Consolation by Garry Disher

First Sentence:  Did Hirsch own the town?

Hirsch's territory covers a large area of not much in Tiverton, South Australia.  It is up to him to keep the peace.  Someone is stealing women's underwear.  Although that seems a small thing, it is the sort of thing that can escalate. And so they do, exacerbated, exacerbated by a woman who has developed an obsession with Hirsch.

A concise introduction presents Constable Paul Hirschhausen "Hirsch" and the scope of his job, which is impressive in its scope and diversity.  Issues range from the seemingly innocuous to the potentially dangerous.  The jump from one incident to the next brings the residents into play.  Hirsch isn't a cop who sits behind a desk but spends his time walking the street, and driving the territory.

Disher is a wonderful wordsmith.  One understands the words and the meaning behind them.  "Hirsch the mediator.  He seemed to spend most of his time as father confessor, therapist, social worker, fixer, and go-between.  What he'd give for a plain old criminal and a plain old vanilla arrest." 

It is not all serious.  Hirsch's relationship with Wendy and her daughter provides normalcy, offset by his unwillingness to confront the woman who is stalking him as she becomes a threat.  We see the openness of Northern Australia and the bone-chilling cold of late winter.

As the story progresses Hirsch finds one should be careful for what one wishes when things turn violent and deadly.  "…his ABC of policing said:  assume nothing, believe nothing, challenge everything."

"Consolation" is a story of lives intertwined; the domino effect begun by the actions of one crashing into the lives of others and the result.  This is an author well worth reading.

CONSOLATION (PolProc-Const. Paul Hirschhausen-South Australia-Contemp) – VG 
Disher, Garry – 3^rd in series
Text Publishing, Nov 2020, 399 pp