Review: THE CARETAKER, Gabriel Bergmoser

• 
  This edition read as an e-book on Libby, supplied by my local library
  
• ISBN: 9781460763131
• ISBN 10: 1460763130
• Imprint: HarperCollins AU
• On Sale: 28/07/2023
• Pages: 336 
• Finalist, Best Novel, 2024 Ngaio Marsh Awards
  

Synopsis (publisher)

An isolated, empty ski resort in the off-season. A woman who doesn't want to be found. A man who may not be who he appears to be. A game of cat and mouse - with deadly consequences.

On the run from a controlling husband and his underworld associates in Melbourne, Charlotte has adopted a new identity and found a job as an off-season caretaker in a tiny, deserted alpine resort. Some dangerous people are looking for Charlotte and so she's lying low, tending to the lodges, happy to be alone, but jumping every time a floor creaks or the wind whistles through the empty buildings. She's trying to convince herself she's okay, that she got away. But then strange things start happening around the resort. And Charlotte starts to realise that every escape route is being sealed off, one by one.

From Gabriel Bergmoser, the master of propulsive, page-turning storytelling, The Caretaker will have readers second-guessing themselves at every turn. What's real and what isn't? Who's dangerous and who isn't? And who will survive? A menacing, nail-biting, nerve-racking psychological thriller.

My Take

I was well engaged in the initial part of the novel, plenty of mysteries in the plot. I wanted to know why Charlotte was on the run, who she was hiding from, what she had been accused of, who it was who was looking for her.

But the author lost me with the level of violence in the final part of the story. I also thought Charlotte's character didn't ring true. She seemed to have developed some odd skills, particularly for one so young. It seems setup for a sequel, if I am reading the final pages correctly, but not for me.

My rating: 4.3

About the author

Gabriel Bergmoser is an award-winning Melbourne-based author and playwright. He won the prestigious Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award in 2015, was nominated for the 2017 Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama Writing and went on to win several awards at the 2017 VDL One Act Play Festival circuit. In 2016 his first young adult novel, Boone Shepard, was shortlisted for the Readings Young Adult Prize. His first novel for adults, The Hunted (2020), became a bestseller and a film adaptation is currently in development. Since then he has published the thrillers The Inheritance (2021) and The Caretaker (2023), along with the YA coming-of-age novel The True Colour of a Little White Lie (2021) and the middle-grade adventure Andromache Between Worlds (2024).

Review: WILD DOGS, Michael Trant

• 
   this edition supplied by my local library
  
• published Penguin Random House Australia 2022
• ISBN 978 1 76104 677 3
• 355 pages  

 Synopsis (publisher) 

Wild Dogs is a page-turning action thriller set in the WA outback, introducing Australia’s answer to Jack Reacher

In the drought-ridden rangelands of Western Australia, Gabe Ahern makes his living trapping wild dogs for local station owners.

Still coming to terms with his wife’s death – and the part he played in it – the old bushman leads a solitary life. Until one morning, when he rescues a young Afghan man, Amin, from certain execution.

Now, with a gang of people smugglers on his tail and the lives of Amin's family on the line, Gabe is drawn into a ruthless game of cat and mouse. His main opponent is Chase Fowler, a kangaroo hunter with bush skills as wily and sharp as his own.

As the old dogger and roo-shooter go head to head, Gabe will need all his cunning to come out of this alive…

My Take

The author really hits his straps in this novel. Strikes both political and social chords. The "dogger" Gabe Ahern comes across a people smuggling operation in northern WA when he rescues Amin who has come to Australia on an illegal boat. Amin wants to rescue his wife and son but says that he knows that bent cops are assisting the people smugglers.

This novel is a thriller from the get-go. The setting feels authentic and the characters loom large.

Very impressive.

My rating: 4.7 

I've also read

4.4, RIDGEVIEW STATION

Review: GRAVELY CONCERNED, Rhys Dylan

• 
  This edition an e-book on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B7P8ZTNY
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wyrmwood Books (November 1, 2022)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 322 pages
• Book 5 of 17  

Synopsis  (Amazon)

Predators watch. They’re patient. And strike when it’s least expected.

In broad daylight, on a quiet rural road, six-year-old Osian Howells disappears from his own front garden. In the blink of an eye he’s a missing person, taken, in the words of a headline hungry press, for nefarious purposes.

DCI Evan Warlow knows that the first hours after an abduction are crucial. Decisions have to be made quickly. Evidence can get lost or compromised, persons of interest need to be interrogated. And one or two have the team’s antennae twitching.

Worse, the abductor’s deviousness seems to know no bounds as cruel taunts pepper the investigation. With emotions at boiling point, and under pressure from family, the press and his superiors are all ‘gravely concerned’ for the boy’s welfare.

As always in such cases, the clock is ticking. Warlow and the team need answers and soon, before a kidnapping turns into something infinitely worse.

Gravely Concerned is the fifth book in the DCI Warlow bestselling series of fast-paced thrillers by Rhys Dylan. Set in the heart of wild Wales, this dark murder mystery full of action and pathos will keep you guessing.

My Take

Another cracking read. The abduction of a child from his front garden spurs an investigation with a strict timeline. Red herrings abound. And the pressure on Evan Warlow mounts as the hours progress.

The urgency and the characterisation are both very well done.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

4.6, THE ENGINE HOUSE - #1

4.5, CAUTION: DEATH AT WORK -#2

4.6, ICE COLD MALICE - #3

4.5, SUFFER THE DEAD - #4

4.6, THE BOWMAN - #15

Review: THE BOWMAN, Rhys Dylan

• 
  This edition an e-book on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DJ5N28GZ
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wyrmwood Books (January 21, 2025)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 310 pages 
• DCI Evan Warlow Crime Thriller Book 15 

Synopsis (Amazon)

In the wild heart of Wales, terror stalks the open moor.

In the remote and unforgiving Cambrian Mountains, two bodies are found, sparking fears that a long-buried nightmare has returned. DCI Warlow is plunged into a chilling mystery, hunting a murderer who disappeared without a trace—leaving only blood and silence behind.

As Warlow’s team battles against mounting pressure, they face a haunting question: is this the work of a twisted imitator, or has The Bowman, a ruthless killer thought to be gone forever, resurfaced?

With each dark discovery, they’re pulled deeper into a case where the land itself seems to conspire against them—and the answers may come at a deadly cost.

