Book Review: The Pocket Wife by Susan Crawford

 One challenge I entered at the beginning of the year, and really wanted to achieve, was the MountTBR challenge hosted by My Reader's Block. The plan was to read 12 books That had been on my bookshelves from 2019 or earlier. The Pocket Wife is book number 6.

Title: The Pocket Wife

Author: Susan Crawford

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Publication date: 1st April 2015

Genre: Crime / Mystery 

Pages: 304

Format: Uncorrected paperback 

Source: Won

 

My review of The Pocket Wife 

When Celia Steinhauser is found murdered in her own home it sends friend and neighbour Dana Catrell into a frenzied spiral of paranoia and hallucination. She was the last person to see Celia alive but all she can remember is the few too many drinks they had and then passing out at home...... and the blurry photo Celia showed her of her husband with another woman.

 

Jack Moss is called out on a murder case, he's due home for his and his wife's anniversary dinner but the murdered woman's name sounds familiar. He is sure it's one of his son's teachers. He can't not take the case.

 

The story is told through the dual narrative of Dana Catrell and Jack Moss and is a fast paced frenetic read. Dana's thoughts are all over the place. She has flashes here and there, some from the present and some from her past. Everything clashes and swirls around. Her turmoil is so well portrayed!

I don't know anything about mental illness but I felt that Susan Crawford got all the aspects right with Dana's flashes, paranoia, hallucinations, ups and downs. It was crazy just trying to keep up with her!

Jack Moss was an interesting character, his second wife had just left him. He came across as a bit vague and muddled but he could read people well and had an instinct for liars. His thoughts kept wandering off to his wife and his first marriage.

I couldn't get enough of this story as the number of prospective perpetrators rose and Dana's mind reeled out of control. I had no idea if she or even one of the other suspects murdered Celia. Everyone had something to hide and all  were lying or lying by omission.

The mystery component of the story was compelling. I wouldn't say it was a thriller but it was definitely a page-turning mystery.

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Stay tuned, I have a big book giveaway coming soon!!!

Book Review: The Castaways of Harewood Hall by Karen Herbert

The Castaways of Harewood Hall

by

Karen Herbert

 

a devilish dog, a curious cat and skulduggery in the basement...

 

Publisher: Fremantle Press

Publication date: 1st September 2022

Genre: Crime / Mystery

Pages: 216

RRP: $32.99AU

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

My review of The Castaways of Harewood Hall

Harewood Hall is a retirement village home to an eclectic group of residents who believe retirement from paid work doesn't mean retirement from life.

The narrative switches between some of the residents of the village, the manager, staff member Josh and even the resident cat, Harley, gets his point of view in this humorous and quirky tale.

Kind-hearted Josh rescues some research mice and hides them in Harewood Hall basement. Manager Fiona diligently deals with residents concerns about tree trimming, a spike in water usage and an unsafe retaining wall. Drama abounds when some residents decide to fix things themselves. Paul is the mediator, Martin the fixer and Joyce the organiser.

The Castaways of Harewood Hall is a delightful, light read bursting with a whole cast of likeable characters all with their own quirks and pet projects.

The mystery tends to take second stage to the goings on of the characters, human and non human.

I loved Harley's (the cat) point of view as he wandered from resident to resident, aloof but also a huge part of the village.

Missing money, mysterious deliveries  and a couple of red herrings make this novel an entertaining read. In Harewood Hall nothing goes unnoticed.

I've read a couple of retirement village novels that were hugely entertaining but unbelievable with the over-the-top high-jinks. Harewood Hall is tremendously engaging and believable.

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Karen Herbert has worked in age care, disability services, higher education, Indigenous land management, social housing and the public sector, and is a board member of The Intelife Group, Advocare Inc., and President of the fellowship of Australian Writers WA. Born in Geraldton, Karen now lives in Perth with her husband.

 
 

Book Review: The Tilt by Chris Hammer

The Tilt 

by

Chris Hammer 

 

THE DARKEST SECRETS LIE CLOSEST TO HOME 

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 5th October 2022

Series: Ivan Lucic & Nell Buchanan #2

Genre: Crime Fiction

Pages: 488

Format read: Uncorrected Paperback

Source: Courtesy of Better Reading Preview

 

My review of The Tilt

  

The Tilt is another atmospheric and well crafted novel by bestselling Australian author Chris Hammer.  

