WWW Wednesday – 13 December 2023

On December 13, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme 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 Mystery Guest by Nita Prose (Trade Paperback)

The Mystery Guest Cover

I honestly haven’t made any progress since last week on the new murder mystery from Nita Prose, The Mystery Guest. The intriguing sequel to Prose’s first novel, The Maid, The Mystery Guest features another compelling murder, seen through the eyes of Prose’s unique protagonist. I am hoping to finally get to grips with The Mystery Guest this week, but I’ll have to see how I go.

Warhammer 40,000: The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath (Audiobook)

Warhammer 40,000 - The Fall of Cadia Cover

I have just started listening to the fantastic Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath. A novelization of one of the key lore moments of the Warhammer 40,000 canon, The Fall of Cadia looks set to be a complex and massive novel that covers the main moments of the 13th Black Crusade. This is probably going to be one of most significant Warhammer 40,000 novels of the year and I am very glad that they got Robert Rath to write it as he has been one of the most impressive authors of Warhammer fiction in recent years (check out my reviews for Assassinorum: Kingmaker and The Infinite and the Divine). I am hoping to make a ton of progress on The Fall of Cadia this week and I have a feeling it is going to be one of the best Warhammer novels of the year.

What did you recently finish reading?

Murtagh by Christopher Paolini (Audiobook)

Murtagh Cover

I made a huge effort and managed to finish off the audiobook version of Murtagh this week. A brilliant continuation of Paolini’s classic Inheritance Cycle novels, Murtagh was a pretty damn awesome read and I loved seeing another novel in this outstanding fantasy world. I am hoping to get a review up for Murtagh soon, and it proved to be quite an outstanding piece of fantasy fiction.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Deadly Game by Michael Caine

Deadly Game Cover

I am hoping to dive into the fun sounding thriller, Deadly Game, next. Written by legendary actor Michael Caine, Deadly Game sounds like an exciting and fantastic novel and I am very curious to see how good an author Caine is.

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.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

On December 13, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday6 Comments

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. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this week’s entry, I check out one of the most anticipated fantasy novels of early 2024 with The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett.

The Tainted Cup Cover

Robert Jackon Bennett is a highly regarded fantasy author who has been producing captivating reads since 2010. Have started out writing several intriguing standalone novels, such as his debut, Mr. Shivers, Bennett is probably best known for his complex fantasy series, including The Divine Cities trilogy and The Founders trilogy, both of which had elaborate settings and compelling stories behind them. I personally had a wonderful time with his awesome novel, Foundryside, and while I haven’t had the chance to read anymore from Bennett since then, I have been keeping my eye out to see what he comes out with next. As such, I heard some interesting stuff about his next novel, The Tainted Cup, which is already getting a lot of love from fantasy fans.

The Tainted Cup, which is set for release in February 2024, is the first book in Bennett’s new Shadow of the Leviathan series. This first entry has a great story behind it that looks to combine a complex murder investigation with inventive fantasy elements and two fantastic sounding central characters. The synopsis below sounds pretty damn amazing and I love the idea of a brilliant, if highly eccentric, detective, trying to solve a murder caused by the spontaneous growth of a tree in someone’s body. Everything about this book sounds extremely cool and if Bennett is on his usual form this will probably be one of the top fantasy releases of 2024.

Plot Synopsis:

In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible.

Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears–quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home.

Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.

Top Ten Tuesday – Top New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2023

On December 12, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List16 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday looked at books on ones Summer 2023-24 to-read list. However, due to wanting to get a start on my end of year best of lists, I actually covered this topic a couple of weeks ago. Instead, I will be moving forward the official topic from 30 January 2024 and looking at New-to-Me Authors I discovered in 2023. This is a list I have covered for the last couple of years (make sure to check out my 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 versions), and it is one that I always have a lot of fun doing.

Each year I am lucky enough to read a great number of awesome novels and this often includes books written by authors whose work I was previously unfamiliar with. 2023 was a particularly good example of this as there were an incredible collection of amazing novels written by authors who were completely new to me. This included some debuting authors, as well as more established writers whose work I only got around to reading this year. Many of these new-to-me authors produced some truly exceptional novels, including one or two which I consider to be some of the best books released in 2023 (more on that later), and I really feel the need to highlight them here.

