plot. The story moves along at a good pace with plenty of surprising revelations to keep things interesting, and a strong cast of characters. The tech and big money background is depressingly convincing, and the descriptions of bars, lavish homes and fancy offices gives the story a strong sense of place. The plot builds to a tense and exciting conclusion and some good surprises. One of my favourite books of the year!
Tanya Scott’s Stillwater, (Allen & Unwin), made a refreshing change from the myriad of rural Australian mysteries that we have seen lately. Set mainly in Melbourne and its fringes, it is a moving and gripping story that deals with the criminal underbelly of Australian society.
The story revolves around Luke Harris, who after years away from his home town of Melbourne is back with a new name and looking for a fresh start. But Luke is a man with a past from a time when life was anything but peaceful and his skills ran to the dark side. A past not easily forgotten, or forgiven. When he crosses paths with the brutal criminal he worked for as a teenager Luke is dragged reluctantly back to his old life and finds himself forced to find his estranged father and the chunk of money that he has stolen.
This is a very strong debut with well developed characters, vivid descriptions and a strong moral core. It also has good tension and more than enough action to keep you engaged.
Link to original review: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/downunder-crime-update-august-2025-reviews-and-previews/
Alex Dook’s Gunpower Creek (Echo) is partially set in the Australian outback, but has a strong gritty, urban feel to it. Centred around the efforts of desperate Perth mother Emily as she tries to fulfill the demands of a nasty kidnappers before her young adult son, Zach, pays the consequences of his actions, it is a wild ride of a story. From the opening suspenseful scene to the final bloody encounters, it moves along at a hectic pace as Emily tries to make the deadline while dealing with an unexpected pursuer, unhelpful locals, the police and the contents in the boot of her car. While back in Perth Zach’s situation steadily worsens.
Well-written with quirky characters and a good sense of desperation, it reminded me of Michelle Prak’s stellar The Rush from a few years back, which also had a race against time plot. Probably the most exciting of the books on the list.
Link to original review: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/deadly-outback-gunpowder-creek-by-alex-dook/
Gunnawah (Hachette) by the pseudonymous Ronni Salt was one of the first books I read in 2025 and it remained favourably in my mind over the year.
It is an engrossing mixture of crime, historical reflection and a good coming of age story. It is set in the Riverina in 1974 as the local community around Gunnawah awaits the benefits of a proposed irrigation scheme, including those after quick illegal dollars. While across Australia broader social reforms are occurring under Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, which also impact upon the local region. Caught up in it all is nineteen-year-old farmgirl Adelaide Hoffman, who applies for a cadetship at the Gunnawah Gazette, and finds herself in the middle of a story about corruption and drugs and old town secrets.
The plotting is perhaps a bit too busy, but Gunnawah is a confidently written and highly enjoyable crime novel that explores a fascinating time in Australian history. An entertaining read.
Full review here: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/new-outback-australian-crime-fiction-for-2025-gunnawah-by-ronni-salt/
Mark Ezra’s A Sting In Her Tale, (No Exit Press), was recently released in Australia, but has been available in the United Kingdom since July 2025.
It is a little lighter in tone than the other books on the list, but still provides plenty of thrills and some darker moments. The story opens with retired former spy Felicity Jardine setting out to drown herself, before she is interrupted by a baby drifting down river. Her training kicks in at once, and she manages to save the baby, as well as hiding from the shady-looking man who is searching for it.
When an elderly neighbour, to whom she bears a resemblance is found dead, and Felicity knows she’s been rumbled. She has to dust off the highly trained and resourceful secret service officer she used to be and re-enter the fray to ensure the safety of the baby. Drawing on old contacts she identifies those involved and soon realises that her secret work in 1970s Germany and her present are entangled.
This a very enjoyable book. It has touches of Richard Osman, but also has enough originality of plot and background to make it stand out on its own. The story zips along, and the dual timeline of now and 1970s Germany adds good substance. The characters are great and there are nice touches of humour and credible spycraft. Surely the start of a promising new series.
Geoff Parkes’ When The Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole, (Penguin), is set in the early 1980s in the remote town of Nashville in New Zealand’s rugged King Country. The book uses a dual storyline to unfold its tale about the disappearance of a Finnish backpacker from the town and the efforts of the missing girl’s sister to find her a year later.
It is a very evocative and thoughtfully plotted book that excels in its depiction of rural New Zealand in the early 1980s. The descriptions are masterfully done, and the characters, both major and minor, quickly spring to life. They are convincingly well grounded in the community, but none of them are particularly engaging, apart from the sister, Emilia. The story is well crafted and interesting, although the pacing is uneven and a little slow at times. Nevertheless an immersive and engaging crime novel.
Original review: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/kiwi-noir-when-the-deep-dark-bush-swallows-you-whole-by-geoff-parkes/
The above books are very different in style and intent, but they are all very impressive in their own way. You should check them all out, as I suspect that their authors are going to be influential figures in the worlds of crime and thriller writing going forward.
I would also like to quickly highlight three other debuts, which were close to making the list. Melaleuca by First Nations author Angie Faye Martin brought a fresh perspective to the Australian outback crime novel with a strong Indigenous policewoman in the central role, while New Zealander Zoë Rankin’s The Vanishing Place was also quite impressive and continued the rich vein of new Kiwi crime writing. Equally enjoyable was Bronwyn Rivers’ gothic rural crime tale, The Reunion.
Happy reading. Here is a link to my recent related article on the Best Crime and Thriller Titles of 2025: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/the-years-best-my-favourite-crime-novels-and-thrillers-of-2025/