Reviewed by Rod McLary This is a new author for me even though he has written six books now and each one has been successful. It is always a positive to find someone new and one whom you can enjoyably read through his/her back catalogue. The genre of crime/thriller is perhaps one of the most
Reviewed by Ian Lipke Western understanding of the ancient Persian kings has always been skewed by histories written by Greek scholars such as Herodotus whose understanding has been incorporated as our own. Llewellyn-Jones sets out to correct this mindset by supplying an authentic Eastern vision. I’m not convinced that he has been successful. No doubt
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke Karly Lane‘s latest book, A Stone’s Throw Away, according to the cover, is poignant, heart-warming and suspenseful – a compelling story of never giving up on your dreams. I cannot argue with this. The title does not reveal what the storyline is all about, unlike her original title – Bones in
Reviewed by Richard Tutin I began to read this book by Julianne Schultz during a stay in hospital. Since it was often sitting prominently on the bedside locker, staff members who came into my room at various times would make some comment on the title. This often led to some discussion about what Australia meant
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve There are occasional times when a book provides a heartening antidote to the horrors that bombard us in the news. Such a novel is Alexandra Potter’s latest, One Good Thing. There is much to divert and engage a reader as the main character Olivia (Liv) adjusts from being a shattered divorcée
Reviewed by Gail McDonald Professor Lucy Easthope is the United Kingdom’s leading authority on recovering from disaster, whether that is as a result of earthquakes, tsunami, fire bombings or war. Lucy has been at the forefront of the development of policy and practice guidelines in partnership with governments for most tragedies that impact on populations
Reviewed by Gail McDonald Susannah Crispe is a Canberra based children’s book author and illustrator with a background in zoology. Susannah has previously partnered in writing and illustrating two children’s books but this one Under the Moonlight is written and illustrated by Susannah alone. The book is a delightful tale of Moose who is an
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve In this gripping account of the tragic case of Kerry Whelan, Mark Tedeschi has shown, although a body was never found, how a trial and subsequent conviction could take place. The public is often mystified when years pass between a crime being committed and it being brought to trial – sometimes
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve Brilliant female detectives are not exclusive to the adult world of books and television. Penelope Snoop believes she has the skills to solve any mystery. Accompanied by her dog, Carlos, and both wearing their eye-catching pink hats, they both set out to find the missing smelly sock. Penelope’s imagination takes her
Reviewed by Richard Tutin Though Death is one of the certainties of life along with taxes, it’s not often that we have an opportunity to read about its history. I originally thought that Andrew Doig was going to describe the various practices of different cultures to Death and how people respond when their loved one
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve Most laundromats in large cities are unattended but there are some that offer a service of careful washing and ironing. One such business In Melbourne is the unglamorous setting of ‘A Solitary Walk on the Moon’. It is operated by Evelyn, the chief character, and she is dedicated to giving a
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve In our post pandemic world, it is a challenge to find reasons to laugh or smile. Thankfully there are authors with the ability to write a novel that is a pure delight to read. Toni Jordan received international recognition for her brilliant debut novel Addition. Since then, she has published four
Reviewed by Gerard Healy A charming tale for older children and adults about greed, kindness and community by American author Kelly Barnhill. The setting is a small rural town named Stone-in-the Glen, which could be almost anywhere and which used to be a lovely town (everyone said). The townsfolk are a typical cross-section of humanity.
Reviewed by Gail McDonald This biographical novel by Antony Jeffrey centres mainly on the story of his mother who is described as a brave and sensitive woman who never stopped caring for the people she loved. It is a story of love, loss and family and is the first novel written by Antony. He previously
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke I enjoyed reading Averil Kenny’s first novel, Those Hamilton Sisters, but I think I enjoyed The Girls of Lake Evelyn even more. While her first novel was more about exclusion where the three girls were shunned by the town, her second was about how a newcomer to an area was readily