To appear on this list, the book had to be one I read this year and be written by an author who I was unfamiliar with before 2023. If I had not read anything from this author before last year, it was eligible to appear here, although I did exclude debut novels as I am going to cover those in another list. Even with debuting authors excluded, I still had a massive amount of potential inclusions, as I apparently got through 31 new authors in 2023. After some hard work, I was able to whittle this down to a manageable top ten list, with my usual generous honourable mentions section. I am really surprised at some of the impressive and enjoyable authors I had to exclude from this list, and I was honestly tempted to increase this to a top twenty list. I managed to resist and I think the below entry really highlights the best new-to-me authors I enjoyed in 2023. It does crossover a little bit with my top pre-2023 books list I published last week, but I am still pretty happy with it.

Honourable Mention:

Marsheila Rockwell – The Hunger

The Hunger Cover

My first book from Rockwell was a zombie-filled book set in the Marvel Universe, need I say more?

Darius Hinks – Leviathan

Warhammer 40,000 - Leviathan Cover

Hinks wowed me with this dark and brutal Warhammer 40,000 read, that saw an entire world slowly digested by an advancing alien fleet.

Martha Wells – Witch King

Witch King Cover

I have been meaning to read one of Martha Wells’ books for years, especially her science fiction works, but this cool fantasy release proved to be an excellent introduction to an intriguing author.

Gav Thorpe – Grudge Bearer, 13^th Legion and Kill Team

13th Legion Cover 2

I read several great Gav Thorpe books for the first time this year, including novels from both the Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy ranges. My favourites were probably the Last Chancer novels, 13^th Legion and Kill Team, although the standalone fantasy novel Grudge Bearer was also really fun.

Top Ten List:

James Islington – The Will of the Many

The Will of the Many Cover

James Islington is a name that is going to be coming up a lot in my end of year lists the next few weeks, mainly because the first novel of his I checked out was so damn epic. That book is The Will of the Many, a complex and addictive fantasy novel that pits a fugitive prince against a conquering empire. Featuring a compelling and unique magical system, a great setting, fantastic characters and an elaborate narrative loaded with betrayal, secrets, plots, survival and an amazing magical school storyline, The Will of the Many had everything I could have asked for and more. One of the easiest five-star ratings I gave in 2023, I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel next year.

John French – Cypher: Lord of the Fallen

Cypher - Lord of the Fallen Cover

There are going to be a few Warhammer 40,000 authors on this list, mainly because I dedicated a lot of 2023 to going back and reading some classic novels from this awesome franchise. One of the cleverest Warhammer 40,000 novels I read this year is John French’s Cypher: Lord of the Fallen, which saw the universe’s most notorious fugitive infiltrate the most secure place imaginable, the Imperial Palace on Holy Terra. Featuring a uniquely written story, loaded with sneaky misdirects, twists, and the most unreliable narrator imaginable, Cypher: Lord of the Fallen proved to be an outstanding introduction to author John French, and I had such a brilliant time with this amazing read.

Ian Ross – Battle Song

Battle Song Cover

Easily my favourite new-to-me historical fiction author in 2023 was Ian Ross. I have heard some amazing things about Ross’s Roman historical fiction novels before, and I eagerly grabbed a copy his latest novel, Battle Song, when it came out. An exciting and powerful read about a lesser-known English civil war, Battle Song followed two amazing protagonists during the height of the knightly age and the result was an action packed and historically rich novel. I have so much love for Ross after reading Battle Song and I am eagerly awaiting the upcoming sequel, War Cry.

Guy Haley – Flesh and Steel

Flesh and Steel Cover

One major Warhammer 40,000 author I had an amazing time getting to know this year was Guy Haley, who has a range of great books under his belt. I mainly got to know Haley thanks to his impressive Warhammer Crime novel Flesh and Steel. One of the most unique buddy cop novels you are ever likely to read, Flesh and Steel was an outstanding book and it definitely made me want to check out more of Haley’s works. I have several Haley’s audiobooks currently loaded onto my phone and I am hoping to enjoy them all next year.

