When It Rains by Australian author Dave Warner is crime fiction and the fourth book in the Dan Clement series. It opens with a gripping first page that immediately sparks your interest so readers will delve straight into the novel.
Broome Detective Dan Clement receives a call, his police detective sergeant, Josh Shepherd has been brutally assaulted on a night out at the Picadoor pub. When he arrives at the hospital he is shocked by his condition.
Clement and his partner Graeme Earle immediately start the investigation into who may have committed the crime. Then they receive another call, a woman has been raped and left for dead in a nearby hotel.
Things take a turn when a gruesome discovery a woman’s hand is found, tied to a post in a notorious croc-infested river.
Are the perpetrators the same men committing the crimes? Are they all tied together? With mounting cases and a race against time to stop more violent crimes, will Clement and his team be able to apprehend the criminals?
Warner’s plot is top-tier, and his story is taut, compelling, and suspenseful. The unbelievably twisty nature and unpredictability will have any reader racing through the pages. The author’s writing is crisp, and captivating, and he has the gift of bringing strong emotions to life. It is hard to draw a full breath while reading to see what happens next.
The characters within the pages of this book are real and relatable and any reader will want to follow on their journey. Protagonist Dan is passionate about his work and captures the heart of being a Detective on a small town’s police force. The supporting characters are well written, I enjoyed the return of some old favourites. I especially liked Dan’s new love in his life Lena, it gave him a softer edge that I found endearing.
The setting is detailed, and I enjoyed how descriptive the author is when exploring the features of the natural environment where the story takes place. From the long stretches of road between towns, crocodile infested rivers and the extremely hot and dry weather proving stifling at times.
I love the cover, anything with a crocodile intrigues my interest and I wouldn’t hesitate to pick it up. It has an eerie lurking feel that matches the novel’s epic tale. The colour palette and bold type are a nice blend.
Dave Warner is a wonderfully talented crime author, his style is engaging and realistic, and he pulls the reader in full force, to the heart of the story. I look forward to the next Dan Clement mystery.
When it Rains is a gripping read for fans of suspense, thriller, crime drama, and detective subgenres. I highly recommend.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club members are reading When it Rains by Dave Warner. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
My love of books started at a very young age. My mum has always been a reader and encouraged me to read, buying me endless book from classic fairy tales advancing to the world of Enid Blyton, CS Lewis, Louisa May Alcott, Kathryn Kenny, Carolyn Keene, Francine Pascal. In my adult years the list of authors is endless and every room in my house is filled with books.
One of my favourite novels is Narnia which has always has a special place in my heart. I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 1978 and when I was given this book to read it let me escape to another world where I felt like I was in the book with all the characters, it wasfun and exciting to escape from reality and eased the ups and downs of the disease at such a young age.
In books nothing is impossible and there is endless potential and hundreds of places to explore or being taken to places that are only made up from the authors’ great minds, the past and future to navigate, characters lives you step into taking you on an emotional rollercoaster ride or being scared out of your wits. I can experience things that I can’t in real life because they’re not possible or real. It challenges my perspective and mindset expanding my worldview.
I find joy, comfort and peace with books, many people may not get it, but I know bookworms like me truly understand. Reading makes my heart happy.
When it Rains, by Dave Warner has all the elements for a classic Aussie drama……the red dirt of the outback, a weary, veteran police detective, one psycho jilted lover, numerous dead bodies and last but not least Australia’s prehistoric monsters; the Northern Australian crocodile.
Once started, When it Rains, is quite hard to be drawn away from. One is taken along with Dan Clement on his journey to find the truth behind evidence and to bring justice to bereaved families and to find answers for questioning locals.
This would be a good Australian novel to purchase as a great gift for any avid reader.
Thank you to Freemantle Press for allowing me to review.
After seeing Dave Warners anthology I will be working my way through his other works for sure!
When it Rains was not the first of Dave Warner’s books that I have read so I knew from the start that I was going to enjoy this read and I certainly did. He has a way of keeping the reader guessing right up until the end. It is also awesome to have reads by Aussie writers and set in Australia.
With a police sergent bashed and left for dead and a female attacked it seems the two crimes are connected but as the investigation progresses the twists and turns start appearing and there is more horror to come.
This is a great read for anyone on your Christmas list that loves Aussie crime and/or mystery. I have Dave Warner’s books on my list for my Secret Santa and Im keeping my fingers crossed.
When it Rains by Dave Warner is a classic thriller murder mystery that will keep you reading late into the night. The storyline is quite enthralling especially with its chilling start of the first woman killed by crocodiles! The storyline goes into detail of another murder and attack with no real killer yet identified and are these murders and attacks connected just keeps you turning the pages to find out the killer and why they did this!
From the cover it has you hooked with the deadly crocodile on the cover you just know it will be a murder mystery that will send tingles down your spine.
A great read if you like thriller and intrigue books and it keeps you guessing until the end. An enjoyable book to snuggle up one weekend to read
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. Looking forward to the next book by Dave Warner.
Dave Warner’s “When It Rains” is a suspenseful and twist-filled crime thriller that keeps readers on edge.
The plot, the relatable characters and the gripping tension make it a real page turner. Main character – small town detective Dan, is passionate and complex, while his new love interest adds another dimension to his character.
The colourful descriptions of the harsh Aussie landscape enhance the story’s atmosphere, with stifling heat and crocodile-infested rivers setting the scene.
Fans of crime dramas will find this a compelling read. This is the first Dave Warner novel I’ve read but I’m keen for another instalment featuring Dan Clement. I would definitely recommend this book.
When It Rains by Dave Warner has more twists than a Twisties packet!
So much happens in Detective Dan Clement’s case it’s hard to keep up at times but I enjoyed the ride.
A police sergeant is beaten, a women’s hand is found in croc infested waters and others are in danger.
It all links back to an eight year old incident but who is responsible? That is what Dan and his team have to figure out.
You never know what is going to happen next, who is going to be the next victim so this book keeps you hooked. I am keen to read more of Dave Warner’s work especially the Dan Clement series as I really enjoyed him as a character.
Thanks so much to Beauty And Lace and Fremantle Press for introducing me to this impressive crime fiction author.