Helidon
by Nikki Mottram

Dana Gibson is back and sent to rural Helidon in the third mystery of the bestselling series by Nikki Mottram.

A$34.99

(Paperback)

Ships on 1/09/2026

Overview

Child protection worker Dana Gibson is called to attend a fatal shooting at the Criterion Pub in Helidon where a bikie gang war has exploded. Seventeen-year-old Savannah has been caught in the crossfire, and the rural town finds itself divided between two cultures – the commune on the edge of town where Savannah’s family live and an outlaw motorcycle gang.

As Savannah clings to life, Dana uncovers police corruption that runs rivulets through the small town, eroding the community’s trust in law enforcement. When Maddie, the primary witness to the shooting, goes missing and Helidon is at the mercy of surrounding bushfires, Dana must uncover the depths of corruption that plague Helidon and find Maddie before it’s too late.

Rife with suspense and intrigue, Helidon, the third instalment of the Dana Gibson series, is an addictive page-turner.

Details

The Sydney Morning Herald, praise for Crows Nest

‘This unlikely partnership is the touching heart of this nicely judged crime novel in which Dana struggles to save other people’s families while grieving the loss of her own.’

The Australian, praise for Crows Nest

‘Mottram knows the value of writing what you know, and it shines in her electric debut.’

Newtown Review of Books, praise for Crows Nest

‘The sense of chaos feels very real, adding a level of authenticity to a different viewpoint of a crime: one that prioritises children, often unwitting victims of upheaval and trauma.’

Ben Hobson, praise for Crows Nest

‘Crows Nest is the best kind of crime writing – thrilling, raw and true. There's a vibrant heart beating on every page. A page-turner in the truest sense of the word.’

Sarah Bailey, praise for Crows Nest

‘A propulsive, addictive small-town thriller that will have you desperate to know whodunit. Dana is such a character of our times – good, bad and everything in-between. Dark and suspenseful, with just the right amount of hope to keep the pages turning.’

Nikki Mottram

Nikki Mottram is the author of Crows Nest (UQP, 2023). She has a psychology degree from The University of Queensland and has worked in London and Australia protecting and promoting the welfare of children at risk of harm. She uses her background in child protection in her crime fiction. She has been shortlisted for the Fish Short Story Prize and the Hal Porter Short Story Competition and was a recipient of the Katharine Susannah Pritchard Writer’s Centre Fellowship. She grew up and resides in Toowoomba and brings to her work an understanding of rural communities.