Sebastien De Castell – The Malevolent Seven

The Malevolent Seven Cover

One of the most relentlessly entertaining new authors I checked out for the first time in 2023 was acclaimed fantasy writer Sebastien De Castell. Known for his dark and elaborate fantasy worlds, I had my first introduction to De Castell when I read his hilarious and bloody novel The Malevolent Seven. Setting seven unusual and maligned battle wizards on a path to becoming unlikely heroes, The Malevolent Seven was an incredible read that I absolutely powered through. I really hope that De Castell releases a sequel to The Malevolent Seven soon and I must make an effort to read some of his other amazing fantasy novels/series.

Marc Collins – Grim Repast

Warhammer 40,000 - Grim Repast Cover

One of the main new-to-me authors who encouraged me to check out more Warhammer Crime novels in 2023 was the very talented Marc Collins who wowed me with the gritty novel, Grim Repast. Following a damaged detective as he attempts to stop an influential and murderous cult in a downtrodden mega-city, Grim Repast was an impressive novel and one that really showcased just how good an author Collins is.

M. W. Craven – Fearless

Fearless Cover

An exceptional crime fiction author I read for the first time this year was bestselling writer M. W. Craven. While Craven is probably best known for his Washington Poe series, my first experience of his works was the outrageous 2023 novel Fearless. The start of a compelling new series that follows an arrogant, and literally fearless, drifter with a price on his head, Fearless was a blast from start to finish and Craven clearly had a great time coming up with this action-packed read. I had a ton of fun with Fearless and Craven has a sequel set for next year that I am very excited for.

Sandy Mitchell – For The Emperor and Caves of Ice

Warhammer 40,000 - For the Emperor Cover

Well before 2023, I had heard some amazing things about Sandy Mitchell’s Ciaphas Cain series, which was apparently made up of the funniest Warhammer 40,000 novels out there. Naturally I had to check this series out whilst I was on my 2023 Warhammer reading spree and I ended up enjoying the first two entries, For The Emperor and Caves of Ice. Well, the rumours about how funny these books are proved to be very true as For The Emperor and Caves of Ice were both hilarious and clever novels that made full use of their grim background setting. Following a cowardly officer who somehow gained a reputation as a legendary hero, these books see the titular Cain attempt all manner of schemes to survive and stay out of the fighting, only to be thrust into the most dangerous situations imaginable. Very entertaining and featuring a particularly clever wit, the Ciaphas Cain books really showcased Mitchell’s exceptional writing skills and I cannot recommend this series enough, especially in its audiobook format.

Anthony McCarten – Going Zero

Going Zero Cover

I had to mention screenwriter and author Anthony McCarten on this list, as I was lucky enough to read a copy of his 2023 release Going Zero, which was so much fun. Following a unique competition that sees multiple people attempt to hide from a new nationwide surveillance system, Going Zero went in some very interesting directions and ended up being a particularly entertaining and unique thriller. An amazing read that served as a great introduction to McCarten.

Chris Wraight – Bloodlines

Warhammer 40,000 - Bloodlines Cover

The final entry on this list is Chris Wraight, who gave me one of my favourite Warhammer Crime novels in Bloodlines. A gripping and memorable novel that makes excellent use of a both its classic police procedural storyline and the unique Warhammer 40,000 setting, Bloodlines was such a brilliant read and one that really deserves an immediate sequel. Wraight really impressed me with this great novel and I need to go back and check out the rest of his contributions to the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Top Ten list. I think it turned out rather well and it encapsulates some of the best new authors I checked out in 2023. I look forward to reading more books from these authors in the future and I have no doubt they will produce more epic and incredible reads. Make sure to let me know which new authors you enjoyed in 2023 in the comments below and make sure to check back next week for another exciting end of 2023 list.

Throwback Thursday – Warhammer: Grudge Bearer by Gav Thorpe

On December 9, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Extended Universe, Fantasy, Quick Review, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer3 Comments

Grudge Bearer Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Paperback – 12 June 2005)

Series: Warhammer Fantasy

Length: 250 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

For this week’s Throwback Thursday I am doing a double feature. In addition to my review of the awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel Lords of the Night by Simon Spurrier, I am also doing a quick review of the classic Warhammer Fantasy novel, Grudge Bearer by Gav Thorpe.

