Set in Sydney, Anya is a freelance pathologist who is just beginning to make a name for herself, particularly after a solid performance in a recent court case in which she gave expert testimony. A pathologist who can present evidence that invariably goes over the lay person's head in a way that is not only interesting but also compelling is a rarity and is a much desired commodity.

Back at work she attends the autopsy of a suicide that appears straightforward except for one curious detail, the presence of unusual shaped fibres in the lungs. The fibres aren't the cause of death, but they raise some serious questions about the possibility of some form of asbestosis, so an investigation is warranted to try to determine where the woman might have come in contact with asbestos.

It's this seemingly insignificant detail that becomes of greatest importance to Anya than anything else she is working on. It then becomes significantly interesting for her friend, Detective Kate Farrer when another suicide victim is also found to have the same kind of fibres in her lungs. Are the two cases related? Have the women just happened to be exposed to similar fibres or is there something more sinister going on here? These are the questions Anya wants to answer and, except for Kate Farrer, the overworked police department don't want to know about a couple of closed suicide cases - she's on her own.

Malicious Intent is a tense suspense thriller that relies heavily on gathering small pieces of evidence via forensic research, looking for patterns and attempting to come up with a possible scenario that fits.

The story proceeds at a steady pace which is about as fast-paced as a book dealing with forensic research can really get without becoming unrealistic or feeling rushed. This isn't to say that it drags because it definitely doesn't. With the steady stream of evidence that is gathered there is always progress of some form or another being made so we constantly get the feeling that we are getting somewhere.

Mixed into the tension of the crime aspect of the story is a desolate domestic situation stemming from the separation of Anya from her husband with him having custody of their 3 year old son. The emotion of the turmoil of every bitter confrontation with her husband and the heart-wrenching affect it has on her relationship with her son is put in stark contrast to the detachment that she must maintain while at work. Meanwhile there is a killer on the loose who doesn't show any sign of slowing down. This is a book that pulls you in on many levels.

The mention of Ben, Anya's 3 year old son brings me to the only part of the book that didn't ring true to me and in fact irritated me no end. We are constantly reminded time and again that Ben is a very clever boy, but even so, his dialogue and his emotional development are totally unrealistic. The way he was portrayed made him sound mature for a 10 year old let alone a 3 year old. I was amazed to find that I was even resenting his inclusion in the story it felt so unrealistic.

This annoyance aside, I enjoyed Malicious Intent as a solid debut thriller and was particularly interested by the forensic technology that was described. It was also pleasing to discover a protagonist who is refreshingly capable and have it all presented in an engaging style. More visits with Anya Crichton and her team of forensic specialists would be very welcome.