Showing posts with label Suspense. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Suspense. Show all posts

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:
 
 


Wednesday 8 November 2023

Book Review: Voices in the Dark by Fleur McDonald

Voices in the Dark

by

Fleur McDonald

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Publication date: 31st October 2023 
Genre: Rural / Suspense
Pages: 368
RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback) 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via DMCPR
 

Review: Voices in the Dark 

I always eagerly await each new release by Fleur McDonald. Her knowledge of and dedication to small communities, farming and the problems they face shines through in her stories.

Voices in the Dark is a stand alone rural suspense novel featuring country cop Dave Burrows however he is not the main character in this story.

Sassi Stapleton is driving to Barker after a late night call asking her to come immediately as her grandmother is seriously ill. When Sassi doesn't arrive at the expected time, her uncle notifies Dave and the police get into action.
Fleur McDonald packs an emotional punch as the police, ambulance and emergency services work together in a harrowing rescue scene.

Voices in the Dark focuses on the Stapleton family and their struggles to reconnect and get over the demons of the past. There are lots of appearances from characters I have grown to love from previous books. Mia the young constable, Dave and Kim all have strong parts in this story. Lots of well placed backstory keeps new readers up to speed.

Fleur writes magnificent stories about country people, farming and the problems remote areas face but also highlights the special bond small communities have. Even though the gossip abounds they will do anything to help each other.

Voices in the Dark is a story about family secrets, elder abuse, letting go of resentments, moving forward and starting over. 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 

Wednesday 1 November 2023

Book Review: Out of Breath by Anna Snoekstra

 Out of Breath

 by

Anna Snoekstra

Publisher: Harlequin Australia
Publication date: 6th July 2022
Genre: Suspense / Thriller
Pages: 320
RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)
Source: courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: Out of Breath

Out of Breath fell a little flat for me. There were a lot of scenes were a sense of foreboding built and then everything was fine. I felt maybe the author was trying to tease the reader with suspense building throughout the novel but it didn't really work for me.
 
The pace was slow however I did find the plot intriguing. Jo is on a working holiday in Australia and to maintain her Visa she must work as a fruit picker in the outback for a specified number of weeks. When the charismatic Gabe suggests she find the commune he is living on she leaves the farm but Jo soon finds she is in way over her head and she doesn't know who she can trust.
Reader empathy for the main character, Jo, is built up early in the novel and I found myself interested in her journey and wanting her to find peace within herself.
 
There are many wonderfully described moments throughout; with time on a mango farm, a trip through the Australian outback and deep diving for oysters. I think it was these moments, and the excellent sense of place that Snoekstra evokes, that saved the novel for me.
 
Out of Breath is an evocative read if you want to experience the remoteness of outback Australia, but I wouldn't really call it a thriller. 

3.5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐½

About the author

Anna Snoekstra is the author of Only Daughter, Little Secrets and The Spite Game. Her novels have been published in over twenty countries and sixteen languages. She has written for The Guardian, Meanjin, The Griffith Review, Lindsay, LiHub and The Saturday Paper.

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 2 September 2023

Book Review: The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal

 The Doll Factory

by

Elizabeth Macneal

Freedom is a precious thing

Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Imprint: Picador
Publication date: 30th April 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction / Gothic / Thriller
Pages: 336
RRP: $29.99 (Trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: The Doll Factory

The Doll Factory is a gripping and bone-chilling gothic thriller. A tale of love and obsession set mid 19th Century London.
 
Macneal thrusts her readers into the streets of 1850's London detailing the filth, poverty, pick pockets and prostitution. The story is very confronting however Macneal delivers it all without judgement.

Women were expected to marry and have children but for those without marriage options life was an endless slog of backbreaking work. When Iris is asked to model for an artist her family disowns her however she is now open to a whole new world of art and freedom. A world where one man's obsession and delusion will put her in grave danger.
 
Macneal's characters are beautifully rendered and come to life slowly on the pages as their descriptions are layered throughout the narrative.
 
The Doll Factory would have to be one of the creepiest books I have read. An ominous feeling hangs in the air and even though I knew what was coming, when the scenes unfolded they were disturbingly unsettling. 

About the author

Elizabeth Macneal was born in Scotland and now lives in East London. She is a writer and potter and works from a small studio at the bottom of her garden. She read English Literature at Oxford University, before working in the City for several years. In 2017, she completed the Creative Writing MA at UEA where she was awarded the Malcolm Bradbury scholarship. The Doll Factory, Elizabeth's debut novel, won the Caledonia Novel Award 2018.

Challenges: Mount TBR challenge.

