Garry Disher Books In Order

Publication Order of Wyatt Books

Publication Order of Inspector Challis Books

Publication Order of Paul Hirschhausen Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Anthologies

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of After Dark Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Garry Disher ranks among Australia’s most distinguished crime writers, celebrated for crafting profoundly resonant stories. His three Ned Kelly Awards underscore his skill in creating taut, suspenseful narratives. Spanning hardboiled crime to children’s fiction, his works captivate readers through razor-sharp dialogue, vivid settings, and unforgettable characters.

Three defining series highlight Disher’s exceptional range. The Wyatt novels follow a principled thief operating by his own strict code. The Peninsula Crimes series explores detectives Hal Challis and Ellen Destry’s professional and personal lives. The Hirsch books track rural constable Paul Hirschhausen through outback dramas, all showcasing Disher’s signature authenticity.

Early and Personal Life

Born August 15, 1949 in Burra, South Australia, Disher’s farm upbringing shaped his authentic rural depictions. His storytelling passion led to postgraduate studies at Melbourne and Adelaide universities. A 1978 Stanford University creative writing fellowship yielded his debut short story collection.

After international travel, Disher returned to Australia to teach creative writing. His 1988 transition to full-time authorship established him among Australia’s premier literary voices. Global acclaim followed with book tours in Germany and the United States.

Writing Career

Disher’s diverse oeuvre includes both fiction and nonfiction works. His publications range from the writing guide Writing Fiction: An Introduction to the Craft to historical works like Wretches and Rebels: The Australian Bushrangers. These demonstrate the same rigorous research that distinguishes his novels.

His body of work includes crime novels like Sanctuary and Mischance Creek alongside children’s titles, displaying remarkable genre versatility. This consistent quality across forms cements his status as one of Australia’s most accomplished authors.

Writing Awards

Garry Disher’s accolades span multiple genres. His children’s novel The Bamboo Flute won the 1993 CBCA Book of the Year, while The Divine Wind earned the 1999 NSW Premier’s Ethel Turner Prize. His crime fiction garnered three Ned Kelly Awards and three German Crime Fiction Awards.

The 2018 Ned Kelly Lifetime Achievement Award honored his contributions to crime writing. Multiple works including Peace and Consolation were shortlisted for the Colin Roderick Award, demonstrating his sustained excellence.

Peace

Garry Disher’s crime thriller Peace was published by Text Publishing on November 5, 2019. It is the second novel in his acclaimed Hirsch series featuring rural constable Paul Hirschhausen.

Constable Paul Hirschhausen manages a solo police station in South Australia’s farming country below the Flinders Ranges. While adjusting to his new community, he handles minor incidents like stolen vehicles and pub disturbances during an otherwise quiet Christmas period. His routine shifts when investigating a violent Kitchener Street occurrence and checking on an isolated family at Sydney police’s request. The holiday peace shatters as these events unfold.

Readers will enjoy Disher’s masterful rural crime writing here, with Constable Hirsch’s quiet Christmas patrols giving way to gripping, authentic outback policing challenges.

Day’s End

Garry Disher’s crime thriller Day’s End was published by Text Publishing in 2022 as the fourth installment in his acclaimed Hirsch series featuring rural constable Paul Hirschhausen.

Constable Hirsch patrols vast rural areas, handling typical small-town issues that intensify during the pandemic. He escorts Janne Van Sant, investigating her missing backpacker son’s last known locations, noticing inconsistencies in accounts. A routine call about a burning suitcase reveals unexpected details: Janne demonstrates forensic knowledge, and the discovered body isn’t her son’s. The case grows more complex as these troubling facts emerge.

Many have praised this story for its authentic rural tension and clever twists, as Disher delivers another gripping outback mystery with Constable Hirsch.

The Way It Is Now

Disher’s standalone crime thriller The Way It Is Now was published by Text Publishing on November 2, 2021, featuring a complete mystery within one volume.

Detective Charlie Deravin spends forced leave at his family’s beach house near Melbourne, still troubled by his mother’s unsolved disappearance twenty years earlier. Construction workers discover human remains, an adult and child skeleton, at a nearby building site. This forces Charlie to face painful memories about his father, the long-time suspect in his mother’s presumed murder. The discovery brings new evidence that connects past to present.

Mystery and fans of Disher as an author alike will appreciate his compelling standalone mystery The Way It Is Now, where a detective’s forced leave becomes a chilling revisit to his mother’s cold case.

Blood Moon

This tense crime thriller was published by Text Publishing in 2009 as the fifth installment in his Peninsula Crimes series featuring detectives Challis and Destry.

Detectives Challis and Destry investigate two disturbing cases: a school chaplain’s violent assault and the murder of a land regulation officer. Their professional duties intensify as they pursue these parallel investigations. Meanwhile, their new romantic relationship adds personal complications to their police work. The dual pressures of complex cases and personal dynamics create mounting tensions.

Once again this has become another mystery highly regarded for its gripping dual investigations and compelling tension between professional duties and personal relationships in Disher’s acclaimed Peninsula Crimes series.

Signal Loss

Disher’s crime thriller Signal Loss was published by Text Publishing on October 31, 2016 as the seventh novel in his Peninsula Crimes series.

A bushfire forces meth cooks to flee their lab, resulting in fatal consequences. Inspector Challis discovers the burned victims are actually Sydney hitmen, deepening his investigation into local drug crimes. Detective Destry leads a new sex crimes unit while pursuing an elusive serial rapist. Both cases present complex challenges that test the officers’ skills and resources.

Once again Disher delivers another gripping Peninsula Crimes installment. Readers enjoy the parallel investigations into drug crimes and brutality, digging deeper beneath the surface. The dual cases showcase Challis and Destry’s police work. Fans appreciate the authentic procedural details and tense storytelling.

Under the Cold Bright Lights

Garry Disher’s police procedural Under the Cold Bright Lights was published by Soho Crime on July 2, 2019 as a standalone mystery novel.

Veteran detective Alan Auhl investigates cold cases unconventionally after retiring from Homicide. He examines John Elphick’s suspicious death, a buried skeleton, and a doctor’s alleged murders. Sharing a house with his ex-wife and boarders, Auhl pursues justice relentlessly.

Crafting a compelling cold case procedural, Disher effectively introduces unconventional detective Alan Auhl. Readers enjoy the tenacious investigations and Auhl’s unique living situation. The multiple mysteries intrigue crime fans. A satisfying standalone mystery.

2 Responses to “Garry Disher”

1. neil blackley: 8 months ago

   just discovered Gary in 2024 love his stories keep it up please

   Reply
2. Anthony loveridge: 2 years ago

   Reading Days end. Good read bloke, been there done some of that. You nailed it. Will read more, help with the retirement fund. LOL . Only read on paper, stuff the internet sh-te. Don’t stop, I read a lot. Cheers mate.

   Reply