Slash - by Gavin Strawhan (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A year after the traumatic events of The Call, ex-police sergeant Honey Chalmers is a hot mess, suffering from PTSD, drinking well and eating badly, working casual gigs for a shady firm of private investigators - and having conversations with a dead man.

While undercover to expose a philandering CEO, she is recognized by a young cop and his father who beg for her help. Their brother/son is a murder suspect and went on a crime spree around the time of Cyclone Gabrielle - and has been missing ever since. Honey impulsively agrees but the case balloons out of control, taking her from the flood-ravaged pine plantations of Tairawhiti to Fiji in search of answers.

A chillingly strange teen, a forestry boss who'd do anything to cover her tracks and a fearsome ex-cop turned major drug dealer are just some of dangers she must face to uncover the truth and give her clients closure. Her bestie, Michelle, is worried about Honey's mental health and tries to help but, haunted by her past mistakes, Honey is terrified of endangering her friend. She eventually cracks the case, but the final showdown puts them all in the line of fire.

About the Author

Gavin Strawhan is the author of the internationally best-selling The Call, winner of the 2023 Allen & Unwin Fiction Prize. The Call was shortlisted for Best Novel at the 2025 Ngaio Marsh awards. He is one of New Zealand's most experienced scriptwriters. Gavin lives in Auckland, New Zealand.