I have always enjoyed crime fiction novels, having read all the mainstream James Patterson, Kathy Reichs, Sue Grafton, Lee Child, Andrew Gross, Ruth Rendell and Tess Gerritsen type books that I could get get my hands on. As much as I enjoyed these books, there was always something missing. They were always set in England, America, Canada, France or some other exotic location that I have never been to. The storylines were fantastic, the authors brilliant, but on some level I just didn't get the humour or missed the nuances of the location.
Then I discovered Peter Corris and eventually many, many other Australian crime fiction authors. It was a revelation to read crime fiction books that were set in places I had been to and towns I had even lived in. It provided me with a whole new imaginary layer over and above the plotline. I could relate to the characters and enjoy their humour. I could place myself in a dusty outback South Australian roadhouse, or the back of a Melbourne taxi, or even in a Launceston front bar.
My bookshelves are now stacked with Peter Corris, David Owen, Katherine Howell, Katherine Fox, Geoffrey McGeachin, Garry Disher, Shane Maloney, Robert G. Barrett, Kerry Greenwood and many more. So many books to read, so little spare time...
Nevertheless, with this mind, I have decided to participate in the 2011 Aussie Author Challenge (follow the link above). Essentially the plan is to read 12 Aussie books (at least 9 separate authors). My planned reading list at this stage (which may change) is as follows:
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A very warm welcome to the challenge! I look forward to your crime fiction focussed reviews.
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