Is Reading A Dying Art?

Three times last week I was speaking to young friends and associates and they informed me that they never read books anymore. One even admitted he had never finished a book in his life. His thinking being, that any good story will ultimately be made into a movie. 'Why waste anywhere up to a week reading a book when you can watch it in 90 odd minutes in full HD with surround sound, and maybe even in 3D?' And in many respects he has a point. Is the act of reading a book a dying art? In the modern world, where we want everything yesterday, is the pleasure of escaping and being absorbed by a book over a few days a lost art?

I can still remember the furtive pleasure of being a pre-teen and reading a Hardy Boys, Three Investigators or Enid Blyton book under the covers by torchlight (with lashings of sneaky pleasure). However for many youngsters now, books have now been replaced by game consoles, computers, mobile phones and social networking. How do we encourage young children to read and rediscover the joy of books amongst the plethora of alternatives they now have for entertainment?

It is not just the process of reading I would like to encourage, I am concerned about children developing the bad habits associated with communication via facebook/twitter/mobile phones/social media. In many cases, poor literary skills can manifest themselves into poor speaking skills, which become a liability in adult life. I feel more needs to be done to encourage young minds to embrace books, and expand their minds and language skills.

One positive influence I can think of, is the state government funded Premier's Reading Challenges that are conducted in some Australian states. Essentially, each year children choose books from an extensive age-based list (compiled in co-ordination with public and school libraries), and are presented with a medal on completion of the challenge. As each year passes and the challenges mount, the medal and status gets progressively more impressive. It makes reading fun, challenging, even competitive, and something to be shared with classmates. I think methods such as these need to be explored. If it takes governments to get on board, then so be it!

We need to encourage children and young adults to read any way we can, and make reading cool again!

My Review: Whispering Death by Garry Disher

This is the 6th book in the Challis/Destry Australian (Victorian Mornington Peninsula) police procedural mysteries and a time in a book series when many authors start to run out of steam. Not so Garry Disher. In fact, in my opinion, this is the best book of the series thus far. Disher keeps his books fresh by rotating around the main characters from one novel to the next. This time Ellen Destry is overseas on a study trip and plays virtually no role in the story apart from an occasional skype conversation. In her absence, Inspector Challis is the main protagonist and Constable Pam Murphy emerges as an interesting, astute and very able sidekick.

As is customary with Garry Disher, the plot is multi-pronged, well researched and ties together like binder-twine. I also enjoy the characterisation. There are no 'larger than life' James Bonds or Dirk Pitts working at Waterloo Police Station. The police department is under-funded and undermanned. The characters that inhabit the station make mistakes, have diverse private lives, are battling their own personal demons and are fleshed out brilliantly by Garry Disher to make them interesting to the reader and durable enough to last multiple books.

If you have never read a police procedural novel before, then this is a great place to start, and despite being number 6 in the series, it is a standalone book (but read the others anyway!). Another wonderfully enjoyable crime fiction novel with absorbing and interesting characters by Australian author Garry Disher.

MY RATING: 5/5

My Review: Storm Boy by Colin Thiele

I have deviated from the Australian crime fiction genre just briefly to re-visit a book I enjoyed as a child.

Having previously lived not far from Goolwa and The Coorong, and also having been entertained by Mr Percival (from the movie) at the Adelaide Zoo as a youngster, I felt quite sentimental re-reading this book after so many years. The book was standard fare to South Australian (and Australian) schoolchildren in the 1970s and early 1980s, and upon re-reading, I was surprised how little the book had dated over the years.

For me, the book still evoked the same raw emotions as they did 30 years ago when I first read the story. I have always loved the indigenous Fingerbone Bill character (played by David Gulpilil in the movie) and the empathy and bond he shared with the young Storm Boy. They both shared an instinctive and protective love of their environment which is as relevant today as the day Storm Boy was written.

A powerful YA story packed into a short 60ish pages that is still valid today and can be read in conjunction with the equally powerful SA Film Corporation movie of the same name (and some tissues).

MY RATING: 5/5

My Review: Mosquito Creek by Robert Engwerda

Mosquito Creek is written by Dutch born Australian author Robert Engwerda. It was nominated for the 2011 Ned Kelly Best First Crime Fiction Award and is set during a wet and wild period of 1855 in the burgeoning Victorian goldfields.

In a nutshell, I enjoyed the Australian colonial goldfields setting, but was a little disappointed with the conclusion to this book. It almost felt like the author had used up his page quota and suddenly downed tools. For some reason, many of the plotlines that had sustained the book were left unresolved. Perhaps a sequel is planned.

Apart from this, the descriptions of life in a remote 1855 Victorian goldfield town were well-written and gave an insight into a turbulent time in Australian history. Massive swells of people came and went overnight as hardened men sought their fortunes. The services were poor, and the mining settlements were rife with disease, petty thieving and alcoholism. It was clearly evident from Mosquito Creek that mining was a tough occupation, seemingly at the whim of luck (or lack thereof), and the weather - be it searing heat, or in the case of this book, flooding rains. And from this viewpoint, I felt the book succeeded.

In fact Mosquito Creek wasn't really a crime fiction novel as such, but more a commentary on the tough early colonial life and the hardships that the miners endured. And I felt the book worked on this level - it was an enjoyable, interesting and absorbing read as the life experiences of the main characters were steadily revealed throughout the book. Unfortunately, it was only the unresolved and somewhat tenuous crime plotlines that ultimately left me feeling a little unfulfilled.

MY RATING: 3.5/5

My Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief is the 5th book by Australian author Markus Zusak and is set in Germany during WWII.

Hmmm, what to say about this book that hasn't already been said? - I'll keep it brief!

The book is written in an unconventional style with the narrator being Death itself - a very busy character during WWII. The book also contained small handwritten sections with illustrations and (somewhat controversially), a brief summary of contents prior to each chapter that forewarned of the events about to take place. Some people found this off-putting and I guess it is one of the reasons why this book has become so polarising.

It seems The Book Thief is either loved or loathed. I for one loved it. The unconventional style worked for me. I found the short sharp quips from Death (the narrator) added humour and occasionally a sense of direction to an otherwise very dark book. His almost flippant view of death and tragedy balanced a book that was knee deep in it. As for the chapter contents list - knowing what was going to happen in advance enabled me focus on certain events and characters and in most instances heightened the emotion.

