Book Review: Shadows of Tehran by Nick Berg

FORGED IN CONFLICT: FROM IRANIAN REBEL TO AMERICAN SOLDIER

 

Shadows of Tehran would have to be the most amazing and terrifying story I've read for a long time.

 

Shadows of Tehran is a fictional tale inspired by true events from the author's lived experiences.  Nick Berg uses creative license with dialogue and thoughts of real characters.

 

My heart broke many times while reading Shadows of Tehran. It is a fascinating and timely story about fighting for what you believe in, even when the odds are stacked against you.

The story follows the life of Ricardo, born in Tehran to an Iranian mother and an American father, he never felt like he truly belonged to either culture. Abandoned by his father at a time when Iran was going through major political upheavals, Ricardo feels he must now become the head of the family, protecting his mother and younger sister.

 

At the age of 15 Ricardo joins a band of freedom fighters as the Revolutionary Guards take over Tehran with a reign of terror.

 

Shadows of Tehran is an astonishing tale of one man's will not to be broken. I'm not sure how much Nick Berg fictionalised Ricardo's story or if Ricardo is a combination of people. Either way it is a truly harrowing story of survival and the fight for a better life.

 

After capture and torture Ricardo escapes Iran and finds his way to America where he immediately joins the US Army. His knowledge and experience make him an invaluable member of his unit. However, his fight for freedom in his home country doesn't stop here.

 

Berg's writing shows the strength of courage and the power of hope that keeps people fighting for freedom against insurmountable odds. 

 

Shadows of Tehran is a must read. It's a story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

 

Content: war, torture, child abuse, death. 

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Fortis Publishing

Publication date: 22nd April 2025

Genre: Fiction / Autofiction / Military Thriller

Pages: 300

RRP: AU$11.99 (Kindle edition)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Smith Publicity 

 

 

Book Review: Out of the Woods by Gretchen Shirm

Out of the Woods is the thought provoking novel by Gretchen Shirm based on the 1995 massacre of thousands of civilians in Srebrenica and the ensuing trial of a former military man charged with war crimes.

 

In 2000 Jess travels from Australia to the Hague as secretary to an Australian judge who has employed her to transcribe the trial of a man charged with war crimes.

I was expecting Out of the Woods to be a lot more harrowing than it was, with descriptive witness statements of the genocide and brutality. However the short extracts of statements were more about what impact witnessing these acts had on their lives.

 

Whilst Shirm uses real witness statement extracts and the trial of a former General by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia was a real trial the character of Jess is fictitious. 

 

Out of the Woods focuses mainly on Jess and her mental health, having to listen to the statements day after day, her conflicting thoughts on the case and how hard it was for her to disassociate herself from the case.

 

Jess is very hard to connect with. She is awkward and so uptight, always looking for hidden meaning in people's actions and words. It was hard work being in her headspace. We follow Jess's journey through a complex round of emotions as she navigates her divorce, her relationship with her mother, making new friends and opening herself up to romance.

 

Even though Jess was a complex character, the concept of how listening to crimes can affect a person's mental health is intriguing and offers some thought to people who have to sit on juries. 

 

Shirm's writing is beautifully descriptive, almost poetic, and we get some lovely scenes as Jess plays tourist in the area on her days off.

 

Out of the Woods is thought provoking and topical. I was compelled to google the 1995 massacre to find out more information.

 

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Transit Lounge 

Publication date: 1st April 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 352

RRP: AU$34.99

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Quikmark Media 

 

  

Book Review: We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

I enjoyed We Solve Murders more for the fabulous mix of characters than the mystery. The short chapters kept the plot moving along at a good steady pace.

 

Amy works for a private security company and is currently protecting world renown author Rosie D'Antonio after she has received a death threat. When it starts to look like Amy is being set up for a number of murders, she calls on her father-in-law, retired police officer Steve Wheeler, to help her find out who is behind the murders.

Not being able to leave Rosie unprotected, she takes her along as they investigate the murders. 

The vast number of characters introduced at the start of the book made it hard to keep up with and remember who was who.  However it soon settled into a rhythm and the connections became easier to keep track of.

 

We Solve Murders is an easy read. The plot is uncomplicated, there is plenty of humour and you don't have to think too deeply about the mystery.