Edge of the seat crime fiction. The Bowman is the 15th riveting novel from bestselling crime author, Rhys Dylan, perfect for fans of JD Kirk, Simon McCleave, and Peter Robinson

My Take

Oh dear! I've jumped the gun a bit (see below for my list of books read) by reading this title, the 15th in the series, when I should have read the 5th. Never mind, I fully intend to correct that in the near future. I did have some trouble in catching up on what has happened in the series since #4.

I have become thoroughly immersed in the books each time though. The characters are great and the scenarios believable.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

• 4.6, THE ENGINE HOUSE - #1
• 4.5, CAUTION: DEATH AT WORK -#2
• 4.6, ICE COLD MALICE - #3
• 4.5, SUFFER THE DEAD - #4
  

Review: RIDGEVIEW STATION, Michael Trant

• 
   this edition supplied by my local library as an e-book on Libby
  
• ISBN:978176029420
• Publisher:Allen & Unwin
• Imprint:Arena
• Pub Date:28 Jun 2017
• Page Extent:336  

Synopsis (publisher) 

A vast outback property. An unforgettable season. A family's fight to save their livelihood. A sweeping tale of love and loss, and the highs and lows of life on the land, from an utterly authentic new voice in rural fiction.
Many of Peter and Kelsie Dalton's friends thought they were crazy when they bought Ridgeview Station. But five years on, their hard work, help from Kelsie's parents, and record rainfall have them in high spirits as the summer muster approaches.

Realising they're going to need more help this season, Peter rings around the neighbouring stations to try and find a good worker. After a glowing recommendation, Alexi arrives to give them a hand - and is not at all what they'd expected ...

Everything is going smoothly with the muster before disaster strikes and the Dalton's find themselves battling to save their livestock, their property and their lives.

An entertaining yarn set on a vast outback property peopled with colourful and authentic characters, Ridgeview Station is about love, loss and the spirit of the bush.

My Take

Please note- not crime fiction. But if you are looking for something authentic about life on an Australian outback station then this might be just the book for you.

My rating: 4.4

 Author bio:

Michael Trant been involved with agriculture for most of his life. After 16 years running a sheep station, he took up writing to report on the live export controversy from the farming side. Michael currently lives in Perth. Ridgeview Station is his first novel.

Review: THE RIVER HOME, Hannah Richell

• 
  this edition supplied by my local library
  
• published by Hachette Australia 2020
• ISBN 978 0 7336 4366 8
• 359 pages
• author website
  

Synopsis ( author website)

A gripping family drama about sisterhood, secrets and forgiveness.

‘There’s something I need to tell you.’

Eight years ago, Margot Sorrell left the crumbling family home in the Somerset countryside under a dark cloud, hoping never to return. And until she tells her two sisters why she ran away, they refuse to forgive her...

But with her sisters' perfect lives starting to unravel, Margot knows she must go back. The river by her home has kept her secret all this time - as well as the memories of the terrible night that tore her family apart.

As the past threatens to surface, will the truth destroy the Sorrell family - or bring them back together?

My Take

Not really crime fiction, although a crime has occurred. But certainly it has strong elements of mystery.

Margot has thought she would never return to her family home but her sister is getting married, and then there is the message that she needs her. She also dreads facing her mother. None of them really understand why Margot left and she is resolved to never tell them the truth. 

Engrossing.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

5.0, THE SEARCH PARTY

Review: THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition an e-book on Kindle
  
• first published 1926
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0046A9MRW
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins; Masterpiece Ed edition (October 14, 2010)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 210 pages 
• already reviewed 2008 and 2021

Synopsis (Amazon)

Agatha Christie’s most daring crime mystery – an early and particularly brilliant outing of Hercule Poirot, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, with its legendary twist, changed the detective fiction genre for ever.

Roger Ackroyd was about to be married. He had a life of wealth and privilege. First he lost his fiancée – and then his life.

The day after her tragic suicide he retires upstairs to read a mysterious letter, leaving his closest friends and family to eat dinner below.

Just a few hours later he is found stabbed to death in a locked room with a weapon from his own collection.

Was he killed for money? For love? Or for something altogether more sinister?

The truth will out.
But you won’t see it coming.

My Take

I have read this book again having read it at least twice in the last 20 years ( 2008 and 2021). This time I am reading it with my U3A Agatha Christie Reading Group. It is our 3rd Hercule Poirot this year and I'm sure the group will find plenty to discuss.

It is a relatively short novel. But it was considered controversial because it subverted what many considered one of the golden rules of crime fiction.  Hercule Poirot has retired to the country, where he is tending marrows. Captain Hastings has gone to Argentina where he has apparently made some unwise investments. Poirot is missing him more than he had expected to.

Almost everyone in this novel has something to hide. Does this confuse readers as they try to work out who killed Roger Ackroyd?

I found some quizzes which ask questions about each chapter.

My rating: 4.5 

See all my Agatha Christie reviews

Review: THE DROP, Michael Connelly

• 
  This edition an e-book made available on Libby by my local library
  
• Published 2011
• The Drop is the 24th novel by American crime author Michael Connelly, and the fifteenth novel featuring Los Angeles Police Department detective Harry Bosch.
• author website 

Synopsis (author website )

Harry Bosch has been given three years before he must retire from the LAPD, and he wants cases more fiercely than ever. In one morning, he gets two.

DNA from a 1989 rape and murder matches a 29-year-old convicted rapist. Was he an eight-year-old killer or has something gone terribly wrong in the new Regional Crime Lab? The latter possibility could compromise all of the lab’s DNA cases currently in court. 

Then Bosch and his partner are called to a death scene fraught with internal politics. Councilman Irvin Irving’s son jumped or was pushed from a window at the Chateau Marmont. Irving, Bosch’s longtime nemesis, has demanded that Harry handle the investigation. Relentlessly pursuing both cases, Bosch makes two chilling discoveries: a killer operating unknown in the city for as many as three decades, and a political conspiracy that goes back into the dark history of the police department.

My Take

Two very different stories in this novel,  with Harry Bosch under political pressure to focus on resolving whether a recent death is murder or suicide. 

Harry's partner gets very frustrated when Harry keeps excluding him from decision making. The partner does the unforgiveable and leaks bit of their investigation to the press.

