by Patricia Wolf
Publisher: Echo Publishing
Review by Rachel Nightingale
I’ve been fortunate to have reviewed two DS Walker thrillers this year, and as a result the first two in the series are definitely on my ‘track them down’ list. Which fits the theme, since in Nemesis, Lucas Walker has a solid lead that might let him finally track down and capture his nemesis, Stefan Markovich. Walker is with the Australian Federal Police, and first encountered Markovich when undercover investigating the Vandals, a biker gang at the centre of a big drug operation. Markovich, leader of the Vandals at the time, has now been seen in Berlin, and Walker is able to get a brief posting there to investigate. Markovich’s ability to disappear mean opportunities such as this are rare
There is something very satisfying in the way that several threads from earlier books are brought together in Nemesis. A trip to Berlin allows Walker to catch up again with Barbara Guerra, a German policewoman whom he met when her sister Rita was abducted while travelling in Australia. Guerra is investigating a case of multiple poisonings in a small community outside Berlin.
These two storylines weave together, alongside Markovich’s actions to expand his drug operations in Berlin, and another sub-plot back in Australia (that I can’t give details of because spoilers!). Both Walker and Guerra have a lot riding on these cases. For Walker, the capture of Markovich has been a long time coming, and he feels it will compensate for his sense that he’s letting down his team at home because he’s requested a transfer. For Guerra, who has been sidelined due to PTSD, her case is a way of proving herself and getting back into the serious action. The investigations put them in the vicinity of very dangerous individuals who have no respect for the law, and both detectives put themselves in increasing danger to do their jobs. At the same time, there is a simmering attraction between Guerra and Walker that began when they met in Australia.
In a significant change from the earlier Walker thrillers, Nemesis is set in Berlin and its surrounds, replacing Australian cities and rural towns with immersive descriptions of the sights, sounds, spaces and culture of Berlin. The lake community of Mildersee, where Guerra’s cases are set, is living under the long shadows of a divided Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall, with the influences of East Germany’s Communist party still threading through the lives of the community’s residence. This provides a fascinating insight into German history.
Wolf is a masterful storyteller. The pacing and tension is masterful, with several ‘ticking clocks’ and multiple characters that are unpredictable enough to make many moments feel like they’re hanging on a knife edge. Nemesis is a deeply interesting exploration of human nature: of what brings people to kill, and of the choices that can change your fate in a few moments. An absorbing read.
Publishers Blurb
A dangerous chase. A sadistic killer.
DS Lucas Walker is on assignment for the Australian Federal Police, and it couldn’t be more personal. This is his last chance to take down Stefan Markovich – leader of the Vandals outlaw motorcycle gang – the man who has managed to evade justice ever since Walker uncovered his drug operation in Australia’s remote interior.
Having tracked Markovich to Berlin, Walker heads to Germany to lure his nemesis out of hiding and into custody. And there is another draw for Walker in Berlin: he finally gets to see Barbara Guerra again. After meeting in Australia two years earlier, Lucas and the German detective have formed a long-distance friendship … and maybe something more.
Now Barbara is leading an investigation into a suspicious death that has cast a dark shadow over the peaceful lakeside community of Mildersee. Everything about the horrific scene tells her that it’s murder. When a second gruesome death occurs, Barbara realises she is hunting a killer who poisons their victims and then watches them die in agony.
As Walker and Barbara grapple with their complex and dangerous cases, they are finally forced to confront their feelings for each another. But is there any chance of a future together, when they lead their lives in completely different worlds?
The fourth gripping instalment in the bestselling DS Walker series – full of shocking twists and thrilling turns – follows Lucas to an explosive showdown, far from home. For fans of Jane Harper, Cara Hunter and Chris Whitaker.