 

You may have to suspend your disbelief at times but it is its absurdness that makes it so funny.

 

We Solve Murders is perfect for those who like their murder mysteries with a dose of humour and heart. 

With over 129,000 ratings on Goodreads already, and 78% being 4 & 5 stars, it looks like Richard Osman is on another winner with this series.

 

My rating 4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

 

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Imprint: Viking

Publication date: 17th September 2024

Series: We Solve Murders #1

Genre: Crime / Mystery

Pages: 444

Source: Own Copy

 

 

Book Review: An Invisible Tattoo by Suellen Dainty

 An Invisible Tattoo is a powerful story of female friendship, long held secrets and the ongoing battle for equality for women.

 

Narrated by both Ruth and Kate in Contemporary Sydney and a second timeline of Somerset 1972 is narrated through Ruth's reminiscence. 

Ruth is housebound suffering from severe arthritis and the after affects of a stroke and battles with cancer.

Kate, a young journalist, is hoping, through Ruth, to get the scoop of a lifetime.

 

There is a lot to unpack in An Invisible Tattoo. The title refers to the imprint friendships leave on us, an impression, although invisible, that is carried within us forever.

 

1972 - Ruth's friendship with Adela takes her to Somerset, where Adela is married to famous singer songwriter James Bennett. Here we delve into the hedonistic, bohemian days of the early 70's. Drugs, alcohol and sexual freedom. It was a huge time for feminists however, Dainty points out that the freedoms of the time still seemed to be ruled by men. 

 

Present day - Kate is wily and uses her charms to get Ruth to open up and spill the beans about Adela and James' relationship and more importantly about the night he died. Everyone else living in the house at the time have died and the discovery of new songs, hidden in an attic, has the world eager to find out what happened on that fateful night. 

 

I loved that we got both Ruth and Kate's point of view. They are very similar in personality. Ruth shows that old and frail doesn't necessarily mean senile. She's stringing Kate along and knows exactly what she's doing. She enjoys the company and she wants to prolong Kate's visits.

 

An Invisible Tattoo has an underlying mystery surrounding Bennett's death. It is also a story about working out what you want in life and Dainty throws in a moral dilemma for Kate to ponder. I enjoyed Kate's character growth.

 

The twist at the end was unexpected and certainly added weight to the themes included. 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 1st April 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 309

RRP: AU$32.99 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher 

Book Review: Dancing With Bees by Anna Maynard

Dancing With Bees is the outstandingly entertaining debut novel from Australian author Anna Maynard.

 

Sunny Moritz thinks at 33 she really does need more meaning in her life. She decides to start with saving the bees and will keep her own beehive. Through email  she connects with Al, the man with all the information to get her started. When Al arrives he is a perplexing mix of mysterious Antarctic scientist and sexy player full of confidence. Someone Sunny definitely should not fall for.

I originally thought this was going to be a friends to lovers romantic comedy and although it does have these qualities there are also some deeply emotional elements within the story such as death by cancer and attempted suicide.

 

Dancing With Bees is a story that will make you laugh-out-loud and make you cry. Some parts were lots of fun while others were profoundly heartfelt with themes of misunderstandings and reconnection. 

 

I found Sunny a bit annoying, however I enjoyed her growth and how she decluttered her life and started doing more meaningful things with her time and doing what gave her joy. 

 

Dancing With Bees was an emotional roller coaster; funny, sad, meaningful with a touch of spice. 

Dancing With Bees is the whole package! 

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 1st April 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Romance 

Pages: 320

RRP: AU$32.99 (paperback)

Source: Uncorrected proof from the publisher

 

 

Book Review: Southsightedness by Gregory Day

I read Southsightedness straight through, however that's not the idea of a poetry anthology. It is meant to be read slowly, picked up and put down. Words to stop and ponder over.

 

Day's poems are a powerful mix of soothing, haunting and provocative themes set in the world of a 21st century small country town where family, sport and tourism mix with the area's local history.

 

Loss, grief and pain feature heavily in Southsightedness however so does beauty, love and belonging.

 

Southsightedness celebrates the wonder of the earth and sea; the animals, the environment, the weather and the seasons.

 

Many of Day's poems are about nature and being one with nature. He wants his readers to not only see, but feel, the world around them.