Meanwhile there is a case that Harry really wants to focus on.

A good read.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

• THE OVERLOOK
• THE BRASS VERDICT
• THE CONCRETE BLONDE
• 4.3, THE REVERSAL
• 4.4, SUICIDE RUN
• 4.4, ANGLE OF INVESTIGATION
• 4.5, THE POET
• 4.5, FAIR WARNING
• 4.5, THE NIGHT FIRE  
  

Review: FROM DOON WITH DEATH, Ruth Rendell

• 
   This edition read as an e-book on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0031RSBQO
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cornerstone Digital; Special edition (January 26, 2010)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 26, 2010
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 214 pages
• #1 in the Inspector Wexford series  

Synopsis  (Amazon)

AN ORDINARY LIFE. AN EXTRAORDINARY DEATH.

The trampled grass led to the body of Margaret Parsons.

With no useful clues and a victim known only for her mundane life, Chief Inspector Wexford is baffled until he discovers Margaret's dark secret - a collection of rare books, each inscribed from a secret lover and signed only as 'Doon'.

Who is Doon? And could the answer hold the key to Wexford solving his first case?

My Take

My first review of FROM DOON WITH DEATH on this blog is from 2009 but I had read it earlier than that. I have re-read it this time for discussion with my U3A Crime Fiction group. I have chosen Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine as one of our Award winning crime fiction writers.

This is the first of the Wexford series, the first of 24 novels, published between 1964 and 2013, a period of 49 years. Wexford is a mature detective at the beginning of this series, already 52 years old. His sidekick Inspector Mike Burden is younger but also reasonably mature.

Ruth Rendell always said that she wished Wexford had been younger at the start of the series.

There are almost no clues to who murdered Margaret Parsons and I think the solution must have shocked readers back in 1964. Rendell leads the reader carefully to some conclusions about the nature of the killer, although the final reveal still has elements to shock.

There is almost none of Wexford's personal life in this novel. He and Burden spend huge amounts of time, some overnighters, investigating the case.

My rating: 4.6

You might also be interested in

Forgotten Book: FROM DOON WITH DEATH, Ruth Rendell

 I have also read

Rendell, Ruth:
FROM DOON WITH DEATH - Wexford #1
4.5, A NEW LEASE OF DEATH- Wexford #2
4.6, THE BEST MAN TO DIE - Wexford #4
4.3, A SLEEPING LIFE, Ruth Rendell  - Wexford #10 
4.7, PUT ON BY CUNNING - Wexford #11
4.6, THE VAULT- Wexford #23
4.5, NO MAN'S NIGHTINGALE- Wexford #24
PORTOBELLO
4.7, THE MONSTER IN THE BOX
4.5, A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES
4.5, THE SAINT ZITA SOCIETY
4.6, THE MASTER OF THE MOOR
4.4, DARK CORNERS
4.6, A SPOT OF FOLLY  

Vine, Barbara:
THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT
4.8, A DARK ADAPTED EYE
4.3, THE CHILD'S CHILD

4.7, THE BLOOD DOCTOR, Barbara  

Review: THE BENEVOLENT SOCIETY OF ILL-MANNERED LADIES, Alison Goodman

• 
   This edition an e-book on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BP9WFCY1
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins (June 1, 2023)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 459 pages  

Synopsis  (Amazon)

A Washington Post Best Mystery Novel of 2023

A high society amateur detective at the heart of Regency London uses her wits and invisibility as an ‘old maid’ to protect other women in a new and fiercely feminist historical mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.

Lady Augusta Colebrook, “Gus,” is determinedly unmarried, bored by society life, and tired of being dismissed at the age of forty-two. She and her twin sister, Julia, who is grieving her dead betrothed, need a distraction. One soon presents itself: to rescue their friend’s goddaughter, Caroline, from her violent husband.
 
The sisters set out to Caroline’s country estate with a plan, but their carriage is accosted by a highwayman. In the scuffle, Gus accidentally shoots and injures the ruffian, only to discover he is Lord Evan Belford, an acquaintance from their past who was charged with murder and exiled to Australia twenty years ago. What follows is a high adventure full of danger, clever improvisation, heart-racing near misses, and a little help from a revived and rather charming Lord Evan.

Back in London, Gus can’t stop thinking about her unlikely (not to mention handsome) comrade-in-arms. She is convinced Lord Evan was falsely accused of murder, and she is going to prove it. She persuades Julia to join her in a quest to help Lord Evan, and others in need—society be damned! And so begins the beguiling secret life and adventures of the Colebrook twins. 

My Take

This was a fairly light whimsical read set in the early 19th century in London. The historical detail was impressive, and the stories were credible, if rather cosy. I'm not sure that it is a series that I will want to continue. A bit too romantic for my taste.

My Rating: 4.4

About the author

Alison Goodman lives in Australia with her husband and their terrier, Buckley. Her latest book is The Dark Days Deceit, the final in the Dark Days Club trilogy which Alison calls Pride and Prejudice meets Buffy (or Georgette Heyer goes demon hunting!). She is happily learning how to dance a quadrille, hoist herself into boned stays, and handle a small-sword...all in the name of research.

Alison is also the author of New York Times Bestsellers, EON and EONA (also known as The Two Pearls of Wisdom and The Necklace of the Gods). The award winning fantasy duology is set in a mythical China and has sold into 20 countries, and translated into 12 languages.

Alison's other novels are the SF thriller, Singing the Dogstar Blues, and her wickedly dark adult crime novel, A New Kind of Death, which has just been re-released as a Kindle e-book. Her artist husband painted the cover, which is - Alison says without any bias, whatsoever - totally brilliant and the best cover she has ever had on any of her books. 

Review: THE BOOKSELLER, Tim Sullivan

• 
  this edition read an e-book on Libby through my local library
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book; 1st edition (16 January 2025)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 359 pages 
• #7 is the DS Cross Thriller series 

Synopsis (Amazon)

THE SETTING
The body of a bookseller is discovered, lying in a pool of blood in his Bristol bookshop. Police have one question: how did the man meet such a violent, murderous end in this peaceful place?

THE CONFLICT
DS Cross's ability to dismiss red herrings is challenged by a worrying development in his personal life. Hopelessly distracted, he needs to rely on those around him in a way he has never been comfortable doing before.