Set on the NSW/Victorian border Hammer’s descriptions of the area, the forests, creeks, isolation and tranquillity are beautifully written, immersing the reader in the setting.

 

Tulong may be a small town where everyone knows each other but small town secrets can be buried for decades.

The story takes off at a fast pace as a man is being pursued through the forest and a woman plans to sabotage a dam. These two mysteries are at the back of your mind throughout the book.
 

Recently promoted to Homicide, Nell Buchanan is given a cold case when a skeleton is unearthed near her old home town. With long held feuds and family secrets this case could be closer to home than Nell could ever have imagined!
 

The story is told through multiple narrative styles; Jimmy Waters statement running from his childhood in the 40’s to the 70’s, Tess Waters in 1973 and the present day investigation by Nell. I enjoyed each era of the story; Jimmy’s childhood attending the cattle and supporting his family while his father was at war and Tessa’s story in 1973 was so quintessentially 70’s, the cars, the music, the language. It was all so spot on!
 

The mysteries build throughout with a few unexpected twists to round off an excellent read. The Tilt is the second Nell Buchanan novel however reads well as a standalone.  

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Chris Hammer is a leading Australian author of crime fiction. His first book, Scrublands, was an instant bestseller when it was published in mid-2018. It won the prestigious UK Crime Writers Association John Creasy Award for a debut crime novel in 2019 and was shortlisted for various awards in Australia and the United States.

Scrublands has been sold into translation in several foreign languages and is being developed for television. His follow up books - Silver (2019), Trust (2020) and Treasure & Dirt (2021) - are also bestsellers and all have been shortlisted for major literary prizes.

Before turning to fiction, Chris was a journalist for more than thirty years, dividing his career between covering Australian federal politics and international affairs. He reported from more than 30 countries on six continents with SBS TV, while in Canberra, roles included chief political correspondent for The Bulletin, senior writer for The Age and Online Political Editor for Fairfax.

Chris has also written two non-fiction books The River (2010) and The Coast (2012). He has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Charles Sturt University and a master's degree in international relations from the Australian National University.

 

 

Book Review: The 6:20 Man by David Baldacci

 The 6:20 Man

by

David Baldacci

 

IT'S TIME TO CATCH A KILLER..... 

 

Publisher: Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 28th June 2022

Genre: Crime / Mystery 

Pages: 432

RRP: $34.99AUD

Format read: Paperback

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

My review of The 6:20 Man

 

I'm a late comer to David Baldacci's novels. My first reads being the Atlee Pine series. This series was full of hard hitting action and compelling plots. A hard act to follow!

Subsequently I was a little disappointed in The 6:20 Man.

 

Travis Devine is an ex-Army Ranger now working a dead-end finance job at a top investment bank; a self imposed punishment for past sins. 

When a close friend and fellow employee dies mysteriously Devine starts to investigate and becomes embroiled in a world of greed, power and murder.

 

I found none of the finance and technical talk interested me but I really enjoyed the descriptions of Manhattan and the diverse characters, especially German born white-hat hacker Will Valentine, these were probably the highlights of the book for me.

The plot starts off slow but does escalate in pace as the murders increase, the mystery intensifies and the twists keep coming.

 

You will need to suspend your disbelief to truly appreciate this action packed thriller set in the high finance world of Manhattan.

 

Now that Travis Devine has found a new calling I am keen to see where this will take him.

 

Going by other reviews, dedicated fans of Baldacci are loving The 6:20 Man. Are you a Baldacci fan? Did you love this book? Let me know what you thought? Maybe I was just expecting too much. 🤷

 

My rating 3 / 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 service, 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. 

 

 

        

 

       

Book Review: Red Dust by Fleur McDonald

 Red Dust

by

Fleur McDonald

An outback novel of love, intrigue and redemption

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

 

Publication date: 1st January 2009

 

Genre: Rural Fiction

 

Pages: 330

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: own purchase

 

My review of Red Dust

 

I'm a huge fan of Fleur McDonald however I came into her books over halfway through her writing career. So I thought it was way beyond time I started on Fleur's back list.

