Showing posts with label Crime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crime. Show all posts

Tuesday 19 March 2024

Book Review: Devil's Lair by Sarah Barrie

 Devil's Lair

by

Sarah Barrie

A lonely widow, a sinister act, a darkness rising from the past.

Publication date: 17th June 2019
Series: Calico Mountain #2
Genre: Crime / Thriller
Pages: 448
RRP: $29.99AU (trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: Devil's Lair  

I just found out whilst posting my review that this is book 2 in a series! I can confidently say it reads well as a standalone. 

Devil's Lair opens with a ritualistic cult-like killing and I initially thought the story might be too dark for me however it soon settles into a compelling mystery with dark elements, allusions to paranormal activity and some nice creepy stalking. There are more killings but they are spread throughout the book and by this time I was hooked on the mystery.

Devil's Lair is a taut, gothic small town thriller and the perfect setting of a Tasmanian winter adds to the atmosphere of seclusion. I enjoyed the light romance thread that ran through the novel. It gave me some relief from the spine-tingling drama that had me on the edge of my seat.

Sarah Barrie pulled me into the world of gothic Tasmania and when the jaw-dropping twists started revealing themselves I was totally addicted.
 
If you enjoyed The Dry and The Dark Lake you will love Devil's Lair

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you haven't read Sarah Barrie before I highly recommend her Lexi Winter series.

 
#tbrchallenge

Saturday 2 March 2024

Book Review: The Beacon by P. A. Thomas

 The Beacon

by

P. A. Thomas

Publisher: Echo Publishing
Publication date: 30th January 2024
Genre: Crime / Mystery
Pages: 416
RRP: $ 32.99AU (paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: The Beacon

Jack Harris, son of media giant Malcolm Harris, is sent from his high profile Melbourne office of Harris Media to their lowest regional newspaper, The Beacon, at Byron Bay. His father wants him to learn the business from the ground up but Jack thinks it may be punishment for questioning some of his father's actions.
 
Jack is eager for some journalistic work but when he arrives his mentor, Patrick O'Shaughnessy, is nowhere to be seen. Jack soon meets the colourful Caitlin O'Shaughnessy, Patrick's daughter. 
Patrick's body is found days later looking very much like the victim of a shark attack. Some things about the death don't add up for Jack so he and Caitlin decide to do some investigating of their own and soon find there are a few people that Patrick had managed to get on the wrong side of via his journalistic reporting.
 
The Beacon is such an entertaining page-turner. Set in the beach-side town of Byron Bay. P. A. Thomas cleverly portrays Byron's beauty and its flaws. Showcasing Bryon's eclectic and diverse cast of residents and their relationship with the missing reporter.
Thomas includes lots of fun banter, a main protagonist who can be a bit naive at times and a compelling mystery that kept me intrigued with plenty of twists and numerous antagonists. I was eager to see how the story would end.
 
Jack is the type of character you will find hard to let go of. He's honest, funny and a bit naive at times. He gets himself in and out of plenty of sticky situations. I closed the book hoping we would be seeing more of Jack Harris in the future. 
 
My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ plus an extra ⭐ because there was a character named Veronica 💖

Friday 23 February 2024

Book Review: Kaikoura Rendezvous by Stephen Johnson

 Kaikoura Rendezvous

by

Stephen Johnson

Publication date: 1st October 2023
Series: A Melbourne Spotlight Mystery
Genre: Crime / Mystery
Pages: 240
RRP: $36.95AU (paperback) $11.95AU (ebook) 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: Kaikoura Rendezvous

In Kaikoura Rendezvous Stephen Johnson takes his reader on a roller coaster ride through New Zealand.
He has included a plethora of interesting characters who all play an important role in the development of the story.
 
