The Wreckage

The wreckage is the latest book by talented Australian author, Michael Robotham.  I reviewed his second book Lost on this programme in 2007 and liked his writing so much that I have read every one of his thrillers since.

This story features one of Robotham’s favourite characters ex- Detective Inspector Vincent Ruiz who finds himself the victim of a robbery after rescuing a young woman from her violent boyfriend.  The only problem was, the whole thing was a set-up and Ruiz finds himself trying to track down the woman who robbed him to recover a valuable family heirloom.

While this is happening in London, Pulitzer prize-winning Journalist Luca Terracini is in Iraq following the trail of millions of dollars in lost (insert ‘stolen’) reconstruction funding.

Both Vincent and Luca come up against some unexpected opposition.  Vincent discovers that someone else is tracking the girl and it doesn’t matter who he kills to get to her and Luca finds himself involved in an international conspiracy that sees some of his best friends threatened and him expelled from Iraq.  Eventually these two seemingly unrelated stories do come together.

This is a fantastic story which keeps you gripped to your seat.  You just don’t want to put it down until you have finished it – much like his other books.  Some of the old favourite characters reappear like clinical psychologist Joe O’Loughlin and Ruiz’s daughter and ex wife.  One thing you can be sure off, both Vincent Ruiz and Luca Terracini will keep hunting for the truth no matter what it takes!

Year published: 2011
Jessica Swann, ABC 1062‘s rating: 10 out of 10