This is the second book in the Rose Riley series. I think it can easily be read as a standalone.

What I loved about this book is the way Matthew writes. He does police procedurals brilliantly. Reading his books are like watching your favourite crime shows all rolled into one. You feel like a detective yourself. He drip feeds you background information on the characters to help you try and solve the case.

This one involves a cold case ( which I love) and is a character driven book rather than action. There is alot of characters to keep you busy solving the case. Its all about the who and the why. I love Rose's character love her banter and the way she deals with people both professionally and personally.

Wow- what an incredibly fast paced, heart pounding and suspenseful police procedural set in the Hunter Valley- I absolutely flew through this book from the first page and read it in two sittings.
Broke Road had a vast and unique array of characters all with hidden secrets along with an atmospheric rural setting and a plot with a break neck pace which kept me on my toes and guessing until the very end as to who was the killer.
This was my first foray into the work of Matthew Spencer and I look forward to reading other books by him in the future.
A huge thankyou to both Net galley and Allen and Unwin for an early arc of this amazing book.

This story follows Homicide Detective Sergeant Rose Riley and her partner Priya and their investigation of a gruesome murder in the Hunter Valley. I love the Australian feel of the book and story and the mystery, twists and turns, of which there are many. I love the depth of the book and it certainly kept me interested and kept me turning the pages.

This book is well written (as you would expect) and I do like the characters as both Rose and Priya are strong and determined women who want to get the job done. The pacing was perfect, the story was perfect and the fact there is so much going on yet it is easy to read and follow makes it that much better. A great read.

Thank you NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book is multi layered with plenty to unpack, a fantastic story with a mystery that will have you guessing and thinking until the end.
The storyline follows Rose a sharp Detective Sergeant who takes her partner Priya to help solve a gruesome murder. The setting is a close knit community and the townsfolk are protective of their property and each other, who will reveal what they know?
The local Police are doing their best, but there’s something amiss. A cocky journalist is trying to work on who is responsible, he doesn’t mind where the information comes from!
The pace kept me invested in the drama, the characters were relatable and the suspense and thrill of the chase add to the mystery.

Thank you to Allen and Unwin, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a second book to 'Black River' and is as good, if not better than the first book. In this story Riley is sent to the wine growing region of NSW to investigate the murder of a young woman. All points to the husband being the guilty party but for Riley something feels off with the whole situation. Riley works with her partner from Black River, Priya Patel, and the journalist Bowman decides to join them.
This could be read as a standalone, but will have much more context when Black River is read first.
Happy to recommend this Australian murder mystery. Thank you Netgalley and Allen & Unwin Publishing for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

Homicide detective Rose Riley and her partner Priya Patel have been sent to the Hunter Valley, one of Australia’s top wine growing regions, where a young woman was found murdered in her own home. Her husband was away at the time so the police must look for other suspects.

Riley and Patel are both good investigators and they soon get to know the locals and their relationships, uncovering some well hidden secrets. The development of both characters is well done, with the tenacious Riley and clever Patel working well together and bringing a touch of humour to their interactions. Journalist Adam Bowman, who we met in ‘Black River’, also arrives in the Hunter in search of a new story and is able to assist the detectives with information he collects.

The author depicts the setting really well, especially the small town where the murder occurred fighting to retain its identity against the ever growing flood of tourists who come for the wine and gourmet food. The murder mystery is well done, moving at a steady pace to a thrilling ending.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, the authors debut novel Black River, this one was even better. The writing felt cleaner and the twists and turns with a well balanced paced had me hooked. My only slight issue was that the it jumped around between Rose’s perspective to Adam’s and wasn’t always clear when the change occurred. It got a little jarring at times trying to keep track of which one I was following. I love when books set in Australia reference places I know well. This one mentioned my home town Canberra a few times adding another layer of mystery and drama Overall a great mystery thriller that kept me guessing until the end.

Broke Road is a strong follow-up to the first Rose Riley novel, Black River, though it also works well as a standalone. This time, Detective Rose Riley and her partner, Priya Patel, are called to investigate the murder of a woman found dead in her home in the scenic wine country of the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. As in the previous book, investigative journalist Adam Bowman reappears — offering his help, and of course, hoping for a story.

I found the story a little slow to get into, and there were quite a few characters to keep track of. I really enjoyed how Rose and Priya worked together, and with the locals, to get to the bottom of it and how they tracked it to other murders. Was a great police procedural story, where I wasn't ever quite sure which way it would turn out.

First things first—I didn’t realise Broke Road was the second book in a series, but that didn’t stop me from diving in headfirst. What initially pulled me in was the setting in the Hunter Valley, an area close to my heart as a local. The fact that this gripping crime thriller unfolded in a familiar landscape made the story feel even more real and intense.

Despite coming into the series mid-way, I absolutely loved Broke Road. The suspense was sharp, the twists constant, and I found myself second-guessing every character’s motives right up until the very end. It’s one of those rare books that keeps you re-evaluating everything you think you know—and I truly couldn’t put it down.

Now that I’ve met Rose Riley in this installment, I’ll definitely be circling back to read Black River to see how her journey begins. If you're after a tense, well-crafted Australian crime read that will keep you hooked from start to finish, Broke Road is a must.