And yes there was emotion. The lump in my throat was a permanent fixture towards the end of the book. I loved the characters, I adored the way the book was written and the plot was brilliantly conceived. An outstanding book, that will definitely require tissues.

MY RATING 5/5

My Review: The 3rd Victim by Sydney Bauer

Australian author Sydney Bauer has been labelled the 'new Grisham' and this is her 6th legal thriller featuring Boston-based criminal attorney, David Cavanaugh.

David Cavanaugh has a reputation for only representing clients he believes to be innocent, so when he gets coerced into taking the case of Sienna Walker against his will, he initially believes that he is facing a new challenge in his legal career. But there is more to Sienna Walker than meets the eye.

Sienna is accused of murdering her infant child. All the evidence is against her and the mother's guilt appears incriminating, beyond any reasonable doubt. But David soon learns that Sienna has been set-up and the murder of the young child is just the thin edge of a very dark and sinister wedge.

Knowing his client is innocent and proving it are two very separate issues for David Cavanaugh, particularly against a clever and ambitious DA, who seems to care more for his career, than discovering the truth. And so the courtroom battle begins in the quest to reveal the true chilling motives behind the crime.

At 520 pages and with a very extensive plot, and a cast of many, this book is not for the faint-hearted. At times concentration was required to keep track of the main players and plot developments, but for the most part, I found the pace of the novel to be fine. Sure, there was the occasional legal-speak or discussions of DNA analysis that became a tad laborious, however another twist in the plot, quickly piqued my interest, the suspense built, and the pages kept turning towards the surprising solution.

And the ending itself was completely unexpected. I certainly didn't see it coming. Whether it was plausible or provided a fitting solution to a very cleverly written and absorbing plot is debatable. In my opinion, once the initial surprise had subsided, I found it a little disappointing and perhaps not up to the standard of the rest of the book.

For the most part a brilliantly written legal thriller. A multilayered, intricate and extensive plot that twists and turns all the way to a surprising, albeit incongruous ending.

2011 October Goodreads Aussie Readers Group - Friend's List Reading Challenge

A straightforward book reading challenge for the month of October (2011) conducted by the Aussie Readers Group on Goodreads.

The rules are simple - read as many books as you can during the month of October (2011), as long as they come from a friend's booklist on Goodreads.


I will list the titles here along with links to the reviews as they are read.

1. The 3rd Victim by Sydney Bauer - From Brenda's booklist - My Review
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - From *Jess's booklist - My Review
3. Mosquito Creek by Robert Engwerda - From Bernadette's booklist - My Review
4. Take Out by Felicity Young - From Michael's booklist - My Comments
5. The Gene Thieves by Maria Quinn - From Karen Chisolm's booklist - My Comments
6. The Dead Path by Stephen Irwin - From Penelope's booklist - My Comments
7. Theodore Boone by John Grisham - From Chris Pash's booklist - My Review
8. Zapped by Carol Higgins Clark - From Leslie aka hugbandit7's booklist - My Review
9. Storm Boy by Colin Thiele - From Cathy's booklist - My Review
10. The Fern Tattoo by David Brooks - From Jennifer (JC-S)'s booklist - Brief Thoughts
11. The Roving Party by Rohan Wilson - From Jacqui's booklist - Brief Thoughts
12. A Necessary Evil by Bruce Venables - From Nicknac Bookstack's booklist - My Review
13. Whispering Death by Garry Disher - From Bernadette's booklist - My Review
14. Apartment 255 by Bunty Avieson - From Bree T's booklist - Brief Thoughts
15. Virals by Kathy Reichs - From Bookstack Insoniac's booklist - Brief Thoughts
16. Davo's Little Something by Robert G. Barrett - From Shelleyrae at Book'd Out's booklist - Brief Thoughts

My Review: Bereft by Chris Womersley

This is the second novel by Australian author Chris Womersley and is set in the fictitious outback NSW town of Flint before, during and directly after World War I.

Quinn Walker is the 'bereft' character who from the age of 16 has endured a life of abject misery. Accused of murdering his beloved younger sister, fleeing the scene and then surviving WWI at the frontline in Gallipoli and France as a decorated soldier, Quinn sneaks back to his hometown some 10 years later. There he finds his mother dying from influenza, a drunken, downtrodden father and a township that would gladly string him from the nearest tree if they discovered his true identity.

With his tragic life lurching from one inescapable hell to the next, Quinn's saviour is an unlikely 12 year old orphan girl Sadie Fox, who Quinn discovers hiding-out in the hills that surround Flint. Sadie has also suffered intolerable loss during her 12 years, but unlike Quinn, is optimistic and hopeful of her future. She also has some paranormal skills that gives her an insight into Quinn's past. With their bond forged, Sadie gives Quinn the courage and conviction to eventually right some past wrongs and get his life of misery back on track.

A very well written, intriguing and suspenseful book. I really enjoyed Chris Womersley's style and descriptions. In fact, the vast majority of the book was a brilliant, well-paced 5 star read. My only point of contention was the ending. To me it felt rushed, with all the loose ends tied up in the space of a few pages. Without spoiling the finale, I wanted some public humiliation and name-clearing. Perhaps a greater sense of revenge than I felt. I wanted the bad guys to suffer intolerably like Quinn had, and I was left wanting more - possibly the author's intention.

This aside, Chris Womersley has written a brilliant novel. I am so glad to have discovered another incredibly talented Australian author. Chris Womersley's first book The Low Road has been added to my 'TBR' list and I eagerly await his future offerings.

MY RATING 4.5/5

My Review: Death Of A Lake by Arthur Upfield

Enjoyable Australian crime fiction novel, written and set in outback Australia during the 1950s. This is the 18th Inspector Napoleon Boneparte novel written by English-born Australian author, Arthur Upfield (1890-1964).