 

Southsightedness is a book that will be enjoyed by poetry lovers and those who want something to open their eyes to the wonder all around us.

 

Being a reader of poetry that is more of the story-telling type I would have liked a short explanation on some of the poems. Or does that defeat the purpose? 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Transit Lounge

Publication date: 1st April 2025

Genre: Poetry

Pages: 160

RRP: AU$32.99 (hardcover)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Quikmark Media

 

 

Book Review: The Prospect by Fleur McDonald

I'm a great fan of Fleur McDonald's writing and I've read many of her books. She's an auto-buy author for me.

This being said, I was a little disappointed with The Prospect. I feel the editing let it down.

 

The Prospect is the first book in a new series featuring Journalist Zara Ellison and her partner, police officer Jack Higgins. This couple have appeared in previous novels but there is no need to have read them as The Prospect is a whole new start in Kalgoorlie for Zara and Jack.

Whilst I found the information on gold mines, prospectors and gold stealing all extremely interesting I felt The Prospect lacked the danger and suspense of McDonald's previous novels. 

 

I really enjoyed the character of Ted, the old prospector, but I found Jack very wishy-washy and I've never warmed to Zara even when she was featured in previous novels. Jack and Zara's relationship didn't feel solid.

 

Despite my grievances, and there are a few, McDonald's writing is always beautifully descriptive and she brings out the true essence of the Australian outback.

The Prospect ends on a massive cliff-hanger and yes, I will be buying the next book. 

 

I will end on a few things that interrupted my reading pleasure.

 * page 38 'Well, I came out here when I was twenty-one and I was born in 1975.' Zara did a quick calculation. 'You bought this land in 1986? (the year of birth should be 1965)

 

* page 150 'What's Austrac?' Jack asked. Surely a detective would know what Austrac is and what it does! Then on page 151 'He had certainly heard about the regulator.'  

* page 219 'Forearmed was forewarned and knowledge bore no weight.' I know this is meant to be a twist on an old saying but it still makes no sense to me.

 

* page 238 '.. and I want to rule out what consistencies there are.'  I would think you would rule out inconsistencies and check on consistencies. (I may be wrong).

 

My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication date: 2nd April 2025

Genre: Crime

Pages: 368

Source: Own copy

 

Other books I've read by Fleur McDonald

Broad River Station

Deception Creek 

Into the Night

Out in Nowhere 

Red Dirt Country

Red Dust 

Rising Dust

The Shearer's Wife 

Shock Waves

Something to Hide 

Voices in the Dark 

Without a Doubt 

 

 

 

Book Review: The Buried Life by Andrea Goldsmith

I'm finding The Buried Life hard to review. I'm trying to do this outstanding novel justice. But where to start? I haven't stopped thinking about the characters since I finished the book a few days ago.

 

Three people of vastly different age groups form an unlikely friendship.

Kezi 28, rejected by her parents is living a life of regret, caught between her strict religious upbringing and living a life as her true self. 

 "..knowing that between God and the church and your family everything was taken care of, she would never experience any of that again. And the comfort, the belonging, the protection, the certainty, the love, the sanctuary: she missed it and she resented missing it, and she fought its enduring claims." - page 23

 

Adrian 43, is a scholar, an expert on death. His studies have stalled and his long-term relationship has ended. Adrian feels adrift, it's only his friendship with the vibrant and energetic Kezi that keeps him afloat. 

 

"Weary of Irene, weary of the journey, and most especially weary of himself...... The surrounding countryside wore that tousled appearance of autumn, an in-between fatigue that lacked the energy to tidy itself up, and entirely in keeping with his own mood." - page 39

 

Laura 57, a successful town planner meets Adrian by chance in a cheese shop. Their easy banter and long conversations have Laura questioning where she stands in her marriage but can't imagine a life without her husband.

 

"..she had absorbed his beliefs, she had willingly embraced all that comprised Tony Sheldrick's world, and she was wanting, still, to excuse him, wanting the man and the only life she knew not to collapse. What was wrong with her? What flaws in her could allow this to happen?" - page 232

I loved how Goldsmith gives each character their own distinct voice. Adrian and Kezi, neighbours, have a lighthearted and supportive friendship. Kezi was Adrian's closest friend despite their age gap. He loved her authenticity.

