Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 20 February 2025.
A copy of this column also appeared on the Canberra Daily website.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews of Four Ruined Realms, Unhallowed Halls and An Ethical Guide to Murder.
Quick Review – Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson
Publisher: Allen & Unwin (ebook– 18 February 2025)
Series: Standalone
Length: 464 pages
My Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
Prepare for magic and drama with the young adult, dark academia novel from the always entertaining Lili Wilkinson, Unhallowed Halls. Wilkinson is a pretty awesome Australian author, who has previously wowed me with some complex and memorable young adult novels, including the twisted The Erasure Initiative and the very impressive After the Lights Go Out. Unhallowed Halls was an interesting new novel from Wilkinson that followed a young protagonist who finds herself enrolled in a mysterious and isolated English boarding school.
Plot Synopsis:
A teen girl travels to an exclusive boarding school located deep within the Scottish moorlands after a deadly incident at her old school, but the wood-paneled halls of Agathion are built over centuries of secrets—including an ancient society which may have ties to demonic magic—in this dark academia fantasy perfect for fans of Curious Tides.
Page Whittaker has always been an outcast. And after the deadly incident that destroyed her single friendship at her old school, she needs a fresh start. Which is why when she receives a scholarship offer from Agathion College, an elite boarding school folded deep within the moors of Scotland, she doesn’t even consider turning it down.
Agathion is everything Page has ever a safe haven full of dusty books, steaming cups of tea and rigorous intellectual debate. And for the first time in her life, Page has even managed to become part of a close group of friends. Cyrus, Ren, Gideon, Lacey and Oak help her feel at home in Agathion’s halls–the only problem is, they’re all keeping secrets from her.
Page doesn’t know it yet, but her perfect new school has dark roots–roots that stretch back to its crooked foundation, and an ancient clandestine society with rumored ties to demonic magic. Soon, Page will be forced to learn that not everyone at Agathion is who they say they are. Least of all, her friends.
Agathion claims to teach its students history…but some histories should stay buried.
Unhallowed Halls is a great and compelling novel that quickly enchants you with its quirky mysteries and dark young adult content as the author produces her own take on the dark academia narrative. Wilkinson builds a great initial mystery around the secrets of the academy as the protagonist initially tries to understand the underlying weirdness of the place, which includes mysterious disappearances, strange professors, and even a demonic pig that seems to have it out for her. Things inevitably take a dark turn as the protagonist tries to work out who to trust, and the author does an amazing job building tension as you get closer to the reveal of what’s really going down in Agathion.
While I had fun with the first half of Unhallowed Halls, especially with its great gothic themes and slowly building dread, I must admit that it didn’t do a lot to stand out from other young adult novels set in mysterious school settings. However, a great and well built-up twist that reveals the plot of the antagonists, and an intriguing attempt to fight back against it, helped to enhance the overall narrative of this book, allowing for a very exciting second half. There were some great stakes for the characters here, as well as some truly dark moments related the compelling background fantasy elements. Readers come away quite satisfied with the result, and this worked out to be an excellent read.
Thanks to the clever storytelling of Lili Wilkinson, who excels at crafting intense and compelling young adult novels that can easily be enjoyed by readers of all age ranges, Unhallowed Halls proved to be an outstanding standalone novel. Featuring a cool story, a great setting, and some very dark moments, Unhallowed Halls is a fantastic 2025 novel to check out, especially if you like twisty, gothic reads with intriguing young protagonists.
Waiting on Wednesday – The Infinite State by Richard Swan
Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an intriguing upcoming science fiction novel from a particularly impressive author, with The Infinite State by Richard Swan.
Few fantasy authors have been as successful in recent years as writer Richard Swan. A very talented author with some unique stories under his belt, Swan has gained a lot of positive attention in recent years with his Empire of the Wolf series, which started in 2022 with The Justice of Kings. A complex series that examined law and order in a crumbling fantasy empire, the Empire of the Wolf books proved to be very popular, enough so that Swan is currently following up the original trilogy with his The Great Silence sequel series, which examines a whole new era for his established world.
While I am more familiar with his fantasy fiction work, Swan also has a bit of experience with science fiction, which is what this Waiting on Wednesday post is primarily going to focus on, as he has an intriguing new novel in the genre coming out later this year. That book is The Infinite State, a complex upcoming read that will take a compelling look at space fascism and one woman’s attempt to bring the whole twisted system down. Set for release in late July 2026, The Infinite State has a fascinating plot idea behind it, which I am very curious to check out.
