MYSTERIES in PARADISE

Review: BAD NEIGHBOURS, Joanna Jenkins

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 04:46:59 +0000

this edition published 2026 by Allen & Unwin
ISBN 978-1-76147-401-9
384 pages

Synopsis (publisher)

From the bestselling author of How to Kill a Client and The Bluff comes a page-turning thriller of fraud and lies, murder and greed.

Ruth Dawson finds her ideal living space in an Art Deco building in Potts Point, The Lumen. A twenty-minute walk from her office in the city, the apartment boasts parquetry flooring, a wall of books and Harbour Bridge views from the sofa.

It's perfect until Ben, the homeless guy, dies under the corrugated iron lean-to in the garden where he lived.

The residents of The Lumen do little to hide their relief. They can cease their half-hearted attempts to find an acceptable solution to 'the Ben problem', and return to more important issues.

They're not happy when Ruth brings in a detective. But she's certain Ben was poisoned, and one of her neighbours knows it too.

My Take

I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller, a murder mystery with a touch of satirical humour. Ruth Dawson makes an interesting if reluctant sleuth, and the variety of characters who inhabit The Lumen keep the brain engaged with possible solutions.

I will certainly be reading more by this author.

My Rating: 4.7

About the author

Joanna Jenkins grew up on a small farm in country Queensland. After graduating from the University of Queensland with degrees in English Literature and Law, she practised as a solicitor, including for many years as a partner of an international law firm. She now writes full-time. Married with three sons, Joanna lives in Brisbane. Her debut novel, How to Kill a Client, was published in 2023. The Bluff, her second novel, was published in 2025.

Review: RESURRECTION BAY, Emma Viskic

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 02:29:36 +0000

This edition read as an e-book on Libby through my local library
first published 2016
my review 2016
Finalist for the CWA (Crime Writers’ Association) Gold Dagger
Finalist for John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Awards
2016 WINNER OF THREE DAVITT AWARDS: Best Adult Novel, Best Debut Book, Readers’ Choice Award
2016 WINNER OF THE NED KELLY AWARD for Best First Fiction
It was iBooks Australia’s Crime Novel of the Year and shortlisted for the UK’s prestigious Gold Dagger and New Blood Dagger Awards, and the US Barry Award.
Libby Reads ANZ (Zoom discussions August 2026)

Synopsis (publisher)

Caleb Zelic may be deaf, but he knows how to read people better than anyone. When his childhood friend is brutally murdered while helping him on an insurance case, Caleb vows to find the killer. But he can't do it alone. Caleb and his business partner Frankie, an ex-cop, start with one clue: Scott, the last word the victim texted to Caleb.

But chasing the elusive Scott leads them back to Caleb's hometown of Resurrection Bay. And it's here he learns that everyone – including his murdered friend – is hiding something. And the deeper he digs, the darker the secrets ...

My Take

I originally read this title very soon after it was first published. I am re-reading it so I can sit in on a Zoom meeting being held by Libby Reads ANZ (Zoom discussions August 2026). After re-reading the book, I think that I probably underestimated how good it actually was back in 2016. The plot is quite complex and has a couple of turnings that really nothing warns the reader about. It certainly has won, and been short-listed for, a number of local and even international awards.

One question I would like the author to answer in the Zoom discussion is why she made Caleb deaf.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

4.3, RESURRECTION BAY
4.3, AND FIRE CAME DOWN
4.2, DARKNESS FOR LIGHT

Review: THE QUIET KILL, Robert Bryndza

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 01:41:24 +0000

This edition read as an e-book on Kindle (AmazonAU)
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GF8KRSZK
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Raven Street Publishing, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 7 July 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 378 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1914547386
Book 1 of 2 ‏ : ‎ Detective Jamie Day

Synopsis (AmazonAU)

The start of a thrilling new crime series from Robert Bryndza, the multi-million bestselling author of the Detective Erika Foster and P.I. Kate Marshall series.

Winter, 1987. Detective Jamie Day arrives in London determined to prove himself. After years policing a quiet seaside town, his promotion to the Metropolitan Police feels like the opportunity he has been waiting for.

But the capital is a very different world.

On his first day in plain clothes, Jamie makes a grim discovery: the dismembered body of a young man, left in a dark corner of the city. What should have been a routine first shift quickly becomes the beginning of a major murder investigation.

Then another victim is found.

As winter deepens, young men are being killed late at night across London, their bodies discovered in eerily similar circumstances. The detectives soon realise they may be hunting a serial killer.

Working alongside a tough and experienced team, Jamie must prove he belongs while navigating the pressures of a high-profile investigation. But as the case grows darker, the killer’s pattern begins to emerge. And if they don’t stop him soon, another body will be waiting in the shadows.

The Quiet Kill, is the latest page-turner from multi-million bestselling author Robert Bryndza, so gripping it will keep you reading long past bedtime.

My Take

I jumped at the opportunity to begin a new series with this author. In contrast to his earlier two series the central figure is a young male detective, new to London. Detective Constable Jamie Day is dropped into the beginning of a series of grisly murders on his first day on the job. Jamie is raw and inexperienced and anxious to learn.