Laura and Adrian's friendship starts when they are both at a low point. Laura is realising her perfect marriage is riddled with cracks.

 

Goldsmith's prose are lyrical and mesmerizing, rich in poetry and music. The Buried Life is a story of life and death, how life's circumstances affect us deeply and true friendships help to awaken and heal buried hurts. 

 

Viscerally described scenes, polished prose and the power of music to both heighten and soothe emotions play an important role in this powerful novel of awakening.  

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Transit Lounge Publishing

Publication date: 1st March 2025

Genre: Literary Fiction

Pages: 328

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Quikmark Media

 

 

 

 

Book Review: The Wedding Vow by Dandy Smith

The Wedding Vow is a twisty tale of marriage, infidelity and murder.

 

Verity and Linden have the perfect marriage with a picture-perfect home but when Linden is brutally murdered Verity's world is shattered. She is determined to find out what went wrong in her ideal life to cause her husband's murder. 

 

The Wedding Vow is narrated through alternating chapters of 'The Wife' and 'The Other Woman'. The wife is narrated by Verity, a year on from Linden's murder and the other woman is a mystery mistress of Linden's told while Linden is still alive.

As Verity digs further into Linden's life she starts to suspect everyone around her; the neighbour, the accountant, an employee, even her cousin Addison becomes a suspect of Linden's infidelity.

 

The Wedding Vow had me hooked and I couldn't put it down. Dandy Smith builds empathy for her characters as the reader gets the point of view of the wife and also the mistress.

 

Along with Verity I suspected everyone as having an affair with Linden. I kept chopping and changing my mind about who the unnamed mistress was and who the murderer was.

Dandy Smith leaves little clues, and a few red herrings, sprinkled throughout the story and many times I thought I had worked it out.

 

Short chapters with cliffhanger endings kept me eagerly turning those pages.

 

The Wedding Vow is addictive, suspenseful reading at its best. Once I'd finished my mind was reeling and I was compelled to read the whole book again. 

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 4th March 2025

Genre: Crime / Mystery

Pages: 336

RRP: AU$22.99 (B format paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher 

 

 

Book Review: The View from the Balcony by Janette Paul

I loved Janette Paul's The Summer Place so I was really looking forward to another story with relatable themes, burgeoning friendships and character growth and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. The View from the Balcony had all this and more.

 

The story is narrated by three women, Coral, Andie and Mara, who are visitors to patients of Hepburn House Rehabilitation Hospital. The turning point in the story is the balcony that connects the three rooms and overlooks a beautiful beach and is used by visitors and patients as a place to have a coffee and air their frustrations.

Coral is at the pinnacle of her career, looking forward to a conference in New York which will also allow her some much needed me time. Whilst working full time Coral also cooks meals for her elderly mum, drops in and cleans her house, helps out her pregnant daughter with a toddler and organises inspections for her son's apartment. I was exhausted just reading Coral's schedule. 

She is now visiting her mother in rehab after a fall.

 

Andie is visiting a stranger in rehab. Ben had pushed her out of the way of an out of control car, and possibly saved her life. She feels the least she can do is give him some company.

 

Mara is assigned to work closely with her boss Estelle, who is in rehab after a fall down some stairs. Estelle is bitter and critical of Mara but Mara is determined this hostile woman won't get the better of her.

 

The View from the Balcony is a wonderful story of friendship and family, of strangers becoming friends in unlikely circumstances. It's about looking after yourself, burnout, PTSD, grief and standing up for yourself. Janette Paul includes these themes and many more without the story ever feeling contrived. This shows a plot that is expertly executed.

 

Although the three visitors, Coral, Andie and Mara, are the main characters and we see the most growth in their lives the three patients, Ben, Estelle and Val also feature heavily as they are thrown together with strangers and with time to talk and get to know each other they find themselves opening up and having their lives changed as well.

 

A lovely intergenerational friendship evolves from the three women supporting each other inside the hospital and later outside that enclosed world.

 

If you are after a story that is heartwarming and touching The View from the Balcony will not disappoint.   

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 25th March 2025

Genre: Contemporary fiction

Pages: 391

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 My review of The Summer Place by Janette Paul

Book Review: Nesting by Roisin O'Donnell

Nesting is the heartrending literary debut by Irish author Roisin O'Donnell. 

