In this follow-up to the award-winning Lorraine Henry thrillers Paper Cage and Lucky Thing, Tom Baragwanath delivers his trademark in-depth exploration of isolated communities, wild environments, and resourceful cops—and records clerks—under pressure.

COLD PLACES
by Tom Baragwanath
Text Publishing Australia, August 2027

When it’s time for a little rest and relaxation, police records clerk Lorraine Henry heads north to Great Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf to visit her colleague, constable Dion Warwick—but the island has something else in store.

After the bodies of two women wash ashore bound in rope, Lorraine and Dion must work with spiky veteran detective Mo Roche to uncover a hidden threat lurking in plain sight, even if doing so means confronting decades-long secrets. And for Lorraine, some of those secrets hit a little too close to home, putting her and her family in real danger.

Without her Masterton connections to draw from, Lorraine needs to find new ways to stay ahead of the danger waiting around every corner, navigating hostile locals, watchful neighbours, and an island commune that isn’t quite what it seems.

‘Wonderful, emotional storytelling with a fine protagonist—an Antipodean Miss Marple, but fiercer—makes this too good to miss.’ – Daily Mail UK on Lucky Thing

‘Lorraine Henry is a refreshingly different crime fiction protagonist.’ – Shelley Burr

‘Just the kind of dark, disturbing, gritty, and unusual treat thriller lovers are looking for.’ – Kirkus (starred review) on Paper Cage

Tom Baragwanath is originally from Masterton, New Zealand, and now lives in Paris with his young family. His first novel, Paper Cage, was the 2021 winner of the Michael Gifkins Prize. His second novel, Lucky Thing, is currently shortlisted for Best International Crime Fiction in the 2026 Ned Kelly Awards as well as being longlisted for the 2026 Ngaio Marsh Awards.