'It's not predictable at ALL.' The 11 Aussie crime fiction books to read in 2023.

There's nothing better than a good crime fiction book.

Give me a suspenseful, perfectly plotted novel that leaves me on the edge of my seat over a romantic read any day (although, I am still partial to the good ol' fictional love interest).

With authors like Jane Harper and Chris Hammer topping the bestsellers lists, it's clear that Aussie crime fiction in particular is having a moment. 

Here are the 11 crime fiction books written by some of Australia's best authors that the Mamamia Team absolutely devoured.

Scrublands by Chris Hammer.

Image: Supplied.

"This story is about the isolated town of Riverend which has a questionable reputation after a young priest shoots and kills five people at a church. He's shot dead too. A year later, a journalist visits the town to pay homage to the victims but nothing is as it seems because even the families of those lost still hold him in high regard. It's a story filled with twists and secrets. It's been remade into a Stan Original Series so I'm excited how the complex story unfolds visually." - Shannen.

Exiles by Jane Harper.

"I will give anything by Jane Harper a read. Exiles was my favourite — it's the third and final of the Aaron Falk books and doesn't necessarily have to be read in order but the side stories were tied up so well. Jane Harper is British-Australian and by god am I proud to know someone as gifted as her comes from Down Under." - Morgan

Ripper by Shelley Burr.

Image: Supplied.

"17 years prior to when the story is set, the charming town of Rainier turned into a murder town after three people died. Gemma, the main character, goes on a mission to find the killer and fix the reputation of her beautiful town. 

It's a suspenseful book, filled with lots of twists and turns. I won't be surprised if this becomes somewhat of a classic in the years to come." - Shannen

Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor.

Image: Supplied.

"I bloody love small-town fiction. I fell straight into the mystery of missing 12-year-old Esther and compulsively read this story in every spare gap of time that I had. I was very happy to read after I'd finished the book that Scrivenor is from Wollongong in New South Wales, just like me. 

I can't recommend Dirt Town enough. It's not predictable at all, has plenty of plot points and makes it hard to believe this is the author's debut. BRILLIANT WORK." - Michelle

The Nowhere Child by Christian White.

Image: Supplied.

"It was such an interesting story and one that was totally unique. Not to mention, the author did a great job at keeping the reader (aka me) completely hooked from beginning to end." - Basmah

The Housemate by Sarah Bailey.

Image: Supplied.

"In this story, Australia has been baffled by the Housemate Homicide for almost a decade after three housemates suffered different fates. One was dead, one was missing and one was accused of murder. A journalist named Olive is obsessed with the case and employs the help of podcaster Cooper Ng to uncover the dark web of secrets surrounding the mystery. It's brilliant and I loved it." - Polly

The Search Party by Simon Lelic.

Image: Supplied.

"This book follows five teens who set off into the woods in search of their missing friend, Sadie Saunders. However, each of them has a secret and knows more about Sadie's past – and perhaps her disappearance – than they are willing to admit. And not everyone is going to make it home.

I devoured this novel in about two days. This was a book with a twist that had me gasping; a captivating, atmospheric whodunnit of a book that had me second-guessing every character. There's a lot of suspense and intrigue and conflicting character dynamics that kept me turning the page." - Shaeden

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson.

Image: Supplied.

"The story follows the Cunningham family at their family reunion in the Snowy Mountains. But as the snowstorm worsens trapping them in the ski lodge for the weekend, tensions and suspense rise as it turns into a whodunit when multiple bodies show up. My actual worst nightmare.

It was very clever. I didn't get all the references but a lot of them gave me a LOL." - Michelle

The Survivors by Jane Harper. 

Image: Supplied.

"This was my first ever Jane Harper novel (I'm SORRY, I know!). There's a lot of tension and tragedy in this read and it's a slow burn but I enjoyed it so much. It's an intriguing storyline with lots of secrets to unpick." - Tilly 

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne.

Image: Supplied.

"The main protagonist Lenny is careful, methodical, unique and endearing. She's a 37-year-old primary school teacher with a big heart, who's often misunderstood. This book is Melbourne author Kerryn Mayne's debut, and it was charming and suspenseful." - Shell

Sadie by Courtney Summers.

Image: Supplied.

"The blurb for this novel reads: 'A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial-like podcast following the clues she’s left behind. And an ending you won’t be able to stop talking about.' And really, that's all I'm going to give to you in terms of the plot because I think it's best to sit back and let this harrowing and riveting book tell its own story.

It's raw, emotional and, at times, quite dark. The fascinating mode of story-telling blends a podcast-style narration with Sadie's own telling of her story and is incredibly well done. The ending will stick with you in both a good and bad way, with an echo of chilling timeliness that really clings to you. This book tackles some tough topics, so make sure you're fully prepared for it. Maybe line up some Bob's Burgers as a palate cleanser after?" - Shaeden

Feature Image: Booktopia/Mamamia.