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Simon & Schuster

Book review: Find Me by Holly Craig

Book review: Find Me by Holly Craig

3 min read

Find Me by Holly Craig is a well-paced and action-packed read that goes beyond the thriller genre, digging into family relationships and roles we fall into… even into adulthood. Craig gives us three voices here: that of estranged sisters Hallie and Gertie who team up following their mother’s death for a last-ditch effort to find their brother Pete who disappeared in Tasmania three years earlier. We also offered another storyteller, one whose identity remains shut-off to us for much of the novel. We also hear from Pete through emails he sent home and (eventually) his journal.

four-stars

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Book review: Based on a True Story by Sarah Vaughan

Book review: Based on a True Story by Sarah Vaughan

3 min read

Based on a True Story by Sarah Vaughan is the fourth book I’ve read by Vaughan, best known for Anatomy of a Scandal which was made into a series on Netflix. This centres around a family gathered for the 70th birthday of a renowned children’s author amid threats to that author–promising to reveal long-buried secrets that could potentially destroy her career and life–and her three adult daughters all grappling with secrets of their own.

four-stars

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Book review: The Forsaken by Matt Rogers

Book review: The Forsaken by Matt Rogers

2 min read

I first heard of The Forsaken by Matt Rogers at BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival late last year when Rogers spoke on a panel. He’s not exactly a debut author as he’s had a successful self-published career before getting picked up by Simon and Schuster. I LOVE Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series and I believe Rogers gives him a shout-out or hat-tip here by referencing his creation – the black ops government program using orphaned children. And Rogers’s lead Logan Booth is reminiscent of Orphan X (Evan Smoak) himself. There’s the brawn and fancy weaponry but also cunning street smarts.

four-stars

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Book review: One Dark Night by Hannah Richell

Book review: One Dark Night by Hannah Richell

2 min read

One Dark Night by Hannah Richell is the third book I’ve read by the UK-born (on-occasions Aussie-dwelling) author. I raved about her writing in her first book, The River Home, almost giving that a (rare, for me) 4.5 stars but felt some of the plot was a tad implausible. I said something similar in my review of The Search Party, Richell’s second book. Though in that book I’d struggled more with the sheer number of players involved. Anyone who regularly reads my reviews knows – for reasons unknown – I’m not great at retaining details of too many characters, unless I’ve spent quite a bit of time getting to know them. It’s not an issue in this book however. Although we’re introduced to a number of students, teachers and parents, I felt comfortable in the capable hands of our three key narrators (separated couple Rachel and Ben and and their teenage daughter Ellie).

four-stars

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Book review: The Fog by Brooke Hardwick

Book review: The Fog by Brooke Hardwick

The Fog by Brooke Hardwick is cleverly-written and paced novel of intrigue and malice. When we meet Kate she’s enroute to her writers’ retreat – billed to unblock creativity and uncover buried secrets. Her husband’s not there with her she tells us, relaying the health of their marriage, relieved the pair aren’t forced to make excuses for the other – secure in their relationship. Things start to unravel very quickly however when Kate arrives at Rathlin Island and we learn her life isn’t as she’s told us. But more importantly not even as she remembers it. And that’s why she’s there. To unlock memories, no matter how distressing they may be.

four-stars

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Book review: The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe

Book review: The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe

2 min read

The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe is the first book I’ve read by the Aussie author though I’ve followed him online for years and am well aware of his work. Though I used to be a fan of Len Deighton, John LeCarre, Robert Ludlam and David Morrell (whose books still grace my bookshelves even though I’ve not touched them in about 30 years) I find myself struggling with books about espionage, spies or warfare nowadays. My eyes tend to glaze over if I’m forced to read about political game-playing Eastern Europe, the Middle East or Eastern Asia (and now it seems we’re just cycling between them). However, when this arrived it sounded sufficiently crime-like so I dove on in.

four-stars

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Book review: One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware

Book review: One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware

3 min read

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware is centred around a reality television program billed as Love Island meets Survivor. Although unlikely reality TV contestant Lyla has a sense from the get-go that all is not what it seems with this production and with the producer. And Lyla is certainly an anomaly here, spending much of the time explaining that she’s not actually a medical doctor but a virologist with a PhD. She’s there however because she’s trying to help her TV star wannabe boyfriend find fame and fortune.

four-stars

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Book review: The Haters by Robyn Harding

Book review: The Haters by Robyn Harding

3 min read

The Haters by Robyn Harding takes readers into the world of books and publishing. It’s something Harding would know well of course, given her profession. And this new release reflects the good, the bad and the ugly of that world – albeit with an underlying agenda spurring online trolling and bullying.

I’ve seen similar things play out on social media. A negative review and a defensive author striking out, only to then have the reviewer’s supporters (or grumpy people in general) heap onto the author. Or vice versa… an author reacting badly to a negative but fair and very very subjective review (which all reviews are, of course). **We humans are complicated walking talking animals resplendent with baggage from life experiences and our own thoughts, feelings and behaviour, so our perception of anything is personal and tainted by all that’s come before.**

four-stars

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