Surveillance professional Heath Michel is under orders to watch fisherman and ex-con Gordie Tulloch and report on his movements.
Gordie, recently released from prison, has been offered the deal of a lifetime. Simply pick up a package dropped off-shore and exchange it for a generous sum of money.
Kim Prescott, TV reporter for Melbourne's Spotlight current affairs show, is suffering severe PTSD after being attacked on the job. She is given an ultimatum, go on a holiday with co-worker Jo Trescowthick or go into therapy.
Cyclone Gita is also brewing and intensifying, her course is not destined for New Zealand, so no-one is taking her too seriously.
 
The story starts with three separate story lines and multiple points of view. I found each of the story lines interesting and each were given equal voice throughout the book.
 
Kim and Jo's tour through New Zealand in a motorhome was well portrayed and brought back memories of a trip I had done many years ago.
Ex-Con Gordie was an interesting character, greedy and unscrupulous, but I kinda liked him.
 
I was intrigued to see how the different plots would come together; the reporters on holiday, Gordie's contraband pick-up, Heath's surveillance operation plus cyclone Gita twisting, turning and changing course. And when they did it was a fast-paced crescendo of heart-racing action on all fronts.
 
My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Friday 12 January 2024

Book Review: A Shadow at the Door by Jo Dixon

 A Shadow at the Door

by

Jo Dixon

Publisher: Harlequin Australia
Publication date: 3rd January 2024
Genre: Crime / Thriller
Pages: 373
RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: A Shadow at the Door

Remi has built a new life for herself since her marriage breakdown and thrown herself into renovating her dilapidated sandstone house. When her savings mysteriously disappear from her bank account and her ex-husband starts pushing her to sell the house Remi decides to take in tenants to cover her mortgage repayments. 
Josephine and Emerson, both women having moved to Tasmania to start a new life, move in.
 
A Shadow at the Door is a compelling domestic thriller. Jo Dixon once again immerses her readers in the beauty and seclusion of Tasmania, highlighting the bitter cold of a Tasmanian winter. The story held my interest as the multi-generational friendship evolved and inner secrets emerged.
 
Jo Dixon realistically depicts how online trolls can destroy a reputation and how years of emotional abuse can undermine a person's confidence and self-worth. I love how Jo Dixon built  empathy for her characters in A Shadow at the Door. I couldn't help but want them to succeed.
 
Told through multiple points of view Jo Dixon delivers a gripping thriller with an enticingly twisty plot and an underlying message of friendship.
 
A Shadow at the Door is a worthy second novel to Jo Dixon's block-buster debut The House of Now and Then.
 
My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
 
Read my review of The House of Now and Then

Friday 29 December 2023

Book Review: Fat, Fifty & Fu*ked by Geoffrey McGeachin

 Fat, Fifty & Fu*ked

by

Geoffrey McGeachin

20th Anniversary Edition

Publication date: Rereleased on 13th November 2023 
Genre: Crime / Humour
Pages: 232
RRP: $32.95 (paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: Fat, Fifty & Fu*ked

Set in the fictitious small country town of Burrinjuruk, Fat, Fifty and Fu*ked is the quintessential Australian novel. The small town is dying since the main road was diverted and the local bank is the latest business to be closed down. Get ready for the ride of your life with an armed hold-up, murder,  mayhem, benevolent bikies, Government cover-ups and a madcap journey in a sidecar.
 
Martin Carter's life couldn't get any lower. His wife is playing the field, his step-children hate him and the bank he manages is closing today; his fiftieth birthday.
With a mid-life crisis looming Martin decides to hold up the armoured car delivering the payouts for the local miners. He steals a police car and goes on the run. Along the way he meets up with Faith, an ex-librarian ready to have some fun.

Originally published in 2003, and re-released this year by Clan Destine Press, McGeachin decided to stick with the year 2000 setting. It was a simpler time before smartphones, limited social media and the search for the perfect cup of coffee.

It is very easy to like Martin, the underdog, and barrack for him along the way. Faith is also a fabulous character, putting her librarian smarts to use throughout the journey.

