All the Reviews

Counter Attack, Mark Abernethy

When it comes to writing military intelligence, covert operation styled thrillers there have been some particularly well known authors over the years.  Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, Ian Fleming and Len Deighton come to mind immediately.  Until Mark Abernethy created Alan (Mac) McQueen, there have been fewer options to choose from set in this part of the world, seen from an Australian perspective.  Mac is our super-spy, the covert operative who knows everyone, works in our geographical region, is fearless in pursuit of the goal of whatever operation he's sent on, and frighteningly able to ... Read Review

Death of the Mantis, Michael Stanley

DEATH OF THE MANTIS is the third book in the Detective David 'Kubu' Bengu series from writing duo Stanley Trollip and Michael Sears, under the pen name of Michael Stanley.  (For those that haven't read this series 'Kubu' means hippopotamus which is a commentary on Bengu's size.)  I remember, before this book was completed, the authors explaining the life and plight of the Bushman, a race of people who come from the Kalahari Desert, who traditionally live a nomadic, simple existence with their own sacred places, rituals and beliefs - not unlike our own Aboriginal races lifestyle and ... Read Review

Don Vito, Massimo Ciancimino & Francesco La Licata

I like true crime books that tell me something about the circumstances and motivations for why people get into the situations that they do.  I even like confessional true crime as long as it's not too self-serving or overtly engaged in historical rewriting.  But I think I've just discovered that the subject, the crimes, the individuals have to be somebody that I have some sort of knowledge of, or connection with.  Be it that they are from the same country, city or state as me, or maybe if it's something that is of universal interest.  Alas my interest in the Mafia in Italy is very ... Read Review

Jane Blonde - Sensational Spylet, Jill Marshall

It's been a long time since I was eight years old, and I did grow up in the time of Trixie Belden, The Famous Five and Alfred Hitchcock mysteries, so JANE BLONDE SENSATIONAL SPYLET has come as more than a bit of a surprise.  

I can see that the idea of plain mousey little Janey Brown being transformed into sensational spylet Jane Blonde with the aid of some gadgetry, some blonding of the hair, a bit of bling, a slick little silver outfit and some flashy gadgetry and boots sounds pretty good.  I can see how this book might appeal to an eight, maybe ten year old girl, ... Read Review

How the Dead See, David Owen

It's just so heartening to know that the Pufferfish Series lives on that it's difficult to remain objective about the latest book.  HOW THE DEAD SEE is the second of the re-emergence of David Owen's much loved, acerbic, dry, funny, dark and quite prickly Detective Inspector Franz Heineken.  

There are some things that never change in these books - Pufferfish (his nickname is a direct correlation between Heineken's prickly, dangerous, lurking personality and that of the fish in question), is, as always, dry, prickly, and acerbic, with the addition of being quietly and ... Read Review

The Acid House, Irvine Welsh

I admit I had very little idea what to expect when I picked up THE ACID HOUSE, but TRAINSPOTTING worked for me so I thought why not.

Welsh does bizarre, in your face scenarios; flawed, mad, bad, unlucky or just flat out odd characters; and he does a great line in Scottish venacular.  What he doesn't do is pull any punches.

As with many short story collections from a single author, there are some that will work better than others for all readers.  But to be a reader of this book you're going to have to have a high tolerance for "language", in your face drug ... Read Review

Fair Cop, Christine Nixon & Jo Chandler

Even taking into account the idea that a biography, particularly biography from someone with a very recent high public profile, will have a certain "take" on events, FAIR COP is an extremely worthwhile read.  Adore or abhor Christine Nixon she is a woman who achieved astounding heights, and therefore had a long way to fall (be it that she jumped, was pushed, or deserved to trip).  

FAIR COP takes the reader back to Nixon's childhood and then through family life with her policeman father, and very forthright mother, to joining the NSW police force.  It tracks her career, ... Read Review

The Mammoth Book Of Best British Crime, edited by Maxim Jakubowski

Mammoth by name, mammoth by nature - this collection has 42 stories in total, many of which come from well-known names, with a good sprinkling of new and emerging writers. Exactly the sort of thing short story fans would be looking for.

Preferring the darker side of the genre, there was lots to satisfy this reader in this collection, but there's also entries from the lighter side - how could there not be with writers like Alexander McCall Smith.  In this collection you'll find a couple of entries by Ian Rankin and Peter Lovesey and others from Mick Herron, Denise Mina, ... Read Review

Plugged, Eoin Colfer

Not having read any of Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books, I'm guessing from the author's own description of that series as "Die Hard with fairies", that PLUGGED has a hefty dose of the same sort of humour but this time for adults.

Certainly part of one blurb I read "the crime caper so outlandish, so maniacal, so wickedly funny, it could only come from the mind that brought you Artemis Fowl" set expectations pretty firmly.  

There's definitely something deliciously perverse about the scenario of this book - an Irish, ex-pat bouncer whose girlfriend is murdered ... Read Review