It is 1987, fear of AIDS is at its height, and the technology revolution is still about to impact: pagers not mobile phones and criminals are a little harder to track. I think the author does a good job of recreating the world of 40 years ago.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

Erika Foster

Kate Marshall

Review: MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL, Kerry Greenwood

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 09:22:00 +0000

this edition published by Allen & Unwin 2025
ISBN 978-1-76087-934-1
308 pages
#25 in the Phryne Fisher series

Synopsis (publisher)

The indefatigable Miss Phryne Fisher returns to solve what may be her most puzzling murder.
When Phryne Fisher is invited to Bendigo to witness the investiture of her old friend Lionel, who is being made a Bishop, her expectations of the solemn and dignified ceremony do not include a murder.

Phryne quickly involves herself with perspicacious local Constable Watson and eagle-eyed Detective Inspector Mick Kelly as they identify the murder victim - an overzealous deacon with a nose for trouble.

Applying her quick wits and magnetic charm, Phryne and her expanding team of sleuths discover murky layers of church politics, social scandals and business scams and blackmail. Soon, various suspects begin to populate a long list, each with excellent motives to kill.

Meanwhile the clock is ticking ... Will Phryne be able to bring to light the proof she needs before the murderer strikes again or disappears completely?

My Take

A friend who is about to be inducted as the Bishop of Bendigo asks Phryne to attend his induction because he wants to discuss something with her. His predecessor had some concerns that had been raised by his Dean. But before the ceremony is over the Dean is dead, stabbed in the heart as he sat in his pew. And of course no one saw a thing!

Phryne and Dot become part of the investigation unravelling a number of themes which of course end up being connected.

This the author's last novel, not only the last in the Phryne Fisher series, but is also posted posthumously. Check the article about her on Wikipedia.

My rating: 4.4

I've also read

4.5, A QUESTION OF DEATH - anthology of short stories set in 1928

Review: MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, Agatha Christie

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 05:08:06 +0000

This edition read on my Kindle (AmazonAU)
Book 10 of 38: Hercule Poirot
originally published 1934
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0046H95PO
Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 14 October 2010
Print length ‏ : ‎ 289 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007422579
(aka MURDER IN THE CALAIS COACH)

Synopsis (AmazonAU)

Agatha Christie’s most famous murder mystery.

Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside.

Isolated and with a killer in their midst, detective Hercule Poirot must identify the murderer – in case he or she decides to strike again.

My Take

I have read this story several times before, but this time for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie Reading Group. We have read several Poirot mysteries now.

In this one, Hercule Poirot carries out an investigation into the murder on the Orient Express of a man who has escaped the penalty for murder himself by bribery. He works with two other people: M. Bouc, the director of the railroad company, and Dr Constantine. At the end of the investigation he propounds two solutions.

I think there must have been considerable outcry amongst readers about the final solution, but to me it also fits in with other solutions Poirot makes in other stories.

In a sense Poirot is working against the clock. The train has been stopped by snow on the track, and they must decide whether the murderer is still on the train, and whether any of the passengers are involved in the murder. Against his usual practice Poirot looks for evidence by questioning all the passengers and by looking in their luggage for clues. As he does in a number of other books he makes a list of questions that he needs answers to, and as the answers emerge, he settles for a scenario that satisfies him.

I have reviewed this novel several times: here.

Historical reference: it seems to me that Christie must have had the Lindbergh abduction in mind when she wrote this book. See the Wikipedia entry.

My rating: 4.6

Check my reading of other Christie novels.

Review: THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR OF JUDITH POTTS, Robert Thorogood

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 04:25:24 +0000

This edition read on Libby through my local library
Format: eBook
Imprint: HQ
ISBN: 9780008567408
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 15th January 2026
Series: The Marlow Murder Club Mysteries Book 5

Synopsis (publisher)

A killer is on the loose. The bodies are piling up. And Judith is hiding a deadly secret …

Someone from Judith’s past has turned up in Marlow and is stirring up trouble. With all the murders that the Marlow Murder Club have had to solve and her work setting crosswords, Judith’s been too busy to give her old life much thought. But now it’s knocking on her door and won’t go away.

On top of that, Marlow’s celebrities are getting murdered! When a footballer and a thriller writer are found dead, Judith, Suzie, and Becks must untangle a web of scandal to find the killer. But with Judith keeping secrets, the Marlow Murder Club find themselves drifting apart.

The pressure is on in more ways than one …

Can they find the killer and help Judith in time, or could this be the end of the Marlow Murder Club?

My Take

Judith's past, which has been referred to in previous titles, resurfaces when a young woman turns up on her doorstep claiming to be her step-daughter, and saying that Judith murdered her father.

There are bits of this novel that stretch reader credibility, but at the same time the action moves quickly and retains the interest.

My rating: 4.4

I've also read

4.6, THE MARLOW MURDER CLUB - #1

4.4, THE QUEEN OF POISONS - #3

4.4, MURDER ON THE MARLOW BELLE - #4

Review: THE SECOND WIFE, Ali Lowe

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 07:47:54 +0000

this edition published 2026 by Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN 978-1-399-74218-4
364 PAGES

Synopsis (Publisher)

The Fairchild family have it all. At least that's what anyone watching the family of billionaires board the opulent Titan Pacifica would think.

But as Sydney Harbour Bridge starts to disappear in the rear-view window of the luxury liner, so too does any pretence that this is a happy family.

Unbeknownst to his children, CEO and patriarch Irving had planned to use the cruise to reveal his long-awaited succession plans. As glasses clink and elaborate dinners are served to the most notorious of Sydney's elite, it will soon become all too clear that family loyalty can only take you so far.

And although six embark on the journey of a lifetime, not all of the group will make it back to dry land again . . .