Inspector Napoleon 'Bony' Boneparte is sent to a vast outback sheep station disguised as a horse-breaker to investigate the mysterious and unsolved disappearance 18 months earlier of stationhand Ray Gillen. Gillen had previously won the lottery in Queensland - a lucrative motive for his sudden disappearance. One stifling night he went for a swim to cool off in nearby Lake Otway and was never seen again. Did he drown? Was he murdered? What secrets do the lake and/or the residents of the outback station hold? And thus the plot thickens.

The Lake itself becomes a central feature of the novel. Lake Otway is a fictitious non-permanent lake (possibly based on Lake Eyre). It becomes a vast body of water every 20 or so years and then slowly dries up over the next 2-3 years as drought once again takes grip. It's evaporation runs parallel to the storyline - only when it dies back to bare earth in the intense outback heat will the mystery be solved.

Overall, in keeping with the times, a nice clean-cut mystery with inferred sexual tension and not a swear word in sight. Occasionally I found the language perhaps a little dated, although in equal parts, I enjoyed the 'Australianisms' of the era. Cobbers rolled smokes, skinned rabbits, ate kangaroo steaks for breakfast and talked of their dusty outback travels around campfires heating the obligatory billy.

The main character Bony spends most of this book impersonating a horse-breaker. He is part-Aboriginal and is laconic, even enigmatic in the way he goes about his business in this novel. Having not previously read any Arthur Upfield books, I only glimpsed the true authoritative police aspect of Inspector Boneparte towards the end of the book. Nevertheless, I liked what I saw and can see how Upfield managed to base some 29 mystery novels around him over 30+ years.

More of a mystery to me, is why it has taken me so long to read one of these books. The descriptions were fantastic. I could feel the intense outback heat and the choking, dusty grip of drought. I enjoyed Bony and the cast of outback characters, and found the plot strong enough to build intrigue and suspense throughout the book. I am glad I have discovered this series, albeit belatedly, and I will be back for more.

My Review: Every Secret Thing by Marie Munkara

It's a long time since I have read a book that can be so hilariously funny and yet soberingly sad, all within the space of a couple of lines.

Essentially this book is a series of short stories that expose the impact white missionaries had on traditional Aboriginal life in a remote Northern Territory island community. The issues are confronting, but laced with genuine 'laugh out loud' humour, which Marie Munkara cleverly utilises to both entertain, and to sugar-coat some of the shocking human rights breaches, making them more palatable to the reader.

The recurring characters fuse the short stories together and create a timeline for the decline in traditional Aboriginal values as the missionaries introduce the white world to the bush mob. As each story presents a new conflict of cultures, so too alcohol, drugs, feral animals, possessions (jealousy) and white attitudes are introduced to the indigenous occupants of the island.

Throughout the book, the underlying theme is hypocrisy. Hypocrisy that half-caste children to Aboriginal mothers be taken away (stolen generations), yet half-caste children to white mothers weren't. Hypocrisy that spreading god's word, also involved sewing his wild oats, introducing vice and spreading disease. Hypocrisy that missionaries who were often escaping their own demons in the white world, spent their lives expousing it's benefits to the indigenous population. And hypocrisy that it was always the young Aboriginal girls at fault when they fell pregnant and gave birth to mixed race children.

This is a truly confronting book. It is one side of a sad story that focuses on the negative impacts and the ineptness and shortcomings of some of the missionaries. It also shows the Aboriginal people to be survivors. In the space of a generation, thousands of years of traditional living and values were thrown into turmoil. That they survived to tell the tale, and even laugh about it is a testament to their spirit. That the story can be presented in such a palatable and even entertaining way is testament to Marie Munkara. Well done on a wonderful book.

My Rating: 5/5

My Review: X and Y by David Owen

X and Y is the third book in Australian author David Owen's Pufferfish police procedural series. Set in Hobart Australia, the main character is Tasmanian Police Detective Inspector Franz Heineken. He is nicknamed 'Pufferfish' for his prickly and sometimes poisonous manner. He is loyal to his mates, but openly despises his boss and many of his offsiders.

The plot is kick-started with a violent death in a Chinese restaurant, which in turn links cleverly to a series a robberies and an impending drug shipment to Tasmania. When surveillance of the narcotics shipment goes pear-shaped, it becomes obvious the bad guys are one step ahead of the police due to insider information. With a bent copper or two in the midst, fingers start pointing at the Pufferfish.

From there the story becomes a battle for Pufferfish Heineken to stay alive and clear his name. And by eventually taking into account the unknown X and Y factors (you will understand at the end), Heineken exposes the police moles and in turn solves the crimes.

David Owen has again come up with a clever plot. Evidence is exposed at the right pace and the story cascades with each piece of new information, before cleverly tying together at the end - with of course, Pufferfish Heineken at the core. The Pufferfish is a meaty character. As the reader you are privy to his personal thoughts, and you get a feel for the sexual tension between himself and Sergeant Hedda Andover. He is cunning, enigmatic, funny, and is the kind of person you definitely want to be on the right side of.

This book continues an enjoyable and intriguing series by David Owen. I once again enjoyed the pace, the Tasmanian Police Force characters and the setting, and I recommend it to police procedural buffs, particularly those with a penchant for Australian crime fiction.

My Review: In The Evil Day by Peter Temple

In The Evil Day is a stand alone international thriller by Australian author Peter Temple that transgresses much of the globe, including South Africa, England, Wales and Germany.

There are two main characters that the text oscillates between. John Anselm is a former war correspondent who is suffering from his near death experience as a tortured hostage in Beirut. Suffering post-war stress and probably alcoholism, he lives in Hamburg, working for a struggling surveillance firm and trying to come to terms with his tormented past.

In another part of the world, Con Neimand, an ex-soldier and mercenary, stumbles across evidence of a terrible secret whilst on a security detail in Johannesburg. This knowledge puts his life at risk and he is on the run from an unknown enemy.

The two worlds are brought together by the hidden secret as the plot weaves towards it's dangerous and deadly conclusion.

An interesting enough plotline, but I found the changing between characters and settings made it quite complicated and required some thinking and all my concentration. I found that I enjoyed the Con Neimand segments as these were action-packed and seem to carry the story forward. Alternatively the John Anselm segments I found to be slow and laborious. As he wallowed in self-pity, I found the story seemed to flounder. In fact, I was quite glad once the plot tied together, became less fragmented and the book became more even paced.

