# Kittyhawk Down

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**Kittyhawk Down** is a [crime novel](/source/Crime_novel) by Australian [Garry Disher](/source/Garry_Disher) published in 2003 by [Allen & Unwin](/source/Allen_%26_Unwin).[1]

This is the second novel in the author's "Challis/Destry" series of crime novels, following *[The Dragon Man](/source/The_Dragon_Man)* (1999).[2]

## Synopsis

Homicide Squad Inspector Hal Challis, of the Peninsula Police Force, is investigating the disappearance of a two-year-old girl and the death of an unidentiofied drowning victim.

## Critical reception

Reviewing the novel for *[The Age](/source/The_Age)* newspaper, Diane Dempsey noted the " plot, which makes for compulsive reading, is also complex." She called the novel "taut and terrific" and "crime fiction at its best."[3]

*Publishers Weekly* noted that while "Disher is not yet in the same league as a Peter Robinson or an Ian Rankin, fans of those authors will find much to like in this dark whodunit."[4]

## Publication history

After the novel's initial publication in Australia by [Allen & Unwin](/source/Allen_%26_Unwin) in 2003[1] it was reprinted as follows:

- [Soho Press](/source/Soho_Press), USA, 2005[5]
- [Text Publishing](/source/Text_Publishing), Australia, 2006[6]
- [Bitter Lemon Press](/source/Bitter_Lemon_Press), UK, 2008[7]

The novel was also translated into German in 2005.[8]

## References

1. ["*Kittyhawk Down* by Garry Disher (A&U 2003)"](https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/845070). National Library of Australia. Retrieved 1 June 2026.

1. ["Austlit — Challis/Destry" series by Garry Disher"](https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C550342). Austlit. Retrieved 9 May 2025.

1. [""Crime Fiction""](https://www.proquest.com/docview/363623508). The Age, 26 April 2003. Retrieved 1 June 2026.

1. [""Kittyhawk Down""](https://www.proquest.com/docview/197085992). Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 1 June 2026.

1. ["*Kittyhawk Down* by Garry Disher (Soho 2005)"](https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/3543090). National Library of Australia. Retrieved 1 June 2026.

1. ["*Kittyhawk Down* by Garry Disher (Text 2006)"](https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/3664277). National Library of Australia. Retrieved 1 June 2026.

1. ["Austlit – *Kittyhawk Down* by Garry Disher"](https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C459164). Austlit. Retrieved 1 June 2026.

1. ["*Flugrausch* by Garry Disher"](https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4350962). National Library of Australia. Retrieved 1 June 2026.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kittyhawk Down](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kittyhawk_Down) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kittyhawk_Down?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.