Aether (large print)

As Detective Inspector Terry Stratton emerges from the icy waters of idyllic Seven Mile Beach and sets out on the ride leg of his club triathlon, his only worry is beating his mate, Johnno. Despite his recent demotion, Stratton is revelling in his new role as head of the re-formed Homicide and Cold Case Unit, despite its reputation as a poisoned chalice within the ranks of Tasmania Police. His team, rejected as misfits by other divisions, as Stratton was himself, is part of the appeal.

Crossing the finish line, an urgent summons saves Stratton from Johnno's victory taunts. A body has been found in macabre circumstances, in a nearby parkland. As suspects are eliminated and leads fizzle out, a second gruesome death occurs in another of Hobart's picturesque parks. Stratton is convinced the murders are connected and that an arcane ritual is being played out in the shadow of kunanyi, the majestic mountain, looming over the city.

Under pressure from his nemesis, AC Morton, who insists the killings are unrelated, the local press, and even from within his own team, Stratton has a choice to make. Chase a murderer, desperate to complete their mission, or appease Morton, poised and waiting for an excuse to remove Stratton from the investigation.