Overall a complicated and busy international thriller along the lines of LeCarre or Deighton. A thinking person's thriller. Not suitable unless you can give it your full attention, and I recommend reading it in a couple of sittings so as not to lose track of the plot or characters.

RATING: 3/5

My Review: The Old School by P.M. Newton

The Old School by name and old school by nature. This is a debut police procedural novel by former Policewoman P.M. Newton and is set in the south western Sydney suburb of Bankstown in the early 1990's.

Bankstown is a melting pot of cultural and financial diversity. A place where a future prime minister can emerge, having left school at 15. A suburb infused with Asian, Middle Eastern and European immigrants. Close enough to the teeming city centre to attract renovators, developers, shonky deals and crooked operators. In 1992 the suburb was well into the process of gentrification. Corners were being cut, organised crime had a controlling interest and bureaucratic corruption was rife. With this as a backdrop and the ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) investigation in full swing, the plot unfolds.

Nhu 'Ned' Kelly is a young detective based at the Bankstown Police Station. Thrust into a 'blokey' environment, and with a Vietnamese mother and an Irish father, Ned's sex and background are always going to make it tough for her to succeed. Despite being a born and bred Sydneysider, Ned cops sexist and racist jibes from the 'perps' and her workmates alike on a daily basis. But Ned is part of the new police model, not tainted by past graft and made from stern stuff.

When two bodies are found in the foundations of an old building, Ned is confronted with a cascading series of old rivalries, police corruption, and is drawn into the case on a personal level as links are found between the bodies and Ned's own parents who were murdered in 1976. Suspects are plenty, some of her workmates are rotten to the core and Ned doesn't know she can trust and who she can turn to.

The Old School was shortlisted for the 2011 Ned Kelly Best First Crime Fiction Award, and I can see why. It is an absorbing and intriguing police procedural novel. The fact that it is P.M. Newton's debut novel is even more creditable. The plot is well researched by the former policewoman. She nails the era and the battles that a young policewoman would have faced. No doubt experiencing the same sexism and hurdles herself. The fictitious plot is paralleled by real events that give the setting and time period both authenticity and perspective. Aboriginal Landrights, Paul Keating's Redfern Address, ICAC, multiculturalism, a burgeoning and emerging world city in Sydney and a changing attitude to policing are all interwoven cleverly into the plot. The pace of the story is well modulated with new pieces of evidence building the intrigue and deepening the mystery. The characters are diverse and interesting and the ending is both absorbing and fulfilling.

I hope this is the first book in a series. It is a gutsy and gritty police procedural with fleshy characters and lays a perfect launching pad to spawn a series. I will be keenly on the lookout for future P.M. Newton novels and highly recommend this book to those who like tough and dirty police procedural and crime fiction novels.

MY RATING: 4.5/5

2011 Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge

As I was researching an author the other day, I came across another great 2011 Reading Challenge. It is called the Mystery & Suspense Challenge and is hosted by the ladies at Book Chick City. Since this genre is pretty much all I read these days, I figure I may as well jump on board with this one.

The rules are straightforward enough;

• Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011

• Rules: To read TWELVE (12) mystery & suspense novels in 2011 (12 is the minimum but you can read more if you wish!)

• You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

My Mystery and Suspense Challenge list and review links as follows:

 1.  How The Dead See by David Owen - My Review
 2.  The Night Ferry by Michael Robotham - My Review
 3.  The Dragon Man by Garry Disher - My Review
 4.  The Night Has A Thousand Eyes by Mandy Sayer - My Review
 5.  Torn Apart by Peter Corris - My Review
 6.  The Diggers Rest Hotel by Geoffrey McGeachin - My Review
 7.  The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler - My Review
 8.  Frantic by Katherine Howell - My Review
 9.  The 5th Horseman by James Patterson - My Review
10. Death At The Spring Plant Sale by Ann Ripley - My Review
11. Death Mask by Kathryn Fox - My Review
12. Gunshot Road by Adrian Hyland - My Review


UPDATE: Challenge Completed 14th September, 2011

My Review: The Night Ferry by Michael Robotham

The central character is Detective Constable Alisha Barba, a young Indian woman of Sikh heritage who grew up in London's East End. She was introduced to us previously in Michael Robotham's novel Lost, where she suffered significant spinal injuries. In this novel she is mostly healed, almost married, nearly transferred and virtually sacked from the police force as she undertakes her own rogue investigations.

Alisha is drawn into the plot when her estranged friend of 8 years Cate Beaumont and Cate's husband Felix are intentionally run down and murdered outside a school reunion. The plot thickens when seemingly pregnant Cate, is found to be wearing padding and in fact faking the pregnancy.

Having wronged Cate 8 years ago, Alisha commits to a journey of retribution, seeking to find the answers to why her friend was murdered and why she was faking the pregnancy. The journey reunites Alisha with her now retired former Police boss Vincent Ruiz and takes her to the seedier side of Amsterdam, as she slowly unravels an international people-smuggling and illegal baby surrogacy racket.

I really enjoy Robotham's books and this was no exception. Despite some less-than-flattering reviews I found Alisha an interesting and believable, albeit sometimes flighty protagonist. And sure, maybe the book was a little padded. I am not sure that I needed to know the intricacies of Dutch prostition, Amsterdam's street geography, or about Alisha's brother's love life and perhaps a red pen might have purged 50 or so pages. This aside, I found the book intriguing and absorbing. Infused with the moralistic issue of helping childless couples to become parents versus the risk, inhumanity, persecution, prostitution and even slavery associated with people smuggling. In this sense the book appealed to me. The novel made me think, it had depth, suspense, twists, turns and resonated in my mind by posing questions well after I had turned the last page. Congratulations to Mr Robotham on another quality novel.

MY RATING: 4/5

My Review: Dragon Man by Garry Disher

This is the first book in the Detective Inspector Hal Challis police procedural series by Australian author Garry Disher. The book is set in Victoria's Mornington Peninsula and revolves around the happenings of a police station in the fictitious coastal town of Waterloo. 

