David Whish-Wilson was born in Newcastle, NSW, but grew up in Singapore, Victoria, and WA. He left Australia aged eighteen to live for a decade in Europe, Africa, and Asia. He is the author of The Summons, The Coves, and three crime novels in the Frank Swann series: Line of Sight, Zero at the Bone, and Old Scores. His most recent novel, True West, was published by Fremantle Press in 2019. His non-fiction book, Perth, part of the NewSouth Books city series, was shortlisted for a WA Premier's Book Award. David lives in Fremantle and coordinates the creative writing program at Curtin University.

When an American navy ship docks in Fremantle it brings a wave of trouble. It is Fremantle in 1989 and Frank is at home, suffering from an undiagnosed and debilitating illness. When Frank is called in to investigate an incident at a local brothel, it soon appears there is a link between the death of two women and the arrival of the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Carl Vinson in the port city. This hardboiled crime fiction novel is the fourth book in the Frank Swann series. It also features Lee Southern, the main character from True West.