This is a beautifully written and constructed book. Redemption Point suggests that time is ripe for restoration of justice and also speaks of an area by the lake where former Detective Ted Conkaffey goes walking, savouring the freedom he had lost while in prison, having been wrongly accused of a heinous crime.

It's hard not to love razor-sharp, sassy-smart, streetwise Amanda Pharrell, the deliciously irreverent PI with a checkered past, who partners Ted. She's flawed but shrewd in the ways of the world and a canny character assessor to boot.

The swampy, crocodile-infested, humid and oppressive environment of Crimson Lake feels like another character in itself, populated as it is with wild life of every kind. The natives are far from friendly to the private investigators in their midst. Most are downright hostile and resentful.

Ted has supporters fighting for his cause, while he is holed up in a place where he can retreat from it all. Estranged from his wife and toddler daughter, lost to his previous career, he lives alone, save for a gaggle of geese, who he converses with.

The past suddenly catches up with him when he gets brutally attacked in his hideaway home by the father of the teenage girl he was accused of sexually assaulting. As he’s reeling from this, and being forced to help clear his own name, a local murder requires his attention.

Nowhere feels safe any more. Even the help of heavies, enlisted on his behalf, fail to eliminate the feeling that he is both suspect and target. Parallel to this thread, diary entries unfold, shedding light on the true perpetrator of the crime he was accused of.

Will Ted be able to clear his name before someone takes him down? Or will he die at the hands of those thirsty for revenge and their own kind of restorative justice? Questions remain as this chilling crime thriller reaches its denouement. A gripping, compulsive read. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and Cornerstone Digital for the ARC.

I picked up this book not knowing what to expect but, having loved The Dry and being told it was a similar read I thought I'd give it a go. I was so pleased I did.
Candice Fox weaves an intense, thrilling tale set against a backdrop of smalltown Australia. Ted has fled the city after being accused of the most heinous crime - the rape and attempted murder of a child. He has made his home in the Queensland back water and even managed to form an investigation company with the eccentric former criminal Amanda. A brutal crime hits Crimons Falls and Amanda and Ted are brought in to investigate alongside the police force but Ted has issues of his own, with the broken father of his accused victim trackng him and determined for revenge.
This is such a tightly woven novel and the story roars along at a fast pace, it's strange to feel sympathetic towards the two main protagonists but it's clear that neither are truly guilty of the crimes of which they are accused. but Fox writes beautifully, the cast of supporting characters all have their own struggles and she takes the time to engage with those stories too, without losing any of the gripping storyline.
The landscape of Crimson Lake is almost a character in the book, with it's heat and wildlife, including Ted's 'pet' geese, creating an oppressive atmosphere which adds a distinctive element to the story.
This is the second Ted Conkaffey book and I will definitely be seeking out the first one. Fox is a great writer with a unique flavour to her thrillers.

I hadn't read the first book but you can bet I shall, even though some of that book will be compromised by the content of this. I just loved this. I can only imagine the desperation of an innocent person accused of an unspeakable crime and unable to either exonerate himself or continue his life. Starting again to make a new life with fellow outcasts and continuing a search for justice old and new. Great.

Ted Conkaffey, drug squad cop, devoted husband, and father, lost everything when he was wrongly accused of abducting a young girl from the side of the road two years earlier. Now living  in the small town of Crimson Lake and working as a private investigator with Amanda Pharrell, who herself spent years in jail for murder, he is trying to rebuild his life. When two young people are found shot to death in a small bar outside town Ted and Amanda, brought in by one of the victims' fathers, struggle to solve the murders while the abduction case shifts up a notch as further allegations are made and more hatred is aimed at Ted.
This is the second of the Crimson Lakes series and although I haven't read the first there was enough information for this not to be a problem.  The storytelling was first class, and the characterisation is excellent. I liked Ted and his geese right from the start and Amanda is a great foil for everyone; disarming, clever, loyal and with an outlook all her own she made the book for me.
I had never read any of Candice Fox's work before but thanks to Netgalley who provided this early copy that has changed and I intend to acquaint myself with her other books right away.

A fantastic read. Thoroughly enjoyed this and it is not something I would usually pick up. Will look for more from this author in future.

Great Novel. Lots of twists and turns and a good resolved ending.

Reading this has made me download another of her books

I thought Crimson Lake was brilliant; Redemption is even better. This is a real thriller, with so many twists and turns, it's impossible to predict how it'll play out. Redemption picks up on a few threads from the first book and there are some underlying tensions and unanswered questions. That said, this is still an excellent stand alone story.

It's a little different in that it's set in Northern Australia; a fictional town but the setting feels very realistic and the oppressive and sometimes overpowering heat of the area adds to the realism. Amanda and Ted run a Private Investigation business. Both are flawed, but entirely plausible and their demons add to them as people. It's an interesting and compelling partnership and there's more to be told.