My Take

Tightly plotted with at least 3 shock revelations.

You wouldn't want to meet these people on any cruise you embarked on.

My rating: 4.8

I've also read

4.5, THE TRIVIA NIGHT

4.8, THE SCHOOL RUN

4.6, THE RUNNING CLUB

Review: MURDER MOST ROYAL, S .J. Bennett

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 07:26:11 +0000

this edition read as an e-book on Libby through my local library
ISBN: 9780063051218
Series: Her Majesty the Queen Investigates #3
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release: 26 September 2023
author website

Synopsis (author website)

December 2016 - A severed hand is found washed up on a beach next to the Queen's estate at Sandringham.

Elizabeth has become quite accustomed to solving even the most complex of murders. And though she quickly identifies the 70-year-old victim, Edward St Cyr, from his signet ring, the search for his killer is not so straightforward.

St Cyr led an unconventional, often controversial life, making many enemies along the way in the quiet, rural world of North Norfolk, where everyone knows each other's business.

But when a second man is found dead, and a prominent local woman is nearly killed in a hit-and-run, the mystery takes an even darker turn.

With the Christmas break coming to an end, the Queen and her trusted assistant Rozie must race to discover how the pieces of the puzzle fit together. Or the next victim may be found even closer to home.

A Waterstones Best Crime & Thriller Book of 2022

My Take

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Her Majesty takes a bigger role in the sleuthing than she did in the earlier novel that I read, despite it being Christmas, and the fact that she has a heavy cold. Recommended if you enjoy a cozy.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

4.4, A THREE DOG PROBLEM - #2

Review: THE WIDOW'S HUSBAND'S SECRET LIE, Freida McFadden

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 07:00:04 +0000

This edition read as an e-book on Kindle (AmazonAU)
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D9FT5G85
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hollywood Upstairs Press, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 12 August 2024
Print length ‏ : ‎ 152 pages

Synopsis (AmazonAU)

My husband is dead.

I attended his funeral. I watched his casket be lowered six feet into the ground. (Actually, it may have been only five feet, but that still seems like more than enough.) And then we ate an array of finger sandwiches and deviled eggs and miniature beef wellingtons that cost more than my first car.

My point is, Grant is gone. And so are all his many, many deep, dark secrets which I never really ever bothered to ask him about. He is never coming back.

So why do I still see his face everywhere I go?

My Take

The author begins this book with an Author's Note: This book is a satire

This is Freida McFadden poking fun at herself, including in the novella a number of the tropes we often see in crime fiction novels. And the solution to why she keeps seeing her dead husband: obvious, but also odd.

As promised a quick read.

My rating: 4.4

I've also read

4.5, THE TENANT

4.5, DO NOT DISTURB

4.5, WANT TO KNOW A SECRET?

Review: THE COUPLES RETREAT, Mercedes Mercier

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:53:48 +0000

this edition published by Penguin Random House Australia 2026
ISBN 978-1-76135-669-8
329 pages

Synopis (publisher)

Six friends. Three Nights. One deadly secret - a twisty, compulsive destination thriller where no one is as perfect as they seem.

There’s nothing more dangerous than someone who remembers who you used to be.

At a secluded beachfront mansion on Kangaroo Island, three wealthy couples gather for a weekend of partying and luxury indulgence. But beneath the glitter and excess, deep rivalries and explosive secrets fester between the old friends.

When they wake to a shocking murder scene, they are gripped first by fear, then by suspicion. With ferry services suspended due to a storm, the survivors and the killer remain trapped on the island together.

Thrust into the biggest case of her fledgling career, rookie police officer Emily Quinn quickly discovers that the locals are mistrustful of outsiders. When her dangerous ex-boyfriend tracks her down, Quinn’s past and present collide in spectacular fashion, threatening not only her new life, but the investigation of the most gruesome crime in the island’s history.

Set in one of Australia’s most beautiful locations, The Couples Retreat is a twisty, compulsive thriller that proves privilege cannot protect you from everything, and no one is as perfect as they seem.

My Take

Set on an island off the South Coast of South Australia where I live. I have visited several times over the decade and can envisage the fictional location of this thriller.

Emily Quinn is new to the island, taking a position as a probationary constable in the main town Kingscote to escape her manipulative and controlling boyfriend. She is later horrified to find that he has followed her there.

Quinn notices the group of 6 people who came across to the island on the ferry with her: opinionated, flamboyant, and wealthy. She reports to the police station on arrival and is put to work almost immediately by the morose Senior Sergeant Skinner.

Before long she and Skinner visit the holiday home where these new arrivals have made their mark with loud noise and a complaint from a neighbour.

The whole world changes when some of the residents of the holiday house are murdered.

Well structured and engrossing.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

4.6, BLACK LIES

4.6, WHITE NOISE

Review: THE MODEL MURDER, Amanda Hampson

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 06:02:29 +0000

this edition published by Penguin Books 2026
ISBN 978-1-76135-034-4
324 pages

Synopsis (publisher)

Never underestimate a tea lady.

Sydney, 1968. When a popular local man is murdered, police are quick to pin the blame on his glamorous model fiancée, who has since disappeared. But Hazel suspects a criminal cover-up and rallies the tea ladies to investigate; a quest that brings danger right to her door.

Meanwhile, Merl’s long-buried family secret threatens to unravel her carefully constructed life. When she stumbles on evidence that her detective son-in-law is corrupt, she’s forced to swallow her pride and reunite with the other tea ladies, enlisting their help to expose him.