Wednesday 16 August 2023

Book Review: Drowning by T. J. Newman

Drowning

by

T. J. Newman

THE RESCUE OF FLIGHT 1421 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: 30th may 2023
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 320
RRP: $32.99AU (Paperback)
Source: Own copy
 

Review: Drowning

With the release of Drowning T. J. Newman plants herself firmly on the thriller shelf, proving Falling wasn't just a one off.

Drowning is rich in adrenaline pumping action and frantic scenes that had me holding my breath as I turned the pages.

In true Newman form the reader is thrust straight into the action when minutes after take-off the plane has engine trouble and free falls into the ocean. What ensues is a story of the human will to survive, a dangerous rescue operation and trusting your life in someone else's hands.

I enjoyed (which doesn't seem to be the right word) the thoughts of the passengers as they looked back over their life; their regrets and happy times and how a near death experience can make you see everything in a clearer light.

I can already see this on the big screen. It has all the drama, emotion and an ending that is big screen worthy.

I'm eagerly looking forward to TJ's next book.

Rating 5/ 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

T.J. Newman is a former bookseller and flight attendant whose first novel, Falling, became a publishing sensation and debuted at number two on the New York Times bestseller list. The book was named a best book of the year by USA Today, Esquire and Amazon. Falling will soon be a major motion picture from Universal Pictures. T.J. lives in Pheonix, Arizona.

My review of Falling:

Sunday 6 August 2023

Book Review: Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

 Black Ice

by

Becca Fitzpatrick

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: 7th October 2014
Genre: Young Adult / Thriller 
Pages: 392
Source: Own 
 

Review: Black Ice

Black Ice has been sitting on my bookshelf since January 2015 and I was so pleased that a prompt from the  Dymocks Reading Challenge had me pulling it from the shelf.
 
Black Ice is a genre mash-up of young adult, suspense and romance. Heavy on the suspense and light on the romance but it's definitely a huge part of the plot with the romance simmering under the surface.
 
I was pulled straight into the story with a gripping prologue. The story then jumps forward one year with teenage friends Britt and Korbie heading to a cabin in Grand Teton National Park for their school break when they encounter a severe snow storm and have to abandon their car. Making their way to a secluded cabin inhabited by two men. The girls think they are finally safe but soon find out the men are on the run from the law.
 
This is an edge-of-your-seat thriller filled with heart-pumping suspense. I found myself picking the book up every spare moment I had. I did guess the twists early in the book however that didn't spoil my pleasure because I was holding my breath waiting for the characters to find out what I had already suspected.

It comes with a little bit of teenage angst, but not overdone. Black Ice is a gripping, survival in the snowy wilderness, story that will have you eagerly turning the pages.

5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author (from Goodreads)

Becca Fitzpatrick grew up reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden with a flashlight under the covers. She graduated college with a degree in health, which she promptly abandoned for storytelling. When not writing, she's most likely prowling sale racks for reject shoes, running, or watching crime dramas on TV. She is the author of the bestselling HUSH, HUSH Saga.
 
 

Thursday 22 June 2023

Book Review: O2 by Nic D'Alessandro

 O2

by

Nic D'Alessandro

ONE SECOND     ONE BREATH   ONE CHANCE
 
Publisher: Self Published
 
Publication date: 22nd June 2023
 
Series: Dylan Malloy #1
 
Genre: Thriller
 
Pages: 260
 
RRP: $26.00 (paperback on Booktopia)
 
Source: Courtesy of the author
 

My review of O2

O2, the first book in the Dylan Malloy series, is a taut medical drama and aviation thriller combination. 
Nic D'Alessandro explores the concept of how we cope when life throws us consistent curve balls.
 
I was pulled straight into the story from the prologue with a life or death situation and Dylan hanging in the balance. The story then goes back to what led to this event.

Dylan has had a troubled upbringing with no real stability. He is often left with his aunt when his mother is working overseas. His aunt's partner is abusive and makes it clear he doesn't want Dylan around. I found him to be an angry young man and I had trouble warming to him. Maybe it was his disease that made him this way, but he was handed plenty of opportunities and it took him well into his 20's to realise this. That aside, Nic's portrayal of Dylan's slow decline in health and his denial that he was seriously ill, and his eventual character growth, was well written.

The in-air flight drama was up there with T.J. Newman's Falling and had me on the edge of my seat. It was a compelling ending to the novel.
O2 is a story of human endurance, overcoming adversity, re-imagining your dreams when life doesn't go as you planned and accepting the things you cannot change.
There are some truly memorable supporting characters in this story who I would love to see again in future novels; pothole the truck driver, Nancy, and Dylan's friend Allie.
I'm hoping Dylan will be less cynical and learn some empathy in future novels.

