Sarah Barrie Bio

Sarah Barrie is a bestselling Australian author known for her gripping crime fiction and rural suspense novels. With a background as a teacher, vet nurse, horse trainer, and magazine editor, she returned to the dark and sinister books she loved as a child by writing in these genres.

Living in a rural area on the NSW Central Coast, Barrie is noted for her atmospheric use of the Australian bush and Tasmanian wilderness in her storytelling. Her family property is a favourite place where she finds inspiration, writes with views across mountains and farmland, and unwinds with family, friends, a good Whiskey, and her favourite book.

Barrie has degrees in arts, science, and education. Her work is recognised for its depth and authenticity, achieved through extensive research into law enforcement, forensics, and legal processes. While her career and studies have shifted, her passion for crime and writing compelling novels remains constant.

Sarah Barrie has published a total of 13 books. Her debut novel, ‘Secrets of Whitewater Creek’, earned her recognition as one of the Top 10 breakthrough authors of 2014. She has been a multi-time finalist for major industry awards, including The RUBY and The Australian Romance Readers Award. She is also a passionate rider of Arabian horses and manages a family property with her husband and children.

Sarah Barrie books in order

Known for her romantic suspense fiction, with her novels set in rural settings, Sarah Barrie made her debut in 2014 with Secrets of Whitewater Creek. From there, she became a critically acclaimed author with several bestselling novels to follow. 

Secrets of Whitewater Creek earned Barrie a spot in the Top 10 breakthrough authors of 2014, and the Hunters Ridge series, her next three books, reached bestseller status. 

She now has 13 published novels, and been listed in several major awards, including twice in the RUBY (the Romance Writers of Australia’s prestigious award) and three times in The Australian Romance Readers Award for favourite Romantic Suspense. 

Calico Mountain books

A dark rural romantic suspense trilogy set in the isolated Tasmania landscapes. Troubled police officer Indiana O’Meara goes undercover to investigate a series of missing girls at a remote cattle station, but discovers several secrets tied to the Atherton family and her own past.

• Bloodtree River (2018)

• Devil’s Lair (2019)

• Deadman’s Track (2020)

Hunters Ridge books

A romantic suspense trilogy set in a small Australian town, danger lurks beneath a close community. The series follows characters as they rebuild their lives after trauma, relationships that develop under pressure and a tense, action-driven conclusion.

• Legacy of Hunters Ridge (2016)

• Shadows of Hunters Ridge (2016)

• Promise of Hunters Ridge (2017)

Lexi Winter books

A gritty crime thriller series featuring Lexi Winter – a character who transforms from vigilante to police officer. Haunted by a traumatic childhood at the hands of predator “The Spider,” Lexi uses her intelligence, hacking skills, and moral conviction to track down criminals. She is drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a psychotic killer, sometimes becoming a pawn in a larger chain of events. The gripping investigation centres on apparently random murders, with bodies piling up as Lexi races to solve the cases. As the bodies pile and the stakes rise, Lexi realises a terrifying idea that changes the course of her investigation.

• Unforgiven (2021)

• Retribution (2022)

• Vendetta (2023)

• Endgame (2024)

Standalone novels

• Secrets of Whitewater Creek (2014)

• Getting Wild (2016)

• Dark Sanctuary (2026)

Dark Sanctuary

The latest standalone novel from Sarah Barrie, Dark Sanctuary, is a breathtakingly fast-paced and gripping crime thriller perfect for fans of Candice Fox or Karin Slaughter. Sergeant “Hex” Redford, a detective known for his intelligence and moral conviction, is pulled into a deadly game when a chain of apparently random murders erupts inside Coast Sanctuary, a hospital for the criminally insane. As the bodies pile up, Hex faces a psychotic killer whose manipulations turn everyone into potential pawns. The intense investigation forces Hex to confront a terrifying idea at the heart of the mystery, while true crime podcasters Eve and Zane, unaware of the danger, edge ever closer to the truth.