Coffin Bay

A novel set in 1985 — a slow‑burn story of place, loyalty, and the quiet distortions of justice.

David and Christine Treloar move from Adelaide to Coffin Bay seeking quiet routines and a gentler pace. Instead they take in Robert Simpson, a young boarder whose charm settles easily into their home. His new job on the tuna boat Henrietta, operating out of nearby Port Lincoln, gives him purpose — and gives him stories he shouldn’t share. In a small town, the wrong words travel quickly.

When Robert disappears after a scheduled trip, skipper Tomaslav Grigic insists he never boarded, and Senior Sergeant Tonkin pushes the investigation away from the boat. The Treloars know better — and they know Tomaslav brought his brother Stjepan along for that trip, a huge, unreadable presence who seems to shadow every unanswered question. As they press for the truth, the town’s silence begins to feel deliberate.

Threats follow, subtle at first, then harder to ignore. Christine urges a return to Adelaide, hoping distance will keep them safe. But distance does not settle anything, and the pressures they tried to leave behind continue to shape what comes next.

Genre

Literary Crime / Coastal Noir

Settings

Coffin Bay and Port Lincoln, South Australia

Themes

Isolation; secrets; moral ambiguity; coastal community; vigilante justice

Release date

mid July 2026

ISBN

978-1-7646370-0-8

Formats

ebook (Kindle); paperback