Candice Fox writes really well. I was swept straight in to the story and didn't want to stop reading. There's plenty of pace, a twisted plot that keeps you guessing and great dialogue. Really enjoyed this and my thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Having really enjoyed the first in the series, Crimson Lake, and the confusing-but-intriguing ending, I knew I wanted to read the second novel, also starring Ted Conkaffey and Amanda Pharrell. Both of them are such quirky characters; I really like Amanda because she adds such a different element to the story - though she can be really annoying at times - and Ted's unusual situation (as we find out all about in the previous novel) adds an extra element to the story. Although they are technically investigating another crime, I am so pleased that more is revealed about the awful incident involving young Claire Bingley, so there is definitely more than one 'mystery' at work here. I'd definitely recommend reading the first novel to get the most out of this one.

The storyline is again intriguing and multi-layered, with plenty of dark undercurrents and tension. Though there are slower parts where more character development takes place, there are also some lighter parts, mostly from Amanda and her quirky social skills. and the pace kept my attention from wandering. I also enjoyed (if that's the right word?) finding out more about the original case that put Ted in prison.

I'd definitely recommend Redemption- it's brilliantly written and packs a punch. Definitely a series to take notice of.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel to Crimson Lake. The author has continued to develop the characters, particularly that of Amanda. There is a good detective story plus the twists and turns of the original accusations of paedophilia against Tom Conkaffey. If I have any criticism, it is the same as that of Crimson Lake, sometimes there is just too much going on. However, the plot is well thought out with all its twists and turns and the characters are diverse and interesting. I could not put this book down.

Excellent follow up to Crimson Lake

How I have missed a couple of my all-time favourite characters in crime thrillers and so I was thrilled to review Candice Fox’s latest book. Private investigators Amanda Pharrell and Ted Conkaffey are about as dysfunctional as they come and yet the writer has created two great characters. They are both flawed as human beings and yet they both share an innate belief in protecting the vulnerable and righting wrongs and they will stop at nothing to find the truth.

Amanda and Ted are tasked with solving the murders of two young bartenders in the rainforest town of Crimson Lake. They work alongside Detective Inspector Pip Sweeney, working her first homicide case. The three of them form an uneasy alliance as they attempt to unravel the motive for the murder.

Ted’s life is further complicated by the unexpected arrival of the father of the young girl he has been falsely accused of raping and murdering. Clair Bingley’s father, Dale, is determined to catch the real killer and does not leave Ted any choice but to help him.

The plot is very well thought out and the reader is swept along as the characters struggle with false leads and complicated motives. I really enjoy the quirky way the main characters approach their investigations and the way they forge a tight bond with one another. Ted’s rescued geese and Amanda’s collection of rescue cats are a clue to the sensitive side of their natures and how they both champion the weak and needy, whether animal or human.

I am a huge fan of Candice Fox and eagerly await the next instalment.

Gillian

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

Amanda Pharrell and Ted Conkaffey – partners in the local Crimson Lake PI business, were called to the Barking Frog Inn along with the local police department - with Detective Inspector Pip Sweeney in charge - to the shocking vision of two teenagers lying dead on the grimy floor of the bar. Both Amanda and Ted had a past that made them uneasy partners and ostracized citizens of the town. Ted’s disgrace was more current though, and the desperation to clear his name was still high on his list of priorities.

But the new case felt like it was succeeding in taking his mind off his troubles – until explosive allegations threatened the fragile lead he had with the believers in his innocence. Ted’s neck felt like it was in a noose – he felt guilty at leaving Amanda to the murder case in Crimson Lake, but his mind just wasn’t on it. Would they ever find the perpetrator who had actually done the deed that Ted had been arrested for? And would they find the killer of the two young people closer to home?

Redemption Point by Aussie author Candice Fox is the second in the Crimson Lake series, and in my opinion, better than the first. Plenty of twists and turns, with the quirky Amanda often making me laugh at her antics. Set in the fictional town of Crimson Lake, near Cairns in far north Queensland, the heat and humidity was getting to me as well. Dense bush surrounding waterways filled with growling crocodiles, plenty of dubious bad guys, and a new DI trying to make her way – along with a few friendly (or not) pet geese! An entertaining thriller which I recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.

This is the second in the stellar Aussie series, Crimson Lake, by Candice Fox and it was an absolute joy to read. Set primarily in The Cairns, Queensland, with its rainforests, Crimson Lake with its crocs and abundant flora and fauna, this is unmissable crime fiction that drips with atmosphere, colour and vibrancy. Ted Conkaffey, deemed to be a paedophile, continues to live under the dark cloud of abducting and sexually assaulting 13 year old Claire Bingley, desperately trying to live a life under the radar, unwilling to search for the real perpetrator. However, the world is far too interested in a disgraced ex-cop, and the pressure increases with the arrival of the unforgiving, vengeful and disturbed Dale, Claire's father. Dale is in the grip of an all consuming rage directed at Ted, seriously assaulting him with a baseball bat, unconvinced of his innocence, and forcing Ted to look closer into his own case. The murderous Dale takes up residence in Ted's home, refusing to leave, making it clear that he will kill whoever is guilty. The tattooed and scarred Amanda Pharrell PI, and Ted have been engaged to find out who killed 2 young bartenders, Andy Bell and Keema Daula at the Barking Frog Inn, by Andy's father who has little reason to trust the police.

