All the Reviews

The Amazing Mrs Livesey, Freda Marnie Nicholls

Facts wrapped up in fictional narrative, THE AMAZING MRS LIVESEY tells quite the tale of the life and times of Miss Ethel Swindells (aka Mrs Carter, Mrs Taylor, Mrs Smith, Mrs Ward, Mrs Lee, Mrs Spurgess, Mrs Giblett, Mrs Hourn, Mrs Anderson, Mrs Baker, Mrs Thompson, Gloria Grey, Mrs Gardiner, Nurse Florence Anderson, Miss Hordern, Mrs Ann Derson, Miss Turner, Lady Betty Balfour, Miss Harvey, Mrs Coradine, Mrs Livesey and a lot more to boot). 

In a combination of fake and real marriages and a truly breathtaking amount of front, Mrs Livesey (let's settle on that one as ... Read Review

The Secret Chord, Geraldine Brooks

THE SECRET CHORD is a story of an ancient King in ancient times thus it absolutely demanded a magisterial narrator. Over dramatic at first, and next ominously grave and biblical, voice actor Paul Boehmer is exactly what was required to do such a grand tale justice. It only takes only a short time to become accustomed to his distinctive and commanding storytelling.

THE SECRET CHORD is a book of some length (13 hours of audio), so the reader is investing a fair deal of “reading” time here. Australian author Geraldine Brooks is a master at bringing historical figures and ... Read Review

Coffin Road, Peter May

A mystery set within a bubble very much heightens the senses when reading COFFIN ROAD.  The action is placed within an isolated small seaside town and there are very few characters for the reader to learn about and glean clues from.  The lead, who has lost his memory, retraces his steps in an effort to find out who he is, what kind of man he is, and what it is that he has done that has left him with such a leaden feeling of dread.  May reaches deep into the psyche of his lead character and we are immersed very quickly in his nightmare.  Having washed up on a beach with injuries, Neal ... Read Review

The Sting: The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe’s Killer, Kate Kyriacou

It's nearly impossible to "review" a book like THE STING simply because the subject matter is so horrific. The delivery, styling or methods chosen to explain the events pale into insignificance alongside the reader's desire to look away, whilst simultaneously wanting to track down some people in the justice and political systems and demand a few answers.

Why it is that somebody like this killer was given such light sentences over earlier child rapes, beatings and maimings is the one question that you cannot come away from this book without. How it was that he, and his ... Read Review

Murder in Mt Martha, Janice Simpson

MURDER IN MT MARTHA is a fictional story, inspired by an unsolved 1953 real-life murder in the Mornington Peninsula suburb of Mt Martha. Author Janice Simpson combines the real facts with a range of unconnected contemporary elements to weave a potential solution and create her fictional version of "what if...".

Sixty years after the murder of 14 year old Beverly Middleton, Nick Szabo is working on his thesis about defectors from the Hungarian water polo team during the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. During interviews with retiree Arthur Boyle, and a bit of a coincidence his ... Read Review

The Chimera Vector, Nathan M. Farrugia

The combination of science fiction and thriller works particularly well in THE CHIMERA VECTOR - an action packed, roller-coaster of a ride from local writer Nathan M. Farrugia. 

Although action packed doesn't quite do justice to the level of no prisoner's taken, hard fought action and thrills and spills in this novel, combined with a set of really good, strong characters. The combination of the science fiction style elements with the covert ops thriller styling works seamlessly, creating real tension, threat and people to connect with.

For this reader, who ... Read Review

Ranger, Chris Allen

In a particularly poignant touch, all round good guy and saver of the world Alex Morgan shows an unsurprising side in RANGER with his care and concern for a returned vet who needs help. 

This novella sees Morgan returning from rescue duties, to be immediately redirected to the US where returned vet and friend, John Nash has asked for his help. Without hesitating Morgan dives into the task without the normal INTREPID backing, and in the full understanding that his old army buddy might be struggling, but he will have a compelling story to tell. 

It's ... Read Review

The Blackmail Blend, Livia Day

There is so much to like about the Café La Femme series (of which THE BLACKMAIL BLEND is #1.5), that a novella drizzled into the middle of existing novels, A TRIFLE DEAD and DROWNED VANILLA is a lovely treat - dare one suggest the icing on the cake? It seems that there is a third book in the series KEEP CALM & KILL THE CHEF on it's way now as well.

For those that haven't come across these books before they are funny, clever and charming cosies with recipes, vintage clothes, spendidly elaborate friends, cafe society and a hefty dose of romance, love, lust and murder, ... Read Review

Taken at Night, Christa A. Ludlow

It is particularly gratifying to see a recent increase in historical crime fiction with capable and independent female central characters, with good working relationships with the men who support them. Not only does this give authors the opportunity to expand on the period in which they are setting their books, it's also providing an increasing glimpse into the ridiculous limitations and restrictions placed on women in the past.

In TAKEN AT NIGHT, author Christa A. Ludlow has a central protagonist who is working as a photographer in 1900's Sydney. A difficult time to ... Read Review