Contemporary Thrillers Sydney Binged in 2020
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- Ian Rankin published Even Dogs in the Wild in 2015 as the twentieth novel in the Inspector Rebus series, which began with Knots and Crosses in 1987.
- Robert Galbraith's The Cuckoo's Calling was published by Sphere in 2013; J.K. Rowling's pseudonym was revealed in July 2013 by The Sunday Times.
- Lynda La Plante's Above Suspicion debuted in 1993 and introduced Detective Constable Jane Tennison, later adapted for ITV's Prime Suspect starring Helen Mirren.
- The Rebus novels have sold over 30 million copies worldwide and won the Edgar Award, Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger, and Ian Fleming Steel Dagger.
- The Cuckoo's Calling was Galbraith's debut crime novel; it launched the Cormoran Strike series, which now spans seven novels and a BBC television adaptation.
Even Dogs in the Wild — Ian Rankin
Twentieth Rebus case, zero signs of slowing down. Rankin throws Edinburgh's grittiest detective back into the job after retirement proves unbearable, pairing him with younger cops who half-resent his presence and half-need his instincts. The plot tangles a lawyer's murder, a gangland arms dealer, and corruption tunneling through Police Scotland's upper ranks — classic Rankin architecture where every character is compromised and the city itself is a character with a drinking problem. Even Dogs in the Wild works because Rebus is older, angrier, and still incapable of walking away from a case that smells wrong. The prose is lean; the moral universe is grey; the atmosphere is pure Edinburgh noir. Explore our current copy of Even Dogs in the Wild. Browse more Crime books at Patina.
The Cuckoo's Calling — Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
The detective novel that fooled everyone until it didn't. Published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith in 2013, this debut introduced Cormoran Strike — a war veteran, amputee, and private investigator operating out of a dingy Denmark Street office with a temp secretary smarter than he'll admit. The case: a supermodel's alleged suicide that her brother insists was murder. Rowling's command of character depth translates seamlessly into crime fiction; Strike is damaged but not a cliché, Robin Ellacott (the temp) is competent without being a trope, and the London setting — from Mayfair penthouses to grimy Hammersmith bedsits — feels lived-in. The Cuckoo's Calling launched a seven-novel series and proved Rowling could write crime as compellingly as she wrote wizards. Explore our current copy of The Cuckoo's Calling. Browse more Crime books at Patina.
Above Suspicion — Lynda La Plante
The Jane Tennison origin story, before Prime Suspect made her a TV legend. Published in 1993, Above Suspicion drops Detective Constable Jane Tennison into a CID squad hunting a serial killer who targets young women — and a team of male detectives who'd rather she stayed behind a desk. La Plante writes procedural tension with surgical precision: Tennison is green, overlooked, and determined to prove she belongs, while the case escalates into a media circus that exposes departmental misogyny as much as it does the killer's pathology. This novel became the foundation for ITV's Prime Suspect (1991–2006), but the book stands alone as a taut, character-driven thriller about a woman forcing her way into a profession built to exclude her. La Plante's dialogue is sharp; the 1990s London setting crackles with authenticity. Explore our current copy of Above Suspicion. Browse more Crime books at Patina.
These three titles capture what Sydney readers craved in 2020: detectives who couldn't quit, cases that wouldn't close clean, and prose that didn't flinch. As of September 2026, Patina's Crime collection rotates preloved copies of Rankin, Galbraith, La Plante, and adjacent procedural thrillers — the kind of books you read in one sitting because stopping feels like abandoning the investigation halfway through. Shop all Crime books at Patina Paperbacks →
Where can I buy secondhand copies of Ian Rankin's Rebus novels in Sydney?
Patina Paperbacks stocks rotating preloved copies of the Rebus series, including Even Dogs in the Wild and earlier titles like Knots and Crosses. We're Sydney-based and ship Australia-wide, so you can build your Rankin collection without leaving the Inner West. Stock shifts weekly as titles move through our 13,000+ secondhand inventory.
Is The Cuckoo's Calling worth reading if I already know Robert Galbraith is J.K. Rowling?
Honestly, yes — the pseudonym reveal in 2013 was a publicity storm, but the novel stands on its own as a sharp, character-driven detective story. Cormoran Strike is a fully realised protagonist (not a Harry Potter retread), and Rowling's ear for dialogue and class dynamics translates beautifully into London crime fiction. If you like procedurals with emotional depth, this one delivers.
What should I read if I liked Lynda La Plante's Above Suspicion?
Try Val McDermid's Kate Brannigan series or Denise Mina's Garnethill trilogy — both write complex female detectives navigating institutional sexism while solving visceral crimes. Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad novels also lean into character-driven procedurals where the detective's psychology is as central as the case. La Plante pioneered the "woman fighting the boys' club" arc; those authors built on that foundation.
Does Patina Paperbacks stock crime thrillers from Australian authors?
We do — our Crime collection includes preloved titles from Jane Harper (The Dry), Candice Fox (Hades), and Garry Disher's Peninsular Crimes series. Stock rotates weekly, so if you're hunting a specific Australian crime writer, check back regularly or browse the full collection online. We're Sydney locals stocking books Sydney readers actually want.
Are these books part of longer series, or can I start anywhere?
Even Dogs in the Wild is Rebus #20, but Rankin writes each case to stand alone — you'll miss character history, but the plot is self-contained. The Cuckoo's Calling is Strike #1, so start there. Above Suspicion is Tennison's origin story and works as a standalone, though La Plante wrote sequels. If you're jumping into a long-running series, start with the debut or pick a title with a self-contained case summary on the back cover.