I've read a few books featuring down-trodden women with overbearing, gaslighting husbands and I feel that Roisin O'Donnell has the emotion and uncertainty just right.

 

Ciara is contemplating leaving her husband. He has made her leave her job, cut off all her friendships and criticizes her family to the extent she rarely sees them. 

Some readers may feel Ciara is pathetic. Why doesn't she just leave Ryan? Why does she keep returning to him? This is where O'Donnell adeptly shows the hold these men have on their partners. Ciara loves him, he promises to do better, he loves her and can't live without her, he's wonderful with the children and they love him. 

These are the thoughts, and manipulations by Ryan, that possess Ciara when she keeps returning to her marriage.

 

There is a continuous foreboding feel all through the novel which kept me glued to the pages.

O'Donnell's writing is beautiful and evocative. I could feel Ciara's fear, indecision and hopelessness. I was rooting for her to stay strong and survive through even the worst times of homelessness and hunger.

 

O'Donnell shows how a controlling male can slowly take over your life until you don't know who you are anymore, there is no beyond being his wife.

 

Nesting highlights the need for more social housing and refuges for women. It's not all gloom though there are unexpected friendships made and women banding together and helping each other.

 

Nesting is a beautiful story of motherhood and resilience. It's a hard read but so rewarding in its depth of characters and emotion.

 

Content: Coercive control 

               Emotional abuse

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Imprint: Scribner Australia

Publication date: 29th January 2025

Genre: Literary Fiction

Pages: 400

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher 

 

 

Book Review: The Promise by Arnold Dix

How an Everyday Hero Made the Impossible Possible 

Arnold Dix usually worked with no fuss and no fanfare until 2023 when a single catastrophe, on the other side of the world, changed his life forever.

 

Dix, a unique blend of geologist, barrister, scientist, farmer, engineer and truck driver, captured the world's attention for his role in the rescue of forty-one men trapped in a collapsed tunnel in the Himalayas. 

The Promise is more a memoir of Dix's life than simply a story of the tunnel rescue. We learn what makes Arnold Dix the person he is and the life that led up to him orchestrating the tunnel rescue.

 

Dix writes with compassion and enthusiasm for everything he has undertaken in life. He comes across as intelligent, down-to-earth and unpretentious. His confidence, passion and charm draw people to him. He believes in uplifting his fellow man and treats everyone with respect and reverence. Arnold's compassion led him to assist thousands of migrant workers in Qatar, putting his own life in danger.

 

"We should lift each other up instead of tearing each other down. We should individually play our part to bring a little joy, a little kindness, to our surroundings. Collectively, those small acts of kindness will combine to leave a lasting mark." - Arnold Dix (The Promise)

 

Arnold Dix shares precious family photos and scenes from the rescue through colour plate inserts.

 

I would have liked more information on the women that came forward to clear an access road, by hand, on the mountain.

 

The Promise is an unforgettable story of a life lived to the fullest through selfless acts of kindness and bravery. This outstanding memoir will restore your faith in humankind. There are some truly selfless people in our world.

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: 29th January 2025 

Genre: Non Fiction / Memoir

Pages: 303

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

Book Review: After the Great Storm by Ann Dombroski

In After the Great Storm Ann Dombroski has created a dark apocalyptic world with violent storms that lash Sydney's CBD. 

Alice's husband Daniel is in prison charged with causing a derailment on the city's transport system resulting in lives lost. Anna believes Daniel is innocent and is gathering information to prove his innocence. 

I was immersed in a world where Alice is not only battling the catastrophic weather she is also trying to manage the mounting bills alone whilst contacting lawyers and gathering information about the faulty transport system. I could feel her desperation as she came up against corruption everywhere she looked for help. The number of people Alice could trust was shrinking fast.

 

When a woman arrives on her doorstep on the brink of death Alice can not turn her away and finds herself embroiled in the murky world of human experimentation. 

 

Set in 2075, After the Great Storm is a speculative fiction novel with an environmental lean. It is never explained why the violent storms are destroying the city and it appears that country areas were not affected. I would have liked more information on why this was happening.

 

I found the different plot-lines didn't feel cohesive although they did eventually come together.