Fat, Fifty & Fu*ked is fast-paced, witty, wild and outrageously funny, served with a side dish of romance.
It's a book I found hard to put down wanting to know how Martin and Faith would get out of this mess.

Fat, Fifty & Fu*ked is the funniest book I have read in a while.

My rating 5 / 5  🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣



Saturday 25 November 2023

Book Review: Vendetta by Sarah Barrie

 Vendetta

by

Sarah Barrie

COP OR CRIMINAL? UNDERCOVER, THE LINES ARE A LITTLE BLURRY
 
Publication date: 15th November 2023
Series: Lexi Winter #3
Genre: Crime / Thriller
Pages: 400
RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: Vendetta

The much anticipated Lexi Winter #3 is here! 

In Vendetta by Sarah Barrie Lexi finds herself with no one to turn to for help, once again relying on her hacking skills to keep herself alive. It is not only Lexi's life that is at stake.

Dawny is back in book 3 and she is in fine form. Her quick wit and sarcasm cracks me up.

Lexi is still not sure if the police force is the right job for her when people from her past pop up again in her life.
Lexi didn't disappoint! She was tough and wanted it all her way, she doesn't concede to anyone, police or criminal.
The suspense ramps up as the pages turn and I was worried this could be the case that destroys Lexi.

The book ends on a teaser which makes me feel that the next book is  going to be even more heart-stopping - if that's possible!!

Vendetta is fast-paced and suspenseful, readers following the Lexi Winter series will not be disappointed.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Other books in the series:
 
 


Monday 25 September 2023

Book Review: Force of Nature by Jane Harper

 Force of Nature

by

Jane Harper

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Publication date: 26th September 2017
Series: Aaron Falk #2
Genre: Crime / Suspense 
Pages: 384
Source: Own purchase
 

Review: Force of Nature

Force of Nature is book two in the Federal Agent Aaron Falk series. Jane Harper's debut novel The Dry was a huge success so Force of Nature had huge shoes to fill. I found it was every bit as atmospheric and pagerturnerish (that's a real word) as the first book.

Five women enter the Giralang Ranges on a team building event and only four return; late, muddy and distressed. Alice Russell is missing and everyone is assured she will be found cold but safe. Only Aaron knows she is a whistleblower in a major fraud case.
 
The story moves from the present day search for Alice to the four days the women spent in the bush. The chapters are short and the move between the two time frames is quick, which keeps the story moving along at a fast pace.
Through conversations between Aaron and his partner Carmen we get to know more about them and their personal lives.
 
Harper's writing is engaging and the hostile environment of the Australian bush is perfectly rendered to keep the suspense level high. 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author (from front of book)

Jane Harper is the author of the international bestseller The Dry, The Lost Man, The Survivors and Exiles. Her books are published in forty territories worldwide. Jane has won numerous top awards including the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year, the Australian Indie Awards Book of the Year, the CWA Gold Dagger Award for Best Crime Novel, and the British Book Awards Crime and Thriller Book of the Year. Jane lives in Melbourne with her husband, two children and two cats.


Saturday 23 September 2023

Book Review: Simply Lies by David Baldacci

 Simply Lies

by

David Baldacci

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Publication date: 28th march 2023
Series: Mickey Gibson #1
Genre: Crime / Mystery
Pages: 400
RRP: $34.99 (trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: Simply Lies

I'm sorry to say that Simply Lies was not my favourite David Baldacci novel!
I absolutely loved the Atlee Pine series and couldn't get enough of her. I was sorry to see the series end.
 
Simply Lies is the first book in a new series featuring protagonist Mickey Gibson. Gibson is a former detective now working for private investigation company ProEye, tracking down the hidden assets of the extremely wealthy who have mounting debts.
 
Gibson is conned into investigating the death of a known criminal and once she is in, there is no backing out.
Simply Lies has a very complicated plot and I couldn't understand Mickey's motivation to become so involved in this case.
There weren't a lot of characters in the novel but everyone had two, sometimes three, different names. Baldacci includes lots of dialogue and internal monologue - two of my pet hates.

