Sydney Harbour has always been good at hiding secrets.Some are worth killing for.
Former intelligence operative Sam Wylder is hired to investigate political corruption on Sydney Harbour. What begins as a routine case quickly draws her into murder, organised crime and a conspiracy reaching the highest levels of government — and dangerously close to a man she is beginning to trust.
Coming 2 November 2026.
The Story
Sydney Harbour is a playground for the rich, the powerful and the dangerous.
Behind the superyachts, waterfront mansions and champagne parties lies another Sydney — one built on favours, political influence, organised crime and secrets powerful people will do anything to protect.
Sam Wylder knows that world better than most.
Once an Australian intelligence operative, Sam now works as a private investigator. When she is hired to investigate two senior politicians, what begins as a case of questionable influence quickly turns deadly.
A developer is killed when a water taxi explodes on the harbour. A young man dies aboard one of Sydney's most spectacular superyachts. And a billion-dollar waterfront tender begins to look rigged.
Then Sam discovers that her former intelligence handler had been investigating the same network before his sudden death.
Now Sam wants justice, his daughter Emma wants answers, and someone is watching them both.
Complicating everything is Fadi Malouf — powerful, charismatic, dangerous, and heir to one of the families at the centre of Sam's investigation.
On the world's most beautiful harbour, nothing is quite what it seems.
And some lies are worth killing for.
Harbour of Lies is the first novel in the Sam Wylder thriller series by Australian author Jack Wylie.