Plot Synopsis:
Sunday Times bestselling author Richard Swan is back with a blistering and fraught science fiction epic.
In this blistering science fiction epic, Sunday Times bestselling author Richard Swan presents a thrilling tale of survival and an eviscerating examination of totalitarianism.
WHO GIVES YOU LIFE?
PATER AETERNUS.
Katherine Fuller’s husband is dead. As an esteemed member of Pater Aeternus – governing party of the fascist, galaxy-spanning Decurion Empire – he has left behind an estate of immeasurable wealth. And Katherine is going to inherit it.
WHO GIVES YOU PURPOSE?
PATER AETERNUS.
Life under the Eternal Father is rigidly stratified, surveilled, and controlled – each new day to be endured, not lived. But with Katherine’s newfound fortune, she is presented with a rare and dangerous opportunity: purchase a virgin world, and create a better, fairer society.
WHO GIVES YOU JOY?
PATER AETERNUS.
But the Empire cannot allow its wayward daughter to succeed. And as Katherine works in secret, recruiting allies she’s not even sure she can trust, she will discover exactly how far Pater Aeternus is willing to go to stop her. Because Katherine is going to create something nobody has seen for many years.
A democracy.
1984 meets The Man in the High Castle in gripping sci-fi The Infinite State from Richard Swan, which begins at a flashpoint in the lives of a widowed party member, a disgraced investigator, and a hypersled pilot – entangled in a plot to escape the suffocating authority of a fascist state.
Now this sounds like quite an interesting and socially relevant science fiction novel, and it’s one that I am currently quite excited for. A complex narrative about overthrowing fascism and trying to create your own democratic world has a lot of potential, and it will be cool to see the interplay between science fiction elements and political intrigue in The Infinite State’s plot. Swan has long proven his ability to create complex and layered fiction worlds and empires, but I’ll be curious to see him dive into the future and explore the dark possibilities that exist there. There is a lot of possibilities contained within a setting like this, and I’m sure that the resulting story will be particularly interesting and addictive.
Based on my previous positive experiences with Richard Swan, as well as the compelling new narrative suggested in the above synopsis, The Infinite State has definitely piqued my curiosity, is currently very high on my to-read list for the second half of the year. Sure to combine complex intrigue and machinations with a dark futuristic setting, The Infinite State looks set to be a particularly awesome 2026 novel, and I cannot wait to check it out.
WWW Wednesday – 25 February 2026
WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan (Trade Paperback)
I’ve just started reading the awesome Australian debut, The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan, which is proving to be a lot of fun. Set in 18th century France, The Red Winter follows a magical scholar who is forced to face old demons when a monster he previously defeated returns to cause fresh chaos. I am already having a great time reading this book, which blends cool fantasy elements with entertaining humour and a curious bit of French history. I’m hoping to really power through The Red Winter this weekend, and I already in love in this cool book from a talented new author.
Warhammer 40,000: Apostle by David Annandale (Audiobook)
I’ve continued my obsession with all things Warhammer 40,000, by diving into the latest release in the franchise, Apostle by David Annandale. A fantastic and dark read that follows a member of the insidious Word Bearers traitor Space Marines, as he attempts to convert an entire planet to worship the Chaos gods. A very clever novel that features a great villain perspective, Apostle is proving to be a particularly twisted read that I am quickly powering through. I will definitely be knocking Apostle off in the next few days and I look forward to seeing where this awesome story is going.
What did you recently finish reading?
Lives of Bitter Rain by Adrian Tchaikovsky (ebook)
I quickly finished off the excellent novella Lives of Bitter Rain by Adrian Tchaikovsky last week. A companion piece to his Tyrant Philosopher’s series, Lives of Bitter Rain follows the early life of the protagonist of Days of Shattered Faith and the events that would shape her into the entertaining and flexible figure we came to know and love. I really enjoyed this novella and I’m now ready to check out the next book in the series, Pretenders to the Throne of God.