Betty becomes immersed in a local theatre group where there is more drama offstage than on it, further complicated by her infatuation with the enigmatic leading man.
Irene aspires to a new career as a debt collector but her first case has more frustrations and obstacles than she bargained for, even with the help of a new weapon.

My Take

Although a cozy, I found the plot had too many strands, and I seemed constantly to be getting the main characters muddled up.

My rating: 4.3

I've also read

4.4, THE TEA LADIES

4.4, THE CRYPTIC CLUE

Review: ONE LESS SNAKE, Rhys Dylan

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 05:34:59 +0000

This edition read as an e-book on my Kindle
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DT4RG4D4
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wyrmwood Books, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 22 April 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 298 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1915185426
Book 16 of 21 ‏ : ‎ DCI Evan Warlow Crime Thriller

Synopsis (AmazonAU)

Even sleepy, picturesque coastal towns have their secrets.

Welcome to Solva, where a burned-out car, a corpse, and a hauntingly precise execution greets a morning walker.

DCI Evan Warlow faces a case steeped in fear and the worst of modern crimes.

As clues lead him down twisting trails, Warlow must confront not only the killer’s identity but also the lingering echoes of a community’s darkest sins and the intersection of power, revenge, and justice.

My Take

Matt Gittings was one of those politicians who really only thought of what he could get out of his position. That he would come to a nasty end was probably inevitable. But his death in a burning vehicle provides DCI Evan Warlow and his team with a real puzzle.

These stories continue to be entertaining, well planned and thought-provoking, although in this one the "dad" jokes are a bit overwhelming.

My rating: 4.4

I've also read

4.6, THE ENGINE HOUSE - #1

4.5, CAUTION: DEATH AT WORK -#2

4.6, ICE COLD MALICE - #3

4.5, SUFFER THE DEAD - #4

4.6, GRAVELY CONCERNED - #5

4.5, A MARK OF IMPERFECTION - #6

4.5, BURNT ECHO - #7

4.6, A BODY OF WATER - #8

4.5, LINES OF INQUIRY - #9

4.5, NO ONE NEAR - #10

4.6, THE LIGHT REMAINS - #11

4.6, A MATTER OF EVIDENCE - #12

4.5, THE LAST THROW - #13

4.6, DRAGON'S BREATH - #14

4.6, THE BOWMAN - #15

4.5, DRUID'S MOOR - #18

Review: NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE, Paul Gitsham

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:14:54 +0000

this version an e-book on Libby through my local library
Publisher, HarperCollins Publishers, 21 July 2018
ISBN 9780008389154
#2 in series DCI Warren Jones

Synopsis (Overdrive)

DCI Warren Jones has a bad feeling when the body of a young woman turns up in Beaconsfield Woods. She's been raped and strangled but the murderer has been careful to leave no DNA evidence.

There are, of course, suspects – boyfriend, father – to check out but, worryingly, it looks more and more like a stranger murder.

Warren's worst fears are confirmed when another young woman is killed in the same way. The MO fits that of Richard Cameron who served twelve years for rape. But Cameron never killed his victims and he has a cast-iron alibi.

Then personal tragedy intervenes and Warren is off the case. But the pressure is mounting and another woman goes missing. Warren is back but will the break he desperately needs come before there's another victim?

My Take

I enjoyed reading this novel although I "solved" the mystery about half way through. However there were a number of quite distracting red herrings. Sadly my library does not have any more of this series either in print or e-book. I guess that is to be expected as they are not recently published.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

4.5, THE LAST STRAW - #1

Review: THE CUTTING, Michael Campling

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 06:38:51 +0000

This edition read as an ebook on my Kindle (AmazonAU)
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H199HCHD
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Shadowstone Books, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 2 June 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 652 pages
Book 2 of 2 ‏ : ‎ The DC Spiller Mysteries

Synopsis (AmazonAU)

The body was in a mess. The victim, a young man, was found naked in the street, face and upper body slashed, fingertips shredded, teeth broken. And all while he was alive.

Detective Constable Spiller has seen nothing like it. Stranger still, the victim was found in a quiet residential street and nobody seems to know who he was.

But this young man was only the first victim to be found. The murderer hasn't stopped, and to make matters worse, the police can find no link between the victims.

Is this the work of a sociopathic murderer, a sadistic serial killer targeting victims at random?

It’s 1993 and DC Spiller has been in the job for a year. This is his toughest case yet, but along with the team at Exeter CID, he’ll stop at nothing to bring the killer in.

Even if it means putting his life on the line.

Venture into Exeter’s shadowy streets with DC Spiller on the hunt for a serial killer in The Cutting.

My Take

This story takes us back over 30 years when technologies that we take for granted were really just emerging. Police investigations took much longer and procedures were much emphasised. However DC Tim Spiller is inclined to bypass the procedures and to trust his intuition a little too much. This is only his second year in the job and he often needs restraint and yoking to a more experienced officer.

A body found on a street, naked, outside the house of a former policeman, appears to have been tortured, and DC Tim Spiller becomes part of the team of investigating officers.

This is a well constructed tale with a good plot.

