All the Reviews

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

Still Midnight, Denise Mina

According to the famous names quoted on the back of STILL MIDNIGHT, Denise Mina is the crown princess of crime, past winner of the John Creasey Memorial Prize for her first crime novel GARNETHILL.  She certainly is a writer that deserves a wide fan base, as she is undoubtedly one of the great writers of the nuanced central character.

STILL MIDNIGHT introduces one such new character - DS Alex Morrow.  Morrow is prickly, raised by a single mother suffering from chronic depression, there but for the grace she's somehow kept herself out of trouble.  She's somebody who the ... Read Review

Suffer the Children, Adam Creed

SUFFER THE CHILDREN is the first book introducing DI Will Wagstaffe.  A confession early on - I try not to read blurbs on books so the first few chapters referring alternatively to Wagstaffe and Staffe left me mildly confused, a feeling that came back to visit me on a few occasions throughout the book.

Staffe is a workaholic, that or he doesn't trust the team he works with.  Either way, as one of his past cases resolves leaving him threatened by the perpetrator and his gang of thugs, Staffe is planning a holiday.  Which he cancels, or avoids, when somebody starts killing ... Read Review

The Dark Side, Roger Rogerson

As Roger Rogerson puts it on the blurb to the book 'All that people know about me is that I'm a corrupt cop, shot three men, and was a mate of Neddy Smith...'.  He's probably right, but he's also probably acutely aware that his is a very Sydney story.  In the other states, particularly if you're not old enough to remember the events of Roger's colourful police career as they occurred, he could also be somebody whose name seems to vaguely ring a bell.  Didn't Richard Roxburgh play him in a movie on TV once (and wasn't that the first of the banned in the state it was made about sort of ... Read Review