 

The world of After the Great Storm has many areas of moral ambiguity as Alice chides a doctor for accepting bribes then offers him a bribe to perform her IVF procedure whilst her husband is in prison. 

With themes of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, human experimentation, biomimetic material for organ transplants, self drive pods and companion robots, it is a future world that is not unbelievable.

 

The beautifully described scenes and foreboding suspense kept me reading, eager to see how Alice would get her life back on track. 

After the Great Storm is the perfect read for fans of science fiction and apocalyptic novels.

 

My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Transit Lounge

Publication date: 2nd February 2025

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 304

RRP: AU$32.99 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher  

Book Review: Little Red Death by A. K. Benedict

ONCE UPON A TIME LIKE YOU'VE NEVER READ IT BEFORE ..... 

 

Little Red Death by A.K. Benedict pulled me in right from the sinister sounding prologue.

 

There is not much I can say about the plot without giving spoilers and this is one story you need to go into without any spoilers. 

 

DI Lyla Rondell is investigating a series of murders that appear to be based on Grimms fairy tales. As the murders mount up the clues all lead back to the unsolved disappearance of Lyla's best friend 25 years ago.

I really don't like horror stories but I was so hooked on the mystery that when the gruesome murders started I couldn't stop reading.

 

I read The Complete Grimms Fairy Tales as a buddy read in 2023 and I remember how dark and gruesome they were. A. K. Benedict has used these pre-disneyfied fairy tales as the basis for the murders.

 

Little Red Death is a genre mash-up of fairy tale retellings, mystery, crime, horror, supernatural and locked-room thriller with twist upon twist upon twist.

 

Did I say I couldn't put this book down!!

 

I did have an inkling where the story was heading but I was totally unprepared for the jaw-dropping final few chapters.

 

Fans of twisty crime mysteries will love this dark, addictive crime thriller.

 

My rating 4.5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia

Publication date: 5th March 2025

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Pages: 384

RRP: AU$34.99 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

Book Review: Tuesday Jocks and other stories by Fin J. Ross

I thoroughly enjoyed Billings Better Bookstore & Brasserie by Fin J. Ross so I was eager to read more of her work and I was delighted to receive a copy of Tuesday Jocks and other stories to read. 

 

Tuesday Jocks and other stories is a diverse collection of crime stories with Ross's trademark touches of humour. 

Fifteen short stories to suit all reading tastes; vigilantes, bushrangers, science fiction, historical, revenge and body in the library. Many of the stories have a feminist lean, but the women aren't always the victim here.

 

With lots of light-hearted humour and a few twists included, I found Tuesday Jocks and other stories a fun read. It's a book that is easy to pick up and read a few short stories whenever you have a break. 

 

My favourite story was What's a Girl To Do which had a spectacular twist that had me going back and reading the story again to see if I could pick up any clues.

 

Tuesday Jocks and other stories would make the perfect gift for someone that you aren't sure of their taste in books. It definitely has something for everyone. 

 

My rating 4.3 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (averaged over the 15 stories) 

 

Publisher: Clandestine Press

Publication date: 1st November 2024

Genre: Crime

Pages: 253

RRP: AU$32.95 (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 
 

Book Review: The Big Book of Australian Yarns by Jim Haynes

Jim Haynes' The Big Book of Australian Yarns and amazing true stories is a fabulous collection of little known Aussie historical events and a fun look at some of the people who made Australia the country it is today. Daredevils, larrikins, legends, rule-breakers, entrepreneurs, the charismatic and the down-on-their-luck, all have a story and Jim Haynes brings those stories to life.

 

Jim Haynes himself has been well travelled, and well lived, and I can only imagine the extensive amount of research that went into this knowledgeable book as it is filled with names, dates and quotes from real news articles. 

 

I learnt so much about Australia's unknown history and also history in general. Looking back over events mentioned in the book I can see how times have changed. An aerial display from a hot-air balloon set to take place in Townsville caused a scandal and was later debated in parliament as the women were deemed to be too scantily-clad and also the performance being on a Sunday was said to be assisting the desecration of the sabbath. And who knew parachutes were invented before aeroplanes!

