Hachette Australia Archives - Page 2 of 29

Book review: Storm Child by Michael Robotham

June 25, 20243 min read

Storm Child by Michael Robotham is the fourth in this series and though (with this) we’ve now uncovered long-buried backstories of our two lead characters, forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven and his former patient Evie Cormac, I’m very much hoping we’ll continue to see them pair up and hunt down baddies.

I initially worried I’d not enjoy this as much as usual as I’m not a fan of novels featuring white collar crime, organised crime, including people trafficking and the like – generally preferring a twisted deep-seated motive (ie. psychopathy or trauma not money) – driving my criminals, but this certainly won me over.

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Book review: The Instruments of Darkness by John Connolly

April 28, 20243 min read

I started reading The Instruments of Darkness by John Connolly and had one thought: “OMFG!” His opening paragraph, his phrasing, his over-use of metaphors, whip-smart prose and witty narration… I was blown-away.

Very weirdly – I discovered that I have never read anything by Connolly in past (unless it was pre-2011 when I started tracking my reading in Goodreads). I mean, I’ve heard of Connolly obviously, and his Charlie Parker series but I’m agog that this was my first of his books. Which is probably why I had no idea that this series (or perhaps his work in general) has a supernatural undercurrent.

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Book review: How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

March 27, 20242 min read

The title of How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin is a tad misleading because the victim of the aforementioned murder actually tasks her potential benefactors with unmasking her killer.

We kick off in 1965 when 17 yr old Frances hears her fortune… discovering that she will one day be murdered. She’d probably laugh it off but there are elements of the fortune that have already made an appearance, including threatening letters.

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Book review: Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh

July 28, 20232 min read

Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh arrived when I was away for work recently and I allowed it to leap over others on my TBR list because I was about to head to Harrogate (in England) to the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival and he was to be there.

I wasn’t planning on taking the book for him to sign as I’m not really into autographs, though do like chatting to authors… but I certainly wanted to have read it beforehand. However… there was an unfortunate bath-related incident in which the book threw itself into my bath (where I was reading) days before my departure.* Not one to be deterred, I dried it out in the winter air and gave it a day to two lest the pages tear as I turn them, before diving back in because though I was only about one-third of the way through, I was engrossed.

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Book review: The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon

June 23, 20233 min read

The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon was a proverbial sleeper for me. Not because I thought it wasn’t paced well. I noticed other bloggers, bookstagrammers and reviewers commenting on it being slow out of the gate, some saying they ended up putting it aside. I confess I had ignored it for some time, the blurb making it sound a tad predictable. Hence my surprise when I was intrigued from its opening, with Michallon able to offer multiple voices and give readers insight into the complexities of human nature as we look upon a serial killer who’s also a helpful and thoughtful member of his community, and devoted father.

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Book review: The Last Dance by Mark Billingham

May 27, 20232 min read

I’m a fan of Mark Billingham’s Tom Thorne / Nicola Tanner series but also very much enjoyed (perhaps more!) his standalone 2021 release, Rabbit Hole. His latest novel, The Last Dance, kicks off a new series featuring Detective Declan (Dec) Miller… a witty wiseass I can soooo envisage on the big or small screen. Miller’s constant (almost compulsive) commentary is hilarious and it would translate well – if done properly with someone with great (droll) comedic timing.

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Book review: Identity by Nora Roberts

May 17, 20232 min read

It’d been a while between Nora Roberts’ books for me. Of course I continue to read her JD Robb ‘In Death’ series but I also enjoy her romantic suspense novels and her latest, Identity, is another great read. It was perhaps a smidge longer than it needed to be but offers great characters and – though not edge-of-your-seat suspense – the inevitability of what’s to come simmers menacingly in the background.

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Book review: Home Before Night by JP Pomare

April 23, 20232 min read

I’ve been increasingly enjoying JP Pomare’s work over the years. His latest release is actually a re-release of an audiobook (via Audible) from late 2022. I noted a few authors were doing something similar – releasing audiobooks or even novellas in the form of ebooks. It probably means this is a little shorter than usual. It’s very much in his style though… some slightly devious storytelling that has us making certain assumptions only to find out later that we were duped.

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