I did enjoy the unexpected twists in the story and I have to admit the plot wasn't at all predictable.
I definitely plan on giving the next Mickey Gibson novel a try as I know Baldacci can write a compelling five star worthy novel.

My rating 2 / 5 ⭐⭐

About the author

David Baldacci is one of the world’s bestselling and favourite thriller writers. A former trial lawyer with a keen interest in world politics, he has specialist knowledge in the US political system and intelligence services, and his first book, Absolute Power, became an instant international bestseller, with the movie starring Clint Eastwood a major box office hit. He has since written more than forty bestsellers featuring, most recently, Amos Decker, Aloysius Archer, Atlee Pine and John Puller. David is also the co-founder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across the US.
 
Other books I've read by David Baldacci:
 
 
 
 

Wednesday 6 September 2023

Book Review: Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor

Dirt Town

by

Hayley Scrivenor

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Publication date: 31st May 2022
Genre: Crime / Mystery
Pages: 368
RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher 
 

Review: Dirt Town

I wasn't sure how I was going to go with this book with its unusual narrative style but I found I was totally hooked.
 
The bulk of Dirt Town is narrated over a four day period during the search for missing twelve-year-old Esther Bianchi.
Written through the alternating points of view of Esther's school friends Ronnie and Lewis, D.S. Sarah Michaels who is heading the case and Constance, Esther's mother. There is also the unusual and unique narration of the town's collective of children, past and present.

Hayley Scrivenor delves into small town nuances. A place where everyone touches everyone else in some way. Many have grown up together as have their parents before them. A case of domestic violence is met with the statement "everyone knew". A blind-eye is turned to any unpleasantness.

I had picked the perp right from the start however Scrivenor's excellent plotting had me second guessing myself all the way through.

Dirt Town is a propulsive debut mystery novel that had me glued to the book until the heartfelt ending.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Plus an extra⭐ for a character named Veronica 💖

About the author

Hayley Scrivenor is a former Director of Wollongong Writers Festival. Hayley has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Wollongong on the south coast of New South Wales. Dirt Town is her first novel and has been shortlisted and won many awards.

WINNER OF THE ABIA GENERAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023
WINNER OF THE 2023 CWA ILP JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER AWARD
WINNER OF THE LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD FOR LGBTQ+ MYSTERY 2023
WINNER OF THE DAVITT AWARDS DEBUT CRIME BOOK 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 MARGARET AND COLIN RODERICK LITERARY AWARD
SHORTLISTED FOR THE NED KELLY AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT CRIME FICTION 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE INDIE BOOK AWARDS 2023 FOR DEBUT FICTION
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ABIA THE MATT RICHELL AWARD FOR NEW WRITER OF THE YEAR 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE DAVITT AWARDS ADULT CRIME NOVEL 2023
FINALIST FOR THE 2023 ITW THRILLER AWARDS FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL
 

Thursday 31 August 2023

Book Review: Mole Creek by James Dunbar

Mole Creek 

by

James Dunbar

A hellish war. A deadly secret. 
Fifty years on, in a small Tasmanian town, 
the truth unfolds and the killing begins again....

Publisher: Echo Publishing
Publication date: 1st August 2023
Genre: Crime / Mystery
Pages: 352
RRP: $32.99AU (paperback)
Source: courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: Mole Creek

Mole Creek is an edgy murder mystery. The story alternates between present day Tasmania and Vietnam 50 years ago, during the Vietnam war.
 
Journalist and crime writer Xander McAuslan hears that his grandfather, a retired cop and Vietnam Veteran, has taken his own life in the small town of Mole Creek in Tasmania. A place he and his grandfather had spent many holidays together.
Feeling as though he failed his grandfather, Xander travels to Tasmania to ease his own mind and to find out what happened.
 
