BOOK HAUL: NEW CRIME RELEASES FOR JUNE/JULY 2026

Some very good crime novels, especially from ‘downunder’ authors, are coming our way in June and July 2026. The senior ‘long dog’, Toby, who just turned 11, has picked out the best of the ones currently lying on the floor of the study.

Short publisher synopses below. All release dates are for Australia.

First up is actually a May release by debutant British author Jo Murray, Dissection Of A Murder (Macmillan, 12 May 2026).

The publishers have provided the following:

“When Leila Reynolds is handed her first murder case, she’s shocked at how high-profile it is: the murder of a well-respected, well-known judge. This shouldn’t be the kind of case she’s leading; it’s way beyond her expertise. But the defendant, Jack Millman, is clear. He wants her, and only her.

To make things worse, he’s refusing to talk. How is she supposed to prove herself on what appears to be an unwinnable case?

Losing is not an option. She must find the most persuasive argument. Trials aren’t won by convincing judges or fellow barristers – they’re all about convincing a jury.

Suddenly, Leila finds herself fighting not only to keep Jack out of prison, but also to keep her own secrets buried.

It’s true what they say – there are two sides to every story.”

I have a soft spot for courtroom dramas, and Dissection Of A Murder is high on my ‘to read’ list.

Jason Summers’ Red Lake, (Macmillan, 30 June 2026), certainly hits all the tropes of recent Australian outback crime fiction: a female police detective returning to her old rural small hometown, a cold case affecting her and her family, local secrets, murder and a stunning evocative cover. It does, however, seem full of interest, and the cover is terrific.

The publisher has provided the following:

“Sergeant Harper Quinn has returned to her sleepy hometown of Koorinda in search of a quieter life. Until she learns that the town’s once glittering waterpark is being reopened, on the shores of its famous Red Lake: the place that her little brother vanished into thin air 30 years ago.

And then Harper receives a call: a body has been found at the park.

Once again, Harper finds her family at the centre of a shocking criminal investigation. This time, she is determined to find her own answers.

But when secrets run this deep, the truth can drag you under.” 

Jason is a bestselling digital author and it will be interesting to see whether that success transitions to physical books.

Also sporting a striking cover is Matt Nable’s Mire, (Hachette, 7 July 2026).

Author and actor Nable made a good entry into the ranks of serious Australian crime fiction with his Darwin based book Still from a couple of years back. In Mire he has moved the action south from Darwin to Sydney and the south coast of New South Wales.

The publisher has provided the following details:

“They say your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. For Dan Milligan it isn’t his life … it’s memories of his dad.

Dan has spent his whole life chasing something. Fast cars, leggy blondes, the rush of making a lot of money and the cocaine high to celebrate. But as the stock market plummets in 1987, his world comes crashing down.

A new life on the South Coast isn’t too bad. Mowing lawns is good, honest work. Most days. But other days, he tells himself he’ll get back in the game. He’ll get his head together, get his mojo back and master the market again. He just needs some luck. Then one day … his luck changes. And suddenly he has a choice.

It’s the wrong choice. To stay alive, Dan makes a deal with the devil. He has no idea what he is about to unleash on his life, himself and his family. Or how far he will go to find a way back.”

Sounds tough and hard, like Still.

Mark Smith’s first adult novel, Three Boys Gone, was an emotionally charged book that skirted the edges of the crime genre. His new novel, Where Truth Ends (Macmillan, 26 May 2026), seems to offer more thrills and spills.

The publisher has provided the following details:

“Meg Maher thought she was doing the right thing. Now she’s on the run.

When a peaceful climate protest ends with a violent explosion in the city centre, every member of the protest group becomes a suspect. The incident is declared a terrorist attack.

But the authorities aren’t the only ones hunting Meg.

Scared and alone, Meg seeks refuge with her father, Luke, knowing that every word she says puts him in danger too. But as the terrorism investigation closes in, Meg is forced to question everything: her friends, her cause, even herself. Was her group of activists infiltrated from the start? Or has someone twisted their mission beyond recognition?

What happens when the truth is the first thing to burn?“

Not surprisingly, terrorism is becoming a more common theme in Australian crime writing and I am interested to see where Smith takes it in Where Truth Ends.

New Zealand author Gavin Strawhan’s The Call was my favourite debut crime novel of 2024. Tough and gripping, with some sharp eyed observations on New Zealand society, it was an impressive read.

Now Strawhan has produced a promising looking follow-up with Slash, (Allen & Unwin, 5 May 2026).

The publisher has provided the following details:

“A year after a brutal shootout, ex-police sergeant Honey Chalmers is a hot mess, drinking too much and eating too little, working casual gigs for a shady firm of private investigators — while holding conversations with a ghost.

A desperate father asks her to investigate his missing son — a double-murder suspect last seen during the chaos of Cyclone Gabrielle. Honey’s quest brings her in conflict with dangerous locals and takes her from the wrecked forests of Tairāwhiti to the dark side of Fiji — into the orbit of a strange, secretive teen, a deranged forestry boss, and a terrifying ex-cop turned drug lord.

The closer Honey gets to the truth, the closer she comes to spinning out of control, leading to a final shown down with a killer who’d do anything to keep the past buried.”

Also from New Zealand is Lit, (Echo, 2 June 2026), by Anna Woods.

The publisher has provided the following details:

“What would you do if someone you knew came back from the dead?

Gin is an architect on the brink. LIT, the Auckland-based practice she shares with her girlfriend, Clary, has been precarious since their third partner – Clary’s ex, Billy – disappeared, presumed dead.

Now, several years later, LIT’s financial problems and Gin’s personal debts are snowballing. Clary – emotionally fragile since the disappearance – is growing increasingly remote and elusive. When Gin begins to be haunted by glimpses of Billy, she blames stress and guilt. But could he be back, threatening to expose the past?

Trapped in a web of secrecy and betrayal, Gin’s downward spiral gathers force as she begins to suspect her paranoia hides an even more shocking truth – one that will send her whole life up in flames.

This stunning debut literary-suspense novel from award-winning writer Anna Woods explores the insidious charm of those who gaslight us, and examines the blurry line between love and control.”

It certainly sounds intriguing!

New Zealand author Sherryl Clark’s last novel, Woman, Missing, introduced an interesting central character in the form of former Melbourne police detective turned PI, Lou Alcott. Now Lou has returned in a new adventure with a strong social justice focus.

The publisher has provided the following details:

“While juggling a missing person case with unexpected ties close to home and saving an innocent woman and her child from a dangerous domestic situation, Lou ends up in the line of fire of a mysterious dark-web hate group, known only as SYB.

As Melbourne simmers through a relentless heatwave, the murders of more women are connected to SYB and Lou becomes the number one target of their vicious campaign of incited violence. #GetLou #killthebitch

Lou lurches between a fire-bombed safe house, car chases and stalkers, as her private investigation firm races against time to uncover the core of the group and work out just how far their tentacles stretch.”

So, some promising books coming out soon. Which ones are you most interested in? For me they all sound good, but Dissection Of A Murder and Slash are probably the two I am most interested in, although there is also an appealing originality to Where Truth Ends.

Finally, as I mentioned above, Toby turned 11 the other day. The survivor of two spinal surgeries and other bad things, he is a real stoic little dog who still powers up the hill at the head of the pack each morning. Here are some recent photos.

Here is the link to some more photos: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/the-long-dogs-2/