 

Red Dust is her debut novel and although not as polished as her later novels it was still a great read. I found some of the conversations a bit stilted and the point of view was all over the place however I was drawn straight into the story from the opening chapter with a dying man's ominous last words. 

McDonald has written a riveting rural crime novel centred around cattle stealing but also featuring the difficulties faced by woman farmers and the isolation of farm life.

After her husband's tragic death Gemma is left with a farm to run and a mountain of rising debts. As she goes through the farm accounts and the town gossip heats up, Gemma starts to wonder if she really knew her husband at all.

I always laugh and comment that Fleur isn't adverse to killing off a much loved character and after reading Red Dust I can say even from her debut novel Fleur liked to kill off characters that I've warmed to. 😂

I loved that this was Dave Burrows first appearance. He is just a side character here so there is nothing of his personal life. He is just there to investigate the cattle stealing and be awesome. 

A small romance thread runs through the story and after all the drama and suspense it's nice to end on a HEA.

 

 My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Photo credit:goodreads

 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 overcoming adversity, drawing inspiration from her own experiences in rural Australia. She has two children, an energetic kelpie and a Jack Russell terrier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Links to my reviews of Fleur's books (not in order).

 

Deception Creek 

Red Dirt Country 

Rising Dust

The Shearer's Wife

Something to Hide 

Without a Doubt 

 

*I read this book as part of the Mount TBR Challenge (on my shelf 19/4/2017)

Book Review: After the Flood by Dave Warner

After the Flood

by

Dave Warner 

 

Publisher: Fremantle Press

 

Publication date: 2nd August 2022

 

Series: Dan Clement #3

Genre: Crime Fiction

 

Pages: 264 

 

RRP: $32.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback 

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of After the Flood

 

In After the Flood Dave Warner explores the concept of past trauma shaping a person's outlook which could lead to psychopathic thoughts and deadly actions.

After the Flood delves into the urge for vengeance or revenge and the misguided belief that someone must pay for the losses suffered.

 

DI Dan Clement, troubled by his own past mistakes, is after a juicy case to get his mind off his ex-wife. The protesters at the abattoirs and the Health Clinic break-in by an anti-vaxxer aren't keeping him that busy but these cases are put on the backburner when a seemingly ritualistic murder is discovered on a remote cattle station. Is this a drug deal gone wrong or is a psychopath on the loose?

 

I really enjoyed this intriguing police procedural set in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The writing is laid back, a superb example of Aussie noir.

It was fascinating to read along as Clement and his team piece together what seem like inconsequential pieces of information to solve the puzzle and how one piece of information connects with another as the team kept digging away with the little clues that they had.

 

The story starts at a steady pace as information is gathered and the case seem to be going nowhere. Then the pace accelerates as we are taken on an adrenaline fuelled ride to the end.

 

After the Flood is superbly plotted crime fiction with an authentic Aussie flavour. It reads well as a stand alone.

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

About the author

 

Photo credit: Goodreads

Dave Warner is an author, musician and screenwriter. After the Flood is his eleventh novel, with previous novels winning the Western Australian Premier's Book Award for Fiction, and the Ned Kelly Award for best Australian crime fiction. After the Flood is the third in the Dan Clement series set in Broome in Australia's North-West. Dave first came to national prominence in 1978 with his gold album Mug's Game and his band Dave Warner's from the Suburbs. In 2017 he released his tenth album, When. He has been named a Western Australian State Living Treasure and has been inducted into the WAMi Rock'n'Roll of Renown.

 

Book Review: The Way it is Now by Garry Disher

 The Way it is Now

by

Garry Disher

 

Publisher: Text Publishing

 

Publication date: 2nd November 2021

 

Genre: Crime Fiction

 

Pages: 384

 

Format read: eBook

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley

 

My review of The Way it is Now

 

The Way it is Now is a stand alone mystery / thriller. The story opens in January 2000 with Charlie Deravin and 20 other probationary officers looking for a young boy who has gone missing from his school camp. Charlie's mother also mysteriously goes missing the same day. Neither is found and no-one is charged.

 

Twenty years later and on the cusp of the covid pandemic Charlie is back in his childhood home on the Victorian Mornington Peninsula. He has been suspended after attacking his superior officer. Now with his marriage in tatters and time on his hands Charlie becomes obsessed with  finding out what happened to his mother and spends his time interviewing people who lived in the area at the time.