THE MURDER PLOT
It may be a quiet profession, but it's full of passionate, ambitious characters who know the value of a rare book. Their extensive reading means they also know how to get away with murder.

But is that enough to fool the tenacious DS George Cross?

My Take

This is the last book in the current series, with THE TAILOR promised for 2026.

The plot is a complex one, with George's father Raymond having an operation to remove a carcinoma from his lung and then having a stroke. DS Ottey is now DI Ottey, and for George that takes a bit getting used to. It took us into a world that, although we are book readers, we are not really familiar with.

There were a number of plot strands and I thought it was a measure of how far Tim Sullivan has come as an author.

Highly recommended.

My Rating: 4.6

I've also read

4.5, THE DENTIST- #1

4.6, THE CYCLIST - #2

4.6, THE PATIENT - #3

4.6, THE POLITICIAN -#4

4.5, THE MONK - #5

4.7, THE TEACHER - #6

Review: A STRANGER IN THE FAMILY, Jane Casey

• 
  This edition read on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• #11 in the Maeve Kerrigan series
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CFQ631Z4
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hemlock Press (March 14, 2024)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 463 pages

Synopsis  (Amazon)

Winner of Crime Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards
A Times Crime Book of the Year

The gripping new detective thriller from the Top Ten Sunday Times bestselling author

Every mother's worst nightmare …

When nine-year-old Rosalie Marshall vanished from her bed one summer night, her disappearance tore her family apart.

Now, sixteen years later, her mother Helena is found dead, her husband by her side. It looks like a straightforward murder-suicide but DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent soon discover nothing about this case is straightforward.

The Marshalls have been keeping secrets. And someone is prepared to kill to hide the truth. Until Maeve finds out what happened to Rosalie, no one will be safe …

My Take

You will see from the list below that I haven't read all of this series, but nearly all of them.  I recently read THE CLOSE which was a good background to the relationship between Maeve and Josh.

This latest novel explores the disappearance of 9 year old Rosalie Marshall 16 years earlier, against the background of the ongoing relationship between Maeve and Josh. When Rosalie's parents are found dead, it seems likely that the clues to their deaths lie in the cold case of the disappearance of their daughter. A very complex plot emerges.

Well worth reading.

My rating: 4.9

I've also read

4.6, THE MISSING 

4.3, THE BURNING #1

4.5, THE RECKONING - #2

4.4, THE LAST GIRL #3

4.5, LET THE DEAD SPEAK #7

4.6, CRUEL ACTS - #8

4.6, SILENT KILL - #8.5

4.8, THE CUTTING PLACE - #9

4.8, THE KILLING KIND

4.9, THE CLOSE -#10

Review: THE TEACHER, Tim Sullivan

• 
  This edition an e-book supplied by my library on Libby
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book; 1st edition (18 January 2024)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 407 pages 
• Book 6 of 7: A DS Cross Thriller
• author website 

 Synopsis (author website)

He’s a victim. But is he innocent?

THE BODY
In a village in South West England, an elderly man is found dead in his home. The angle of his neck says he fell down the stairs. The stab wound on his body tells a different story.

THE EVIDENCE
In the weeks before his murder, Alistair Moreton changed. He usually kept himself to himself, but people swear there was someone in the house when they checked on him, that there was a reason he wouldn’t let them inside.

THE PUNISHMENT
Moreton made people’s lives a misery, from his neighbours to his ex-pupils. While DS George Cross’s list of suspects is long, every victim deserves justice.

But in all of Alistair’s years, there was something important he never learned:

If you go through life making enemies, don’t be surprised when they teach you a lesson.

My Take

This story is a little longer than usual, mainly because of the twist that happens in about the middle.

There are several plot strands which lead to the investigation  of a number of very interesting characters for the murder of Alistair Moreton. Lots of red herrings including a very unsavory DI who comes to work with the MCU while DS Ottey is moving house.  In addition several aspects of DS George Cross are explored, including his relationship with his parents. More is promised in the next book.

I am thoroughly enjoying this series, but despite the advice on the publicity that you can read them in any order, I think that would be a mistake.

My rating: 4.7

I've also read

• 4.5, THE DENTIST- #1
• 4.6, THE CYCLIST - #2
• 4.6, THE PATIENT - #3
• 4.6, THE POLITICIAN -#4
• 4.5, THE MONK - #5
  

Review: THE FLAMES OF LILLY PILLY CREEK

• 
  This edition on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• #4 of the Lilly Pilly Creek Ghost Mysteries
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DJYNJYRH
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abbie Allen Publishing (October 11, 2024)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 222 pages  

Synopsis  (Amazon)

As the scorching heat of January grips Lilly Pilly Creek, danger ignites in more ways than one.

In the fourth book of the Lilly Pilly Creek Ghost Mystery series, amateur sleuth Jones and her ghost sister Autumn are faced with their most perilous investigation yet. An arsonist is terrorising the town, and with the fires inching closer to the heart of Lilly Pilly Creek, tensions rise—and so do suspicions. When one of their friends becomes a prime suspect, Jones and Autumn must race against time to uncover the truth before the flames consume everything.

As the town faces the threat of destruction, Jones also faces a personal challenge—meeting Hugo's friends for the first time, one who appears a likely firebug. Will their relationship withstand the heat of the investigation or tear them apart?

Join Jones and Autumn as they navigate mystery, danger, and the complexities of friendship and love in this thrilling new chapter of the Lilly Pilly Creek Ghost Mysteries.

My Take

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, the 4th in the series. I thought It must be something to do with the fact that Adelaide is currently in drought, and fire warnings keep popping up on my phone.  I thought the author conveyed very well the breathless anticipation of bushfires, as well as the worry we feel when the cause is arson. I have rated the book a little more highly, so impressed was I by the way the story was put together.

If you are looking for an easy to digest series of cozy crime fiction then you could try this but, as always read them in order.

My Rating: 4.5 

I've also read

4.4, THE GHOST OF LILLY PILLY CREEK =#1

4.3, THE BRIDE OF LILLY PILLY CREEK - #2

4.4, THE LIGHTS OF LILLY PILLY CREEK - #3

Review: THE FROZEN PEOPLE, Elly Griffiths

• 
   The edition read on Kindle as an e-book (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CW1N9SVD
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Quercus (February 13, 2025)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 354 pages 

Synopsis (Amazon)

Ali Dawson and her cold case team investigate crimes so old, they're frozen - or so their inside joke goes. Most people don't know that they travel back in time to complete their research.