Mole Creek is a fast paced read. Xander has a few enemies of his own and they seem to have followed him across the Strait. It's only his cunning and skill that get him out of a few deadly situations and his dry humour and wisecracks that get him into those situations.
 
I couldn't connect with the scenes in Vietnam, feeling they were unnecessarily taking me away from the present-day action.
Mole Creek is a complex mystery with a few red herrings thrown in. I was shocked at the unexpected ending and I certainly didn't see it coming. 
The richly described Tasmanian landscape is a treat within itself; evocative, dangerous and remote.

James Dunbar has written a compelling crime novel with Mole Creek, which has me looking forward to his next offering.

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

James Dunbar is a journalist, television scriptwriter, travel writer, university lecturer and website editor. Mole Creek is his first venture into the serious crime thriller and espionage genre.


Sunday 27 August 2023

Book Review: The Murders at Fleat House by Lucinda Riley

 The Murders at Fleat House

by

Lucinda Riley

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Publication date: 31st may 2022
Genre: Crime / Mystery
Pages: 576
RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: The Murders at Fleat House

The Murders at Fleat House is one of three books Riley originally wrote in 2006 and she never had the opportunity for extensive rewrites. Her son, Harry Whittaker, decided to publish the book with only the bare minimum of edits to preserve Lucinda's voice.
 
I did notice The Murders at Fleat House wasn't as polished as previous Lucinda Riley books I have read. That aside, it was still a compelling mystery read with many of the characters hiding secrets.
 
DI Jazmine Hunter moves to Norfolk leaving her career at the police force behind after a devastating marriage breakup. Encouraged by her superior to take on more case before she resigns, Jazz is sent to investigate the suicide of Charlie Cavendish, a student at Fleat House.
 
As Jazz tries to unravel the night of Charlie's death, more and more mysteries emerge. The chapters ending on little cliff hangers had me eager to read on.
There are quite a few characters in this story and plenty had a reason to dislike Charlie. They all have some mystery or secret surrounding them which had me jumping from one suspect to another. Secrets run deep in the closed community of Fleat House boarding school and DI Jazz Hunter must dig deeper to uncover them. I was totally hooked!
 
The Murders at Fleat House is a compelling murder mystery and a wonderful addition to Lucinda Riley's works.
 
My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
About the author
 
 Lucinda Riley was born in Ireland and, after an early career as an actress in film, theatre and television, wrote her first book aged twenty-four. Her books have been translated into thirty-seven languages and sold thirty million copies worldwide. Lucinda's The Seven Sisters series, which tells the story of adopted sisters and is inspired by the mythology of the famous star cluster, has become a global phenomenon. The series is a number one bestseller across the world and is currently in development with a major TV production company.  Lucinda was diagnosed with cancer in 2017 and died in June 2021.


Monday 31 July 2023

Book Review: Look Both Ways by Linwood Barclay

 Look Both Ways

by

Linwood Barclay

They think as one. They act as one. They kill as one.
 
Publisher: Harlequin Australia
Publication date: 3 August 2022
Genre: Crime / Thriller
Pages: 448
RRP: $32.99AU  (paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Review: Look Both Ways 

I am a big fan of Linwood Barclay's novels and I love how he develops his truly evil characters with no morals. So, I was a bit sceptical about a story involving self-drive cars. I mean, how evil can a car be? Very evil apparently!

Barclay has picked the perfect setting; an island where accessibility is limited.
Everyone on Garrett Island has been given battery powered self-drive cars. For one month these voice activated cars will do all the driving. For one month there will be no road deaths and no accidents as the cars communicate and monitor everything around them. Sounds like heaven, what could possibly  go wrong?

Look Both Ways was one wild ride and I was on the edge of my seat as the AI in the cars started working together and turn against their owners.
The cliff-hanger chapter endings had me compelled to keep the pages turning. The dark humour interspersed throughout the story kept me amused and as it moved along the pace picked up and the book becomes very hard to put down.