Garry Disher effortlessly evokes the feel of a small town community where everyone knows each other and old secrets are buried deep. The timeline of the pre-covid pandemic is well portrayed when we were all so naive and it was just something happening somewhere else.

 

The mystery was well played out with plenty of twists. I had no clue as to what had happened to the victims.

Disher includes themes of jury tampering and victim blaming around a sex crime case.

 

Overall I enjoyed The Way it is Now although the ending wrapped up abruptly and I had the feeling it needed a few more pages. 

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Photo: Goodreads

Garry Disher was born in 1949 and grew up on his parents' farm in South Australia.

He gained post graduate degrees from Adelaide and Melbourne Universities. In 1978 he was awarded a creative writing fellowship to Stanford University, where he wrote his first short story collection. He travelled widely overseas, before returning to Australia, where he taught creative writing, finally becoming a full time writer in 1988. He has written more than 40 titles, including general and crime fiction, children's books, textbooks, and books about the craft of writing.

 

 

 

Book Review: Bad Habits by Sarah Evans

 Bad Habits

by

Sarah Evans

 

Publisher: Clan Destine Press

 

Publication date: 1st September 2021

 

Genre: Crime / Humour

 

Series: D.I. Eve Rock #2

 

Pages: 264

 

RRP: $29.95AUD

 

Format read: paperback

 

Source: courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of Bad Habits

 

Grisly crime, romance and comedy all in one. And it works!

 

With D.I. Eve Rock Sarah Evans has created a likeable and complex character. She is sassy and full of spirit, very feminine but also likes the occasional cigar with her glass of wine.

Eve is currently on leave recovering from injuries sustained when her house and car were blown up and with no place to stay she is lodging at her mother Sister Immaculata's boarding school.

Eve can't stay away from the office for long, it's a good excuse to avoid Christmas lunch with her dysfunctional family, and she is soon back into the thick of it. New cases are mounting up; body parts found in a freezer, a major jewellery heist and an upmarket art gallery theft.

As the team start investigating the body count mounts and her mother, an ex sex-worker turned nun, has been acting very strangely. 

 

Bad Habits is a story rich in humour. Sarah Evans' writing is witty and entertaining. There is a lot going on and Eve is always in the midst of it. Eve Rock attracts trouble, it follows her around. This is the cause of lots of friendly ribbing between workmates, mostly at Eve's expense and she takes it all in her stride.

It's not all laughs, Bad Habits is a grisly tale of murder and butchery however the constant humour lightens an otherwise gruesome tale.

 

The multiple mysteries kept me turning the pages and the sweet romance between Eve and workmate D.I. Quinn Fox had me eager to see where it would go. Quinn is another likeable character, he seemed resigned to Eve's flightiness.

 

Bad Habits is the second book featuring D.I. Eve Rock and there is some backstory included making it read well as a standalone. It did leave me keen to read book 1, Operation Paradise.

 

A gruesomely good story for those that need lots of action in their books!

 

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

About the author

 

Sarah Evans, an English ex-pat journalist and former home-schooling mum, is the author of a lifestyle / recipe book Seasons and Seasonings in a Teapot, romance and crime novels, novellas, short stories and poetry.

She gives author talks and teaches memoir, creative writing, poetry and song-writing. She lives on a 20-acre hobby farm in rural Western Australia with her family and a menagerie of fur and feather and has added granny duties to her repertoire.

 

 

 

Book Review: The Bone Ranger by Louisa Bennett

The Bone Ranger

by

Louisa Bennett

 

Publisher: Clan Destine Press

Publication date: 18th November 2021

 

Series: Monty Dog Detective #2

 

Genre: Crime / Mystery

 

Pages: 314

 

RRP: $32.95AUD

 

Format read: Paperback 

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher 

 

My review of The Bone Ranger

 

The Bone Ranger is such a fun read; amusing, enjoyable and a little bit quirky.

 

Detective Rose Sidebottom is suffering from PTSD after a near death experience and is on sick leave. When a woman begs Rose to find her missing friend. Then when a girl is found murdered, Rose can't help but become involved even though her boss has warned her off the case.