 

A story that really shocked me was, the Army riot in 1916, when Army recruits mutinied, defied orders, marched into Liverpool, took over the town and wrecked the hotels. Thousands then took the trains into Sydney and terrorised the city. I honestly can't imagine this happening today.

 

I liked that the book was set out in sections with each group of stories in that section relating back to the main topic. This meant I didn't need to read the book straight through, cover to cover. I could just pick a topic to read when I had time. 

 

I recommend The Big Book of Australian Yarns to everyone. It is chock full of nostalgia, humour and wow moments. Legends, larrikins, eccentrics, bizarre and unconventional characters, Jim Haynes has included them all.

 

The Big Book of Australian Yarns is entertaining and enlightening, a remarkable history of unknown and forgotten Aussie characters. 

 

 My rating  5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 29th October 2024

Genre: Non Fiction / History

Pages: 544

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

 
 

Book Review: Exiles by Jane Harper

I've read and loved the first two books in the Aaron Falk series, The Dry and Force of Nature, however I found the plot of Exiles felt a bit tired. It was like Harper was already over the series before she had written this third book.

 

The story involves the mysterious disappearance of a woman after abandoning her young baby at the local festival. Aaron was in the town, to attend his friend's son's christening, when this happened. The Christening was cancelled. Twelve months on and everyone has gathered again to attend the Christening. It gives the townsfolk a chance to go over the details of the disappearance and ask for any new information. 

Exiles has a slow, drawn out mystery and there is lots of backstory on Aaron Falk's life included as he thinks back over events in his life. However if you've read the first two books there is nothing new here.

 

The concept of the story was very clever, "we see what we think we should see", however the execution was slow.

 

Not my favourite Jane Harper book but still worth a read.

 

My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Macmillan Australia 

Publication date: 20th September 2022

Series: Aaron Falk #3

Genre: Crime / Mystery

Pages: 407

Source: Own copy

 

Book Review: The Sugar Palace by Fiona McIntosh

 I thoroughly enjoyed this Historical Fiction, set in the 1920's, by prolific Australian author Fiona McIntosh.

I think that the setting of Sydney CBD enhanced the story for me and gave me an added connection to the characters, as being my home town, all scenes were easily imagined. 

 

Grace Fairweather works in her parents' grocery store however she has dreams of one day owning her own confectionery store.

When she meets the charismatic Alfie Sweeting she is immediately smitten. Alfie encourages her to reach for the stars and pushes her to realise her dreams but all is not easy going as Alfie has ties to the dark underbelly of Sydney and those ties are not easily broken.

 I loved all the mentions of the sweets that Grace was making and how they came up with names and marketed the business.

There is lots of tension as the seedier side of Sydney is prevalent in Alfie's life and McIntosh adds an element of reality by including some of the more infamous characters from that era.

 

I was barracking for Grace to succeed. She was strong and determined. She spoke her mind and didn't judge people less fortunate than herself.  

The Sugar Palace was an engaging tale of double crossing, crime, drug dealing and extortion wrapped around toffee apples, fairy floss and chocolates.

 

I am so glad that The Global Girls Online Book Club picked The Sugar Palace as their monthly read.

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia 

Publication date: 10th October 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 382

Source: Own Copy

 

 

 

 

Book Review: One Dark Night by Hannah Richell

 One Dark Night was my first read by English/Australian author Hannah Richell and I'm pleased that she has a great backlist that I can catch up on.

 

It's the night of Halloween and a group of teenagers meet in the woods near an area that is believed to be haunted by the ghost of a girl in a white dress. The next day one of the teens is found dead.

 

As the investigation gets underway we can see a lot of the teens are lying, and seem to be hiding something.

DS Ben Chase is leading the case and the story includes some of his tumultuous personal life.

 

Richell incorporates plenty of red herrings steering the reader this way and that. There was an ever growing list of suspects and I was sure I had picked the murderer many times. I love a thriller where I can't make up my mind whodunit, and it has me jumping to conclusions.

 

One Dark Night is a fabulously creepy and atmospheric thriller with the perfect setting that creates chills up your spine, a superb cast of characters and a final reveal that took me totally by surprise.

 

One Dark Night is a must-read for thriller fans, one that will keep you up late into the night.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia

Publication date: 1st January 2025

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Pages: 432

RRP: AU$32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher