Vikki Wakefield writes fiction for adults and young adults. Her novels have been shortlisted for numerous awards. After You Were Gone, a psychological thriller, was her first novel for adults and was published in 2022 to much acclaim. To the River is her second psychological thriller for adults. Vikki lives in Adelaide, South Australia.
'Vikki Wakefield’s To the River gets under your skin. Two very different women are brought together in the search for the truth and something like justice. Covered in dog hair and splattered with river mud, this taut, muscular thriller absolutely delivers.’ * Hayley Scrivenor * 'A completely gripping story, with two brave, tough and damaged women at its heart. Vikki Wakefield is a brilliant writer.’ * Shelley Burr * ‘Twisty crime thriller with excellent female protagonist, a wonderfully atmospheric river setting and propulsive pace. Read it in two sittings. Perfect for fans of Jane Harper, Anna Downes and JP Pomare.’ * Kate Mildenhall * ‘A rollicking, fast-paced ride that builds to the perfect climax, with twists and turns along the way...Vikki Wakefield is a masterful writer with complete control over her characters. Her immeasurable talent and skill are electric in each frame of the story...Mixing in psychological warfare between two incredibly cataclysmic main characters, this is an action-packed, exciting, yet often thoughtful book. To the River will be one of 2024’s sure-fire hits, perfect for fans of Jane Harper and Gillian Flynn. I cannot recommend it highly enough.’ * Books+Publishing * ‘An atmospheric mystery with layer upon layer of secrets. Two flawed women discover how much they are willing to risk when justice is not equal and the system is not there to protect them.’ * Dinuka McKenzie * ‘Heartrending and heart pounding. At times beautiful and graceful, at times propulsive and frantic—just like a river.’ * Michelle Prak, author of The Rush * ‘Gripping, propulsive, and unbearably tense – the best psychological thriller I’ve read in years.’ * Mark Brandi on After You Were Gone * 'A dark and twisting novel of psychological suspense that will have you turning pages and checking your locks.' * Emma Viskic on After You Were Gone * ‘Beautifully written and superbly unnerving, After You Were Gone is the very best kind of thriller: tender and wise as well as pulse-poundingly tense, with characters so real you want to linger with them even as you race through the pages, desperate to find out what happens. Absolutely wonderful, I could not have loved or admired it more.’ * Anna Downes on After You Were Gone * ‘An original thriller full of empathy. Flawed and vulnerable, Abbie is so real. I was with her all the way.’ * Sarah Bailey on After You Were Gone * 'This is how to write a psychological thriller; stylish prose in a warts-and-all tale...Wakefield makes a seamless transition into the adult genre.' * Herald Sun on After You Were Gone * ‘After You Were Gone cleaves open ideas of friendship and family, revealing the complex inner workings of our closest relationships. In doing so, Wakefield achieves what all good crime writers aspire to do: she forces the reader to stress-test their own sense of morality. She looks you in the eye and asks what would you do if the unthinkable happened? What would you sacrifice? How far would you go? At once tense and atmospheric, After You Were Gone is also brilliantly plotted and populated with complex characters. An exciting new voice in Australian crime.’ * J.P. Pomare on After You Were Gone * ‘You’ll be questioning every character, their motives and [their] memories…[A] great thriller.’ * Australian on After You Were Gone * ‘A riveting read…Breathtaking.’ * Sisters in Crime on After You Were Gone *