My Review: The Fallout by Garry Disher

The Plot

For Wyatt, The Fallout takes off where Port Vila Blues left him. On a boat with policewoman Liz Redding, and a fortune in stolen gems. He escapes, triggering a manhunt, but who exactly is hunting him?While others search for sunken treasure in ocean off Australia and a stone-cold killer is sprung from goal, Wyatt joins forces with his nephew to pull off one of his trickiest robberies. In doing so he faces his most dangerous task yet.

My Review

This is the 6th Wyatt novel, published in 1997 and the last one before a 13 year hiatus. Despite some reviews, I have to say right off that I really enjoyed this book. In fact, I read it in a single sitting. To read a crime fiction novel through the eyes of the 'perp' is a refreshing angle for me. Wyatt is crusty tough, but has some endearing qualities and old school loyalties that make him a likeable rogue. As a reader, you feel good when Wyatt gets away with a crime. You are on-side with the 'baddie' and it feels good!


Wyatt by chance runs into his deceased brother's son, who is an established bank robber in his own right. This book highlights the generation gap between Wyatt's young, cocksure nephew and the older, wiser, more experienced Wyatt. Wyatt would make a great poker player, and is never going to indulge in pillow talk. Despite the ending being somewhat inevitable, with experience always going to prevail over youthful exuberance, I thoroughly enjoyed the contrasting methods of nephew and uncle. 


I also enjoyed the locations that Disher chose. In this book Wyatt visits the Peninsula region of Victoria, through to Melbourne. Battery Point (Hobart), traverses Tasmania and sets up base again in a quiet region of north-west of Tasmania. All places that I am familiar with and could easily associate with. I love being privy to Wyatt's inner feelings as he travels around.


As is the way with the Wyatt novels, the ending is left open. However, throughout this book there were hints dropped that Wyatt was ready to settle down on his boat or in a quiet corner of Tassie and head down the 'straight and narrow'. His age and weariness were constantly highlighted by the contrast with his much younger nephew. Perhaps Disher was preparing the reader for the retirement of Wyatt. This being the case, I'm glad he had a re-think.


A thoroughly enjoyable Australian crime fiction novel, and I am relieved/overjoyed to know there is another recently written installment (Wyatt, 2010) which I cannot wait to read.