Shifting senses of in/justice: The gothic detective in contemporary Australian film, television and true crime.

This article examines the figure of the gothic detective in contemporary Australian film, television, and true crime media, identifying four male archetypes: the lone detective, the larrikin detective, the apathetic detective, and the armchair detective. These archetypes reflect the complex legacy of Australia's settler-colonial history, particularly the ongoing racial tensions and systemic injustices faced by First Nations peoples, as seen in works like *Mystery Road* and *Jack Irish*. The gothic detective is portrayed as both a pursuer of justice and a figure operating outside or against corrupt legal systems, often embodying liminality between Indigenous and settler identities or between lawfulness and extrajudicial action. Additionally, true crime podcasts have introduced the armchair detective, where journalists and audiences collaboratively engage in retrospective investigations, blending gothic narrative elements with contemporary media forms to critique law enforcement and societal inequities in Australia.