The one off character that is Amanda Pharrell is one of the strongest reasons to read this series. She has killed in self defence, served prison time, has the charming and yet, at the same time, irritating habit of speaking in rhymes, she is a brilliant and gifted investigator with the almost supernatural ability to intuit the truth. She lacks the capacity to be discreet, so forthright as to be the proverbial bull in a china shop. The Inexperienced DI Philippa 'Pip' Sweeney needs all the help she can get in her first murder case, and finds herself working with the gloriously more able Amanda, agog at her eccentricities. Pip has a burden of guilt she carries that weighs her down, which her growing friendship with Amanda helps to ease as the investigation progresses. Ted makes the naive decision to submit to a TV interview that pays well, without understanding the machiavellian purpose and ratings chasing intentions of programme. His already difficult life looks to engulf him with additional threats in his neverending nightmare, leading him to acquire the Middle Eastern bodyguards, Linda and Sharon, courtesy of the notorious gangster, Khaled, who unlike his friends, colleagues and family in Sydney, believes in his innocence.

Ted finds nuggets of stability from the precarious nature of his life, that shape his new, more enduring identity, this includes the psychological therapy he gains from discussing his life and issues with Woman, the mother goose, and the routines involved in caring for her and her 6 seriously cute goslings. He is not the same man who used to be married to Kelly, although his heart misses his darling infant daughter, Lilian. He has constructed a sparse but vital life at Crimson Lake, with a few close friends who have made life bearable in their commitment and support, and he has no intention of letting this life go. As answers that prove his innocence emerge, I sincerely hope Candice Fox has plans to continue this series, because I absolutely love it. This is crime fiction that should not be missed. Simply fantastic and highly recommended! Many thanks to Random House Cornerstone for an ARC.

Having read and devoured Crimson Lake last year I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book, and what a book! It is a fast paced well written sequel from the Aussie queen of crime. Ted and Amanda make an awesome couple and I hope we haven't seen the last of them.
Highly recommended 5***** read.

After reading Crimson Lake I was really looking forward to reading this and I wasn't disappointed! I love Ted and Amanda's relationship and I find Fox's writing totally compelling and addictive!

This is the second in a series by Candice Fox and although you can jump right in, I highly recommend you read Crimson Lake first if at all possible.

Ted is a former police detective with a dark past he can't escape. He was accused of attacking a young girl, and though the case collapsed, he was not found innocent as such and now everyone views him with suspicion. He's had to walk away from his wife and child and hide in an Australian backwater.

Now he's a PI with maybe one friend in town, simply trying to exist one day at a time.

But his case is building - though he has given up all hope of having his name cleared, there are others who believe in him. In this book we start learning about the real killer - hope may be around the corner.

And in the meantime, there are still crimes to solve - like the two dead bodies in the local bar, killed without any apparent motive.

I still like this series a lot. Ted's situation is desperate and the author really makes you feel his pain. The 'book crime' as opposed to 'overall series crime' is interesting without being over the top and you get enough progress on Ted's own case to feel satisfaction - although it's not all tied up neatly with a bow. I love his platonic relationship with Amanda (the PI he works with) and the fragile relationship with his wife is believable too.

I believe there's another book to come - I really hope so.

Wow! What a fantastic crime thriller. I couldn’t read it quick enough- a real page turner! Highly recommend it.

I think that I enjoyed Redemption Point more than Crimson Lake which came as a surprise. The writing maybe seems a bit more assured, now that the author has opportunity to further develop these characters. I also felt that it was a bold move to humanise a young boy as he realises his terrible secret. In a lot of cases I'm not on board with letter or diary entry narration tactics but it certainly worked here. My only criticism is yet again in the finale we find Amanda in yet another damsel in distress plot point situation. I hope it isn't a constantly recurring theme. With so many threads from the first book now wrapped up it seems like the third book can cover new ground. I'm excited to see what happens next.

The colourfully damaged investigative pairing of Ted Conkaffey and Amanda Pharrell return in the much anticipated sequel to Crimson Lake. Candice Fox does an exceptional job of weaving together a new case with the continuation of the unsolved case that brought Ted to Crimson Lake in the first place.

On that latter front, the mystery unravels itself in the form of diary entries that open a window into the mind of one of the most controversial human conflictions. Fox handles this alternate perspective exceptionally well, treating a very delicate subject with the utmost care. Whilst Ted is handling his own inner demons and ever changing state of affairs, our intricately complex and extremely loveable heroine is focussed on the mysterious murder of two young bartenders.

Redemption Point builds on what made Crimson Lake so enjoyable, complex protagonists that are tangible and a writing style that keeps us engaged in the ongoing mysteries of the primary threads and there many sub plots.

I for one can’t wait for the next edition.

I really enjoyed this book. I was gripped from the start. This is a lot better than Crimson Lake. It is better written and held my attention more. I would definitely read another book in this series.

I really enjoyed this this sequel to Crimson Lake. I felt that you did need to read the first novel to understand all the references. A story with many layers and the ending is very clever. There is obviously a sequel coming.....one that I will read.