My rating: 4.5

I have also read the following by the same author

4.3, A STUDY IN STONE

Review: THREE BAGS FULL, Leonie Swann

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 06:09:41 +0000

This edition read on my Kindle (AmazonAU)
aka THE SHEEP DETECTIVES
Anthea Bell (Translator)
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DT4QXTD9
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Allison & Busby, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 20 March 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 347 pages
First published in 2005, English translation from German by Anthea Bell 2006, published Random House 2006, 351 pages, ISBN 978-0-385-60994-4
Review written in 2009

Synopsis (AmazonAU)

On a hillside near the quaint Irish village of Glennkill, the flock gathers around the dead body of their shepherd, George, who lies pinned to the ground with a spade. George cared deeply for the sheep, reading to them daily, and as a result they are far smarter than your average flock.

Led by Miss Maple, the sharpest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world), they set out to find George's killer. With an assortment of woolly investigators on the case, there are furtive missions into the village and a collection of two-legged suspects to chew over.

Dazzingly original, Three Bags Full introduces a band of detectives who are a breed apart.

My Take

Just recently the film THE SHEEP DETECTIVES starring Hugh Jackman has been recently released and The Chooser in our book group decided the book that the film was based on, THREE BAGS FULL, would be on our list this month. For me this was a re-read as I originally read the book soon after it was released. My review from 2009 is here.

A word of warning for would-be readers. The film THE SHEEP DETECTIVES has a PG rating. The film really takes one or two themes out of the original book, the main one being the death of the shepherd and the attempts by his sheep to solve the problem of his murder. Various other cozy elements were then added to the story. The original book went well beyond that.

In fact after originally reading the book over 17 years ago I had forgotten most of the story, and began to feel a little bit duped because the plots were far from identical to that of the film.

Once I had got over those feelings, I did enjoy the re-read, and the rather woolly sense of humour embedded in it.

My rating: 4.4

Review: THE CURSED ROAD, Laura McCluskey

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 01:27:19 +0000

This edition, a paperback by QBD books
ISBN 9781460765593
Published 24 / 02 / 2026
Book 2 of 2: George Lennox and Richie Stewart
352 pages

Synopsis (publisher)

The hauntingly atmospheric and gripping new novel from the author of The Wolf Tree

In a mountainous region of the Scottish Highlands, a young woman's body has been found on a remote stretch of road. Though the manner of her death suggests a terrible accident, a name carved into her arm hints at something more sinister. And when a personal connection to the name is revealed, DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart are sent to investigate. As George and Richie question locals, they discover that the road has a bloody history.

Fearing that more women will be harmed, they track the killer through a rugged wilderness where ancient feuds, generational curses and the unforgiving elements fight for supremacy. But there are more secrets to the road than just its history - and the people living along it will do whatever it takes to stop those secrets from coming out.

My Take

Recently I came across a review which described a book as a "chiller" and that strikes me as an apt adjective for this one too.

George and Richie have not been in touch much recently, both in fact trying in their own ways get over the impact of their recent case together. George regards Richie as her mentor but is not sure that she can work with him again. After their last case she became drug dependent and, although she is now clean, she is sure he will be disapproving.

Their boss is keen to get them working together again, she can't afford to have her two best detectives sidelined.

There is a lot of pressure on them to solve this case quickly but it is difficult to identify the victim and something is not quite right with the information locals are giving. This book hooks you, and you have to keep reading!

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

4.8, THE WOLF TREE

Review: LORD EDGWARE DIES, Agatha Christie

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:46:43 +0000

This edition read as an e-book on my Kindle
originally published 1933 as LORD EDGWARE DIES in the UK, aka THIRTEEN AT DINNER for the American release
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0046A9MP4
Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 14 October 2010
Print length ‏ : ‎ 290 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007422432
Book 9 of 38: Hercule Poirot

Synopsis (AmazonAU)

Agatha Christie’s famous murder mystery, reissued with a striking cover designed to appeal to the latest generation of Agatha Christie fans and book lovers.

Poirot had been present when Jane bragged of her plan to ‘get rid of’ her estranged husband. Now the monstrous man was dead. And yet the great Belgian detective couldn’t help feeling that he was being taken for a ride.

After all, how could Jane have stabbed Lord Edgware to death in his library at exactly the same time she was seen dining with friends? And what could be her motive now that the aristocrat had finally granted her a divorce?

My Take - apologies for possible spoilers

I have read this several times over the last 60 years; this re-read is for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie Reading group. My first review on this blog can be found here.

This novel is narrated by Poirot's companion Captain Arthur Hastings whose approach to solving any crime provides a foil to Poirot's "brilliance". He tells us to start with that Poirot regards this case as one of his failures mainly because initially he followed a number of red herrings, because he was duped by the murderer and also because he failed to prevent the murders.

Some readers have a very adverse reaction to the racism and anti-Semitism that Christie expresses. In 1933, when she was writing the novel, many of her readers would have concurred with these sentiments. Poirot tells Hastings for example that Carlotta Adams is obviously a Jewess, as is that is obvious from her face, and others support that later by telling Poirot that making money is at the centre of her character.

Once the first murder is committed, that of Lord Edgware, Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard become involved. He thinks it is pretty obvious that Lady Edgware has committed the murder - after all she told Poirot she wanted to get rid of her husband - but Poirot is adamant that she is innocent. However Japp does not then arrest her, but the man who has inherited the title. Later he has to let him go.

Japp gives Poirot a lot of leeway as Poirot suggests various solutions. Poirot does most of his "investigation" from the comfort of his armchair, using his little "grey cells", while Hastings becomes frustrated as he thinks Poirot should be more active. Poirot is content to send Hastings on errands, and to let Japp do the physical stuff. Japp is getting the evidence together and Poirot will have no hesitation in using what suits him. Hastings tells Poirot he is getting lazy.