 

Rose has a strong connection with her dog Monty, a golden retriever, who even seems to understand her when she talks to him. I loved the connection between Monty and Rose and how Monty could understand Rose and he found unique ways of trying to get her to understand him, even though she didn't get it some of the time.

 

The story is a dual narrative with Monty in 1st person which I found appropriate and Rose in 3rd person. I felt the change between perspectives flowed smoothly. I loved how Louisa Bennett got right into the mind and thoughts of a dog which were quite often amusing and gave me a few chuckles.

As Rose and Monty endeavour to uncover the identity of the murdered girl they come across a mysterious case of missing dogs. This detective duo are joined by a rat named Betty, Dante the magpie and a hyperactive squirrel. The animal community band together to help solve the mystery.

 

Even though the story is light and fun it is still a compelling crime read with captivating mysteries, tension, danger and suspense thrown in to give a read that is engrossing.

 

The Bone Ranger is the second book in the Monty Dog Detective series however reads well as a stand alone. 

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

 About the author

 

Photo credit Goodreads

Louisa studied Literature at the University of London and went on to learn Canine Linguistics from her Golden Retriever, Pickles, which is how she discovered what dogs really get up to when we're not around.

Truth be told, Pickles came up with the story for the Monty Dog Detective Mysteries, and Louisa just transcribed it. She's faster on the keyboard and less easily distracted by food and passing squirrels.

Louisa worked in magazine publishing before her eyes were opened to the world of woofers. She divides her time between London and Sydney, Australia, and runs courses on crime fiction and creative writing

 

Louisa Bennett also writes thrillers a L.A. Larkin 

 

 * I am saddened to add that Louisa's beloved dog Pickles passed away last week aged 12 years - RIP Pickles 💗

Book Review: Dead Horse Gap by Lee Christine

 Dead Horse Gap

by

Lee Christine

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

 

Publication date: 1st February 2022 

 

Series: Alpine #3

Genre: Crime / Mystery

 

Pages: 279

 

RRP: $29.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review

 

There wasn't as much tension in this book as the previous two novels, Charlotte Pass and Crackenback.

However the story still held my attention as it had a compelling mystery at its centre.

 

I enjoyed following along with the police investigation as it changes from undercover drug surveillance to murder investigation. The mystery was well played out and I had no idea how it would eventually pan out.

 

The Snowy Mountains in New South Wales is an amazing setting; cold, secluded and a bit eerie. Lee Christine transports her readers into the snow, sleet and below zero temperatures. You may want to read this book snuggled up with a heater nearby.

 

Mitch Flowers is given the lead in this case, as Ryder prepares for his move to uniform country cop. Flowers takes over with confidence but he has a little secret of his own going on after dark. Nerida Sterling, another up-and-coming young detective, has an undercover role sniffing out some information on a suspected drug ring in the area. Lee Christine highlights the danger of undercover work and the pressure it places on a persons well-being.  

 

The addition of a long held feud between two families makes for another interesting plot line.

 

Dead Horse Gap was an easy read and highly entertaining. A compelling addition to the series. 

 

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Photo: Goodreads

  In 2009, former corporate trainer Lee Christine decided to turn her writing hobby into a serious job.

 

Lee is the author of six romantic suspense novels. her first crime novel, Charlotte Pass, was published in 2020 and won the award for Favourite Romantic Suspense Novel in the 2020 Australian Romance Readers Awards. Her second crime novel, Crackenback, was published in2021 and Dead Horse Gap in 2022.

 

 

 

    

 

Book Review: The Gosling Girl by Jacqueline Roy

The Gosling Girl

by

Jacqueline Roy

 

Murderer? Monster? Child? Victim? 

 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

 

Publication date: 2nd February 2022

 

Genre: Crime

 

Pages: 400

 

RRP: $32.99AUD

 

Format read: paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review

 

The Gosling Girl is disturbing, distressing, addictive......I read it in a day!

 

Michelle Cameron has spent the last 14 years in institutions after being convicted of murder at the age of ten.

 

Roy leaves the reader questioning Michelle's guilt or innocence and she is not quite sure herself what she has done wrong.

By not mentioning Michelle by name until well into the book we get an insight into what it is like to have your identity stripped from you.

The difficulties faced after being released and trying to live in a society you have never been part of are well conveyed.

