COVER PAGE

PRAISE

PRAISE FOR

THE UNBELIEVED

‘A beating heart of a novel, The Unbelieved sweeps you up in its rhythms from the very first pages. Petraitis handles this exploration of the corrosive consequences of not believing women with such assurance, it really does seem impossible this is her crime fiction debut. Compelling, clever and utterly convincing, readers are going to love Senior Detective Antigone Pollard—and her dog!’

—Jacqueline Bublitz, bestselling author of Before You Knew My Name

‘A true crime expert wielding skilful prose, Petraitis’s The Unbelieved is tight, tense and unrelenting.’

—Candice Fox, bestselling author of The Chase

‘A rally cry of a crime book jam-packed with great characters. Don’t pick it up unless you’re prepared to be held hostage. Antigone Pollard explodes off the page, she’s such a fearless memorable character.’

—Sarah Bailey, bestselling author of The Housemate

‘Fast-paced and gripping, The Unbelieved follows a strong, determined female detective in her search for the truth. The climax will have you questioning concepts of justice and fairness, and how we can all do better. A riveting novel tackling today’s issues.’

—Petronella McGovern, author of Six Minutes

‘A fast, hard ride through the zeitgeist. Gripping, important, funny—and with a great swerve in the tail.’

—Matthew Spencer, author of Black River

‘The Unbelieved springs from a place of anguish and rage in that all too familiar gap between the law and justice when it comes to prosecuting violence against women. Vikki Petraitis has written a ripper of a story, a novel that is both important and unputdownable. Senior Detective Antigone Pollard is the avenging angel we need for these times.’

—Angela Savage, author of Mother of Pearl

‘Vikki Petraitis has skilfully woven chilling facts and compelling fiction to create an utterly gripping read. With a kick-ass female cop untangling layers of lies and fear as crimes against women escalate in a country town, The Unbelieved explodes with twists and turns played out by a cast of unforgettable characters. But much more importantly, it places issues relating to gender-based violence at its centre—making them impossible to ignore, and leaving you holding your breath with both alarm and admiration.’

—Lyn Yeowart, award-winning author of The Silent Listener

‘Timely, pacey and lit by a burning anger. Petraitis’s deep knowledge of real-life crime shines through in this twisting story about power, violence and lies.’

—Emma Viskic, author of Those Who Perish

‘Tough, dogged, vital and utterly consumed by her pursuit of justice—Antigone Pollard is Australia’s answer to Harry Bosch. The Unbelieved is my favourite kind of crime-writing—a riveting page-turner, with a beating, moral heart. This novel shines a compelling light on the cycle of violence we routinely see in Australia, and the victims at the centre of it.’

—Ben Hobson, author of Snake Island

‘A cracking good story fuelled by righteous anger.’

—Maryrose Cuskelly, bestselling author of The Cane