Memorable quote: Why keep a dog and bark yourself?

In the long run it is Poirot who gets the credit for solving the case although for most of the time he was wrong. Poirot says he wants to get the answers to 5 questions and until he knows those answers he will not be satisfied.

Why did Lord Edgware change his mind on the subject of divorce?
What happened to the letter that Edgware sent telling his wife she could have her divorce?
What was the meaning of the expression that Hastings had seen on Lord Edgware's face?
Why was there a pince-nez in Carlotta Adam's bag?
Why did someone phone to find out if Jane Wilkinson was at the dinner party that established her alibi?

After he establishes the answers to those questions we get the full explanation of what happened, and who did what.

My rating: 4.5

I have read all the Agatha Christie novels as part of a challenge I set myself to read them in order of publication. My reviews can be found here.

Review: THE BOY IN THE HEADLIGHTS, Samuel Bjork

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 07:05:00 +0000

This edition read as an e-book on Libby courtesy of my local library
Published: 21 March 2019
ISBN: 9781473508651
Imprint: Transworld Digital
Format: EBook
Pages: 384
(The third book in the Holger Munch & Mia Kruger series)
Translated by Charlotte Barslund

Synopsis (publisher)

Winter 1996. An old man is driving home when his headlights catch an animal on the empty road up ahead. He stamps hard on the brakes. But it is not an animal at all. It is a young boy, frightened and alone, with a set of deer antlers strapped firmly to his head.

Fourteen years later, a body is found in a mountain lake. Within weeks, three people have died. Each time, the killer has left a clue, inviting Special Investigations Detectives Munch and Krüger to play a deadly game - a game they cannot possibly win. Against the most dangerous and terrifying kind of serial killer. One who chooses their victims completely at random.

To find the killer they must look deep within their own dark pasts, but how can you stop a murderer when you cannot begin to predict their next move?

How can you stop a murderer when you cannot predict their next move? A serial killer is choosing his victims at random, it is a detective's worst nightmare and the ultimate challenge for Munch and Kruger.

Mindless killer? Or do they know exactly what they're doing?

My Take

This novel is set some 15 years after Mia Kruger first joined the Special Investigations Unit on Holger Munch's initiative. Since then the unit has had a chequered history, although uniquely successful, and Mia has suffered some mental health and drug issues. But Mia still has special skills to bring to the cases that the unit takes on. She is not entirely trusted by her colleagues which adds complexity to their cases.

Each of the incidents that make up this case do not at first appear to be connected but pathology reports reveal features in common. They need Mia to work out the other links. This case in particular is very complicated but draws the reader in so that you want to resolve it.

My rating: 4.5

I have also read

4.4, I'M TRAVELLING ALONE #1

4.7, THE WOLF #4

Review: MAD MABEL, Sally Hepworth

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 06:04:00 +0000

This edition read on Libby, through my local library
Published by St. Martin's Publishing Group, released 21 April 2026

Synopsis (Overdrive)

From New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth comes a twisty tale of justice, redemption, and one irrepressible woman who's not done breaking the rules just yet.

Meet Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick: eighty-one years old, gloriously grumpy, fiercely independent, and never without a hot cup of tea—or a cutting remark. She minds her own business in her quiet Melbourne suburb, until a neighbor turns up dead and the whispers start flying.

Because Elsie hasn't always been Elsie. Once upon a headline, she was Mad Mabel Waller—Australia's youngest convicted murderer. But was she really mad, or just misunderstood? Either way, she's kept her secret buried for decades.

Enter seven-year-old Persephone, a relentless little chatterbox who has just moved in across the road (armed with stickers, questions, and no sense of personal boundaries); Joan, who appears to have it in for Elsie; and a healthy dose of public interest—the cops are sniffing around, and the media is circling like seagulls at a picnic.

So Mabel does what she's always done best—she takes matters into her own hands.

Is she a cantankerous old lady with a shady past? A cold-blooded killer with arthritis? Or just someone who's finally ready to tell her side of the story?

Sharp, surprising, and wickedly funny, this is the unforgettable story of a woman who's spent a lifetime being underestimated—and is about to prove everyone wrong. Again.

My Take:

Another exceptional story from Sally Hepworth.

Mabel has always wondered why it has been so difficult to acquire friends, why her father seems to dislike her so much, and what she has done to deserve the nickname of "Mad Mabel".

Looking back, Mabel has seemed to be followed around by death, and to be honest, she has been Australia's youngest convicted killer - of two people, not just one. But there have been at least two other deaths at her door, and now there appears to be a fifth. But, hang on, Mabel knows she at least she hasn't been responsible for the recent death of her elderly neighbour. This account reveals how the other four were linked to her.

It makes you think about how often unkindness was her lot. A story written with touches of humour and empathy. And if it hadn't been for Mabel's bosom buddy Daphne, and her latest "friend" Persephone....

My rating: 4.7

I've also read

4.5, THE MOTHER IN LAW

4.7, THE YOUNGER WIFE

4.7, THE SOULMATE

4.8, DARLING GIRLS

4.7, THE YOUNGER WIFE

4.7, THE GOOD SISTER

Review: THE LAST STRAW, Paul Gitsham

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 07:43:27 +0000

This edition read on Libby (Overdrive) through my local library
Published by Harper Collins 2014
DCI Collins #1

Synopsis (Overdrive)

When Professor Alan Tunbridge is discovered in his office with his throat slashed, the suspects start queuing up. The brilliant but unpleasant microbiologist had a genius for making enemies.

