Publicist Archives

Book review: Three Reasons for Revenge by Dervla McTiernan

April 30, 20263 min read

I’d seen a stack of other people receive early copies of Three Reasons for Revenge by Dervla McTiernan for review and thought I’d missed out, so was grateful when this arrived. If I was one to ‘squee’ I might have squeed. I love McTiernan’s Cormac Reilly series but my absolute favourite book of hers was What Happened to Nina, a standalone published in 2024. It’s unclear if this is to be a standalone but I for one will be cheering if it becomes a new series because I really liked DS Judith Lee and her boss (and family friend) Rocky.

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Book review: The Shark by Emma Styles

March 17, 20263 min read

I met Aussie-raised England-dwelling Emma Styles in person when I attended Theakston Crime Writing Festival a few years ago, but The Shark is the first novel I’ve read of hers. I had heard of her debut… No Country For Girls of course, which was well-received by readers and much lauded by critics.

I almost didn’t request this, assuming it was about a killer shark (as opposed to the warm-blooded fuzzy kind!!! 🙄 ) as I am traumatised as a result of reading a copy of Jaws when I was WAAAAY too young.* Happily it’s not. About a shark that is. Less happily for the victims of a serial killer dubbed ‘the shark’ of course… named thus as the injuries on victims is reminiscent of a shark attack.

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Book review: The Unquiet Grave by Dervla McTiernan

May 26, 20252 min read

The Unquiet Grave by Dervla McTiernan sees the return of detective Cormac Reilly along with his partner Peter Fisher, who I recall featured prominently in the last book in the series The Good Turn. Here McTiernan again throws in several plots for the price of one, mostly unconnected but all as intriguing as the main investigation involving a body in a bog. And no, NOT a typo with me erroneously typing BOG instead of BAG, and… also not something I have the chance to say often! (Also googles ‘bog’ to check exactly what it means.)

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Book review: Anna O by Matthew Blake

February 4, 20243 min read

Anna O by Matthew Blake borrows its title from the pseudonym of a patient who inspired (or at least influenced) Freud’s origins of psychoanalysis. Of course the character in this book is referenced thus as she either has resignation syndrome (a withdrawal from life – which IS a real thing), or is faking it to avoid murder charges. Also… her name is Anna (Ogilvy).

This book has been pretty hyped so my expectations were heightened. I received an early copy while at the Theakston Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate last July. I’d expected big things as a result so held off reading it until just before the Australian publication date in early February 2024. And it has to be said my thoughts on it changed many times over the course of its 440-ish pages.

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Book review: The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen

August 17, 20233 min read

Part-way through The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen I thought, ‘She’s done such a great job with these characters this will have to become a series.’ And sure enough, after I’d finished reading I went to add it to Goodreads and noticed it’s called The Martini Club #1.

It’s very reminiscent of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series – though given our lead cast are all ex-CIA agents – they’re like the residents of the Coopers Chase Luxury Retirement Village, but on speed.

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Book review: Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead by Jenny Hollander

August 8, 20232 min read

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead by Jenny Hollander was another freebie in my goody bag at Harrogate’s Theakston Crime Writing Festival in July. Given the state (ie. heaviness) of my luggage, I made a concerted effort to read some of the ARCs while overseas and leave them behind for others to find and enjoy.

Weirdly I’d just read another book about a ‘survivor’ and their guilt (or lies) so this book seemed most apt… although it’s actually quite different and is less about someone lying than about a survivor who’s pushed away memories of a tragic event from a decade earlier.

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Book review: Day One by Abigail Dean

August 2, 20233 min read

It took me some time to realise Day One by Abigail Dean was named after a particular school day, rather than a countdown of days (like Ruth Ware’s recent release), or referring to the first day AFTER an event.

I didn’t enjoy Dean’s popular debut novel Girl A as much as others, and I wondered if it’d been over-hyped, though I mention in my review that as Dean kept readers guessing for some time, I’d not engaged in the plot as much as I would have liked cos I was kinda confused about what I was reading. Day One similarly keeps secrets from readers, though we most certainly know there are some as Dean foreshadows the events of the present / past and future so – though we know we’re not learning about the events in linear fashion – we kinda know where we end up.

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Book review: The Guest Room by Tasha Sylva

July 30, 20232 min read

Very weirdly I read The Guest Room by Tasha Sylva while staying at an AirBnB in England and had to leave it there as I’d accumulated some extra books at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival. I realised the owners and other visitors might be slightly perturbed because of its content (involving a host snooping through her guest’s belongings), but also hoped someone else happily whiles away their time with it while travelling.

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