I didn't think this was going to be in the usual Barclay style however he did come through with the murder, mayhem and jaw-dropping twists I have come to expect.

Look Both Ways will have you looking at self-drive cars in a whole new light.
 
5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Linwood Barclay is an international bestselling crime and thriller author with over twenty critically acclaimed novels to his name, including the number one bestseller No Time For Goodbye. Linwood has sold more then 7 million copies globally, his books have been sold in more than 39 countries around the world. Born in the US, his parents moved to Canada just as he was turning four, and he has lived there ever since. He lives in Toronto with his wife, Neetha. They have two grown children.

Wednesday 26 July 2023

Book Review: Four Dogs Missing by Rhys Gard

 Four Dogs Missing

by

Rhys Gard

Publisher: Echo Publishing
Publication date: 4th July 2023
Genre: Crime
Pages: 324
RRP: $32.99 (paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: Four Dogs Missing

Four Dogs Missing is the riveting debut crime novel by Rhys Gard.
 
Oliver is a recluse living in the small rural town of Mudgee, where everyone wants to know your business, he is viewed as unfriendly and standoffish however no-one can deny that he makes award winning wines. Oliver has a family history that he would prefer no-one knew about.

I was immediately pulled into the mystery as Theo, Oliver's identical twin brother, arrives at the vineyard after 15 years of no contact.

There are multiple mysteries running through the storyline and as the body count starts to mount with no clear motive for the murders,all clues point to Oliver.

Four Dogs Missing has an intricate and twisty plot. I was bouncing back and forward as to who I thought the murderer was.
Rhys's characters are complex and we are given a huge insight into their individual thoughts and personalities. This gave me an added connection to the characters which in turn had me eager for another book involving the same characters. Let's just say I'm not ready to let them go just yet.

Rhys Gard portrays an astute sense of the remoteness and solitude the area evokes which adds to the overall atmosphere of the story.
Four Dogs Missing is not your typical police procedural crime novel as Oliver, the winemaker, does all the detective work himself, leaving the police mostly in the dark.

If you like your crime with a splash of good wine, this is the book for you!

5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Rhys Gard is a writer and a chef. Between careers, he studies English and Film at the University of New South Wales. He has worked as a journalist, marketer, wine writer and restaurateur. He lives in Mudgee. Four Dogs Missing is his first novel.

Wednesday 12 July 2023

Book Review: The Dry by Jane Harper

 The Dry

by

Jane Harper

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Publication date: 31st May 2016
Series: Aaron Falk #1
Genre: Crime
Pages: 339
Source: Own book
 

Review: the Dry

My enjoyment of this book was probably ruined by seeing the movie before reading the book. And with almost 222,000 rating on Goodreads I think I may be the only person, in Australia, who hasn't read the book.

Aaron Falk arrives back in his hometown of Kiewarra to attend the funeral of his friend Luke, Luke's wife and son. It has been deemed by all as a murder-suicide. It's been hard times for farmers and many have reached breaking point.

The Dry is set during a lengthy drought and Harper never lets her readers forget how stifling hot it is and how dangerously dry the land is.
As Falk spends more time in his hometown and delves further into Luke's life he is also forced to confront his past and the reason he left town 20 years ago.

Harper shows us the darker side of a close-knit community, with lies and secrets being held for decades, victimisation and bullying by police.
With flashbacks in italics the story moves smoothly between now and then.

I would have liked there to be more people to suspect as I couldn't see anyone had a motive to murder the family. Some strategically placed red herrings would have made the story more immersive.

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#dymocksreadingchallenge
#tbrchallenge

About the author

Jane Harper is the internationally bestselling author of the The Dry, Force of Nature, The Lost Man and The Survivors. Her books are published in forty territories worldwide, and The Dry has been adapted into a major motion picture starring Eric Bana. Jane has won numerous top awards including the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year, the Australian Indie Awards Book of the Year, the CWA Gold Dagger Award for Best Crime Novel, and the British Book Awards Crime and Thriller Book of the Year. Jane worked as a print journalist for thirteen years both in Australia and the UK, and now lives in Melbourne with her husband and two children.

