Devastation Road

"Devastation Road" is the nickname the inhabitants of Allandale, a sleepy Victorian town, have given the local Station Road after several fires and mysterious deaths over the past eight years.

Fifteen year-old Matt Tingle and his smug, dorky friend Chess, take it upon themselves to investigate the death of the local bakery girl, Debbie. Matt fancies himself as an amateur sleuth, but he soon realises that his and Chess's original approach of trying to find the "patterns" in things is misconceived. He realises that they should be focused on people's motivations, their thoughts and feelings.

This insight is the crux of the novel because Matt's sensitive reflections reveal much about his character as he comes of age as a person and as a sleuth. This is a murder-mystery with more subtlety and depth than your average pot-boiler, and the sinuous plot will keep even the most cunning afficionado guessing.