‘THE RUNAWAY ECHO’
BOOK TWO IN THE RUNAWAY SERIES
OUT NOW!
The Runaway Series:
In Bellevue, secrets don’t sink, they resurface.
Three months after leaving his old life behind, Nick Greene has carved out a fragile existence in the beachside town of Bellevue. With a new name, a steady job, and the promise of anonymity, he almost believes he’s silenced the echoes of his past.
But Bellevue has its own ghosts. Each New Year’s Eve, as the revelry rises, tragedy strikes: drownings, hit-and-runs, unexplained fires. The locals turn a blind eye to it all.
When a watchful community cop, a mysterious girl with secrets of her own, and a figure from Nick’s past converge, his carefully built cover begins to crack. Hunted by memory and haunted by the town’s unspoken history, Nick must decide: keep hiding, or confront the dangers closing in.
In The Runaway Echo, Nick Greene finally meets his match, and discovers that in a place where everyone is hiding something, disappearing might be the hardest trick of all.
Nick Greene flees the life he’s known in exchange for peace in his quaint town’s rugged forest park, but when a curious fisherman foils his tranquillity, Nick’s missing persons case quickly turns into a manhunt.
Heading to the neighbouring city of Abercrombie, Nick finds refuge in a run-down motel known for taking in hopeless cases. He forms a friendship with his neighbour, Marina, but little does Nick know, a fatigued detective from his hometown is hunting him down, determined to redeem himself after his first and only missing persons case back in 1997 ended in disaster.
Inspired by the Southern Hemisphere’s flora and fauna, The Runaway Man is the first in a series that traverses a rural backwater, to beachland, to a vibrant city, and tells the stories of those who seek new lives, and those left behind in the old ones.
A bundle deal containing Book 1 and 2 in the Runaway series: The Runaway Man (2023), and The Runaway Echo (2026).
THE RUNAWAY MAN SYNOPSIS:
Nick Greene flees the life he’s known in exchange for peace in his quaint town’s rugged forest park, but when a curious fisherman foils his tranquillity, Nick’s missing persons case quickly turns into a manhunt.
Heading to the neighbouring city of Abercrombie, Nick finds refuge in a run-down motel known for taking in hopeless cases. He forms a friendship with his neighbour, Marina, but little does Nick know, a fatigued detective from his hometown is hunting him down, determined to redeem himself after his first and only missing persons case back in 1997 ended in disaster.
Inspired by the Southern Hemisphere’s flora and fauna, The Runaway Man is the first in a series that traverses a rural backwater, to beachland, to a vibrant city, and tells the stories of those who seek new lives, and those left behind in the old ones.
THE RUNAWAY ECHO SYNOPSIS:
In Bellevue, secrets don’t sink, they resurface.
Three months after leaving his old life behind, Nick Greene has carved out a fragile existence in the beachside town of Bellevue. With a new name, a steady job, and the promise of anonymity, he almost believes he’s silenced the echoes of his past.
But Bellevue has its own ghosts. Each New Year’s Eve, as the revelry rises, tragedy strikes: drownings, hit-and-runs, unexplained fires. The locals turn a blind eye to it all.
When a watchful community cop, a mysterious girl with secrets of her own, and a figure from Nick’s past converge, his carefully built cover begins to crack. Hunted by memory and haunted by the town’s unspoken history, Nick must decide: keep hiding, or confront the dangers closing in.
In The Runaway Echo, Nick Greene finally meets his match, and discovers that in a place where everyone is hiding something, disappearing might be the hardest trick of all.
"Tantau’s writing style is nothing short of exceptional."
BOOK TWO in the Nick Greene series, written by award-winning New Zealand journalist Kelley Tantau, is set to arrive early 2026.
Set three months after the events of The Runaway Man, Nick is now living under a fake name in a new town. But in Bellevue, where everyone is hiding something, secrets won't sink, they'll resurface.
The Runaway Man Reviews
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"It's not a fast-moving story, a lot of it goes on in the heads of its characters but if, like me, you're a fan of excellent writing over thrill a minute action you'll really appreciate this. Outstanding."
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“Tantau’s writing style is nothing short of exceptional. Her vivid descriptions not only bring the New Zealand landscape to life but also provide insight into the internal struggles of her characters. For those who appreciate excellent writing and a narrative that lingers in the mind long after the final page, this book is a must-read.”
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"An enjoyable tale with a bleakish narrative feel that is heavily character-focused and a four stars read rating. It’s a study of how far you can run to escape your life and not be bound by the past."