My rating 3 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Born and bred on an island state, Nic D'Alessandro is passionate about the wilderness, sea, and sky. He's a writer, photographer, and education consultant who is fascinated by human condition, and anything that floats or flies.
Nic is a keen sailor, and when he is not on the water, he takes to the sky in aircraft whenever he can. He obtained his pilots licence at age seventeen, and later celebrated his forties by building a full-size 737 flight simulator in his garage.
Prior to writing fiction, Nic forged a career as an education leader,  manager in the public sector, and specialist in the aviation industry.
Nic lives in Tasmania, Australia with his wife, and extended family.

  https://nicdalessandro.com/o2-novel/

Monday 8 May 2023

Book Review: Falling by T. J. Newman

 Falling

by

T. J. Newman

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
 
Publication date: 2nd June 2021
 
Genre: Thriller / Suspense
 
Pages: 304
 
RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback) 
 
Source: Own copy
 

My review of Falling

Come aboard and buckle up for the ride of your life!
Falling is fast-paced and adrenaline fuelled. I was hooked from the very first page.
 
T. J. Newman has presented her main character, Capt. Bill Hoffman, with a moral dilemma; he is told to crash the plane he is piloting or his family will be murdered. While Bill grapples with trying to keep the plane safely in the air his cabin crew work to keep the passengers alive long enough to land.

Falling was a fast read for me, a taut breathtaking thriller and literally unputdownable. Newman ends each chapter on a tiny cliff-hanger that urged me to keep reading. The tension was palpable and the action never stops. I actually found myself holding my breath at times.

Great characters, from the pilot and cabin crew to Bill's calm and feisty wife and FBI agent Theo Baldwin, come together to make Falling a wonderfully engaging read.

I loved that the cabin crew, pilot and ground staff were so professional and rather than instill a fear of flying the story makes you feel like, if something does go terribly wrong, you are in safe hands.

T. J. Newman uses her experience as a flight attendant to deliver scenarios that are believable, if not a little stretched, and characters that are real.

I am more than a little excited to get my hands on Drowning which will be released on 1st June 2023.
 
My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

T. J. Newman, a former bookseller turned flight attendant, worked for Virgin America and Alaska Airlines from 2011 to 2021. She wrote much of Falling on  cross-country red-eye flights while her passengers were asleep. she lives in Phoenix, Arizona. This is her first novel.

 

Saturday 11 February 2023

Book Review & Giveaway: Crows Nest by Nikki Mottram

Crows Nest

by

Nikki Mottram

A Dana Gibson Mystery 
 
Publisher: University of Queensland Press

Publication date: 31st January 2023
 
Genre: Crime / Rural
 
Pages: 320
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via DMCPR 
 

My review of Crows Nest

Crows Nest is a compelling rural crime debut from Nikki Mottram placing her firmly on the list of notable Australian crime writers.
  
I was pulled into the story right from the start. Dana Gibson is a relatable, flawed character. She has had a few life altering dramas and instead of facing her demons she decides to flee from Sydney to Toowoomba. 
 
Dana is a community services worker, well respected in Sydney, but she has to prove herself before she is trusted in this small country town.
I really connected with Dana. She acts on impulse, often regretting her actions later. She is quick to snap and slow to open-up which makes people wary of her.
 
Crows Nest is a police procedural with a different twist. Not happy with the way the police are handling the murder investigation Dana starts her own investigation, evidence board and all. I loved Dana’s little side-kick and mini sleuth Angus, her 11 year-old neighbour. He was a clever little thing and had a sad story of his own.


Crows Nest has themes of dysfunctional families, small town secrets and lack of resources for community workers


Nikki Mottram has written a clever mystery deeply rooted in its small town setting.
 
I am looking forward to the second book, Killarney.
 
My rating  5/5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
About the author 

Nikki Mottram writes crime fiction and has a background in child protection. She has a psychology degree from University of Queensland and has worked in London and Australia in positions protecting and promoting the welfare of children at risk of harm. She has been published in the Boroondara Literary Awards anthology and shortlisted for the Fish Short Story Prize and the Hal Porter Short Story Competition. In 2018, she was the recipient of a Katharine Susannah Pritchard Writers' Centre Fellowship. She grew up and resides in Toowoomba, and brings to her work an understanding of rural communities.

Giveaway

Thanks to DMCPR and University of Queensland Press I have one paperback copy to give away. Entry is via the form below. Entries close at 6pm AEDT on 18th February 2023.
 
