In 2016 the unpublished manuscript of Wimmera won the UK Crime Writers’ Association debut dagger – now it’s published and we can see why. Reviewed at Newtown Review of Books
This is another finely tuned psychological thriller form Robotham, with the psychology of its protagonists front and centre and firmly driving the thriller element.
The unaware, vaguely idiotic central character provides a deep mine of material for any type of slightly tongue in cheek story-telling, and UNFAITHFUL UNTO DEATH uses the premises in setting up Dr Cyril Peabody from the outset of the novel.
Mark Brandi’s Wimmera comes with an impressive pedigree even before it was published. It won a Debut Dagger from the British Crime Writer’s Association while still unpublished.
Agatha has already inserted herself into the life of Meghan Shaughnessy and now it’s just a matter of waiting the pregnancy out. What Agatha desires most will be hers very soon.
Jody mourns the loss of what she felt could have been the most important relationship she has ever had. Her world that had begun to show so much hope with a blossoming new friendship has once again become a dark place. The other flat residents of the converted church had generally kept to themselves and it was only Abe who had made an effort to connect to the shy and lonely Jody.
Posted by Andrea Thompson
Recommendations
In 2016 the unpublished manuscript of Wimmera won the UK Crime Writers’ Association debut dagger – now it’s published and we can see why. Reviewed at Newtown Review of Books
This is another finely tuned psychological thriller form Robotham, with the psychology of its protagonists front and centre and firmly driving the thriller element.
Mark Brandi’s Wimmera comes with an impressive pedigree even before it was published. It won a Debut Dagger from the British Crime Writer’s Association while still unpublished.
Jody mourns the loss of what she felt could have been the most important relationship she has ever had. Her world that had begun to show so much hope with a blossoming new friendship has once again become a dark place. The other flat residents of the converted church had generally kept to themselves and it was only Abe who had made an effort to connect to the shy and lonely Jody.
Miranda Rader once was known as Randi the problem teen. Rejected by her family after a brush with the law, Randi’s life seemed to then be heading down all the wrong roads. Fortunately, the time spent in youth detention becomes the making of her.
Hats off to the author for working so well within the constraints that would have been present when writing NOT A SOUND.
Your reviewer is new to this (incredibly popular) author so it was a reading requirement to find out (reasonably quickly) why it is that author Mary Kubica is in the ‘must read’ stable of so many crime and mystery readers. It didn’t take long.
Eddie Flynn continues to be one of the great thriller protagonists of recent years. He has the skills of a conman when he needs them, the tactical brain and silk tongue of a trail lawyer and every now and then goes all action hero.
Australian author Megan Goldin’s debut does tick off on some of the aspects of the domestic noir sub-genre indicated by the title: strained domestic relationship, creepy controlling male character and an unreliable narrator. And she does so in a way that brings something new and a little chilling to the genre.
The White Road is a hard novel to pigeon hole. Part adventure novel, part slacker comes of age novel and part ghost story. Sarah Lotz plumbs the depths and scales the heights in a book that is not for claustrophobes or those with vertigo.
The Girl Who Was Taken does not have any of the domestic noir genre trappings of the current crop of ‘Girl’ books with which it might be compared (on title alone). Rather, it is an effective, page turning crime thriller with a well handled mystery and an engaging and resourceful protagonist.
Eddie Flynn continues to be one of the great thriller protagonists of recent years. He has the skills of a conman when he needs them, the tactical brain and silk tongue of a trail lawyer and every now and then goes all action hero.
Rachel Seiffert’s A Boy in Winter, explores the Nazi occupation of the Ukraine and the impact on its Jewish population by focusing on one small village.
SOMETHING FOR NOTHING is a perfect example of the lighter, tongue in cheek style of true-blue Aussie Crime Fiction that is increasingly being done particularly well.
Looks like this might be the first novel in an ongoing series which frankly is excellent news. Eva Destruction can only get better with age, wisdom and a litre or ten more of dodgy wine with her mates.
In a short author interview at the end of Ragdoll, Daniel Cole explains how he put the novel together. He wanted something that was less po-faced that the run of the mill British television crime drama but something not as cheesy as American television crime drama like Castle.
It is its own form of hybrid robot, noir crime, space opera, corporate skulduggery story and when it works or when it doesn’t work it does so on its own terms.
FULL BORE, as is with the other works by this author, does leave you feeling a little bit melancholic about our shared Australian past but reassures us that life goes on and that there will always be much more to experience.
Dennis Lehane takes a swerve away from his long running Kenzie and Genaro series (which includes Gone, Baby Gone) and his recent prohibition and gangsters trilogy to deliver a psychological thriller of sorts.
Another from the weekend's reading pile - which wasn't that big unfortunately this time around, bit busy and then next weekend's Eurovision so other than hiding from the media on Sunday before the telecast - will be too flat out cooking :)