I have a lot of love for all forms of Warhammer fiction across the various genres, but I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the intense and elaborate adventures that took place in the Warhammer Fantasy realm. Before its destruction, the Warhammer Fantasy universe featured a raft of epic novels and stories, most of which tied into the gaming events surrounding the various campaigns or model releases. While I haven’t read nearly as much Warhammer Fantasy books in recent years as Warhammer 40,000 fiction, there are still some amazing books there, including the Gotrek and Felix books by William King (Trollslayer, Skavenslayer, Daemonslayer, Dragonslayer, Beastslayer, Vampireslayer and Giantslayer), Van Horstmann by Ben Counter, Runefang by C. L. Werner and Broken Honour by Rober Earl.

All of these fantasy books have been very impressive, and I am always keen to check out more from this awesome setting. As such, I eagerly read the second-hand copy of Grudge Bearer by Gav Thorpe earlier this year. Thorpe has been one of the main authors of Warhammer fiction over the years, with books across the various sub-series. I know him from his outstanding Warhammer 40,000 Last Chancers novels, which followed a doomed group of convicts sent to complete a suicide mission. The first two books in this series, 13^th Legion and Kill Team, were so much fun, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the rest of the Last Chancers books. Grudge Bearer was the first Warhammer Fantasy novel of his I have read and it proved to be an excellent book that focussed on some of the most entertaining and determined figures in the Warhammer Fantasy canon, the dwarfs.

Plot Synopsis:

When his father dies, Barundin, prince of Zhufbar, becomes king of that realm and lord of one of the mightiest outposts of the ancient and powerful dwarf empire. Over the centuries that follow, he sets out to right many of the wrongs done to his people, fulfilling ancient grudges and bringing death to his foes as he wages war against his father’s killers, and strives to protect Zhufbar from the dark forces of Chaos.

Grudge Bearer ended up being quite a fun and quick paced read that I had a wonderful time getting through. As the somewhat sparse plot synopsis above indicates, Grudge Bearer follows Barundin, a prince who becomes king of Zhufbar, a dwarf stronghold after his father’s death in battle. Due to the betrayal of a local human lord whose cowardice resulted in his father’s death, Barundin swears a grudge against the man who betrayed him and becomes determined to get appropriate vengeance. However, before he can marshal enough of his forces and resources to lead an army into an assault on the lord’s castle, he needs to get his realm in order.

As such the book turns into a series of short stories, which cover different periods of Barundin’s reign and the events that lead up to him attempting to settle his grudge. While the first two chapters deal with the events that result in Barundin becoming king, each of the following chapters is essentially a connected short story, that see the protagonist and his forces go up against a series of different traditional Dwarf enemies, including the forces of Chaos, the skaven and goblins, as well as deal with other issues, such as an overly-inventive dwarf engineer and Barundin’s attempts to get married. Each of these stories are pretty intriguing in their own right, giving some fantastic insights into the dwarfs as a race, and they come together to tell an intriguing and action-packed overarching story. Most of these stories result in a pretty typical hack-and-slash battle, and Thorpe has a good eye for action, producing intense and bloody scenes throughout Grudge Bearer. Some of the stories within this book are really cool, and I especially loved the eventual resolution of the grudge against the treacherous human lord and his family, especially as it proves just how ridiculously determined the dwarfs can be. I did think the overall end of Grudge Bearer was a little sudden, especially as it could resulted in one more fantastic battle, but this ended up being a pretty strong and easy to read piece of Warhammer Fantasy fiction.

Now I do have to get a little cynical in that while Grudge Bearer is good, it was a marketing tool to help boost sales for the 6^th edition of the Dwarfs Warhammer Army book that also came out in 2005. I actually recall reading a few extracts from Grudge Bearer that appeared in White Dwarf, so I had a couple of early moments ruined for me. Still, Grudge Bearer was a pretty fun book to read, and Thorpe clearly had fun exploring the lore and diving into what makes the dwarfs tick, both in combat and in real life. The compelling focus on the dwarven grudge was particularly fun, and it was interesting to see how much their desire for vengeance ruled their lives. It also covers several quite a substantial period of Warhammer Fantasy history due to the long lives of the dwarf protagonists, and it was very entertaining to see them watch their human neighbours go through major historical events while the dwarfs constantly remain the same. There was even a tie-in to the Storms of Chaos campaign that happened in the game the year before, so there is a lot going on for established fans. At the same time, Grudge Bearer serves as a pretty good starting point for those readers unfamiliar with either the dwarfs or the Warhammer Fantasy setting and it makes for a great introductory novel.