30Seven by Jeremy Robinson (Audiobook)
I also managed to knock off the excellent and unique science fiction thriller 30Seven by Jeremy Robinson in the last week. An exceptional novel from a true master of suspense and horror, 30Seven cleverly twists the classic alien abduction narrative on its head by featuring a hidden human serial killer amongst the abductees. One of the best books I’ve so far read in 2026, this book comes very highly recommended and I’m hoping to get a review up for it soon.
Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz (Trade Paperback)
I also had the great pleasure of reading the new Orphan X book from Gregg Hurwitz this week with Antihero. Another deep and compelling thriller, Antihero saw Hurwitz’s long running vigilante protagonist attempt to help a woman in trouble without using his usual lethal force. This ended up being another exceptional read from Hurwitz, who utilized his unique style to make something very distinctive and special.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by K. J. Parker
I’ve got a ton of great books currently sitting on my shelves waiting to be read, but the one with the most potential for laughs is probably Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by the always impressive K. J. Parker. Following the murderous fixer of a dangerous church as she attempts to take out her target at a major religious conference, this book looks set to deliver all of Parker’s trademark chaos, clever humour and complex storytelling as he sets up another outstanding trilogy. I already know that Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead is going to be one of my favourite books of 2026, and I cannot wait to finally dive into it.
That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Autumn 2026 To Be Read (TBR) List
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday participants have a Thanksgiving freebie which I am going to use to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the last Tuesday before Autumn 2026, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books I am looking forward to reading in Autumn (Spring for folks in the Northern Hemisphere). This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.
For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 March 2026 and 31 May 2026 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section. I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles, and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads. I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2026.
Honourable Mentions:
Daughter of Crows by Mark Lawrence – 26 March 2026
An intriguing new fantasy novel from the always impressive Mark Lawrence.
Redbelly Crossing by Candice Fox – 28 April 2026
A cool outback thriller set to feature murder, mayhem and a ton of family drama, Redbelly Crossing sounds fun and I cannot wait to read my next Candice Fox book.
Dark Sanctuary by Sarah Barrie – 28 April 2026
Another cool Australian thriller that looks set to feature some intriguing and disturbing dark twists.
Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know by K. J. Parker – 12 May 2026
Another 2026 release from the legendary and hilarious K. J. Parker. Details of this book are still a little scarce, and I haven’t had the chance to read the first book in the series yet, however, I have no doubt this is going to be a particularly funny
Top Ten List:
Red Empire by Jonathan Maberry – 10 March 2026
First up on this list we have a fantastic new novel from one of my favourite thriller authors, Jonathan Maberry, with the awesome sounding Red Empire. The fifth book in Maberry’s Rogue Team International series (which previously featured Rage, Relentless, Cave 13 and Burn to Shine), Red Empire will see the damaged protagonist engage with an old foe, with the fate of the world once again hanging in the balance. At the same time, darker secrets about the mysterious leader of the Rogue Team International organisation will finally come to light, secrets that Maberry fans like me have been anticipating for years. As such, Red Empire is extremely high on my to-read list for March, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.
Dead Fall Lake by S. R. White – 17 March 2026
One of the more unique authors of Australian crime fiction will continue with his fantastic tales of outback murder in his new novel, Dead Fall Lake. Following on from Prisoner, Red Dirt Road and White Ash Ridge, Dead Fall Lake will force its detective protagonist to investigate the murder of a local sports hero, whose body is found in a sinkhole he routinely freedived into. This has the potential to be an outstanding Australian murder novel as White will no doubt write another amazing and complex mystery.
Blindside by Michael Mammay – 24 March 2026
One of my favourite science fiction thriller series, the Planetside books by Michael Mammay, looks set to continue in 2026 with the cool new novel Blindside. Set in the future and following a retired military colonel as he disrupts the genocidal schemes of corrupt corporations, the Planetside books (including Planetside, Spaceside, Colonyside and Darkside), have been extremely impressive since day one. This new entry will see the protagonist and his team attempt to unravel a dark conspiracy surrounding him, as old enemies seek revenge. I already know that Blindside is going to be an incredible read, and I look forward to seeing what cool and twisty narrative Mammay has cooked up for us this time.
First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston – 14 April 2026
Over the last few years, one of the more unique authors of dark fantasy fiction has been the very inventive and entertaining Cameron Johnston, who has written some amazing books over the years, including his Age of Tyranny novels, The Traitor God and God of Broken Things, The Maleficent Seven, and The Last Shield (one of my favourite books of 2024). His next book looks to be his most ambitious yet, with the awesome First Mage on the Moon. As the name suggests, this fun new novel will see a group of mages attempt to use their magic to create a ship capable of travelling into space towards the moon in the hope of ending an ongoing war. I love the sound of this unique fantasy fiction plot and Cameron Johnston is sure to create something very special with this outstanding new book.