Saturday 1 July 2023

Book Review: After the Smoke Clears by Kylie Kaden

 After the Smoke Clears

by

Kylie Kaden

A family. A small town. A lifetime of secrets.
 
Publisher: Pantera Press
Publication date: 2nd May 2023
Genre: Crime / Rural
Pages: 320
RRP: $32.99AU (paperback)
Source: courtesy of Beauty & Lace Book Club

This review first appeared on Beauty and Lace Book Club
 

Review: After the Smoke Clears

School teacher Lotti finds herself falling for August Nash and his 6 year old son Otto. Auggie has a bad boy outer shell but a mushy and gentle heart although he refuses to open up about his past. When August heads back to his hometown after receiving an urgent call for help from a friend, Lotti along with Otto decides to follow him.

As she asks around in Auggie’s hometown she starts to wonder if she really knows the man at all. What dark secrets is he hiding?

After the Smoke Clears, narrated by both Auggie and Lotti in present day 2009 and also by Auggie in 1989, is a compelling mystery read that slowly unfolds over both timelines.

Kylie Kaden has written a small country town mystery with themes of institutionalised abuse, mental illness, feeling of shame and victimisation.

I loved all the 80’s nostalgia throughout the story and Kaden’s depiction of small town policing and bullying were well portrayed. I did however find the story a bit too angst ridden for my liking and I felt the plot kept running round in circles and not moving forward fast enough for me. Still, a compelling read.

 
My rating 3.5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐½ 

About the author

Kylie Kaden has an honours degree in psychology, was a columnist at My Child Magazine, and now works in the disability sector.
She knew writing was in her blood from a young age when she snuck onto her brother's Commodore 64 to invent stories as a child. Raised in Queensland, she spent holidays camping with her family on the Sunshine Coast.
With a surfer-lawyer for a husband and three spirited sons, Kylie can typically be found venting the day's thoughts on her laptop, sometimes in the laundry so she can't be found.
After the Smoke Clears is her fifth novel.

You can read my review of One of Us by Kylie Kaden at this link: https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/2022/07/spotlight-on-other-books-ive-read-this.html
 

Saturday 17 June 2023

Book Review: The Ghost of Gracie Flynn by Joanna Morrison

 The Ghost of Gracie Flynn

by

Joanna Morrison

Publisher: Fremantle Press
 
Publication date: 5th October 2022
 
Genre: Crime / Mystery
 
Pages: 288
 
RRP: $32.99AU (Paperback)
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

My review of The Ghost of Gracie Flynn

I raced through this book! It is such a great read!
Don't let the title deter you, The Ghost of Gracie Flynn is not a paranormal story.
 
 Narrated in second person by Gracie's ghost as she is telling the story to baby Isla, the daughter of her onetime friend Sam.
Gracie's second person omniscient point of view did take me a couple of chapters to get used to but I quickly became immersed in the story.

The novel opens with a death, but it's not Gracie, so I was immediately thrown into a double mystery.
A chance meeting of old college friends Sam, Cohen and Robyn brings up old memories and reopens old wounds. They haven't seen each other since Gracie died and they each went their own separate ways almost two decades ago. The four friends were inseparable at Uni.

Through the dual timeline narration we get a sense of how the three are now and how close they all were when younger.
The plot is easy to follow, even though it jumps between then and now, it is easy to read and flows well. The mystery of Gracie's death kept me invested and gives an extra layer of connection when narrated by Gracie herself.

Each of the three friends went on to be quite successful in life, but not in love, and the chance meeting comes at a time when their lives seem to be falling apart.
With themes of love, happiness, loss, unrequited love and obsession The Ghost of Gracie Flynn is a story full of simmering menace. Compulsive reading!