Amidst the usual summertime madness of small town petty crimes and vandalism, there is a killer on the loose. So far, two Peninsula women have been abducted, raped and murdered and indications are that the killer will not stop at two. With little evidence to go on, and coupled with some aggravated burglaries and torching of letterboxes, cars and houses in the region, Detective Inspector Challis and his cohorts have their work cut out for them.

The characters of the Waterloo police force make for interesting reading. Most of them are flawed or scarred by life. Some are corrupt and some as straight as an arrow. Challis has a suicidal wife in gaol for conspiring to murder him. Detective Ellen Destry has a penchant for lifting a bit of cash from crime scenes and is in a loveless marriage with a troubled daughter. Constable Pam Murphy is intent on having an an illicit affair with an underage surfer. Constable John Tankard is a lecherous and unlikeable bully who seems intent on getting people offside and policing with a big stick. Sergeant Van Alphen swipes drugs from the evidence cupboard to keep his lover on an even keel. Only Sergeant Scobie Sutton appears to be free from vice and/or personal baggage, but is perhaps the most bland character, and doesn't appear necessarily well-suited to police work.

The plotlines in Dragon Man were well-researched, intriguing and built suspense throughout the novel, although the killer was reasonably obvious from quite early on. In fact this is the only reason I rated this book 4.5 stars and not 5 stars. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable Australian police procedural novel, with interesting and meaty characters. Dragon Man provides a fantastic introduction to Hal Challis and his cohorts at the Waterloo Police Station and is a solid and entertaining launching pad for the ensuing books in the series.

MY RATING: 4.5/5

My Review: How The Dead See by David Owen

David Owen's How The Dead See is the sixth book in the Detective Franz Heineken, aka Pufferfish series. They are not just well-written Australian fiction, but uniquely Tasmanian crime fiction in their nature. Now that I am Tasmanian (albeit only a relative newcomer), I thoroughly appreciate the descriptions of the scenery and landscape of the 'small island'. That is not to say that this book and the series as a whole, does not have wider appeal.

The descriptions and Tasmanian parochialism are wrapped around two intriguing crime fiction plotlines. The theft of a valuable diamond necklace, seemingly by a former safe-cracking nemesis, and the death by apparent suicide of an Errol Flynn-like aging film star.

Detective Franz Heineken, aka Pufferfish, from the Tasmanian Police Force weighs in and takes the reader on a literary police procedural journey to resolution. And all is not as it seems, particularly for an aging movie star that has gone from success to excess.

I am so happy to have discovered the David Owen, Pufferfish series of books. I enjoy the humour and introspective views by Pufferfish on police work, criminals and life in general. As a character he has some layers that only the reader is privy to. Having read the last two in the series published in 2010 & 2011, I am now trying to source the original four books published in the mid to late 90's. Whether a non-Tasmanian would have the same level of entertainment is something I can't answer and I will watch future reviews with interest. Nevertheless, being an easy-to-read 230ish pages, if you enjoy police procedural novels, particularly Australian ones with an intriguing and amusing cast of characters, then I recommend that you will enjoy this book - as I did!

MY RATING: 4/5

My Review: Blood Born by Kathryn Fox

The fourth Dr. Anya Crichton novel medical thriller novel by Australian author Kathryn Fox. Following a brutal gang rape mistrial, teenager Giverny Hart is found near death on the morning she is due to give evidence in the re-trial. Whilst unsuccessfully and frantically attempting to save her life, Anya destroys crucial evidence and the alleged perpetrators, the Harbourn brothers walk free. Compounding Anya's guilt, two sisters are raped, with one being found murdered on the same evening the Harbourn brothers are released. And so the investigations begin and the plot twists and turns to a surprising ending.

As well as being a successful author, Kathryn Fox is a medical practitioner and her descriptions of forensics and medical procedures throughout the Anya Crichton series are always well-researched, seemingly authentic and not as laborious as I have found in some other medical thrillers. The sensitive topic of gang rape is also handled professionally by Fox, without being gratuitous.

The only problem I have with this book is actually warming to Dr. Anya Crichton. As in others I have read, I find her character at times demonstrative, even aloof. Occasionally I even feel lectured by her. I keep feeling that she needs some character flaws or quirkyness, to make her more likeable and less perfect. Nevertheless, this is just a minor personal quibble and may not be felt as strongly by other readers.

As with all the books in the Anya Crichton series, this book is well-plotted, well-written and obviously well-researched. You know you are going to get a quality and intriguing medical thriller with Kathryn Fox and Blood Born is no exception.

MY RATING: 4/5

My Review: Kittyawk Down by Garry Disher

Kittyhawk Down is Garry Disher's second Inspector Challis murder mystery. A police procedural series set in Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.

Disher has served up a very busy storyline in this book with many plots and subplots, much of which ultimately tie together at the end of the novel. The characters of the Waterloo Police Station are also fleshed out and developed further. Disher spends time on each one of the major players to ensure that their flaws are clear. Challis has a suicidal wife in gaol for attempting to murder him. Detective Ellen Destry has a penchant for lifting a bit of cash from crime scenes and is in a loveless marriage with a troubled daughter. Constable Pam Murphy is in debt up to her eyeballs and a target for information blackmail. Murphy's partner, John Tankard is lecherous and sexually harasses Pam Murphy on a daily basis and Scobie Sutton appears to have the happiest home-life, but doesn't appear suited to police work. Coupled with hints of police corruption when evidence goes missing, superiors more interested in 'politicking than policing' and we have all the ingredients for an absorbing novel with intriguing characters.

Whilst perhaps not the best book in the series (the second novel rarely is), if you have enjoyed the first book (The Dragon Man) and like police procedural novels and/or Australian crime fiction, then you will definitely find this book well worth reading, with a high degree of character development for future books, and a solid addition to the Inspector Challis series.

MY RATING: 3.5/5

My Review: The Night Has A Thousand Eyes by Mandy Sayer

The plot begins with young 12 year-old Mark Stamp skylarking in the backyard with his air gun. Accidentally he fires a shot through the window of his father′s sacred shed and discovers a horrifying sight that causes him to flee for his life. With his older 14 year-old sister Ruby and the family's infant baby in tow, they set off on an incident-filled trip of a lifetime, escaping the past and their violent one-legged father. Hooking up with another adolescent lost soul along the way, this is an absorbing tale of four kids on the run and on a journey of self-discovery.