The latest assignment sees Ali venture back farther than they have dared before: to 1850s London in order to clear the name of Cain Templeton, the eccentric great-grandfather of MP Isaac Templeton. Rumour has it that Cain was part of a sinister group called The Collectors; to become a member, you had to kill a woman...

Fearing for her safety in the middle of a freezing Victorian winter, Ali finds herself stuck in time, unable to make her way back to her life, her beloved colleagues, and her son, Finn, who suddenly finds himself in legal trouble in the present day.

Could the two cases be connected?

Get ready for an original, transportive and characterful new crime novel from no. 1 bestselling author Elly Griffiths. Perfect for those missing the Dr Ruth Galloway series and for any crime and historical fiction fans.

My Take

An absolutely mesmerising story mixing cold cases and time travel. 

Ali Dawson is part of a British police cold case team that is investigating past crimes by going back in time to when they actually happened. This is a secret project involving only a few people and normally the hops in time involve only the immediate past. But this time it is at the request of a British politician who specifically requests Ali go back well over 150 years to attempt to find out the truth about a relative of his.

It is one of those stories that you keep reading because you really want to know what happens.

And the author refers to it as the beginning of a series, so, if that is the case, this will be essential reading.

My  Rating: 4.8

I've also read

• 4.6, THE CROSSING PLACES - Ruth Galloway #1
  
• 4.6, THE JANUS STONE - Ruth Galloway #2
• 4.6, THE HOUSE AT SEA'S END - Ruth Galloway #3
• 4.5, A ROOM FULL OF BONES - Ruth Galloway #4
• 4.8, DYING FALL- audio book - Ruth Galloway #5
• 4.5, THE GHOST FIELDS, Elly Griffiths - audio book - Ruth Galloway #7
• 4.7, THE OUTCAST DEAD, Elly Griffiths - audio book - Ruth Galloway #6
• 4.7, THE WOMAN IN BLUE - Ruth Galloway #8
• 4.7, THE CHALK PIT - Ruth Galloway #9
• 4.6, THE STRANGER DIARIES - Harbinder Kaur #1
  
• 4.4, THE POSTSCRIPT MURDERS - Harbinder Kaur #2
  
• 4.7, THE LANTERN MEN - Ruth Galloway #12
• 5.0, THE STONE CIRCLE - Ruth Galloway #11 
• 4.8, THE DARK ANGEL - Ruth Galloway #10
• 4.7, THE NIGHT HAWKS - Ruth Galloway #13
  
• 5.0, THE LOCKED ROOM - Ruth Galloway #14
• 4.6, BLEEDING HEART YARD - Harbinder Kaur #3
• 5.0, THE LAST REMAINS - Ruth Galloway #15
• 4.8, THE ZIG ZAG GIRL - Brighton Mysteries #1
• 4.5, SMOKE AND MIRRORS - Brighton Mysteries #2
• 4.5, THE BLOOD CARD- Brighton Mysteries #3
  
• 4.4, THE VANISHING BOX - Brighton Mysteries #4 
• 4.6, NOW YOU SEE THEM- Brighton Mysteries #5
  
• 4.5, THE MIDNIGHT HOUR- Brighton Mysteries #6
• 4.6, THE GREAT DECEIVER -Brighton Mysteries #7 
• 4.4, THE LAST WORD - Harbinder Kaur #4

 

Review: THE WAY IT IS NOW, Garry Disher

• 
  This edition provided by my local library as an e-book on Libby
  
• Published by Text Publishing 2 August 2022
• ISBN 9781922458704
• 416pp  

Synopsis

Twenty years ago Charlie Deravin’s mother went missing near the family beach shack—believed murdered; body never found. His father has lived under a cloud of suspicion ever since.

Now Charlie’s back living in the shack in Menlo Beach, on disciplinary leave from his job with the police sex-crimes unit, and permanent leave from his marriage. After two decades worrying away at the mystery of his mother’s disappearance, he’s run out of leads.

Then the skeletal remains of two people are found in the excavation of a new building site—and the past comes crashing in on Charlie.

The Way It Is Now is the enthralling new novel from Garry Disher, one of Australia’s most loved and celebrated crime writers.

My Take

Set near on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, in 2020, just as Covid 19 is making itself felt in Australia and on Australians travelling overseas.

Twenty years ago Charlie's mother had disappeared on the same day that Charlie, a police constable, had been in a search party looking for a young boy who had run away from a school camp. Neither of them had been found.  Now, Charlie, still in the police force, has been suspended from assaulting a senior officer. He has nothing to do but to take good look at his mother's disappearance. He thinks the investigation wasn't very thorough, more focussed on acquitting his father who had been a senior police officer at the time. Charlie's older brother believes their father was to blame and he and Charlie do not see each other much. His father has re-married and is now retired and he and his wife are off on an overseas cruise. Charlie decides to contact people from the community who were around 20 years ago, and he begins to find things that just don't add up.

 You will notice that I am re-reading this novel as I am talking about Garry Disher's contribution to Australia crime fiction with my U3A Award Winning Crime Fiction reading group.

This is a typical Disher stand-alone with sub-plots to keep the mind alert, and a range of interesting characters, including Charlie Deravin himself. The setting of a coastal surfing town is strong and gives the novel a substantial Australian flavour.

My rating: 4.7

I've also read

4.7, WYATT

4.8, WHISPERING DEATH

4.7, BLOOD MOON

4.2, THE HEAT

4.5, SIGNAL LOSS

4.7, HER

4.9, UNDER THE COLD BRIGHT LIGHTS

4.7, KILL SHOT

5.0, BITTER WASH ROAD - Hirsch #1 - aka HELL TO PAY

5.0, PEACE- Hirsch #2

5.0, CONSOLATION - Hirsch #3

4.7, DAY'S END- Hirsch #4

4.8, THE WAY IT IS NOW

4.8, SANCTUARY

Review: THE NIGHT WE LOST HIM, Laura Dave

• 
  This edition an e-book on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C1RV95XK
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin (September 17, 2024)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 346 pages

 Synopsis (Amazon)

Sometimes those we love hide the darkest secrets…

One beautiful Californian evening, a wealthy businessman falls to his death from his secluded cliff-top house onto the rocks below.