For Warren Jones, newly appointed Detective Chief Inspector to the Middlesbury force, a high-profile murder is the ideal opportunity. He's determined to run a thorough and professional investigation but political pressure to resolve the case quickly and tensions in the office and at home make life anything but easy.

Everything seems to point to one vengeful man but the financial potential of the professor's pioneering research takes the inquiry in an intriguing and, for Jones and his team, dangerous direction.

My Take

This title was published 12 years ago, the first in a series, and the author is now well established.

The central character is a newly appointed Detective Chief Inspector, trying to establish himself with a new team. The victim is a high profile professor at the local university. Early investigation reveals that he was extremely unpopular, but who would want to kill him? Which of his actions was the final straw?

This does have the signs of a "first book". However the characters are well drawn and attractive. One of the drawbacks was the amount of technical/scientific information for the reader to absorb.

But I do intend to read the next in the series.

My rating: 4.5

About the author
Paul Gitsham started his career as a biologist, working in such exotic locales as Manchester and Toronto. After stints as the world's most over-qualified receptionist and a spell making sure that international terrorists and other ne'er do wells hadn't opened a Junior Savings Account at a major UK bank (a job even less exciting than being a receptionist) he retrained as a Science Teacher. He now spends his time passing on his bad habits and sloppy lab-skills to the next generation of enquiring minds.

Paul has always wanted to be a writer and his final report on leaving primary school predicted he'd be the next Roald Dahl! For the sake of balance it should be pointed out that it also said "he'll never get anywhere in life if his handwriting doesn't improve". Twenty five years later and his handwriting is worse than ever but millions of children around the world love him.*

Review: FIND THEM DEAD, Peter James

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 07:12:03 +0000

This edition published 2020 by Pan Macmillan
ISBN 978-1-5290-0431-1
435 pages
author website
Roy Grace #16

Synopsis (publisher)

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace unearths a powerful criminal network in the sinister crime novel Find Them Dead, by award winning author Peter James.

Ending his secondment to London’s Met Police, Roy Grace gets a tip-off about a drugs mastermind operating out of Brighton. On his first day back in his old job, he is called to a seemingly senseless murder.

Gradually, Grace’s investigation draws him into the evil sphere of an utterly ruthless drug dealer on trial. A man prepared to order the death of anyone it takes to enable him to walk free from court.

Sitting in the jury is Meg Magellan, whose daughter's life is being threatened by a stranger who tells her that if she ever wants to see her alive again, it is very simple. At the end of the trial, all she has to do is make sure the jury says just two words . . . Not guilty.

My Take

When Meg Magellan joins a jury for the trial of a drugs mastermind she becomes involved in a way she could never have imagined, when she is targeted in rigging the outcome of the jury deliberation.

A chilling but believable story. Very thought provoking.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

5.0, THE HAWK IS DEAD - #22

Review: THE LIES BETWEEN THE LINES, Sheila Lowe

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 01:11:36 +0000

This book available from Amazon
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GX316LCS
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Write Choice Ink, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 17 June 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 333 pages
Book 10 of 10 ‏ : ‎ Claudia Rose Forensic Handwriting Mysteries
author website

Synopsis Amazon

Handwriting doesn’t lie. But people do.

Forensic handwriting expert Claudia Rose takes on two new cases: a forged signature in a troubling auto theft investigation, and a young woman desperate for help after her uncle receives a series of anonymous, threatening notes.
As Claudia examines the handwriting behind each case, troubling undercurrents begin to surface. Details don’t add up. Stories shift. Emotional pressure bleeds through the ink in ways the writers never intended.
Then a sudden tragedy strikes close to home, and Claudia’s work turns darker and far more personal. Someone is hiding behind half-truths and false leads, and the only clues she can trust are the ones written on the page.
And even those carry lies between the lines.

My Take

I have never read a novel where the protagonist is a handwriting expert and I was firstly interested to find out what the plot would be and then how she fitted into it. I found Claudia Rose a very credible character and the plot lines very engaging. I think Australian readers might ask themselves whether this scenario would be possible in Australia, but nevertheless there is certainly enough to keep them reading.

By absolute coincidence I am reviewing this novel on the day after it has been published. Perhaps not such a coincidence because the author sent me a copy of it just a few weeks ago.

My rating: 4.5

About the author

Sheila Lowe writes stories of psychological suspense that put ordinary people into extraordinary circumstances. Like her fictional character Claudia Rose in the award-winning Forensic Handwriting series, Sheila is a real-life forensic handwriting expert who testifies in court cases. She also writes the Beyond the Veil paranormal suspense series and nonfiction books about handwriting and personality.

Review: THREE REASONS FOR REVENGE, Dervla McTiernan

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 09:07:28 +0000

this title a library book from my local library
Published by Harper Collins Publishers Australia 2026
ISBN 978-1-4607-6016-1
326 pages

Synopsis (publisher)

Three gifts. Three victims. One deadly game.

Alexis Turner walks into the police station to report an assault. By the end of the day, she is nowhere to be found.

Soon after she disappears, three identical packages arrive at three very different doors: a respected psychologist's home, a socialite's mansion, and a struggling single father's run-down apartment. Inside, each gift is perfectly tailored to its recipient - and each will tear apart the life of its intended victim.