 

It took me a little while to get into the story but once I did the pages flew and I couldn't put it down. Filled with flawed characters that are on the whole unlikable, however very real in their thoughts and actions. 

Throughout the book I found myself warming to Michelle as I followed her small triumphs and devastating losses. Each time she picked herself up and started again I wished for her to have the happy ending she dreamed of.

 

With themes of embedded racism, child abuse, police inadequacy and lynch mobs, this book will have you infuriated with the system.

 

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

 

 

 

Spotlight on books I've read over the last few months

 I've become so far behind in my reviews that I'm going to do a quick post with some short reviews of books I have recently read. I hope you find something here that takes your fancy.

 

Doom Creek (Nick Chester #2)

by Alan Carter

Published by Fremantle Press 

 

My review

 

I have previously enjoyed Alan Carter’s writing in his Cato Kwong series and Doom Creek, the second book in the Nick Chester series, didn’t let me down.

I was pulled into the story from the first few pages. The action never stops in this gritty crime novel and just when you think Carter has thrown everything at his main character he throws in another murder and a couple of personal tragedies for Nick to cope with.

Doom Creek is a must read for crime fans. Real characters, dark humour and the beautiful scenery of Havelock in the Marlborough district of New Zealand make this an entertaining read. 

 

With thanks to Beauty & Lace and the publisher for my copy to read.

This review first appeared on Beauty & lace website

 

The Weekend

by Charlotte Wood

 

Published by Allen & Unwin

 

My review

 

The Weekend has been sitting on my shelf for a long time. I don’t know why it seemed to get pushed to the bottom of the pile, it is an extraordinary read.
 

Four older women with a lifelong friendship. Each of them very different from each other but something drew them together all those years ago. But when one of the group dies the remaining three are left to face their failing bodies and their own mortality. Sylvie was the one to hold the group together. Can they survive without her?
 

The Weekend is a sharply observed look at friendship and ageing. Charlotte Wood’s nuanced characters and lyrical prose combine to deliver a heart-felt story that explores the changing dynamics of a decades long friendship group when one of the group passes away.
 

As the story develops the women’s thoughts were mainly on each other, their likes and dislikes but it soon changes to musings on their own lives, lost opportunities, lost loves and regrets.
 

The Weekend is a thought provoking read, confronting and clever, primarily highlighting the bond of friendship.  

 

Thank you to the publisher for my copy to read

Till Daph Do Us Part (Daphne Jones Mysteries #1)

By Phillipa Nefri Clark

Published by Self Published  

My review

Till Daph Do Us Part is the first book in a series starring Daphne Jones, a travelling celebrant who likes to do a bit of sleuthing on the side.

When someone is found dead at a wedding Daphne is officiating at she can't help but become involved in the investigation.

Daphne reminded me of Miss Marple, she has an eye for things out of place and people tend to open up to her.

This was a fun cosy mystery and I enjoyed Daphne's investigative process. The story had a couple of good twists that I didn't see coming.

If you enjoy light, fun, Miss Marple type reads, Till Daph Do Us Part will appeal.

 

With thanks to the author for my copy to read.

 

The Understudy

by Julie Bennett

 

Published by Simon & Schuster

 

My review

I found I was drawn into this story right from the beginning. Two opera singers; one at the top of her game the other, young and ambitious.

It’s 1973 and Margaret is the lead in Madama Butterfly to open at the newly built Sydney Opera House. Sophie is her understudy. She has her eye on the top and she has a plan and is prepared to do anything to succeed!
 

Told in a dual narrative by Margaret and Sophie, with both women having an air of mystery about them.
 

Living in Sydney myself I enjoyed all the mentions of the city landmarks and the headlines of the time. I can vividly remember the opening of the Opera House, the controversy over the design and going to see a performance with my school.
 

Julie Bennett has brought 1970’s Sydney to life through her meticulous attention to detail. 

The story travels back to 1953 and Margaret’s early years in a bohemian Wooloomooloo which was both poignant and fascinating.

 

There is an intriguing mystery at the centre of the story and it’s final reveal took me completely by surprise.

 

Lies, deception, jealousy and vengeance….. The Understudy is an intriguing read!

 

 

With thanks to Beauty & Lace and the publisher for my copy to read.

This review first appeared on Beauty & Lace website