Paradox by Douglas Preston and Aletheia Preston – 21 April 2026
Legendary thriller author Douglas Preston teams up with his daughter Aletheia for a very cool and intriguing new novel. The sequel to Preston’s previous novel, Extinction, which featured a brutal murder committed by cloned neanderthals, Paradox looks set to continue the weirdness, as the two protagonists from the first book attempt to uncover a complex crime in the Colorado wilderness which leads to a deeper conspiracy. I am so very eager to read Paradox when it comes out, especially after loving everything about Extinction, and it will be interesting see how this father/daughter team continues this unique series.
Sisters of the Lizard by Jackson Ford – 5 May 2026
Last year I had the very great pleasure of reading my first book from fantasy and science fiction author Jackson Ford, The Bone Raiders, which saw a group of grassland thieves attempt to train giant, fire-breathing lizards as the ultimate mounts to defeat an encroaching empire. A funny and exciting read, The Bone Raiders was a ton of fun, which Ford is looking to expand this year with the awesome sounding sequel, Sisters of the Lizard. Set to explore the consequences of their game changing actions from the first book, Sisters of the Lizard looks set to be another amazing novel from Ford that is guaranteed to keep me entertained.
Our Lady of Blades by Sebastien de Castell -12 May 2026
One of the fantasy books I am mostly looking forward to in the next three months is Our Lady of the Blades by Sebastien de Castell. The next book in de Castell’s Court of Shadows series (Play of Shadows and Crucible of Chaos), which is set in his larger Greatcoat universe, Our Lady of Blades will be another mostly standalone fantasy read, that explores conspiracies and crimes in the author’s fantasy realm. This next book sounds particularly impressive with an The Count of Monte Cristo inspired plot, as it follows a masked duellist who seeks revenge on her city’s elite after her family was betrayed and destroyed. I have been looking forward to Our Lady of the Blades for a while now, and it should prove to be one of the more interesting and captivating books of the year, especially when de Castell ties it into his larger series.
A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman – 12 May 2026
I had to feature the epic upcoming novel A Parade of Horribles, which is one of the most anticipated releases of the year. The eighth book in Matt Dinniman’s exceedingly popular Dungeon Crawler Carl series, A Parade of Horribles will continue to follow protagonists Carl and his sentient cat Princess Donut, as they attempt to survive the increasingly deadly and utterly bonkers dungeon formed from the detritus of a destroyed Earth. This next book sounds very fun, with a crazy set of race tasks, as well as hidden horrors coming up from the lower levels which will no doubt make this book even more outrageous. I have so much love for this series after become irreversibly addicted to it last year (highlights include Dungeon Crawler Carl, The Butcher’s Masquerade and The Eye of the Bedlam Bride), and I am so damn eager to see how this series will continue. I personally am planning to listen to A Parade of Horribles on audiobook (narrated by the insanely talented Jeff Hays), and I cannot wait to see how this new novel unfolds. This book is going to be epic, and I will be reading A Parade of Horribles the very second it is released.
Mortedant’s Peril by R. J. Barker – 19 May 2026
Next is the epic upcoming fantasy novel from R. J. Barker, Mortedant’s Peril. An intriguing sounding urban fantasy, Mortedant’s Peril will follow a protagonist hunted throughout his city for reading the final thoughts of the wrong dead man. I have a lot of confidence that Barker is going to pull out something special with this new novel, especially after impressing with all his previous trilogies, and I am confident that Mortedant’s Peril is going to be a top book of 2026.
Ironwood by Michael Connelly – 19 May 2026
The final books I want to feature on this list is potentially one of the best crime fiction novels of 2026, with the next upcoming Michael Connelly book, Ironwood. The sequel to his 2025 novel Nightshade, Ironwood will once again focus on Connelly’s new protagonist Detective Stilwell, as he attempts to solve crimes from his banished post of Catalina Island. However, in this book, he finds himself teaming up with another Connelly protagonist, with Detective Renée Ballard serving as a supporting character. This should result in quite an intense and addictive crime fiction read, and I am particularly keen to read Ironwood as soon as I can.
