Set against the nail salons of Claremont, restaurants of Subiaco and grand homes of City Beach, fellow lawyer Shoshanna McNerney’s Chameleon is a gripping psychological thriller with a distinctly Western Australian flavour.

When a group accustomed to the comforts of Perth’s affluent suburbs takes a break at a rural caravan park, their getaway takes a disturbing turn. Impossibly beautiful Steph disappears after heading to one of the park’s shower blocks, and suspicion soon falls on her husband, Hugh. As the story unfolds, there is plenty of reason to question first impressions.

Affairs, blackmail and troubled relationships weave through a cast whose polished appearances conceal darker impulses. These are unsettling people, but compelling company for a reader. One particularly disturbing family lawyer makes a memorable contribution, and the familiar Perth settings bring the intrigue close to home.

McNerney keeps the pace brisk and the tension high. I devoured Chameleon in a day—a thoroughly absorbing read.