Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve Contemporary thrillers depict an aspect of lives that are ordered, sedate almost staid when compared with Harlem Shuffle and Colson Whitehead’s latest novel, Crook Manifesto. Its pages cover the actions of people caught in a complex web of the struggle to survive by any means available to them, be it violence,
Reviewed by Rod McLary The beginning of this new novel by Gabriel Bergmoser is deceptively simple and straightforward. Charlotte Laurent aspires to be a writer and is currently enrolled in a Creative Writing course at a university in Melbourne – but she is not convinced of her ability to write anything until she meets Leo
WINNER OF 2023 FURPHY LITERARY AWARD ANNOUNCED Congratulations to this year’s winner Jen Rewell for her uplifting and offbeat love story ‘Away to Me’. Jen was presented with a cheque for $15,000 at the award ceremony. Along with the cash prize, Jen’s story will anchor the 2023 Furphy Anthology and she will be invited to a residency at La Trobe University to work on her writing.
Reviewed by Rod McLary Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free. The above line from Bob Dylan’s rather enigmatic song Mr Tambourine Man is the epigraph to this new novel by Kathy Reichs which features Temperance Brennan; and its relevance to the narrative becomes clear at the novel’s dénouement. The
Reviewed by Norrie Sanders Winston Churchill’s insistence on sending Australian and New Zealand troops to defend Greece from Hitler’s juggernaut was an unmitigated failure. The troops were weary from fighting in North Africa, poorly equipped and completely lacking in aerial support. The decision was politically driven and cost the lives and liberty of thousands of
Reviewed by Rod McLary There is nothing like a good adventure story to engage the hearts and minds of all those young readers who enjoy being transported to another world where the kids are the heroes. Tanya Hunter in her debut novel delivers on this well and truly. The story – combining adventure and magic
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve Few days pass without our being reminded of the often catastrophic impact of weather, made more regular and severe as the climate changes. Dennis Glover’s riveting account of the fatal Scott expedition to the Antarctic linked with a present day science based thriller, demonstrates that although tragic in outcome, the 1910
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke Two couples travel from England to Indonesia for their honeymoon. Another older couple also travel there for a silver wedding anniversary. On the last night of their stay, a drink is accidently spilt on another man who is passing behind a table of the two honeymoon couples. He is obviously drunk