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Book review: Neighbourhood Watch by Lauren Williams

Book review: Neighbourhood Watch by Lauren Williams

2 min read

Neighbourhood Watch by Lauren Williams is an enjoyable debut from the Aussie author. We’re offered three likeable main narrators with additional input from some of the local ‘colour’. Emma and Margot are estranged sisters, uniting only for family events. We soon learn however that Emma’s husband, an esteemed judge, uses violence and coercion against her and when this opens she thinks she’s finally ready to run… well, maybe. We also spend time with Priyanka Pal, a homicide detective who once worked as a psychologist but joined the force, hoping to make more of a difference to women suffering domestic violence than merely treating the aftermath.

three-half-stars

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Book review: The Ledge by Christian White

Book review: The Ledge by Christian White

The Ledge by Christian White is yet another addictive novel from the talented writer. It’s set in the present but leaps back about twenty-five years into the past via a journal kept by Justin, a teenage boy, one of a tight-knit group of four. White grabs readers attention from the opening as bones are found and we’re catapulted back into a past that the boys have never been able to escape, while at the same time reluctant to revisit now.

As the book progresses we realise White’s been sneaky with his narrative, leading us in one direction and we’ve made assumptions, only to realise we’re completely wrong. Which of course is the genius of his work and for me it rivalled the sleight of hand demonstrated in his second novel, The Wife and the Widow.

four-half-stars

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Book review: Wild Place by Christian White

Book review: Wild Place by Christian White

I saw Christian White speak at the Sydney BAD Crime Writers Festival in late 2019 after his debut book, The Nowhere Child was well received by critics and readers alike (not that I’m implying there’s no overlap between the two!). After hearing him talk about the appearance of snakes in the book I gave it a miss (as I’m quite phobic) but very much enjoyed his twisty second book, The Wife and the Widow.

It was only when I started reading promotional material for his latest release, Wild Place, that I discovered White also created the Netflix TV series Clickbait.

four-stars

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