Harlequin Archives

Book review: For All The Dead Girls by Sherryl Clark

June 26, 20263 min read

I hadn’t realised For All The Dead Girls by Sherryl Clark was the second in a series, following Louisa (Lou) Alcott’s first outing in Woman, Missing. She’s a PI here but was (at one point) a police officer and this opens as her estranged father – also the Assistant Commissioner of Police – offers her a job back on the force. I gather Lou wasn’t one to toe the rather-prescriptive blue line and she’s seemingly happy working at Paul Marshall Investigations. Paul is obviously her mentor who seemingly cares and respects Lou, and she likes ‘Gang’ PMI’s tech-genius who plays a big role here as we dip into the murky online incel-like world of women-haters. Trigger-warning that this centres around women and children exposed to domestic violence and those who try to support them are targeted viciously via online ‘pile-on’.

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Book review: The Pact by Lisa Walker

January 13, 20263 min read

The Pact by Lisa Walker is a book about writers and writing… which always appeals to me. However, anyone who’s done the Camino de Santiago walking trail or wants to do it will very certainly love this because it’s narrated by Tess, a writer walking the Camino to reconnect with former friends, albeit with the aim of seeking vengeance on those she holds responsible for ruining her life. As a result Walker includes A LOT of detail about the trail. I knew very little about it so found the inclusion of information about the accommodation, and everything from meals to religious services, not to mention the terrain and challenges of the different stages all quite fascinating. I mean, it didn’t tempt me to go and do it (indeed, I’d rather poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick) but Walker has either done it, or undertook significant research allowing her to confidently share this level of detail.

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Book review: First Wife’s Shadow by Adele Parks

August 25, 20243 min read

First Wife’s Shadow by Adele Parks had me riveted to the extent I got out of the bath (where I was reading) to prepare dinner and returned to the bathtub, finishing the book before eventually eating. Having said that however, our lead character Emma was hard work. I wasn’t sure if we’re supposed to just find her disciplined and rigid. She certainly admits that about herself, but I felt she’d be someone I could cope with in only small doses or even potentially… avoid. I did relate to her however, on a number of levels, at the same time shaking my head at some of the stuff she did when she most certainly knew better.

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Book review: Our Holiday by Louise Candlish

June 21, 20243 min read

There was something about Our Holiday by Louise Candlish that reminded me of the very popular (novel and tv series) Big Little Lies. Perhaps it was neighbourhood / school politics playing out similarly in a small coastal community popular with wealthy holiday-makers. There’s certainly a pervading simmering tension present – between parents and their children, couples and families as well as unrest between the locals and the ‘blow-ins’ who’ve snapped up all of the best land and houses and priced permanent residents out of the rental and home-buying market.

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Book review: East of Alice by Annie Seaton

October 30, 20223 min read

East of Alice by Annie Seaton is the first book I’ve read by the Australian author, not realising she wrote thrillers and crime fiction (thinking she wrote rural romance). And I enjoyed this a lot. Particularly the quintessentially Australian setting. Though it’s a long time since I’ve been to Alice Springs, the organisation I work for has an office there and several projects outside of the town and – having been to the West Kimberley in West Australia this year a couple of times – I could imagine some of the landscape Seaton very vividly describes here.

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Book review: The Binding Room by Nadine Matheson

September 4, 20222 min read

The Binding Room by Nadine Matheson is the second in the series featuring Detective Inspector Anjelica Henley.

We pick up where we left off after The Jigsaw Man and Henley and her colleagues are still grappling with their lives being put at risk and a killer potentially on the run. We’re straight into the action however as the team picks up the case of a murdered pastor who had no shortage of enemies.

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Book review: Look Both Ways by Linwood Barclay

August 2, 20223 min read

Linwood Barclay opens Look Both Ways with a foreward in which he tells us of his father’s love of cars – one he inherited. As a result, he describes his latest release as a bit of a departure from his usual style. It’s less of a ‘whodunnit’ and more of an action-packed thriller.

It didn’t entirely work for me but (then again) I’m more interested in something plot-driven rather than action-driven. I can certainly imagine this on the big or small screen however; where belief can be suspended and the fast-paced visuals drive the narrative. That said, the pacing (plot-wise) works well in the book as the action doesn’t let up from the opening to the very last page.

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Book review: Out of Breath by Anna Snoekstra

July 12, 20223 min read

Out of Breath by Anna Snoekstra is the second book I’ve read by the Australian author. Interestingly in my review of Only Daughter (from 2016) I commented on the Canberra setting, with which I was familiar, having lived there for a couple of years.

And here, part of the novel is set in Broome in WA and nearby… and I’ve just come back from a few weeks in the West Kimberley, so laughed at the comments about the Broome ‘International’ Airport and could easily picture the stunning vista of palm trees, red dirt and pristine blue ocean.

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