Well, that is the end of my Top Ten list. I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months. There are some really impressive books coming out in this part of 2026, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a bit of reading to do soon.
Canberra Weekly Column – Fantasy and Science Fiction – 20 November 2025
Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 20 November 2025.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews of Seven Recipes for Revolution, The Feeding and Cold War.
Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose
Publisher: Daphne Press (ebook – 25 November 2025)
Series: What We Eat – Book One
Length: 480 pages
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
In the mood for a tasty fantasy debut? Then look no further than the clever and distinctive 2025 release, Seven Recipes for Revolution by talented new author Ryan Rose.
Plot Synopsis:
The Bear meets Attack on Titan in this exhilarating, food-based epic fantasy filled with high stakes and monster steaks, perfect for fans of Pierce Brown and Jay Kristoff.
Seventeen-year-old Paprick is a common butcher, carving slabs of meat from gargantuan monsters so elite chefs can prepare magic-granting meals for the rich. But Paprick’s true passion is cooking, and if he can learn the secret art, his dreams of liberating his people and sharing the monsters’ magic with the world could come true. He steals the precious ingredients needed to practise recipes at home, but if he’s caught, he’ll be executed.
As his desperation grows, he ventures into the black market and uncovers a spice imported from unknown lands. Combining it with the last of his stolen meat, he cooks a dish the world has never tasted before, with side-effects he couldn’t have foreseen.
The dish’s magic grows Paprick to kaiju-size, and legends of his powers spread among the people. Immediately, the rulers arrest him, but Paprick convinces them to make him a chef’s apprentice―if they ever want to learn his Recipe. However, his exposure to the world of high cuisine reveals the rot at its centre, and with his new power, rebellion is only a few recipes away…
Seven Recipes for Revolution was a particularly awesome book that really showcased Ryan Rose’s excellent imagination and ability to craft a compelling story around his unique food-based magic. The first book in Rose’s What We Eat series; Seven Recipes for Revolution was an outstanding read that greatly impressed me with its clever story and unique ideas.
Rose produced a delicious story for Seven Recipes for Revolution, which quickly grabs the reader’s attention. Primarily told in a chronicle format from the perspective of a future Paprick before his execution, you are soon transported to the protagonist’s early days as a common butcher in a segregated society of magical foodies. This early part of the book serves as an excellent introduction to the protagonist and the larger world the series is set in, as you soon learn about the food magic of this nation, as well as the magical beasts whose meat give them power. It doesn’t take long for Paprick to find himself in the middle of a deadly revolution when, after stealing magical meat from his job, he is able to create a new recipe that allows him to grow to massive size. Able to leverage his discovery with the rulers of the city, the Rares, Paprick is allowed to become an apprentice chef, which leads him into even greater trouble.
What follows is an interesting centre to the narrative as Paprick enters a whole new world of cuisine in an excellent magical school narrative as Rose provides some compelling looks at the city’s main chef school. I loved the mixture of interesting classes, which feature both cool magic and awesome-sounding food, and it serves as a great background to the rest of the plot as Paprick gets further involved with the revolution, as well as a bloody conspiracy lurking underneath the surface of Rare society. The last third of the book is a fantastic blur of action and intrigue, as various secrets come to light and the protagonist faces some very dark choices and challenges. The build-up to these events in the main story is well supported by the sequences occurring in the present day, as the future Paprick messes with the mysterious chronicler recording his story, while also providing some interesting hints of events to come. All this leads up to a great conclusion, and I loved the fun twists that emerged as you get towards the end. Readers come away very satisfied from Seven Recipes for Revolution, and you are left wanting to find out what happens next.
I really enjoyed how Rose pulled together his first book, and the unique fantasy story he came up with was particularly inventive and well-written. Rose really showed off his creative style early, quickly introducing readers to a cool new fantasy realm where magic resides in the meat of gigantic beasts, known as emphon, and the way you prepare the food grants different abilities and powers. It was really fascinating to see a complex and segregated fantasy society built around this magical cookery, and the resulting obsession with cooking and food that the characters gave Seven Recipes for Revolution a distinctive and complex feel. Rose made full use of these creative elements throughout his story, and the resulting training, battles and intrigues related to secret recipes and culinary abilities was quite spectacular.