Interspersed throughout the story is an ongoing subplot of theories as to how the lecherous father lost his leg. This becomes almost comical and adds to the intrigue of the novel. Possibilities raised range from shark attack to a train accident and the horrifying truth is revealed in the latter part of the book.

Released and marketed as a YA novel, this book is a dark and hardhitting road trip novel, with descriptions using colourful and adult language. Topics covered include domestic violence, incest, promiscuity, larceny, substance abuse, teenage delinquency, vandalism and murder. A coming-of-age novel where the characters are coming from a long way back. Recommended to very mature readers, and definitely not for the faint-hearted.

MY RATING: 4/5

My Review: D.E.D. Dead! by Geoff McGeachin

A funny, irreverent and well written Australian spy/thriller spoof by Geoff McGeachin. The central character, Alby Murdoch is a talented photographer for Worldpix, a legitimate profit-making photographic enterprise. This in turn provides an excellent cover for Alby's real job, as a spy for the Directorate for Extra-territorial Defence (D-E-D) - another Australian government funded security acronym.

Alby is likeable, laconic and amusing in a 'laugh out loud' kind of way. He and his partner Harry have been assigned their regular gig updating records for Australian security on the secret US base in central Australia called Bitter Springs. A mundane task that Alby palms off to Harry to settle an old bet. However the mundane quickly becomes highly dangerous. Harry is terminated, Alby and his fellow passengers narrowly escape being blown-up on a Hong Kong bound plane, and Alby becomes aware that he has a bounty on his head and is wanted dead or alive.

Fortuitously, Alby hooks up with a gorgeous but enigmatic female US agent called Grace Goodluck (as you do). Grace also seemingly appears to be on the run, and together they escape to Bali to reassess (and get to know each other better). After hitching a boatride back to Australia with a dodgy couple of retirees and wiping out some pirates along the way, Alby heads for outback Australia and Bitter Springs, where he knows he will find some answers.

I have to admit that I started out reading this book without any great expectations. I generally like my crime fiction tough and gritty and I thought the spy spoof had already been done to death by Austin Powers amongst others, however I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. McGeachin's writing is clever, quick witted and highly amusing. He took me on a journey where the destination was hidden and infused with hi-jinx along the way. Amidst the humour, I wanted to know what Harry had uncovered? Who was Grace Goodluck and what were her motives? Why Alby was wanted dead or alive? And what exactly was going on at Bitter Springs?

If you like your espionage interspersed with mayhem and humour, then you won't be disappointed by this book. An entertaining and intriguing read that will definitely put a smile on your face.

MY RATING: 4/5

My Review: Frantic by Katherine Howell

What an absorbing debut novel by Katherine Howell and the book was aptly titled as it provided non-stop frantic action from start to finish. Although this is the first book in what has become known as the Detective Ella Marconi series, this book focuses mainly upon ambulance paramedic, Sophie Phillips. Sophie is married to a policeman, is the mother of an infant son and spends her working life attending ambulance emergencies in Sydney. The paramedic angle to a crime fiction book is a great idea, and the procedural aspects of her character were intriguing and obviously well-researched, and I was not surprised subsequently to learn author Katherine Howell was herself an ex-paramedic.

The interwoven plot included a series of violent armed hold-ups that appear to involve members of the police force, a kidnapping, a brooding husband that is withholding information and an incredibly obtuse and gullible main character in Sophie Phillips. For someone seemingly as strong-willed and determined, Sophie was very easily coerced into bed with the bad guys (in more ways than one!).

My only minor issue with this book was that I felt it ended with a few issues still unresolved. I would like to know the fate of Sophie. She is definitely no paragon of virtue, with adultery, stealing, impersonating a police officer, lying, auto-theft and assisting in a murder among her misdemeanours. Was she arrested? Charged? Sacked? Exonerated? I also felt the armed-holdup issues were not fully resolved. Who was the gang? How extensive was the police corruption? And maybe I missed something, but I never fully understood the Police Commissioner's involvement either.

These personal issues aside, I enjoyed the book and the fast-paced style. It is a very solid and entertaining debut novel and I am excited that I have come across an Australian crime fiction author that I haven't read before. I am sourcing the next books in the series as we speak, and I look forward to reading more Detective Ella Marconi books in the future.

MY RATING: 4/5

My Review: Diamond Dove by Adrian Hyland

Having recently read and thoroughly enjoyed Adrian Hyland's Gunshot Road (Emily Tempest #2), I thought it only right that I read the first Emily Tempest book, Diamond Dove - and I was not disappointed.

Emily Tempest is the daughter of a white miner, Motor Jack and his deceased Aboriginal wife. Being of mixed race, Emily has a diverse grounding in both Aboriginal culture and white Australia. She attended boarding college in Adelaide, is well read, went to Uni for three unfinished degrees and has traveled the world. She also spent her youth growing up around the mines in remote regions of Northern Territory with her indigenous friend Hazel. Their childhood immersed in Aboriginal culture, myths, legends and teachings. We soon also find out that Emily is adaptable, stubborn, opinionated and tough as nails!

In search of her roots, Emily has returned to her childhood home - Moonlight Downs, a remote Aboriginal camp in outback Northern Territory. She has hardly settled-in when Hazel's father Lincoln, the camp's elder is found murdered in a seemingly ritualistic fashion.

The enigmatic Aboriginal sorcerer Blakie, who is camped nearby becomes the prime suspect. Many of the Moonlight Downs mob are scared of Blakie and even suspect he is a little unbalanced in the top paddock. He is also hard to catch! Emily's belief in Blakie's guilt gradually diminishes throughout the novel as a range of other characters reveal compelling motives. As in the second novel Emily is dogmatic in her pursuit of answers, and stirs up a hornets nest until justice is cleverly and poetically served.

The pace is slightly different to Gunshot Road, with the investigation and plot taking a little longer to fully develop. However the void is filled with fantastic descriptions of life in a remote settlement for both indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Hyland doesn't shy away away from the bad stuff - the racism, alcoholism, delinquency and abuse that occurs, but he delivers it with a touch of humour and even optimism.