A tragic accident? Or murder?

Nora and her half-brother Sam suspect it may be the latter, and team up to uncover the truth of what really happened that night.

But their relationship has never been easy, and it is about to be tested to the limit as they start to question how well either of them really knew their elusive father.

Unravelling his mysterious past takes them back to a world they knew nothing about, to a tangled love affair and a web of relationships that other people would far rather stay buried...

Filled with passion, intrigue, lies, and dark, dark family secrets, The Night We Lost Him is a page turning mystery you won’t ever want to put down.

My Take

Nora doesn't really want to believe that her father Liam, usually so sure-footed, slipped to his death from outside his house. Nor does she want to believe it was suicide. So was he pushed? That is what her half-brother Sam believes. But his twin Tommy thinks they should leave it all alone.

Their attempt to unravel what happened is hampered by the fact that Liam's body was cremated, and also by the complexities of his multiple marriages and the fact that they don't know everything and that people don't give them straight answers when they ask questions.

The book is written in two time frames: the present and the immediate past, and then what happened when Liam was a young man. And then about half way through the book, you, the reader, realise that you know some things that Nora and Sam don't.

At the same time as they are unravelling the past both Nora and Sam are dealing with issues in their own lives, that add a poignancy to the story.

Recommended.

My Rating: 4.6

I've also read

4.6, THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME

Review: MURDER ON THE LINKS, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition an e-book on Kindle
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DK9D7QTQ
  
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 267 pages
• #2 of 38 Poirot stories
• originally published 1923  

Synopsis (Amazon)

Agatha Christie's second published novel featuring her famous detective Hercule Poirot. It marks the beginning of Poirot's adventures in the world of literature. Step into the gripping world of 'The Murder on the Links' by Agatha Christie, where the tranquil beauty of the French countryside belies a sinister plot waiting to be unraveled. It is a timeless tale of intrigue, betrayal, and murder that will leave readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. Despite being written nearly a century ago, "The Murder on the Links" remains as fresh and captivating, making it a timeless classic that continues to entertain readers of all ages.

Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie's brilliant detective, returns to find his would-be employer murdered, too many suspects, and the detective directing the local police investigation ignoring his polished investigative technique. The two butt heads compete to solve the case until a second body is discovered, murdered in the same manner as the first.
Poirot's razor-sharp perception and in-depth knowledge of criminal history are required to connect both murders as he successfully works toward an unanticipated conclusion.

My Take

I have of course read this before at least a couple of times. I am re-reading it for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie reading group.

This is only the 2nd in the Hercule Poirot series. At first the author challenges us to identify the narrator, who is of course Arthur Hastings.

The main action takes place in France. Hercule Poirot gets a letter from an English businessman living in France, but by the time he and Hastings get there, his potential employer is dead.

I'd like our discussion to include the following:

• the role assigned to Hastings as the romantic, and the foil to Poirot
• the reference to World War One with the murder weapon
• does Agatha Christie deliberately set out to confuse the reader (and Hastings) with the complexity of the plot? There seem to be a lot of red herrings. What hinders Poirot in his solving of the case?
• The contrast between Poirot's methods and those of Surete detective Giraud
• this is only the second Poirot novel, but it is implied that he and Hastings have worked a number of cases since "Styles". Inspector Japp has consulted Poirot more than once in the intervening period. Hastings gets impatient with what he sees as Poirot's lack of action.
• Is the title misleading? What does it refer to?
• What is the motive for the murder?
  

My rating: 4.4

I also reviewed it at 

4.4, THE MURDER ON THE LINKS  

4.5, THE MURDER ON THE LINKS,- audio book

 

My Agatha Christie novels

Review: THE LIGHTS OF LILLY PILLY CREEK, Abbie L. Martin

• 
   this edition an e-book on Amazon
  
•  ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CGMQGMBV
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abbie Allen Publishing (13 December 2023)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
• #3 in the Lilly Pilly Ghost Mystery series
• author web site  
  

Synopsis ( Amazon)

Get ready for a festive dose of mystery and merriment in the charming Australian town of Lilly Pilly Creek.

In the third instalment of the Lilly Pilly Creek Ghost Mystery series, amateur sleuth Jones and her spectral sister Autumn are back at it again. With the Lilly Pilly Creek Christmas Lights Competition making a comeback after thirty years, the town is buzzing with excitement. But the festivities take a dark turn.

A shocking discovery awaits Jones and Autumn when the gardener, who has been landscaping at The Memory Bank, is found dead. Jones, Autumn, and her friends Wren, Atlas, and the dashing Hugo find themselves once again destined to unravel the mysteries surrounding the untimely death

Amidst the drama, Jones and Autumn grapple with their own emotions as they delve into the journals left behind by their Grandmother, discovering a personal mystery they must resolve.

Join Jones and Autumn in this heartwarming and suspenseful holiday story, where the tapestry of friendship, love, and a hint of the supernatural intertwines for a Christmas in Lilly Pilly Creek which is destined to be unforgettable. 

My Take:

Another very readable (if not very credible story). I am enjoying the Adelaide Hills setting, the cozy plots, and the character development. Even if ghosts are not your thing, you may enjoy the mysteries and the hints of romance.

My rating: 4.4

I've also read

4.4, THE GHOST OF LILLY PILLY CREEK =#1

4.3, THE BRIDE OF LILLY PILLY CREEK - #2

Review: THE WOLF TREE, Laura McCluskey

• 
  This edition read as an e-book on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CXK1WL9Y
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins (February 28, 2025)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages  

Synopsis (Amazon)

A gripping and atmospheric debut crime thriller set on an isolated Scottish island ... where outsiders are not welcome.

'There's always someone whispering about something.'

On a small island off the coast of Scotland, an isolated community is grieving. Eighteen-year-old Alan Ferguson was found at the foot of the lighthouse - an apparent suicide.

DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart are sent to investigate. A raging storm keeps them trapped on the island for five days. And the locals don't take kindly to mainlanders.

As George and Richie question the island's inhabitants, they discover a village filled with superstition and shrouded in secrets.

But someone wants those secrets to stay buried. At any cost.

My Take

DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart have 4 years of working together, but recently George was severely hurt at the hands of a druggie. After months of recuperation the question is whether George is ready to resume work. 

