Reviewed by Wendy Lipke Inga Simpson, author of the children’s picture book, The Peach King, has created a story to remember not just the devastation wrought by the bush fires which impacted the south coast of N.S.W. during the Black Summer of 2019-2020, but to celebrate the renewal of life as things recover after such
Reviewed by Richard Tutin Nations use myths to shape their origin stories and guide the kind of society they seek to become. For some their guiding myths are ones of courage and the ability to overcome adversity as they move forward towards their vision and destiny. For others the myths help tie the people to
Reviewed by Rod McLary Readers of Patricia Cornwell’s novels – and especially those featuring Dr Kay Scarpetta – know exactly what to expect when they open her latest book. No one will be disappointed with Sharp Force as it delivers all of what is expected – the cast of characters we are all familiar with,
Reviewed by Rod McLary William J Byrne proves to be a natural story-teller as he weaves the real-life experiences of his extended family with the history and circumstances of the Indigenous people. As a child, he was immersed in the tales told by his aunties and uncles and his father. And what this has brought
Reviewed by Ian Lipke “Boobs are celebrated and scrutinised, fetishised and censored, worshipped and weaponised. As the saying goes: ‘Behind every great woman is a pair of boobs trying desperately to stay out of the conversation’.” The mood of this cheeky book, written mostly by Lisa Portolan, is reflected in the quote I have selected
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke In 2025 there appear to have been several children’s picture books by First Nation’s talented writers and illustrators sharing their love of country and dreaming tales. As the title of this latest book implies it is about Aboriginal beliefs surrounding the beginning of time which they call, Dreaming. This book by
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke This book, by American Tess Thomas and artwork by Kamwei Fong, is a square children’s picture book about our feelings. It talks about when we feel happy and when we are sad, angry or scared and what happens when we keep these feelings bottled up inside ourselves. This makes us feel
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke This publication, by Max Hamilton, is not the first children’s book with this title, but this latest version is an interesting read with no doubt different examples from those found in the other books. The author has taken examples from across the world but mainly from Australia and the USA. However,
Reviewed by Rod McLary It would take a certain amount of courage and perhaps chutzpah to write not just one memoir but four as Phil Brown has done. But while the first quality is certainly present in his latest very honest and revealing volume, the second is far less likely as what may mistakenly be
Reviewed by Susan Francis In writing her novel, Susan Francis has tackled the challenge of combining a gripping thriller with a controversial historical event. This she has accomplished with admirable skill. As the drama unfolds with breathtaking speed, betrayal, greed, politics and courage in dealing with ruthless characters, give it a power that is striking.
Reviewed by Rod McLary Chris Hammer is one of Australia’s finest – and one the most successful – crime writers. The setting for most of his novels is the Australian outback – a setting as harsh and unforgiving as the crimes which lie at the heart of his novels placing them securely within the sub-genre
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve Sally Hepworth, in Mad Mabel, has launched a very sympathetic and likeable character in the person of 81year old Elsie Fitzpatrick, once the infamous young murderer, mad Mabel. The eye-watering success of the Thursday Murder Club series, which is set in an aged care facility, proved that characters’ ages would not
Reviewed by Ian Lipke Catch is the story of sixteen-year-old Beth who discovers a hidden talent viz a nausea attack signalling someone is in danger of falling followed by a new ability to catch the person before he/she can self-harm. Having this skill brings challenges and with them responsibility. It is soon revealed that the
Reviewed by Ian Lipke James Dunbar does not normally have much to do with crime-mystery writing. We can be thankful that he changed his habits to write Twisted River. When Rory and Cate, a married couple returning from a vacation overseas, they are met by a set of nightmarish circumstances. Their credit cards no longer
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke This is the second story about Runt, the street dog befriended by eleven-year-old Annie Shearer. In the previous story the reader learns how these two bonded and went on to become famous thereby rejuvenating the small out-of-the-way town of Upson Downs. For readers who have not read the first story, the