One thing that I was a little disappointed by in Grudge Bearer is that we didn’t get to see more of the legendary White Dwarf character. The White Dwarf had a pretty major role at the start of the book, and there are even some hints to his origin at the start, but after this initial appearance we never see him again, which I think was a bit of a waste. It would have been cool to see him come back a few times to offer advice or help in battle, possibly while providing more clues to who he really is. I know this is a pretty minor complaint which doesn’t dramatically impact my enjoyment of Grudge Bearer, but it was something that bothered me as I was reading as a wasted opportunity.

Overall, Grudge Bearer was a fun action and lore packed novel that managed to fit in several fantastic and exciting shorter stories. Containing one of the best and compact examinations of the always entertaining dwarf faction you will likely see in a Warhammer Fantasy novel, Grudge Bearer is well worth checking out, especially if you were a fan of the tabletop game and its lore back in the day.

Throwback Thursday – Lord of the Night by Simon Spurrier

On December 9, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, Throwback Thursday, Warhammer4 Comments

Lord of the Night Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Paperback – 25 January 2005)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 413 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Welcome back to my Throwback Thursday series, where I republish old reviews, review books I have read before or review older books I have only just had a chance to read. This week I check out an impressive and dark older entry from the excellent Warhammer 40,000 extended universe, Lord of the Night by Simon Spurrier.

Readers of this blog will know that I have a lot of love for the always intense and fun Warhammer 40,000 fiction, having read quite a bit of it this year. One of the better older pieces of this fiction I managed to check out this year was the awesome novel Lord of the Night by acclaimed author Simon Spurrier. Spurrier is an excellent author who is best known for his work on various graphic novels and comics series across the major companies. I have read a couple of his comics over the years, although my favourite is probably his run on the original Doctor Aphra series (check out my reviews for the awesome volumes Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon and A Rogue’s End). Spurrier also wrote several Warhammer 40,000 novels back in the mid-2000s, including the highly regarded Lord of the Night. I was lucky enough to get a copy of Lord of the Night second-hand, and I ended up reading it while away on holiday. Unsurprisingly I loved it, as Spurrier came up with a powerful story about two complex characters caught up in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Interrogator Mita Ashyn of the Ordo Xenos is newly arrived in the service of veteran Inquisitor Kaustus after the death of her previous master. Desperately trying to earn her place amongst the Inquisitor’s haughty acolytes and her mysterious new master, Mita is isolated due to the taint associated with her advanced psychic powers. Seeking alien cultists on the hive-world of Equixus, Mita is tasked with rooting out minor corruption and heresy. However, when an ancient ship crash lands on the planet, Mita receives psychic warnings of a dark and terrible foe.

Ten thousand years ago at the end of the Horus Heresy, Commander Sahaal was chosen by his crazed Primarch, Konrad Cruz, as the heir to the Night Lords legion of Space Marines. However, before Sahaal could take command of the Legion, his Primarch’s most sacred artefact was stolen, and Sahaal’s pursuit of the thief saw him trapped out in the depths of space for millennia. Awaking on his crashed ship on Equixus, Sahaal finds the artefact gone, stolen by thieves from the planet. Determined to claim lordship of his legion, Sahaal will stop at nothing to reclaim what is rightfully his, no matter how many people he has to kill.

As Sahaal begins a deadly campaign of fear in the underbelly of Equixus, Mita appears to be the only person in the Inquisitor’s retinue concerned about the danger. Working against the wishes of her master, Mita attempts to destroy the traitor Astartes that has invaded the city before it is too late. However, Sahaal is a master of urban warfare and soon his solo campaign of destruction has the entire hive on its knees. As the two lost souls move to confront each other, they soon discover that there are even greater secrets at work than either of them realises, and soon the fate of Equixus hangs in the balance.

This was a powerful and compelling Warhammer 40,000 story from Spurrier that had me hooked from the very beginning. Focussed on the two unique perspective characters of Mita and Sahaal, Spurrier sets up an intriguing and vicious story with great thriller elements in a fantastic and gloomy hive-city setting. Starting off with some effective set-up that introduces both protagonists and their complex lives, Lord of the Night soon evolves into an impressive cat and mouse scenario between the two as Mita fights to stop Sahaal before he recovers his prize and destroys the city from within.

