Title: See How They Fall

Author: Rachel Paris

Publisher: Hachette 2025; RRP: $32.99

Review by: Heather Whitford Roche, Ballarat Writers Inc. Book Review Group

Rachel Paris comes to writing crime from a 20-year career in law. See How They Fall is her debut novel and has all the elements of a good ‘whodunnit.’

It’s written in the voices of Mei, a police detective, and Skye, the wife of an influential and wealthy businessman who is part of a controlling family dynasty. The story proceeds using alternating chapters from the two protagonists, and it unfolds quickly, moving at an engaging pace.

When a family dinner goes awry and results in the death of a family member and Skye’s young child in hospital, the dynamics of the dynasty begin to be in question. It’s at this stage that the credibility of the family starts to unravel. But not quickly due to the wealth and influence used by the family to stall and manipulate. Skye begins to suspect that the family and her husband are hiding something. She is thwarted by not knowing who to believe and/or who to trust.

Mei on the other hand is playing her detective role slightly outside the parameters of the game. She understands the difficulty that police corruption and the influence of wealthy people can cause within the force and has learned how to work around it. When Skye secretly speaks to her about her suspicions regarding some of her family members, Mei knows she is on the right track, but the track is not an easy one, especially when her senior officer wants to close the case.

Here more about See How They Fall at the QBD Book Club

This story has all the hallmarks of the inequalities that can exist between the wealthy and the rest of the population. The issues of family violence, mental health and sexual abuse are managed well within the framework of the story. I liked that the author told the story from a female’s perspective and honoured the way not being believed or listened to can have a devastating impact on individuals and families.

The cover of the book does not represent the strength of this work; it deserved a stronger visual. Rachel Paris (interviewed here at The Spinoff) has produced a novel with a tight plot; it’s well done and holds the tension right until the end. Crime and women’s fiction lovers will really enjoy See How They Fall.

A detective story with a difference.         

Review copy provided by the publisher.