Book excerpt: She was slipping away. The further she fell, the closer the clouds seemed to come. Wispy transparent slipstreams of white. Cirrus. Pain smashed her head. Floating … When investigative journalist Chrissie O’Brian lands a senior job at The Argus, she is desperate to escape the nightmares of her past. Her life has become a daily battle to numb the pain. But her job is something she can do better than anyone else – and the only thing that keeps the memories at bay. A face-off on the waterfront between the unions and big business is just the kind of story to get her career back on track. But after a dockworker who confided in her turns up dead, Chrissie becomes obsessed with unravelling the truth. When a gruesome threat lands on her desk, it's clear someone is prepared to do anything to stop her. But who is more dangerous – a ruthless enemy or a woman pushed to the edge? Used to fighting her own demons, this is one battle Chrissie is determined not to lose. Where the Truth Lies was a 2020 Ned Kelly Award finalist for best debut. It was shortlisted for the prestigious Unpublished Manuscript Award in the 2017 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, the same award Jane Harper won for The Dry. Shortlisted for the 2021 Ngaio Marsh Awards – Best First Novel. ‘A complex and compelling debut that’s impossible to put down!’ CHRISTIAN WHITE, bestselling author of The Nowhere Child, The Wife and the Widow 'A clever, explosive thriller ... I love Kilmore’s flawed heroine’s feistiness and her determination to take on the old boys’ network. Truly impressive' PETRONELLA MCGOVERN, bestselling author of Six Minutes ‘Kilmore holds an unflinching mirror up to Melbourne’s darker side in this gritty tale full of twists, packed with compelling characters. An exciting new voice in Australian crime fiction’ JANE HARPER, bestselling author of The Dry, Force of Nature, The Lost Man ‘A gripping and gritty novel introducing a heroine who’s just as layered and complex’ Who magazine ‘The breakout hit of the year’ Woman’s Day ‘Chrissie’s desperate race to uncover the truth will have you hooked’ Herald Sun ‘Excellent Aussie crime, with polished writing, great structure, compelling characters and a vivid Melbourne setting. There is a lot of buzz around this book and rightly so. It’s a fantastic read and definitely one you need to get your hands on immediately’ Better Reading ‘Journalist Karina Kilmore brings a wealth of insider knowledge to this explosive crime thriller.’ Australian Women’s Weekly 'It’s easy to see why everyone’s talking about this debut novel.’ Newtown Review of Books ‘Reading this reminded me of Sara Peretsky’s first books … there’s every chance we’re seeing the beginning of a substantial antipodean series that will inform and analyse while it entertains’ The Australian