'Beyond The Horizon' is a collection of three novellas each based on the similar theme of a story involving both Australia and a foreign country.
First, the action begins somewhere in Australia with a significant or even dramatic event. Next, the storyline quickly takes the main character(s) abroad, in two cases on an urgent quest. In the other story, a critical situation quickly develops overseas.
With 'Into Thin Air', Perth high school teacher Alex Deverell, responding to an invitation to attend a school reunion, flies to England. There, aided by two of his old colleagues, he quickly endeavours to solve the 25-year-old mysterious disappearance of a former student, Bobby Russell. Alex's amateur sleuthing soon exposes another previous staff member as a drug dealer, almost costing the Australian his life. Then, with hope diminishing and time running out as Alex needs to return home, the trio locate their target in a remote area, imprisoned by his original art teacher, Cressida. She and an accomplice, Winthrop had forced the talented Bobby to churn out valuable paintings, all to enrich his ruthless captors. However, with Bobby freed and the two criminals arrested, justice indeed awaits.
In 'Surf Break', Tweed Heads Private Investigator Gary Bishop, still mourning his wife's death, rises to the challenge of tracking down his client Kayla Westford's cheating husband, Dion. The elusive former merchant banker has fled via Indonesia to Timor-Leste, the former East Timor. There, ensconced with a local girlfriend Lucia, he activates a scam to steal precious oil revenue. Gary upsets this scheme at the last moment then heroically risks his own life in a dash to the Indonesian border in pursuit of the pair. On the point of escape, divine justice in the form of a lightning bolt kills Dion and the hapless Lucia is arrested. Now aware of the political situation in the country, Gary later assists with negotiations to achieve a better deal for Timor-Leste's oil exploration. Finally, with finances restored to Kayla, both she and Gary are well aware of romance stirring between them...
'Retribution' thrusts sudden drama onto holidaying Canberra secret service agents Josh and Rachael Kovacs. At a well-known Tasmanian lookout, an assassin rushes forward from a crowd to push fellow tourist, Edward over a cliff, surely to his death. Springing into action, the Kovacs follow the offender's trail as he and his accomplice brother flee interstate, then overseas with their father, the mastermind. This quickly translates into an urgent mission to Canada. There, directed by the same trio, a gang of human-rights abusers, having developed a deadly nerve agent, embark on a nefarious scheme of terror to hold the government to ransom. With Josh and Rachael almost losing their lives to prevent this, the plot is foiled. As a bonus, the near-murdered Edward narrowly survives his injuries from the clifftop incident.
