Tipping Point is the third book in the Detective Kate Miles series by prize-winning Australian author, Dinuka McKenzie. While he’s not telling his family that he’s been fired from his financial consultancy position in Sydney, it does mean he can attend the funeral in the Northern Rivers town of Esserton of one of his best friends from school.

Ant Reed’s death was deemed suicide by Queensland Police, but Frank Reed is certain his son would never take his own life and, at the funeral, he implores Luke’s sister, Kate Miles, to look into it. But as a NSW Police Detective Sergeant, she has no authority in Queensland.

Luke’s family is surprised when he hangs around after Ant’s funeral, Kate less so when she has to collect him from the River Arms pub after a drunken altercation with a backpacker that leaves him with a black eye, nor by his antagonism towards their father during a family lunch.

Kate is called out of that lunch to attend the scene of a shooting: Marcus Rowntree, the other of Luke’s best friend from school, lies dead in his backyard. Suicide or misadventure? And then the complications begin to pile on: Luke was apparently the last person to see Marcus alive; Marcus is the son of renowned and influential Australian actor, Eric Harrington; the autopsy deems it murder; Luke is suddenly nowhere to be found.

Kate has a history with Esserton’s new Acting Station Chief, Leo Esposito, but he’s being impartial about her close involvement to persons of interest. Kate voluntarily takes leave, excusing herself from the investigation, perhaps a little chagrined that the source of a year’s irritation, Detective Sergeant Josh Ellis will be coming from Byron Bay to take over the case.

But her father, former Esserton CI Arthur Grayling insists she act to help her brother. Running a parallel private investigation into the murder, though, isn’t going to do her career any good. At least they can get him decent legal representation once he turns up.

Luke hasn’t shared the reason he was fired, but the issue has followed him up to the Northern Rivers, or maybe he has followed it. And there’s something from the trio of friends’ past that’s coming home to roost. Leo Esposito also has a touchy matter from his past that’s going to blow up in Esserton, in a big way.

Once again, McKenzie gives the reader a page-turner filled with topical subjects: date rape; sharing of intimate media clips; domestic violence and coercive control; depression and suicide. this is a tightly plotted tale with twists and turns to keep the reader guessing right up to the final reveal. The body count includes one particularly sad loss for Kate, and there are some tension-filled moments as further deaths are narrowly avoided.

Her characters continue to develop, and it will be interesting to see in which direction Kate goes from here. This is McKenzie’s best so far, and more from this talented Aussie author will be eagerly anticipated.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins Australia.