This is a brilliant debut novel by Adrian Hyland with a well-researched plot and wonderfully crafted characters. It is a thoroughly deserving winner of the 2007 Ned Kelly award for best first crime fiction novel and I recommend it to all purveyors of Australian crime fiction.

MY RATING: 4.8/5

My Review: Snapshot by Garry Disher

This is the third police procedural novel in the Inspector Challis series, set once again in the bucolic surrounds of Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.

The plot is kick-started by the murder of Janine McQuarrie, which is witnessed by her 6 year old daughter. Janine McQuarrie had recently succumbed to her husband's requests and reluctantly attended some swinging, spouse-swapping sex parties. With spite appearing the main motive, Janine takes some candid photos with her mobile phone and sends them anonymously to some of the other participants, including her husband. When she is found dead and the photos come to light, they provide an obvious motive for her murder.

When independent town newspaper editor and former Challis lover, Tessa Kane is also murdered following a piece she had written about sex parties in the local paper, the motive appears obvious. But is this the case? Are there other underlying links between these women?

Complicating matters, Janine is the daughter-in-law of the Police Superintendent, who continues to make a nuisance of himself throughout the case. His motives are unclear, other than being more interested in protecting his son than pursuing the killer.

Challis, his police partner Ellen Destry and the usual Waterloo station cohorts, Scobie Sutton, John Tankard and Pam Murphy begin an investigation that twists and turns to a brilliant finality. We know who the killer is, but the reader is unaware who is pulling the strings. Eventually all is revealed, with the loose ends and seemingly superfluous investigations and red herrings tying together to reveal the mastermind and their true motives.

If you enjoy police procedural novels, then you won't be disappointed with this one. Garry Disher has provided a shrewdly constructed storyline with a surprising twist at the end. An intriguing read that has me earnestly sourcing the other Inspector Challis books in the series.

MY RATING: 4/5

My Review: Gunshot Road by Adrian Hyland

As I began my journey along Gunshot Road, I have to admit that I was more than a little dubious. The main character of the novel, Emily Tempest is a young female Aboriginal woman. The author, Adrian Hyland is a middle-aged, white Australian male - but boy did he nail the characterisation!

And what a fantastic character Emily Tempest is. She has been persuaded by the Police Superintendent of the small outback Australian town, Bluebush to become the Aboriginal Community Police Officer. Emily and her mob have had a long distrust of the law and Emily joining the force is a surprising move, both for Emily and her indigenous friends.

Emily Tempest says what she thinks, relies heavily on intuition, has a problem with authority and her policework is unconventional to say the least. And the death at the Green Swamp Well Roadhouse only complicates matters. Her boss thinks it’s an open and shut case with the homicide resulting from two alcoholics having a violent disagreement. Emily believes there is more to it, and investigates further.

After meeting a few of the locals like Magpie, Danny, Jojo and Jet the Asian artist, the action and danger begins to mount. Interwoven amidst the intrigue is some wonderful earthy humour and an insight into indigenous life in a remote 'struggle street' town. Hyland doesn't shy away from the real-life issues that many fringe-dwelling Aboriginal communities face. At various times the reader is confronted with child abuse, alcohol and drug abuse, sexual abuse, poverty and racism. Despite the setbacks, the wonderful spirit of the people shines through. We gain an insight into the high esteem the younger Aboriginal people have for their elders, and the love and respect the indigenous people have for their land.

This is a wonderful Australian crime fiction novel. It is well-researched and the characters are intriguing, funny and even inspirational. The plot is clever and gathers momentum at the right time, and I liked the overall pace of the novel. Emily Tempest is a fascinating character and I adore her outlook on life, and can only hope that Adrian Hyland has a few more Emily Tempest novels in the works!

MY RATING: 5/5

2011 Australian Author Birthplace Reading Challenge

The aim of this challenge is to select and read one author from each of the states and territories in Australia based upon their birthplace. My list of books is as follows:

Northern Territory (NT)
Every Secret Thing by Marie Munkara (Born on the banks of the Mainoru River in central Arnhem Land (NT) and then went to Nguiu on the Tiwi islands when 18 months old)  My Review

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
The Fern Tattoo by David Brooks (Born 12 January 1953 in Canberra) Brief Thoughts

Tasmania (Tas)
The Year Of Living Dangerously by Christopher Koch (Born in Hobart in 1932) My Review

South Australia (SA)
The Fallout by Garry Disher (Born in Burra in the mid-north of South Australia in 1949) My Review

Queensland (Qld)
The Dead Path by Stephen M. Irwin (born in Brisbane, 1966) - Brief Thoughts

New South Wales (NSW)
Mystery Bay Blues by Robert G. Barrett (Born in Bondi, NSW) - My Review

Victoria (Vic)
Follow The Money by Peter Corris (born on 8 May 1942 in Stawell, Victoria) - My Review

Western Australia (WA)
Carnies by Martin Livings (Born in 1970 in Perth, WA) - My Review

2011 Australian State & Territory Reading Challenge

The aim of this challenge is to read a book that is set in each of the 8 states and territories in Australia. My list of books is as follows:

Northern Territory (NT)
Gunshot Road by Adrian Hyland - My Review

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
Dead Set by Kel Robertson - My Review

Tasmania (Tas)
No Weather For A Burial by David Owen - My Review

South Australia (SA)
Storm Boy by Colin Thiele - My Review

Queensland (Qld)
Diamond Eyes by A. A. Bell - My Review

New South Wales (NSW)
The Old School by P. M. Newton - My Review

Victoria (Vic)
The Diggers Rest Hotel by Geoffrey McGeachin - My Review

Western Australia (WA)
Take Out by Felicity Young - My Comments

Ongoing Ned Kelly Award Reading Challenge

The Ned Kelly Awards (named after bushranger Ned Kelly) are Australia's leading literary awards for crime writing in both the crime fiction and true crime genres. They were established in 1996 by the Crime Writers Association of Australia to reward excellence in the field of crime writing within Australia. They are known with literary circles as the 'Neddies', and the award categories are as follows: 

• The Best First Fiction
• Best True Crime
• Best Fiction
• SD Harvey Short Story
• Lifetime Achievement

Past winners and those nominated can be found here; 
New Kelly Awards Home Page
Crime Down Under Ned Kelly Past Winners & Nominations

My challenge is simple - to read as many Ned Kelly award listed books as I can lay my hands on.