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Joanna Morrison has a background in journalism and a PhD in Creative Writing. Her short fiction has appeared in Australian literary journals and anthologies. In 2020, The Ghost of Gracie Flynn was shortlisted for the City of Fremantle Hungerford Award. Joanna lives in Perth with her husband, two sons and a miniature schnauzer, Scout.


 
 
 

Monday 22 May 2023

Book Review: The Signatory by Stuart Black

 The Signatory

by

Stuart Black

Loyalty can be a deadly virtue
 
Publisher: Glass House Books
 
Publication date: 20th April 2023
 
Genre: Crime / Thriller
 
Pages: 230
 
RRP: $33.00AU (Paperback)
 
Source: Courtesy of DMCPRMedia
 

My review of The Signatory

The Signatory is a gripping crime novel centred around, what you would think to be, the very safe world of marketing. 

Successful start-up company The Bold Agency has been bought out by the large global company, YRG. The takeover is going well and owner Sam Pride is enjoying the money. When his chief finance officer, Chaz Bailey, starts digging around into some of YRG's dealings and questions arise about the takeover, Chaz is kidnapped and his life is threatened unless an incriminating document is handed over.
Sam now finds himself in a fight for survival whilst he tries to uncover the person behind the fraud and also save his friend.

The Signatory is a great story set around the corporate world of advertising. It's very clear that Stuart Black knows his subject.

The only downside for me was the constant changing point of view which hindered the flow of the story. It felt like it was jumping all over the place.

The Signatory is a compelling story with corporate crime, greed and murder taking centre stage. A story filled with twists and turns until the final chapter.

My rating 3.5 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐½

About the author

Stuart Black worked for Saatchi & Saatchi in Sydney and London, before becoming the founding partner and CEO of South-East Asia's leading healthcare communications group, Ward6.
Alongside his career in advertising, Stuart is the author of two novels. In 2003, he had a manuscript shortlisted for the NSW Writers' Centre Popular Fiction Competition and in 2009, published the psychological thriller Shallow Water.
Stuart's second novel, The Signatory, is based on his intimate knowledge of the international corporate world. Stuart is married and has two children.

Tuesday 16 May 2023

Book Review: Into the Night by Fleur McDonald

 Into the Night

by

Fleur McDonald

Arson, suicide or worse? Detective Dave Burrows investigates his most mystifying case.
 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 4th April 2023 
 
Genre: Crime / Rural
 
Pages:  352
 
RRP: $29.99AU (paperback)
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

My review of Into the Night

Fleur McDonald has delivered another compelling crime novel with Into the Night.
 
Det. Dave Burrows is called in to assist with investigations into the disappearance of a farmer after his farm goes up in flames.
 
I'm always excited when I hear another Dave Burrows novel is coming out. It's not by chance that Dave is loved by readers all over Australia. Fleur McDonald writes authentic characters with relatable problems and Dave may be tough but he wears his heart on his sleeve.
 
I was quickly pulled into the mystery of Leo's disappearance and with chapters ending on little cliffhangers I was urged to read that 'one more chapter', as the mystery deepens and the story becomes all the more engrossing.
 
Running through the police investigation Fleur includes many themes relating to farming and small rural communities. Such as; small towns dying off when there is no work, the risk of fires, marriage problems due to the relentless work hours of farmers, sibling rivalry and cash flow problems.
 
I loved the way Dave and his mentor, Bob Holden, bounce off each other and the clear affection that they have for each other.
Dave Burrows is the quintessential Aussie hero. Into the Night is a must read for rural crime fans!
 
My rating 5 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
About the author
 
Fleur McDonald has lived and worked on farms for much of her life. After growing up in the  small town of Orroroo in South Australia, she went jillarooing, eventually co-owning an 8000-acre property in regional Western Australia.
Fleur likes to write about strong women over-coming adversity, drawing on inspiration from her own experiences in rural Australia. She has two children and an energetic kelpie.
 
www.fleurmcdonald.com