It looks as if this case will be a fairly soft one, probably over in a day or two, but they have 5 days on the remote island to carry out their investigation. The victim has already been buried and not everyone is willing to talk to the police. There are layers of secrecy and years of tradition. There are some residents who obviously resent the presence of mainlanders.

And towards the end, a resolution you will not see coming.

This is an excellent novel for a debut title, an Australian author no less. Well worth reading. An author to watch.

My rating: 4.8

About the author:

Laura McCluskey is a Melbourne-based writer, editor and actor. She created the production company Sibylline Films and co-founded Three Fates Theatre Company. The Wolf Tree is her first novel. 

Review: THE PATIENT, Tim Sullivan

• 
  This edition an e-book on Libby supplied by my local library
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book; 1st edition (March 3, 2022)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 390 pages
• #3 in the DS George Cross series  

Synopsis (Amazon)

No fingerprints. No weapon. No witnesses. Can DS Cross prove it was murder?

THE DETECTIVE

DS George Cross doesn't rely on guesswork and he has no time for false assumptions. He is a detective who goes off the evidence in front of him, not 'hunches' or 'gut feelings'. He does not know what these are.

THE CLOSED CASE

When a young woman is found dead, the Bristol Crime Unit is quick to rule it a suicide as the woman had a long history of drug abuse. But her mother is convinced it was murder, saying that her daughter had been clean for years and had been making strides in a new therapy programme.

THE ANSWER

As an outsider himself, DS Cross is drawn to cases involving the voiceless and dispossessed and, here, the evidence states that this woman was murdered – Cross just has to prove it. But under pressure from his boss to shut down the case, and with numerous potential suspects, time is rapidly running out to get the answers that this grieving family deserve.

My Take

One of the blurbs for this series says that you don't need to read this series in order. I strongly disagree, and it is not just the George Cross in me saying that. There are certain plot element that persists sequentially from story to story. If you are a "faithful" reader, I'm sure you will agree. 

George becomes curious about an older woman whom he see hanging about his office at the MCU. After she has been ejected, he listens to her story and agrees with her that there is a case to be investigated. In this case George's interest is provoked by something that was missing from the crime scene. 

Yet another that confirms that this is an impressive series to read.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

• 4.5, THE DENTIST- #1
• 4.6, THE CYCLIST - #2
  
• 4.6, THE POLITICIAN -#4
• 4.5, THE MONK - #5
  

Review: THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS, Michael Robotham - a re-read

• 
  This edition an e-book for Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01N7SVPRI
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sphere (11 July 2017)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 385 pages  

Synopsis (Amazon)

Agatha is pregnant and works part-time stocking shelves at a grocery store in a ritzy London suburb, counting down the days until her baby is due. As the hours of her shifts creep by in increasing discomfort, the one thing she looks forward to at work is catching a glimpse of Meghan, the effortlessly chic customer whose elegant lifestyle dazzles her. Meghan has it all: two perfect children, a handsome husband, a happy marriage, a stylish group of friends, and she writes perfectly droll confessional posts on her popular parenting blog—posts that Agatha reads with devotion each night as she waits for her absent boyfriend, the father of her baby, to maybe return her calls.

When Agatha learns that Meghan is pregnant again, and that their due dates fall within the same month, she finally musters up the courage to speak to her, thrilled that they now have the ordeal of childbearing in common. Little does Meghan know that the mundane exchange she has with a grocery store employee during a hurried afternoon shopping trip is about to change the course of her not-so-perfect life forever…

With its brilliant rendering of the secrets some women hold close and a shocking act that cannot be undone, The Secrets She Keeps delivers a dark and twisted page-turner that is absolutely impossible to put down.

My Take

I've actually read this twice before: once shortly after it was published,  and also two years ago.

I've read it a third time to refresh my memory, and to lead a discussion with my U3A Crime Fiction group, where I've nominated Michael Robotham as one of two Australian prize winning authors we will discuss. The other is Garry Disher.

Originally written as a standalone, in it Robotham attempted "two voices" for the first time, and also introduced us to psychologist Cyrus Haven. 

For the discussion with my U3A group I found the following "AI-generated" questions online. I will see how they go with my group. I suspect they are based on the television series rather than the book.

"The Secrets She Keeps" invites questions about the complex motivations of both Agatha and Meghan, the nature of their secrets, and the societal pressures surrounding motherhood, including:

About Agatha's motivations and past:

•  What drove Agatha to make the drastic decision to kidnap Meghan's baby?
•  How did Agatha's past experiences with motherhood and loss shape her actions?
• To what extent does Agatha believe she is acting in the best interests of the baby?
• How does Agatha rationalize her actions to herself?
  

About Meghan's perspective:

• How does Meghan's public persona as a social media influencer impact her perception of the situation?
• How does Meghan's relationship with her husband, Jack, change throughout the story?
• Does Meghan ever suspect Agatha's true identity and intentions?
• How does Meghan grapple with the trauma of losing her baby and the subsequent investigation?

Exploring the themes:

• How does the series portray the complexities of motherhood and the pressures placed on women to be perfect mothers?
• What commentary does the show make on the dangers of online privacy and social media scrutiny?
• How does the narrative explore the concept of maternal instinct and its potential for extreme behavior?

 Not all of my group will have read the book recently. Some will be telling us about other Robotham books they have read. I'd like to know what has stuck in their mind from this book in particular.

My rating: 5.0

I've also read

BOMBPROOF

SHATTER #3

SHATTER (audio)

BLEED FOR ME #4

5.0, THE WRECKAGE #5

4.8, SAY YOU'RE SORRY #6

5.0, WATCHING YOU #7

4.8, IF I TELL YOU... I'LL HAVE TO KILL YOU (edit)

5.0, LIFE OR DEATH Shortlisted for the 2015 CWA Gold Dagger

4.8, CLOSE YOUR EYES

5.0, THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS

5.0, THE SUSPECT #1 (audio)

4.8, LOST #2 (audio)

5.0, THE OTHER WIFE

4.8, GOOD GIRL, BAD GIRL -Cyrus Haven #1

4.8, WHEN SHE WAS GOOD -Cyrus Haven #2

5.0, WHEN YOU ARE MINE 

5.0, LYING BESIDE YOU - Cyrus Haven #3

5.0, THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS

5.0, STORM CHILD - Cyrus Haven #4

Review: THE BRIDE OF LILLY PILLY CREEK, Abbie L. Martin

• 
  This edition an e-book from Amazon
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C7CMDG59
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abbie Allen Publishing (August 26, 2023)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 214 pages
• Book #2 in the Lilly Pilly Creek series  

Synopsis (Amazon)

The second instalment in The Lilly Pilly Creek Ghost Mystery series finds sisters Jones and Autumn embroiled in yet another local mystery. Jones has been assisting Iris, a bride-to-be, in creating a memory box for her wedding. But at the final dress fitting disaster strikes. Iris collapses, leaving everyone shocked.

