The Girl in the Panorama

Rory Campbell lives alone in a coveted Sydney apartment building, the Panorama. Her life works because it’s small: dawn rooftop laps with her bichon frise, Buster; origami cranes for steady hands; meticulous locks and rituals for peace of mind. She avoids triggers, avoids crowds, and avoids her past. But when police lights flare at the homeless camp across the road, a murdered man and a vanished newcomer disrupt her fragile order. A sharp-witted teen neighbor, Farrah, pushes her to look closer. A kind musician next door, Simon, coaxes her toward the world. A loyal concierge, Ron, keeps watch. And a new guard, Blayde, looks like security but smells like danger.

Old nightmares wake: cigarette smoke, chlorine, the memory of a cat and a boy and a door slamming. Surveillance footage flashes a face Rory hoped was dead. Notes, knocks, and late-night footsteps say someone is inside. Then Buster is snatched. As Rory hunts for her dog, for her father, and for the truth, she stumbles into a darker answer: the threat isn’t only outside. It may be wrapped up with money, loyalty, and the person who raised her. What follows is a tight, human thriller about compulsion, love, and the thin line between protection and control. When a final confrontation cracks the glossy facade, Rory must decide how big her life can be—and who she’s willing to let into it.

• Listeners who love psychological thrillers rooted in character
• Anyone curious about OCD, trauma, and how people actually cope
• Fans of tense, humane mysteries set in vivid urban places

Kelli Hawkins is an Australian novelist and former political journalist whose work spans adult and children’s fiction, as well as investigations reporting for a private investigator. Her debut adult novel, Other People’s Houses, was a top ten bestseller. She lives in Newcastle with her two teenagers and, over the years, has worked jobs as varied as graphic designer, mystery shopper, and even staple remover.