In addition to the amazing worldbuilding , I must compliment the way that Rose set out the story using the chronicle method, which shows the older Paprick telling his narrative to an initially unnamed archivist who has history with the protagonist. Having a character retell the story of their life as narrative tool doesn’t always work, but I think was particularly effective in Seven Recipes for Revolution, especially as it added some fun uncertainty and visions of the future to the mixture. Much of this is done through various interruptions from the archivist as they refute parts of Paprick’s story and claim that he is either embellishing or adding in material to make himself look better. I liked how this established the protagonist as a bit of an unreliable figure, and you’re never quite sure where his story will go next. The conversations about the future Paprick and the archivist give each other also adds to the anticipation of the main plot, and you are always waiting for the events they hint about to drop. This cool style works so well with the combined fantasy and intrigue elements of Seven Recipes for Revolution’s plot, and you really get stuck into the food-based carnage and complex betrayals that emerge both in the main story and the plot surrounding the future recording of Paprick’s tall tale.
Thanks to his outstanding imagination and excellent storytelling ability, Ryan Rose’s debut novel, Seven Recipes for Revolution, was a particularly awesome read, and it’s one I’m glad I checked out last year. Loaded with cool food-based magic, duplicitous characters and some amazing action, Seven Recipes for Revolution was addictive fun from start to finish, and I really enjoyed how it came together. Seven Recipes for Revolution ended up being one of my favourite debuts of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how Rose continues his series later this year with his upcoming book, Eight Tastes of Treachery.
A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage by M. K. Oliver
Publisher: Hemlock Press (ebook – 31 December 2025)
Series: Standalone/Book One
Length: 384 pages
Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars
Brillant new author M. K. Oliver presents one of the more entertaining novels of early 2026, with the wonderfully devious and captivating book, A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage.
Plot Synopsis:
There’s a dead body in my living room.
I’ve not called the police because it was I who stabbed him. Seven times in all. The truth is, it’s surprisingly difficult to dispatch someone with a vegetable knife.
In case you’re wondering, the dead man is not my husband. I do resent our pitiful sex life and his woeful lack of ambition, but I wouldn’t murder him for it. Not yet, anyway.
Right now, I have far more pressing scheming to get my daughter into the perfect school; buying my dream home in Hampstead; and disposing of a corpse.
A woman’s work is never done. I’ve created the perfect life – and I’ll kill to keep it.
A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage was a fantastic and very amusing crime fiction thriller that I honestly couldn’t get enough of. The debut novel of M. K. Oliver, A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage perfectly utilised it’s delightfully deceitful and pragmatic protagonist to tell an outstanding story.
Oliver pulls together an awesome and insane narrative for A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage, which follows a particularly compelling protagonist in Lalla Rook, a busy wife, mother and relentless sociopath, with dreams of a bigger home and getting her daughter into the perfect private school. However, Lalla’s plans threaten to come crashing down around her when she brutally murders an intruder who breaks into her home before her child’s birthday party. What follows is a deeply entertaining romp of secrets, lies and ambition, as Lalla tries to balance achieving her goals for the future with disposing of the dead body currently hidden in the house. Oliver builds a very amusing and fast-paced story around this, as Lalla soon encounters problems with inconvenient witnesses, prying police, and a whole second murder. These problems brought on by the inopportune murder blend with the protagonist’s other issues, including with her disinterested husband not working hard enough to achieve the career goals Lalla set for him, her controlling mother-in-law trying to destroy her marriage, her daughter is starting to showcase similar sociopathic tendencies that are ruining her chances at an elite academic institution, and the constant issues of her social-climbing friends.
These fun elements come together into a very entertaining story, and it is a ton of fun to watch A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage’s ruthlessly pragmatic protagonist deal with each of these issues in her own manipulative and intense way. Of course, things continue to get further out of hand for Lalla as the narrative continues, with the mysterious dead man who started her recent misadventures having a connection to dark secrets from her past. Worse, Lalla soon finds her carefully constructed life starting to come crashing down as her plans hit annoying snags as those closest to her are plotting against her. I love how well Oliver showcases the protagonist losing control in the last third of this book, and it really ups the stakes of A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage, especially as you have no idea just how far his protagonist is going to go to achieve her goals. The final part of this book came together extremely well, as the protagonist’s various schemes and problems blend into a series of manipulations and deadly encounters, which results in a highly entertaining and chaotic conclusion. The result was pretty damn perfect, as nearly every character gets exactly what they deserve thanks to some hilarious and insightful carnage.
