The Lodeman — Dorothy Johnston

Pilot boats are a fixture of the coastal Victorian town of Queenscliff, darting into the treacherous Rip in all weathers to shepherd big ships into and out from the Port of Melbourne. Many crewmembers have been lost in the line of duty, but when the body of a pilot captain is found on a local beach, suicide or accidental death are presumed by almost everyone except local police constable Chris Blackie. Sensing there's much more to this case than meets the eye, Chris is nonetheless disturbed by the wide and tangled net that's been cast. And with his mainstay deputy, Anthea Merritt currently on maternity leave, he must navigate these murky waters alone.'Chris had a sudden premonition that he was about to be plunged back into the past, to thoughts and emotions he would never forget, but managed to control day by day.'