Inlet Bridge

When the police won’t believe you, what can you do but take matters into your own hands.

On Victoria’s secluded west coast, Sarah and husband Ewen walk across a narrow bridge at dusk. Behind them, a truck rattles onto the bridge. Moments later, Sarah finds herself fighting for her life as she’s dragged on the inlet tide out to sea. She makes it to shore but discovers both Ewen and the truck have disappeared. The police are called, and a search follows, but Ewen remains missing. Without evidence, the police are sceptical of Sarah’s story and wind down their efforts. But Sarah is desperate to find her husband.

She contacts her brother Harry for help. A former soldier, Harry is determined and resourceful, but he is also a damaged individual with a penchant for violence. Hinton is a master of character, and from the outset of Harry and Sarah’s investigation, their relationship, while rich with shared upbringing and affection, is fraught with complex emotions. Their life-risking discoveries of corruption in a town whose inhabitants hold their secrets close makes for a crime thriller that deftly underscores the bonds of family.

Inlet Bridge is brimming with page-turning tension, provocative dialogue, gallows humour and a final twist that will turn your understanding of the story on its head.

A missing man, small-town secrets, and a woman with nothing left to lose; Inlet Bridge delivers with an emotional punch.’ – Emma Viskic

‘Australian crime fiction has found a voice that is both bold and heartbreaking. Taut, fierce and unrelenting, Inlet Bridge pulls you straight into its atmospheric sweep of grit, grief and survival. S. D. Hinton’s storytelling is both hugely propulsive and deeply human. With sharp prose and compelling characters, this is a crime novel with heart that lingers long after the last page.’ – Peter Papathanasiou

Praise for S. D. Hinton’s previous novel, The Brothers:

‘A masterclass in menacing tension...Atmospheric and moody, the novel chills with its subtle allusions to an unknown enemy that is too close for comfort. Perfect for readers of Garry Disher, Chris Hammer and Jane Harper.’ – Books+Publishing