Thank you to Allen & Unwin, NetGalley, and Matthew Spencer for this eARC! 🫶🏻

An intriguing and gripping police procedural story following the Rose Riley series with her partner Patel and Bowman (the journalist). It was an exciting read that I couldn’t put it down.
Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher Allen & Unwin for another fantastic book -ARC.

I applied for an ARC of this book purely based on the fact that I enjoyed Matthew Spencer's first book, Black River, a lot. I didn't even read the synopsis before I started reading so I really went into this book blind.

The murder of a woman in Wine Country, NSW, takes homicide detective Riley Rose out past Cessnock. There is a wide cast of characters, offering plenty of suspects and although the culprit is hinted at early on, I was unsure which character was our murderer until the end. Riley Rose and her partner Priya Patel are both such likeable characters, very easy to read and the reappearance of journalist Adam Bowman makes for a well rounded team.

This was a great work of Australian crime fiction and a really enjoyable read. 4 stars from me and a big thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advanced copy.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vibes: Fast Paced, Gritty, Serial Killer

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I had the pleasure of reading the first book in this series just last month and rated Black River a solid five stars, so I didn’t expect the sequel to top it but Broke Road has absolutely delivered and honestly, was even better!

From the very first page, this book dived headfirst into the crime, no drawn out intros, character waffle or slow build up, just straight into the action, which I loved. It made it basically impossible to put down.

This one had everything - multiple suspects, multiple unsolved crimes, multiple clever red herrings and the looming possibility of a serial killer. I was guessing the whole way through.

The excellent cast of crime solving characters return including Detective Rose Riley and journalist Adam Bowman and their dynamic adds a lot of depth to the investigation. The procedural elements are sharp, the setting is authentically Aussie small town and the dry wit throughout gave it the perfect balance.

If you’re after clever, pacy, no nonsense crime fiction this is it. The writing was gripping, the atmosphere was gritty and the mystery brilliantly executed.

Do yourself a favour and start with Black River, then read this straight after. Back to back perfection.

I loved this book! I’ll also say I had no idea it was the second book in the series so I’ll. Be going back to read the first. Detective Rose Riley is investigating a dead body found in a country NSW town near where she grew up. There’s twists and turns while we try to work out who committed the murder, which I loved. Along with the rural setting. A great mystery for people who love books set in rural Australia.

If Black River established Matthew Spencer as a crime writer to watch, Broke Road proves beyond doubt he should be measured against the best in the genre. This is one of the finest police procedurals I’ve read in recent years, driven not by action and violence, but pure investigatory legwork.

In Broke Road, homicide detective sergeant Rose Riley and partner Priya Patel catch a fresh case that sends them to Red Creek in the Hunter Valley—not far from where Riley grew up—where a woman has been found dead in her home. Riley knows all about the dark underbelly that exists beyond the tourist traps; it’s not all luxurious wineries, lavish golf courses, and deluxe accommodations. That’s what attracts journalist turned true crime author Adam Bowman to the scene; the chance to expose the corruption beneath the glamour; to strip its façade to its gritty skeleton.

Spencer wrings suspense out of every aspect of the investigation, which explodes into something potentially far more wider-reaching than a single homicide. Riley and Patel use logical inference to identify and clear suspects, wading through false leads, and driving headlong into dead ends. Spencer detonates plenty of surprises along the way, zigzagging his detectives to a pulse-pounding finale. Strong characters, a great sense of place, underlying authenticity—crime writing doesn’t get much better.

What a fantastic story this is. I thoroughly enjoyed the way this book was written and the multilayered story within.

When a woman is murdered in her home in the Hunter Valley, homicide Detective Sergeant Rose Reilly and her partner Priya Patel head up from Sydney to work with local police to solve the crime.

What they don't expect to encounter is a cocky entrepreneur who thinks he is a cut above, a local journalist that won't give up, a leak from within the local police, corruption and deceit and a possible link to a similar murder interstate. But what or who ties it all together?

Investigative journalist Adam Bowman, who we know from Black River, inserts himself in the investigation hoping to gain exclusive access to information from the police. Fresh from the success of his book on the Blue Moon Killer, Adam smells another bestseller.

This was so well paced and had me intrigued and invested in the storyline from the get go. I really enjoy a good police procedural and this one had all the right ingredients for me. The investigation may have been thrown off the scent a few times, but Rose follows her instincts when she gets a hunch. I love her working relationship with Priya and their almost unspoken communication.

The conclusion was fraught with tension when they realise who the perpetrator is and worry he may be on the run.

Another great Australian crime fiction story from Matthew Spencer!

This is the second book in the DS Rose Riley series, this time set in winemaking country of the Hunter Valley.

Homicide Detective Sergeant Rose Riley grew up in the valley and is now investigating the suspected murder of a local woman, alongside her partner Priya Patel. Soon enough crime reporter Adam Bowman also becomes ingratiated in the high-stakes investigation. Forensic evidence links other unsolved murders, and it becomes apparent that women are being chosen and targeted. Will Rose and Priya identify the serial killer, before another woman is murdered?

I really enjoyed the police procedural elements, the atmospheric setting of Red Creek and the variety of possible suspects.

Give this one a read if you like crime fiction, or police procedurals.

With thanks to Allen & Unwin, Matthew Spencer and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy, in exchange for an honest review.