Still

STILL
Matt Nable
Hachette

REVIEWED BY JESSIE NEILSON

A former frontier outpost and the capital of the Northern Territory, Darwin is a city on the edge. With extensive marshlands and arid land covered in spinifex, wild saltbush and lantana, Darwin attracts those who want an escape from big-city life, or, in Matt Nable's Still, those who want to hide.

It is 1963 and women still very much know their place in the home. Their husbands meanwhile are holding down professional jobs while also managing many hours at the pub. One such man is Ned Potter, a congenial police officer, who is about to find himself out of his depth. On a regular patrol to Tabletop Swamp in Litchfield National Park outside of the city, he discovers the submerged body of an Aboriginal man, and his demise was clearly violent.

Racism is rife, and those who feel superior in station and ethnicity do not hesitate to show it. In the male world of the rodeo, this is especially prevalent. The Aboriginal boxers are highly accomplished, posing a significant threat to their white counterparts. It would not be wise to win against a white man as revenge will surely follow.

While Ned generally sticks to the law, other ‘‘professionals’’ do not. Priests, sergeants, fire fighters and mayors may parade proudly in their uniforms, but when they reach the Hotel Darwin and have downed a few beers, their sneering personalities come to life.

Even among Ned's rank runs a vein of cunning. It is little surprise to him when he is threatened by fellow police officers, who take over the case. Yet, this murder is only the beginning. Other bodies are unearthed from the surrounds.

Ned may have been taken off the case, but his natural investigative streak grows. His benevolence and moral compass irritate those around him, and the further he advances, the more in danger his family becomes.

Nable is a Sydney-born writer, as well as a prominent actor and former rugby-league player. He has written several novels, and this one weaves a convincingly realist plot against the lonely marshlands and the storm-shattered skies of coastal Northern Territory.

It is a man's world, where brawn dominates. As Nable's characters pursue various personal agendas, the supposed mainstays of the city begin to tear loose, as the law is tested against those in charge of keeping it safe.

Still keeps a good pace, with tension increasing as personalities clash. Running throughout is the deep-seated misogyny and racism of the small town environment, where the abusers will do whatever it takes to cover their sordid tracks.

Jessie Neilson is a University of Otago library assistant