This giveaway is now closed and the winner was announced HERE

Saturday 1 October 2022

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

Sunday 18 September 2022

Book Review: Gone to Ground by Bronwyn Hall

Gone to Ground
by
Bronwyn Hall 

Hunted. Alone. Afraid....

 
Imprint: HQ FictionAU
 
Publication date: 3rd August 2022
 
Genre: Thriller / Suspense
 
Pages: 288  
 
RRP: $29.99AUD 
 
Format read: Paperback
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 
My review of Gone to Ground
 
Set amidst the political unrest of The Democratic Republic of Congo Gone to Ground is an adrenaline fuelled race through the jungle.
 
Australian doctor Rachel Forester has been sent to a remote jungle post on the whim of a scorned ex-boyfriend. As a dedicated surgeon she is happy to be saving lives. When the post is evacuated she puts her patients' lives ahead of hers and stays behind to evacuate on foot with three UN soldiers.
 
Bronwyn Hall brings the jungle to life; the heat, insects, spiders and snakes all had me holding my breath. Throw in some close encounters with rebel militias and there was always this ominous 'what will happen next' feeling keeping me glued to the book.
 
Rachel was tough but believable as a civilian trekking through the jungle and I loved the addition of the romance element, it was a nice aside to the danger.
With themes of forced child labour, violence towards women, rebel militia activity and political unrest the narrative has a foreboding sense of unease that simmers throughout the novel. 
 
The story moves along at a steady pace with the plot keeping me totally intrigued and turning the pages. Gone to Ground is a book I truly didn't want to put down.
 
Bravo, Bronwyn Hall, on this remarkable debut!
 
My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  
About the author
 
Photo credit: Harper Collins
Bronwyn Hall didn't intend on being a writer. Her career has been spent working in health and community services, spanning aged care, disability and mental health. She has a bachelor's degree in English Literature (and Psychology - for the day job) and she comes from a family of passionate readers. Born and bred in Australia, Bronwyn has a love for new cultures and environments, having lived for several years in both Papua New Guinea and Brazil. She is deeply intrigued by the extraordinary breadth of qualities that make up the complex creatures called humans - not least, their quiet conquering of adversity. Bronwyn lives and writes on Wurundjeri land in Melbourne, Australia.
 

Tuesday 6 September 2022

Book Review & Giveaway: The Accident by Katie McMahon

 The Accident 
by
Katie McMahon
 
Can we really let go of the past?
 
Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 30th August 2022
 
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
 
Pages: 360
 
RRP: $32.99AUD
 
Format read: Paperback
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via DMCPRMedia
 
My review of The Accident
 
I loved Katie McMahon's debut novel The Mistake so I was eager to read her next offering and I wasn't disappointed. Katie's second book is even better than her first.
 
The book opens with an unidentified accident not far from the local high school. This mystery immediately hooked me in as the story then goes back to the nine months leading up to the accident and the question of what happened was always in the back of my mind.
 
Grace is the mother of teenaged Emma who is struggling with an eating disorder and is also being bullied by the girls in her class at school.
Zoe is a teacher at the local high school.
Imogen is an intern in the local hospital's A & E department. 
The three women are linked by friends, family and lovers. I found the connection to Zoe and Imogen stronger with their first person narration rather than the third person narrative of Grace.
 
There is a very strong theme of rejection as each of the women feel they have lost their soulmate to someone else and deal with this lose in different ways.
There are a few emotive themes running through the novel, such as; overworked emergency doctors, eating disorders, stalking, infidelity, mental illness, bullying, infertility and moral dilemmas. McMahon explores how life experiences shape us and have far reaching affects on those around us.
 
I enjoyed the mixed media style with coronial inquest notes and emails adding to the story and building the suspense.
 
Katie McMahon's writing is rich in suspense, mystery and humour. Her characters are funny, flawed and real. I loved them all!
 
5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 
About the author
 
Katie McMahon is a medical doctor and writer. Her first novel, The Mistake, was written after attending a masterclass run by the internationally bestselling author Fiona McIntosh and was published internationally in 2021. Katie has also written articles for The Age and The Quarry. She has lived in London and Melbourne and is now based with her family in Hobart, Tasmania. She works as a doctor and teaches communication skills to medical students. The Accident is her second novel. 

 
GIVEAWAY
 
 

With thanks to Echo Publishing and DMCPRMedia I have one paperback copy of The Accident to give away.

 Enter via the form below. (Open to Australian addresses only). Entries close at 6pm (AEST) on Tuesday 13th September 2022.
 
 This giveaway is now closed and the winner was announced HERE

Wednesday 24 August 2022

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.

 

Sunday 22 May 2022

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.