This year and all it's trials and tribulations continues apace, making for reading moments a bit of grasped quiet in a storm front that is persistently battering away at life. At the moment we're nursing a couple of elderly dogs - one now with a terminal diagnosis, the other just has the wheels falling off left right and centre - we're grateful that they are with us at all to be honest.
Reviews
Firstly, the cosier undertaking was The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts by Robert Thorogood a series I've been listening to in audio format because it's easy to follow while knee deep in mundane tasks.
At the other end of the spectrum a couple from New Zealand that really needed some concentration, which was well rewarded were See How They Fall by Rachel Paris and A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan.
She Lied First by Dinuka McKenzie was, as noted in the review, engrossing, disturbing and utterly compelling.
Finally A Spy in the Blood by Paul Warner was escapist rollercoaster reading which will amuse and/or annoy many readers.
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Just Finished Pile
The finished reading pile - most recent additions included Choppy Water by Jack Heath - another one of those authors who belong permanently on my "why do I keep delaying reading this author's work" pile, and because I'm a smidgen from finishing it now Something He Did by SK Lynch which will be reviewed this week in a very positive manner.
According to Hardcover - my stated aim of 100 books to be read in 2026 is at 82 so I'm still ahead of schedule (somehow).
Current Reading Pile
The current reading pile is still getting daily shuffles but as Something He Did by SK Lynch would have been finished last night but for reasons too boring to go into, the next on the list has currently turned into listening to We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman and Last Days of the Lotus by A.C. Edwards.
#NextUp
This is less now #NextUp and more #ForGoodnessSakeWillYouGetOnWithThese but still...
Firstly it will be Near Death in Venice by Jonathan Biggins, followed by The Cross by Ronni Salt and Gone Guru by Nadine Browne . Then back to the original list of Cold River by Margaret Hickey, Middle Rage by Myf Warhurst and of course I went to the library when I shouldn't have so Into the Flames by James Delargy is higher on the list now than others that have been lingering too long.
Still lingering are:
A Man Called Box by Tina Clough
The Good Father by Liam McIlvanney
The Birds Began to Sing by Jeffrey Buchanan
The Writers Retreat by Victoria Brownlee
Upcoming Releases
Another brief taste of things noticed, added, found, etc, this time sorted into country of origin order because I felt like it.
Australia
Into the Flames by James Delargy is a library borrow, released originally in 2024, and Unspoken by D.A. Fletcher is from May 2026, whereas Free World by David Whish-Wilson was published (and promptly acquired) in September 2026, as was Helidon by Nikki Mottram. The Buried by Fleur McDonald, the 4th in the Kalgoorlie Series was listed on the site due for release in October, 2026, when you can also expect the release of Near Death in Venice by Jonathan Biggins marked as the first book in the Old Masters Series. On my next up list and due out around now is Last Days of the Lotus by A.C. Edwards. December will see the release of What We Left Behind by Linda Atkins and The Funeral Party by Veronica Lando
2027 sees Inlet Bridge by S.D. Hinton (really enjoyed their first book - The Brothers) due for release in January, Survival Notes by Michelle Haines Thomas, While You Were Screaming by Shailee Thompson (her previous book was How To Kill a Guy in Ten Dates) and No One to Fear by Ellie Marney, the second book in the No One Series will be out in February, and in March you can expect to see While They All Watched by Sulari Gentill hit the released lists.
I also added some poetry by First Nations poets - Gawimarra Gathering by Jeanine Leane, and by Jazz Money Mark The Dawn and How to Make A Basket (if you're wondering why the later two).
Finland
Follow the Butterfly by Martta Kaukonen is the first in the Terapiassa series.
Japan
The Noh Mask Murder by Akimitsu Takagi is a self-referential work by the author of the excellent The Tattoo Murder which I read years ago now. One of the brilliant (and very favoured in these parts) Pushkin Vertigo releases. Also She Walks At Night by Seishi Yokomizo in the Kosuke Kindaichi Series from the same publisher. I also stocked up on the Detective Galileo Series by Keigo Higashino with Salvation of a Saint (second), A Midsummer's Equation (third) and Silent Parade (fourth).
England
Finally because I do like his posting on BlueSky (his use of alt text on his "travelogue / cat photos" is inspired), Everything Will Swallow You by Tom Cox.
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Tedious Spammers Alert
Are we still falling for these? As mentioned in this blog post Tedious Spammers Alert some loser is using a gmail address that includes "austcrimefiction" in the handle along with various numbers and other things, pretending to be me offering partnership or cooperation agreements. Remember these things only exist because some people engage with them. Block them if you can. Report them if you can. Wish them to the deepest darkest corners of hell if that suits you.