All the Reviews

THE THREE DEATHS OF MAGDALENE LYNTON is the first in a new series from New Zealand author Katherine Hayton, followed by THE SECOND STAGE OF GRIEF and THE ONLY SECRET SHE KEEPS. The last of these, THE ONLY SECRET SHE KEEPS, has been long listed in the 2018 Ngaio Marsh Awards which will come as no surprise if you've been lucky enough to follow the evolving story of Ngaire Blakes.

The central character in this series, Detective Ngaire Blakes, really works. A flawed, grumpy, complicated woman, frustrated at being stuck behind the police station reception desk recuperating ... Read review

Peter May's Lewis Trilogy isn't a new undertaking, originally published in 2009, but it's one of those series I've had flagged in my audio book queue for a long time, and recently I've been fortunate enough to have a lot of available listening time and a desire for something that was dark, atmospheric and delivered in my favourite of all accents.

The trilogy is based around policeman and child of Lewis Island, Fin MacLeod. Born and raised on Lewis, he was the boy who left for a university education in Edinburgh. Raised in part by an aunt, his parents having died in a car ... Read review

It must be quite an experience for an author to start out on the long cycle of writing a book about crime and corruption in the financial system, and then, just as you complete the manuscript, have real life intercede in apropos fashion. As Neil A. White puts it on his website:

"Set in Australia – with a few stopovers in Dublin and Rome – I completed the manuscript just as the Panama Papers exploded across the internet.  Their release shone a harsh light on the nefarious world of offshore banking, tax evasion and money laundering which dovetailed perfectly

... Read review

When I read this back in January I posted a review. Or at least I thought I did. Imagine my surprise when I found it here in the draft queue. Whoops.

NOW WE ARE DEAD is a spinoff from the Logan McRae series featuring the glorious DS Roberta Steel. I say glorious in a "slightly ironic / well of course she's a bit gross but she's unapologetically over the top about everything / has a heart of gold / seriously / if you can't handle your women strong, forceful, and a bit sweary what are you doing reading Stuart MacBride books - especially one about Roberta Steel" way. ... Read review

I'm dangerously close to od'ing on these as I'm starting to feel like I could quote the upcoming lines before they are uttered. Still these sorts of books are the ones I turn to when I'm doing something else that really requires concentration. They are more than a bit silly, weirdly obsessed with the way that people look, and very samey after a while. Perhaps don't binge listen like I've been doing as the repetitiveness really stands out, but on the whole, really good for people looking for something less confrontational that many crime fiction listens. (And don't expect these to ... Read review

THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR reinforces the notion that despite being constantly surrounded by people, you can often feel alone.  Deep suburbia provides such a huge source of material and is finally in drama fiction being recognized for that richness.  There is a lot going on in this book, and it’s a little heartbreaking when you realize that the male characters are largely oblivious to the density in what is going in the lives of their spouses.  Husbands and wives are almost living two different paths, one with the thought burden, and one living largely without it.

The mystery ... Read review

I turn to these books partly for the plot, but mostly for the unapologetically grumpy Montalbano, the food porn, the supporting characters and the locations.

In terms of plot, A NEST OF VIPERS undoubtedly isn't the strongest Montalbano book in the series. There was nothing particularly mysterious about the identity of the murderer, the reason for the murder and really, sometimes a victim is almost too deserving for there to be much in the way of interest in the investigation. There is, fortunately in this series, always much to distract the reader. Whether it's the food, ... Read review

As we’ve discovered with the two previous monster hits from this author (BEHIND CLOSED DOORS and THE BREAKDOWN ), Paris knows how to keep us in the seat and our eyes glued to the page.  BRING ME BACK sets its own pace of creeping suspicion, denial, a good re-think, then circling back to rampant suspicion.  Having a less than snowy white protagonist is all to the good and it works here that Finn is more everyday narky than a noble wounded survivor of tragedy.  There’s more invested  in BRING ME BACK than just the possibility of happy ever after for Finn.  He has to work to get to that ... Read review

Shortlisted for the 2017 Ned Kelly Awards, this is the story of a very impressive man. Read this and you won't help but be reminded of the line 'The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing'.

Col Dillon is one of the good men. You have to agree with the blurb: he's an extraordinary man. The first Indigenous policeman in Australia, he was also the first serving police officer to voluntarily appear before the Fitzgerald Commission of Inquiry to give first-hand evidence of police corruption. He did that despite knowing full well the fallout ... Read review