I must admit I was quite surprised when I found out that A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage was Oliver’s very first novel, as it was impressively well written. Featuring a fast-paced narrative perfectly told from the first-person perspective of a particularly captivating protagonist, A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage blends a thriller narrative, loaded with personal tales of deceit and murder, with some fantastic humour set around an amazing protagonist. This protagonist, Lalla, allows for much of the book’s comedic charm, as you watch her casually manipulate those around her to get what she wants. Oliver does such a good job of capturing Lalla’s sociopathic nature with his writing, and I loved his take on this amazing female character. The way this protagonist goes after what she wants with no shame or regret, while being completely aware and uncaring of the impact she is having on those around her, is very refreshing and entertaining, and while you know she is evil, you can’t help rooting for her.
It helps that even though Lalla is a murderous and manipulative figure, she honestly isn’t the most selfish character in the book, and it proves quite fun to see the resourceful Lalla go up against the spoiled upper-class housewives, corrupt businessmen and other elites in her quest to get what she wants. This great character-driven humour is further enhanced by some amusing examinations of ambition and avarice in various forms, especially as some characters get exactly what they are looking for in some very unlikely ways. This all deeply enhances Oliver’s very impressive story, and I really enjoyed just how hilarious and thrilling this story could be in equal measures.
Overall, A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage was an outrageous and hilarious debut thriller that I cannot recommend enough. M. K. Oliver did a remarkable job with this first book, and I loved the wildly entertaining scenario he created and the brilliant story he wrote around it. Clever and funny in equal measure, A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage was an incredible read and I cannot wait to see what amazing books Oliver writes in the future.
Waiting on Wednesday – A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett
Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday post, I highlight an exceptional upcoming fantasy crime novel I already know is going to be one of the top books of the year with A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett.
Over the last couple of years, few authors have impressed me as much as the incredible Robert Jackson Bennett. An established fantasy author with some outstanding series under his belt, Bennett has been wowing readers for years with his complex and elaborate stories. However, it is Bennett’s latest series that has really showed the world just how good he is, with the incredible Shadow of the Leviathan series.
Set in a fantasy empire constantly besieged by giant sea monsters, the Shadow of the Leviathan series feature exceptionally clever fantasy crime novels that see an unnaturally gifted investigator and her troubled assistant solve impossible murders that threaten to sabotage the safety of the nation. The series started with The Tainted Cup that perfectly introduced the characters and the setting, while also featuring a great story of murder, deceit and intrigue. Thanks to its clever fantasy elements out outstanding mystery, The Tainted Cup ended up being one of my favourite books of 2024, and I had such a great time getting through this incredible read. Due to how awesome the first book in the series was, I ended up reading the sequel, A Drop of Corruption as soon as I could last year. This sequel ended up being just as good, if not better, than the first book in the series, and I loved the new elaborate mystery and scenario that Bennett came up with. A Drop of Corruption ended up getting another five-star rating from me, as well as being one of my favourite books of 2025.
After having such an incredible time with the first two Shadow of the Leviathan books, I’ve made sure to keep an eye out for the next book in the series, and I am very happy that a third entry is coming out soon. This next entry is the very promisingly titled A Trade of Blood, which is currently set for release in August 2026. Featuring another awesome fantasy crime narrative, A Trade of Blood has a ton of potential, and I really love the sound of this cool upcoming novel.
Plot Synopsis:
In the canton of Sapirdad, two of the Empire’s most powerful families are moments away from going to war with each other, their hundreds of retainers gathered with swords drawn. If blood is spilled, the whole of the empire may be plunged into starvation and chaos.
To deescalate matters, someone must do the impossible: prove that one family’s eldest son is innocent of a gruesome and unforgivable murder, despite the incontrovertible evidence against him.
It is with this undertaking that the great detective Ana Dolabra is tasked, her assistant Din at her side—and the two find themselves racing with great speed and little dignity to the scene.
As ever, the impossible proves little obstacle for the deadly combination of Ana’s intellect and Din’s keen eye, and mere hours after riding into the dusty town, Ana glimpses the greater pattern behind the crime. A deeper, subtler web of death is being woven in plain sight, by a mastermind with an ancient magical technology at his disposal.