Invisible to all but Jones, Autumn decides to use her ghostly skills to aid in unravelling the mystery surrounding Iris's sudden collapse. Together, they delve into the secrets of Lilly Pilly Creek, determined to uncover the truth.

Jones and Autumn follow the clues that lead to trouble brewing between two rival farming families. With her friends Wren and Atlas, and her spectral sister, by her side, Jones races against time to uncover the truth and bring the culprits to justice.

As they investigate, Jones must also navigate her feelings for Hugo, the bartender next door, as well as the constant fear that her ghostly sister Autumn could at any moment be lost to her forever.

Join them on this captivating journey of courage, love, and unbreakable bonds that will leave you breathless until the very last page.

My Take

There was just enough in this story to keep me interested.  It includes references to a little known tourist attractions of the Adelaide Hills, "ghost" mushrooms. 

I still have my reservations about Jones' ghostly sister Autumn, but I will continue with the series.

My rating: 4.3 

I've also read

4.4, THE GHOST OF LILLY PILLY CREEK =#1

Review: THE MONK, Tim Sullivan

• 
  This edition an e-book supplied by my local library on Libby
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B2FDB5T2
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book; 1st edition (April 27, 2023)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 414 pages
• #5 in the DS George Cross series  

Synopsis (Amazon)

To find a murderer, you need a motive . . .

THE CASE
DS George Cross is called to investigate when the body of a monk is found savagely beaten in a woodland near Bristol.

THE QUESTION
Nothing is known about Brother Dominic's past. How can Cross unpick a crime when he doesn't know anything about the victim? And why would someone want to harm a monk?

THE PAST
They learn that Brother Dominic had no enemies – or, at least, none that are obvious. But his past reveals that he was once a wealthy man, that he sacrificed it all for his faith.

For a man who has nothing, it seems strange that greed could be the motive for his murder. But greed is a sin after all . . .

My Take

I am thoroughly enjoying this series. This book is a little longer than the earlier ones that I have read.

George is thrust into a new environment, the abbey where the murdered monk lived, and to his surprise he finds it engaging. George is his usual meticulous self, going over the clues in fine detail.

Highly recommended. Off to find another in the series...

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

4.5, THE DENTIST- #1

4.6, THE CYCLIST - #2

4.6, THE POLITICIAN -#4

 

 

 

Review: BETTER LEFT DEAD, Catherine Lea

• 
   This edition an e-book on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DJG69T13
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ David Bateman Ltd (October 2, 2024)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 357 pages
• #2 in the DI Nyree Bradshaw series
• author website 
  

Synopsis (publisher)

DI Nyree Bradshaw and her team have their work cut out for them once again. Local woman Lizzy Bean has been found dead, garrotted with a piece of wire. Lizzy’s property, a 1950s beach house overlooking a pristine Northland bay, is overflowing with rubbish. Inside the house is even worse.

As Nyree and her team delve into the case, clues begin to reveal an intricate web of connections involving a local crime syndicate, a kidnapped woman, and a group of ex-foster children haunted by the past.

Meanwhile, Nyree’s own past is catching up with her. Forever racked by guilt that she has failed her son who is currently in prison for murder, Nyree might finally get a chance to redeem herself in his eyes . . . but it comes at a steep cost. 

My Take

This second in the DI Nyree Bradshaw series lives up to the promise that I detected in the first in the series and I'm looking forward to more.

The action in this story is linked to a 20 year old case, and the scenario is very tangled. In addition Nyree's own life becomes tangled as she discovers she has a granddaughter who needs her.

An excellent read.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

4.5, THE WATER'S DEAD - #1 

Review: THE WATER'S DEAD, Catherine Lea

• 
  This edition an e-book on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09R96Q3LR
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Brakelight Press; 1st edition (February 9, 2022)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 334 pages
• #1 DI Nyree Bradshaw Crime Thriller  

Synopsis (publisher) 

The chin tattoo confirms the victim in Māori. The whorls of ink from her lower lip to her chin - the moko - is worn only by Māori women.

So her ethnicity is a given.

Finding who murdered her and dumped her body in the pool at the base of Mason's Rock waterfall is DI Nyree Bradshaw's latest case. From the strangely unsympathetic parents to the belligerent boyfriend on home detention for drugs, it seems everyone has something to hide, and no one is telling the truth.

Then Nyree discovers six-year-old diabetic, Lily Holmes is missing, last seen in the victim's care. Now Nyree must find the killer to save Lily.

The clock is ticking.

She has already failed her own son. She cannot fail this child.

Who Is DI Nyree Bradshaw?
A tough, no-nonsense New Zealand DI. Her heart and soul have gone into the job. She thought her toughest cases were behind her. She was wrong.

The Setting:
New Zealand's beautiful Far North. With its white sand beaches, the crash of waves from the turbulent Tasman Sea, and small rural towns surrounded by Māori land, traditions, and community.

My Take

Another new author to follow! Detective Inspector Nyree Bradshaw is likeable, hardworking, methodical, but also intuitive, located in the north of the North Island of  New Zealand. She has a strong sense of obligation to her clients, both dead and alive, as well as to her own team. 

A young Maori woman is found dead in the river, and the little girl she has been looking after is missing. Nyree has to tread a fine line in negotiating for a search within the nearby Maori community as well following their wishes as they mourn their loss.

I will certainly be reading more by this author. 

My rating: 4.5

About the author

Catherine divides her time among numerous fictional worlds behind her keyboard. In past lives, she has sold international satellite capacity, worked in IT recruitment, and run her own communications store.
When Catherine isn't writing, she's dog-wrangling, wrestling with technology, or going crazy trying to maintain control of the yard.
She also writes dark, gritty thrillers under the pen name C. J. Lea.
You can find Catherine's official website at www.authorcatherinelea.com