Detective Sergeant Judith Lee is smart and experienced, but this is no ordinary case. Someone with intimate knowledge of their targets is orchestrating these attacks. Someone who knows exactly how to hurt each victim where they're most vulnerable. And she's convinced that somehow, it connects back to Alexis Turner.

As she races to uncover the connection between three seemingly unrelated people, Judith discovers she's no longer just investigating the game - she's being forced to play.

My Take

This standalone is a complex, tightly plotted, and increasingly layered story. It starts with a university student reporting an assault by a clinical psychologist, and following that there is roll out of what seem to be individual stories, but each is connected to the last. We see glimmers but really are not offered the final shocking connections until the very end. Meanwhile Detective Sergeant Judith Lee faces her own demons.

A story of planned vengeance, and systemic failure in a number of ways.

Highly recommended.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

4.8, THE RUIN -#1

4.8, THE SCHOLAR - #2

4.8, THE GOOD TURN -#3

4.6, THE MURDER RULE

4.8, WHAT HAPPENED TO NINA?

4.8, THE UNQUIET GRAVE - #4

Review: LETHAL VENGEANCE, Robert Bryndza

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 07:48:33 +0000

This title read as a library book and on my Kindle
Published by Raven Street Publishing 2024
ISBN 978-1-914547-19-5
412 pages
#8 Erika Foster series

Synopsis (author website)

A powerful man is found dead. Bound. Gagged. Exposed. . .

The Met wants it buried. Detective Erika Foster wants the truth.

When Detective Erika Foster arrives at the home of prominent politician Neville Lomas, she finds a scene straight out of a nightmare: the man is naked, hog-tied, and very much dead. The official cause? Natural. The case? Closed—by order of the top brass.

But two months later, when a famous casting director and a Premier League footballer are found murdered in eerily similar circumstances, Erika knows this is no coincidence. Someone is out for vengeance—and they’re just getting started.

As the body count rises, Erika’s investigation leads to a bizarre twist: CCTV footage reveals five female suspects... all with the same face. And the deeper she digs, the more she uncovers a shadowy trail leading to a high-end sex worker who knows too much—and may be the key to unraveling a scandal the Met will do anything to keep buried.

In a race against time, Erika must untangle a web of lies, secrets, and powerful enemies before the killer strikes again. But in a case where nothing is what it seems, one wrong move could be her last.

Smart, fast-paced, and packed with jaw-dropping twists, Lethal Vengeance is a crime thriller that grips from the first page to the explosive finale. Can be read as a standalone story.

My Take

A very intense read with Erika always just hanging on to the management of her case. She gradually establishes links between 4 murder victims and uncovers a killer acting out vengeance for what these people had done to her in the past.

Just a note: I began reading this in paperback until halfway through the glue binding the spine cracked and the book became loose leaf. I finished it on my Kindle.

My rating: 4.7

I've also read

Erika Foster

Kate Marshall

Review: MISTAKE CREEK, Rachel Amphlett

noreply@blogger.com (Kerrie) — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 02:38:06 +0000

this edition a library book(large print) from my local library
Saxon Publishing 2015
ISBN 978-0-6483664-1-6
376 pages
Author website

Synopsis (author website)

One road out. Six strangers. And a killer who hasn’t finished yet.

Nina O'Brien returns to the remote Mistake Creek Truck Stop to settle her father’s affairs and sell the crumbling remains of her childhood home. She doesn't expect to be fighting for her life.

As a savage, drought-breaking storm lashes the Central Valley, triggering flash floods and landslides, Nina and a small group of travellers barricade themselves inside the truck stop’s walls, cut off from the rest of the world.

The phone lines are dead, the power is out, and the only road to safety is submerged.

The fragile sanctuary shatters when a bloodied, incoherent stranger collapses across the threshold. He brings more than just his injuries – he carries a chilling warning.

Don't trust anyone.

After the discovery of a murdered traveller and trapped with strangers who all have something to hide, Nina realises that the most dangerous element isn’t the storm – it could be the person standing right next to her.

On a night defined by suspicion and betrayal, Nina must outmanoeuvre a killer who is just getting started…

Street‑sharp crime thriller with pressure that never lets up and knife‑clean turns. Ideal for readers who want page‑turning suspense with a strong sense of place. Perfect for fans of Jack Gatland, Andrew Turpin and Jack Slater.

My Take

Set in California, this story is a fast paced thriller, focussed on a plot to release a poison into the air breathed by citizens of a city, by disgruntled ex-soldiers. The execution of the plot takes place during a storm which brings flooding and the collapse of communications. FBI agents have infiltrated a cell of dissidents.

I see that the author has dual American and Australian citizenship and thought there were many Australian overtones in the writing (although there were no direct references to Australia). Very readable.

My rating: 4.6

About the author Author website

Before turning to writing, USA Today bestselling crime author Rachel Amphlett played guitar in bands, worked as a TV and film extra, dabbled in radio as a presenter and freelance producer for the BBC, and worked in publishing as an editorial assistant.

USA Today bestselling crime author Rachel Amphlett has published over 40 titles featuring detectives, vigilantes and assassins. Her fast paced, gripping reads have readers hooked from page one, and are available from major retailers and libraries worldwide.

Rachel’s stories are available in eBook, print and audiobook formats from libraries and retailers as well as her own shop on this website.

A keen traveller and accidental private investigator, Rachel has both Australian and British citizenship.