Skip to Main Content

About The Book

Four unsolved murders. A killer with no motive. Only one woman can stop them. Forensic psychiatrist Jane Halifax is about to embark on the most challenging – and chilling – case of her career.

The first murder is brazen, violent and ritualistic. Committed in the victim’s home, the killer leaves few clues as to their motive or their identity. All the police know is that the perpetrator entered the house and impaled the art collector on one of his own priceless sculptures before melting away into the night.

Inspector Eric Ringer is desperate for Dr Jane Halifax to profile the killer, but Jane is cautious. She and Eric have a past … plus, she hates these kinds of cases; a psychopath is a psychopath, any way you slice it.

But there’s something about this killer that intrigues Jane. And as the bodies pile up, Jane must use all her knowledge and intuition to enter the mind of the murderer before they strike again.

Praise for Transgression

'Dark and twisted, this addictive thriller will keep you guessing right up until the final chapter. Loved it!' Rebecca Gibney
‘Rip-roaring crime writing at its best.’ Tony Cavanaugh
'A nail-biter’ The Age
‘Taut, dark, tense . . . Don’t turn out the lights.’ Fenella Souter

About The Author

Photograph by Daniel Asher Smith

Roger Simpson is one of Australia’s leading writers and producers. He has created seventeen series for television including the highly acclaimed telemovie series Halifax f.p. (1994–2001) and its sequel Halifax: Retribution (2020), the cult series Good Guys, Bad Guys (1996–1998), the police drama Stingers (which ran for eight seasons until 2004), the much-loved rural serial Something In the Air (2000–2002), the teenage sci-fi sensation Silver Sun (2004–2005) and the top-rating streaming series Satisfaction (2007–2010). Roger is the winner of twelve awards for writing including nine Australian Writers Guild AWGIE Awards as well as numerous awards as a producer. He is currently completing the stage play, The Trial Of Paul Gauguin, which was long listed for the National Playwrights Conference in 2016 by the Eugene O’Neill Theater. He is the author of Transgression and Resurrection.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia (October 5, 2022)
  • Length: 352 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781761102516

Raves and Reviews

‘A nail-biter with graphic, shocking imagery and a fast pace that’s no doubt a legacy of his work in film and television … Characters are deftly drawn and fleshed out, nuanced and humane.’

– The Age

‘What I love about the book is that you get to hear and feel what Jane’s going through, the emotions going through her head . . . you can’t really portray that on the TV.’

– QBD Book Club

'Dark and twisted, this addictive thriller will keep you guessing right up until the final chapter. Loved it!'

– Rebecca Gibney

‘The triumphant return of Jane Halifax! A psychological thriller that grabs you from the first sentence.’

– Andy Muir

‘A page-turner that keeps you guessing right to the very end. Taut, dark, tense … and not for the faint-hearted. Aussie noir at its best.’

– Fenella Souter

‘Taut and thrilling … A string of unforgettable crimes in an evocatively-drawn Melbourne with an unexpected twist at the end … If you like Harlan Coben or the great Dashiell Hammett, you're going to love Roger Simpson. Already a legend in TV writing, a fabulous new crime novelist has hit the bookshelves. Don't be beguiled and think this is just a TV spin-off. It's not. It's rip-roaring crime writing at its best. Emotional at its heart, thought-provoking and wise. You're in the tense grip of a master at work with this book.’

– Tony Cavanaugh 

‘I love how this transition from screen to page means a deeper understanding of a favourite character and offers more reasons for her enduring popularity; what could be more satisfying than watching Jane Halifax demonstrate her professional skill while navigating the next stage of her own turbulent life?’

– Caroline Baum

‘A taut, well written thriller with engaging characters, psychological complexity and a plot that will keep you turning pages right until the end.’

– David Williamson

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

More books from this author: Roger Simpson

More books in this series: A Jane Halifax novel