Simon Rowell: Australian Crime Fiction Author
Crime fiction that lingers long after the last page.
Simon Rowell writes Australian crime fiction that lingers long after the last page. His debut, The Echo of Others, was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime Novel. His follow-up series introduced Detective Zoe Mayer and her service dog Harry: a partnership readers keep coming back for, book after book.
Set against the sun-bleached, unforgiving landscape of South Australia, Rowell's novels combine sharp plotting with real psychological weight. If you like Jane Harper or Garry Disher, start here.
Start with Book One: The Long Game →The Zoe Mayer series, in order
New to the series? Read them in this order:
- The Long Game (Book 1) — Zoe returns to duty after personal trauma, only to be pulled into a murder with roots in her own past.
- Wild Card (Book 2) — Zoe is drawn into a world of organised crime and betrayal, where no one is quite who they claim to be.
- The Good Dog (Book 3) — Zoe's most harrowing case yet: a conspiracy built on greed, lies and cold-blooded violence.
Each book stands alone, but read in order, Zoe's story builds into something richer: a detective who isn't just solving cases, she's working out who she is.
Prefer a standalone thriller?
The Echo of Others is Simon Rowell's Ned Kelly Award-shortlisted debut: a standalone novel exploring culture, morality and truth, and the book that first put his name on the Australian crime fiction map.
Why readers keep recommending Simon Rowell
- Atmospheric Australian settings — the landscape is never just a backdrop; it shapes every case Zoe works.
- A genuinely complex heroine — Zoe Mayer is sharp, flawed and easy to root for, not a detective template.
- Tight, fast-paced plotting — built for readers who want twists that actually earn their reveal.
- Award-recognised writing — shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime Novel.
- Comparable to Jane Harper and Garry Disher — but with a distinct voice of its own.
About the author
Before writing full-time, Simon Rowell worked outback oil rigs, managed hotels, guided tours and spent two decades in corporate branding: a background that shows up in the grit and authenticity of his fiction. He lives on the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia, with his wife Karen and a menagerie of rescued animals.
What readers are saying
See what reviewers are saying about the Zoe Mayer series and The Echo of Others.