All the Reviews

Innocent Blood, Elizabeth Corley

There are some authors who just seem to be able to consistently turn out good books, ones that engage your attention, sometimes create some discomfort in the reader, but invariably make you think.  Elizabeth Corley is one of those authors for me, I remember her books long after I've finished reading them.  INNOCENT BLOOD continues the standard.

DCI Fenwick's case - the Choir Boy investigations into a paedophile ring, was triggered by information from the USA, indicating that there is a paedophile ring operating in his area.  This ring looks like it has been in existence ... Read Review

Torn Apart, Peter Corris

It couldn't ever be said that the loss of his Private Investigator's licence has slowed Cliff Hardy down.  In TORN APART, the death of his look-alike cousin in Cliff's house, an arrest for importing illegal drugs, a trip to Ireland, a gathering of Irish Traveller descendants, a brush with the spooks and a new woman don't even slow him down.  But they do coincide to give him a moment or two's thought.

Meeting Patrick - a second cousin he never knew about, a second cousin who is the absolute spitting image of him certainly does give Cliff something to think about.  Not the ... Read Review

Dark Country, Bronwyn Parry

You'd be hard put to think of another mystery series, with a female protagonist that is set in the Australian outback so on this alone, perhaps author Brownyn Parry has chosen her setting and thus her market very well. We have somewhat of an old fashioned girl leading the action in this novel, and it
serves the character well to have that pioneering spirit in a single woman keeping law and order in the back of beyond.

A huge and not to be undersold appeal of Parry's novels is the picture they paint of small town Australia. Dungirri could be any one of hundreds ... Read Review

Forbidden Fruit, Kerry Greenwood

FORBIDDEN FRUIT is the 5th book in the Corinna Chapman series by Australian author Kerry Greenwood (probably best known for her Phryne Fisher series).  These books are set in modern day, inner Melbourne, are also on the cosier end of the scale.  There are enough elements that coincide in both series to make fans of one feel somewhat comfortable in the other.  Having never read any of the earlier books in this series, though, I can't comment on whether FORBIDDEN FRUIT is particularly representative, so I comment on it in isolation.

Corrina is a woman who has turned to ... Read Review

Time Machines Repaired While-U-Wait, K.A. Bedford

TIME MACHINES REPAIRED WHILE-U-WAIT arrived recently, intended probably for my science fiction reading partner, but something in the blurb made me want to snaffle it first, and I'm very very glad I did.

This is one of those books that come along every now and again to tip the whole concept of "genre" on its head.  It's a crime story, in a Science Fiction style world.  Set in 2027 Western Australia, 'Spider" Webb is an ex-cop, recently separated, working now as a Time Machine mechanic.  In 2027 suburban Malaga, a lot of people have time machines, but the future isn't ... Read Review

Stonedogs, Craig Marriner

Sometimes you pick up a book, start reading, and instantly start wondering what on earth is going on.  Yet for some reason, you cannot put the darn thing down.  That's exactly what happened for me with STONEDOGS.  Mind you, if I'd have read the blurb that states that Craig Marriner is New Zealand's answer to Irvine Welsh and Quentin Tarantino, I probably could have recognised a hint about what I was in for.

STONEDOGS isn't a recent book - it won the Montana New Zealand Book Award Deutz Medal in 2002, but it is a book that was recently bought to my attention by a ... Read Review

Gangsters' Women, John Kerr

GANGSTERS' WOMEN is one release in a series of "commuter true crime" books.  Available via newsagencies and similar outlets, they are designed as quick little books - perfect for the train or tram journey home.  Not bad for a Sunday night read as well!

This book tells the story of a number of women who, for whatever reasons - and they vary woman to woman - choose to get involved / stay involved with Gangsters.  A varied selection, including some well known Gangsters' Women - Roberta Williams, and the women of Terry Clark's drug organisation - now probably more generally ... Read Review

Pandaemonium, Christopher Brookmyre

Fans of Christopher Brookmyre's dark, black-comedic writing are probably going to do what I did when this book arrived.  A bit of dignified happy dancing and a general clearing of the activity calendar to sit down for a jolly good read and, along the way, a lot of very undignified laughing.  A lot of readers new to this writer may be stepping away from the book (and this review) in droves.  But really - don't.  To steal a famous phrase - do yourself a favour  (perhaps this needs to come with a strong language alert).

Sure Christopher Brookmyre writes gory, savage, lunatic ... Read Review

The Death of Bunny Munro, Nick Cave

Despite the title, THE DEATH OF BUNNY MUNRO is not a novel from my preferred genre of crime fiction.  Defining exactly what it is, however, is a lot harder.  Nick Cave is one of my favourite musicians, despite so much of his subject matter being somewhat more biblical than would normally be of any particular appeal.  With this novel he's moved from the overtly biblical, southern gothic feel of AND THE ASS SAW THE ANGEL released in 1989, but not completely away from some of all of its core themes.  THE DEATH OF BUNNY MUNRO explores human frailty, fanaticism and vengeance, set this time ... Read Review