1. AVIESON, Bunty - Apartment 255 (2002 WINNER Best First Fiction) - Brief Thoughts
2. BARRETT, Robert G. - The Tesla Legacy (2007 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
3. BELL, A.A. - Diamond Eyes (2011 Nominated Best First Fiction) - My Review
4. CORRIS, Peter - Appeal Denied (2008 Nominated Best Fiction)
5. CORRIS, Peter - Deep Water (2009 Nominated Best Fiction)
6. CORRIS, Peter - Follow The Money (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
7. CORRIS, Peter - Lugarno (200 Nominated Best Fiction)
8. CORRIS, Peter - Master's Mates (2004 Nominated best Fiction)
9. CORRIS, Peter - Open File (2008 Nominated Best Fiction)
10. CORRIS, Peter - Other Side Of Sorrow (2000 Nominated Best Fiction)
11. CORRIS, Peter - Salt and Blood (2003 Nominated Best Fiction)
12. CORRIS, Peter - Saving Billie (2006 Shortlisted Best Fiction)
13. CORRIS, Peter - The Black Prince (1999 Nominated Best Fiction)
14. CORRIS, Peter - The Undertow (2007 Nominated Best Fiction)
15. CORRIS, Peter - Torn Apart (2010 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
16. DISHER, Garry - Chain Of Evidence (2007 WINNER Best Fiction) - My Review
17. DISHER, Garry - Dragon Man (2000 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
18. DISHER, Garry - Kittyhawk Down (2003 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
19. DISHER, Garry - Snapshot (2006 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
20. DISHER, Garry - Wyatt (2010 WINNER Best Fiction) - My Review
21. ENGWERDA, Robert - Mosquito Creek (2011 Best First Fiction) - My Review
22. FOX, Kathryn - Blood Born (2010 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
23. FOX, Kathryn - Death Mask (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
24. FOX, Kathryn - Malicious Intent (2005 Nominated Best First Fiction)
25. FOX, Kathryn - Skin and Bone (2008 Nominated Best Fiction)
26. FOX, Kathryn - Without Consent (2007 Nominated Best Fiction)
27. GREENWOOD, Kerry - Devil's Food (2006 Nominated Best Fiction)
28. GREENWOOD, Kerry - Heavenly Pleasures (2005 Nominated best Fiction)
29. HOWELL, Kathryn - Frantic (2008 Nominated Best First Fiction)
30. HOWELL Kathryn - Violent Exposure (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Thoughts
31. HYLAND, Adrian - Diamond Dove (2007 WINNER Best First Fiction) - My Review
32. HYLAND, Adrian - Gunshot Road (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
33. IRWIN, Stephen M - The Dead Path (2010 Nominated Best First Fiction) - My Comments
34. LIVINGS, Martin - Carnies (2007 Nominated Best First Fiction) - My Review
35. MALONEY, Shane - Brush Off (1997 WINNER Best Fiction)
36. MALONEY, Shane - Something Fishy (2003 Nominated Best Fiction)
37. MALONEY, Shane - Sucked In (2008 Shortlisted Best Fiction)
38. McGEACHIN, Geoff - D.E.D. Dead! (2006 Nominated Best Fiction)
39. McGEACHIN, Geoff - Diggers Rest Hotel (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
40. McGEACHIN, Geoff - Sensitive New Age Spy (2008 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
41. NEWTON, P.M. - The Old School (2011 Shortlisted Best First Fiction) - My Review
42. OWEN, David - How The Dead See (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
43. OWEN, David - No Weather For A Burial (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
44. PALMER, Alex - The Tattooed Man (2008 Nominated Best Fiction) - Brief Thoughts
45. QUINN, Maria - The Gene Thieves (2010 Nominated Best First Fiction) - My Comments
46. REDHEAD, Leigh - Cherry Pie (2008 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Thoughts
47. ROBERTSON, Kel - Dead Set (2006 Shortlisted First Fiction) - My Comments
48. ROBOTHAM, Michael - Shatter (2008 WINNER Best Fiction) - My Review
49. ROBOTHAM, Michael - The Night Ferry (2007 Shortlisted Best Fiction) - My Review
50. SAYER, Mandy - The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (2008 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
51. TEMPLE, Peter - Broken Shore (2006 WINNER Best Fiction)
52. TEMPLE, Peter - In The Evil Day (2002 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
53. WOMERSLEY, Chris - Bereft (2011 Shortlisted Best Fiction) - My Review

2011 September Challenge - Goodreads TBR BOOK BONANZA

A straightforward book reading challenge for the month of September. The rules are simple - read as many books as you can, as long as they come from your Goodreads To Be Read list (otherwise known as Mt. TBR) and added to this list prior to September.




I will list the titles here along with links to the reviews.

 1.  Frantic by Katherine Howell - My Review
 2.  D.E.D. Dead! by Geoff McGeachin - My Review
 3.  The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler - My Review
 4.  The Night Has A Thousand Eyes by Mandy Sayer - My Review
 5.  Kittyhawk Down by Garry Disher - My Review
 6.  Blood Born by Kathryn Fox - My Review
 7.  Death At The Spring Plant Sale by Ann Ripley - My Review
 8.  How The Dead See by David Owen - My Review
 9.  The Garden of Betrayal by Lee Vance - My Review
10. Dragon Man by Garry Disher - My Review
11. The 5th Horseman by James Patterson - My Review
12. The Night Ferry by Michael Robotham - My Review
13. The Old School by P.M. Newton - My Review
14. In The Evil Day by Peter Temple - My Review
15. X and Y by David Owen - My Review
16. Flash and Bones by Kathy Reichs - My Review
17. Every Secret Thing by Marie Munkara - My Review
18. Death Of A Lake by Arthur Upfield - My Review
19. Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet by Xinran - My Review
20. Bereft by Chris Womersley - My Review
21. Original Face by Nicholas Jose - My Review


I completed 21 books from my TBR Goodreads Reading List During September, 2011.