But even Ana’s uncanny insight is of little use when each new suspect she uncovers ends up dead–with each new killing calculated to bring tensions between the two rival clans past the boiling point. And as Din pursues their adversary through the canton’s wild ranges, sprawling ranches, and reeking slaughterhouses, he finds his loyalties divided in unexpected ways.
I already love the sound of A Trade of Blood, and it looks like Bennett has another outstanding fantasy murder mystery in store for us. This upcoming novel has a great synopsis behind it, and I am very curious to see both the initial crime that the protagonists need to uncover to avoid a civil war, as well as the resulting killings that intend to stoke the conflict even further. It will be very interesting to see the protagonists, Ana and Din, try to solve this case while dealing with their own issues at the same time, and I am very curious to see how Bennett will test this unlikely pairing going forward. The inclusion of another extremely devious villain for this book, seems particularly promising, and I look forward to seeing the resulting battle of wits between the antagonist and the unstable but brilliant Ana, which will no doubt be entertaining and clever.
Based on how damn good the last two Shadow of the Leviathan novels turned out to be, there is no way in hell I am missing out on A Trade of Blood later this year. Robert Jackson Bennett has been on an absolute roll with this series, which I have no doubt he will easily continue with this third book. I will be grabbing A Trade of Blood no matter what this year, but after reading the exceptional synopsis above, I am even more excited for this epic upcoming novel. I have no doubt at all that A Trade of Blood is going to be one of the very best novels of 2026, and it is one of the books I am most looking forward to this year.
WWW Wednesday – 18 February 2026
WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
Lives of Bitter Rain by Adrian Tchaikovsky (ebook)
I’ve just started reading the fun novella Lives of Bitter Rain by Adrian Tchaikovsky. A companion piece to his Tyrant Philosopher’s series, Lives of Bitter Rain follows the early life of the protagonist of Days of Shattered Faith and the events that would shape her into the entertaining and flexible figure we came to know and love. I have been keen to read this novella for a while and I’m glad I finally got the chance right before the next book in the series, Pretenders to the Throne of God comes out. I will probably knock this novella off today, and I am really enjoying its short, but highly entertaining narrative.
30Seven by Jeremy Robinson (Audiobook)
I’ve also been enjoying the excellent and unique science fiction thriller 30Seven by Jeremy Robinson in the last week. An exceptional novel from a true master of suspense and horror, 30Seven cleverly twists the classic alien abduction narrative on its head by featuring a hidden human serial killer amongst the abductees, who starts a killing spree aboard the UFO. I’m deeply enjoying the exceptional narrative that Robinson pulled together for his latest book, and I cannot wait to see where this crazy story goes next.
What did you recently finish reading?
Dawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal Rana (ebook)
I finally finished off the intriguing debut fantasy novel, Dawn of the Firebird, this week. An elaborate fantasy novel with a unique Middle Eastern style, Dawn of the Firebird follows a young woman whose journey to understand magic and her own power is twisted by betrayal, war and the loss of everyone she loves. A very complex and compelling read, this book is recommended for those looking for a good alternative to classic European fantasy fiction.
Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Harrowmaster by Mike Brooks (Audiobook)
An exceptional Warhammer 40,000 audiobook from the always impressive Mike Brooks that follows the iconic and villainous Alpha Legion. I had an outstanding time with this book and I’m hoping to get a review up for it soon.
Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman (Audiobook)
I had a hell of a time powering through the epic science fiction novel Operation Bounce House this week. A brilliant standalone novel from the incredible Matt Dinniman, Operation Bounce House features a compelling narrative as a small human colony world finds itself under attack from mechs piloted by gamers from Earth as part of an elaborate corporate takeover. A really impressive novel with an amazing story behind it, Operation Bounce House was so damn good, and I cannot recommend it enough.
What do you think you’ll read next?
I have a ton of great books currently sitting on my always growing to-read pile, but the book I think I’ll read next is the new Orphan X book from Gregg Hurwitz, Antihero. Set to be another deep and compelling thriller, Antihero will follow Hurwitz’s long running vigilante protagonist on another dangerous adventure, this time trying to help a woman in trouble without using any violence. I have some very high hopes for this new Orphan X book, and I have no doubt it will be an exceptional read.
That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
The Unseen Library 