David Whish-Wilson lives in Walyalup (Fremantle), Western Australia, where he writes, teaches, forges chef knives, casts silver jewellery and distils his own whisky.
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david whish-wilson
New novel: O’Keefe Out Now at Fremantle Press…
David Whish-Wilson: Award-Winning Australian Crime Author
David Whish-Wilson’s “tough noir tales are among the best crime fiction being produced in Australia today.” Canberra Weekly
Immerse yourself in the gripping, gritty crime stories of acclaimed Western Australian author – David Whish-Wilson. Author of eleven crime novels, his “compelling, thrilling” crime fiction is packed with shady bastards. Twice shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award, Whish-Wilson’s books captivate readers with “vivacious and fascinating characters”, harsh surroundings, “prose as sharp as a switchblade” and unflinching social commentary.
David’s own brilliant, gritty and hard-boiled background is arguably as diverse as his yarns. From random youthful globe-trotting adventures to igniting creativity in university students and prison inmates alike, David Whish-Wilson injects his eclectic experiences into each page, creating stunning narratives that are at-once “thrilling, thought-provoking” and bursting with “impactful, white-knuckle suspense.” Read Reviews
Welcome to a world of raw suspense and unforgettable characters. Explore Whish-Wilson’s grit-fuelled novels right here…

Meet Crime Writer and Academic – Dr David Whish-Wilson
David Whish-Wilson is the author of eleven novels and three creative non-fiction books. He was born in Newcastle, NSW but raised in Singapore, Victoria and Western Australia.
At eighteen, he left Australia to live for a decade in Europe, Africa and Asia, where he worked as a barman, actor, streetseller, petty criminal, labourer, exterminator, factory worker, gardener, clerk, travel agent, teacher and drug trial guinea pig.
David is the author of four novels in the Frank Swann crime series and two in the Lee Southern series, two of which have been shortlisted for Ned Kelly Awards.
David wrote the Perth book in the NewSouth Books city series, which was shortlisted for a WA Premier’s Book Award. Cutler is the first in the Undercover series.
Latest novel by David Whish-Wilson
O’Keefe
by David Whish-Wilson
Follow Paul Cutler on his next adventure as he fights the cocaine gold rush.
Assuming his new identity as Paul O’Keefe, Paul is tasked with finding the supplier of a surge of Mexican cartel meth flooding Australian streets. Assigned to infiltrate a newly appointed security company at Fremantle Port, he discovers a clandestine world of off-the-books operations, and a business front that goes far beyond mere security. There’s a dangerous game afoot for who gets control of the port’s smuggling operations, and O’Keefe is caught in the crossfire.
A pulse-pounding thriller that takes a hard look at the Australian ‘cocaine gold rush’, where maritime crime meets the ruthless currents of the underworld.
More books by David Whish-Wilson
Click on the book covers below to find out more. Or go here to see all David’s books…
David’s first novel in the Frank Swann crime series, Line of Sight (Penguin Australia) was shortlisted for a 2011 Ned Kelly Award. He has written three more in the series – the first three being published in Germany by Suhrkamp Verlag. David wrote the Perth book in the NewSouth Books city series, which was short-listed for a WA Premiers Book Award. Read more…