This leads to all manner of chaos and destruction, as Sahaal initiates a brutal urban warfare campaign by enlisting the help of a curious raft of unconventional allies, while Mita manipulates the city’s official resources to her use. While this battle rages, Spurrier also introduces some compelling and highly important side storylines which see Mita trying to gain the respect and aid of her secretive Inquisitor master, while Sahaal comes to terms with his missing years, his complex past, and what it is to be a Night Lord. This leads up to several great confrontations before all the characters finally come together a brutal final sequence. There are some great reveals here, especially about who is pulling all the strings surrounding the characters, and I loved some the brilliant twists that emerged. The book ends on a pretty dark note, with both protagonists getting what they wanted, even though it nearly destroys them, and this ended up being quite an epic and captivating read.

I love how dark and intense Spurrier made this novel, and it has such an elaborate and complex narrative surrounding it. The split between the two main characters works extremely well to tell an elaborate and multilayered story, and I enjoyed how the two separate arcs bounced off each other, with both dealing with betrayals, personal lows and the realisation that nothing is as it seems. The grim setting of the hive city is also very impressive, and there is a reason that Warhammer 40,000 authors use it as a prime location for their stories. The multiple layers of tunnels, caverns, and cityscapes makes for an outstanding background to this story of urban warfare and bloody revenge, and you can easily feel the confinement, corruption and fear that Spurrier envisions in this epic location.

Lord of the Night also turns out to be quite an impressive and elaborate piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction. Spurrier clearly has a great appreciation and love for the lore, and it really shows in his portrayal of both a secretive Inquisitor squad and the Night Lords Space Marines. While Inquisitors are well covered in Warhammer 40,000 fiction, such as the Eisenhorn books by Dan Abnett (Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus), I personally loved seeing a book focussing on a Night Lord, especially as they are a little unrepresented in the extended universe fiction. Spurrier really dives into what it is to be a Night Lord, especially during the Horus Heresy and before their full corruption, and his primary Night Lord character gives the reader a full course on how to terrorise and manipulate a city to get what you want. It was so cool to see a Night Lord in all his fear-bringing glory, and it made for quite a dark and bloody read as a result. Spurrier also does a great job of exploring some of the wider lore of the Warhammer 40,000 universe and working it into the plot of Lord of the Night. This ensures that readers a little less familiar with the canon can enjoy this book fairly easily and not have to worry about external lore details. That being said, fans of the franchise are always going to get a little more out this book and Lord of the Night proved to be a particularly good earlier novel in the canon, especially with its great insights into both the protagonist and antagonist.

One of the things that I most liked about Lord of the Night was the complex and impressive protagonists that the story was set around. Despite being on different sides, Mita Ashyn and Sahaal have a lot in common with each other, having been lost and reviled in various different ways. Mita proves to be a great example of how dark and unfair the Warhammer 40,000 universe is, as the thing that makes her a useful servant to the Imperium, her psychic abilities, also ensures that everyone sees her as unclean and tainted. Watching her desperately trying to prove herself to the Inquisitor, his cronies, and the people of Equixus, only to be rejected and reviled, is very heartbreaking, and you can’t help but feel for Mita as she is routinely betrayed, spurned, or ignored. Spurrier does some wonderful work with Mita as Lord of the Night continues, and it was great to see her find her confidence, fight back against those who oppress her, and start to question her superior and the teachings that bound her and her powers. Watching her come to terms with her place in the Imperium, and still try to do the right thing was extremely powerful, and it leads to some impressive and emotionally charged scenes.

Sahaal also prove to be a surprisingly deep and complex character to follow. Before reading Lord of the Night, I thought Sahaal would be a deranged Chaos Space Marine, and indeed the first few scenes with Sahaal show him to be a deadly and remorseless killer who uses terror as an effective weapon. However, as the book continues, you start to realise that there is more to Sahaal than meets the eyes. While he kills to achieve his goals, often in brutal ways, some of the interactions he has with his surprising allies, as well as a series of compelling flashbacks, paint him in a somewhat noble light defined by his loyalty to his Primarch and his ideals for control and order. This paints a bit more as a victim of circumstance rather than a full Chaos infected traitor, and it was fascinating to see him act very differently from other antagonistic Space Marines characters. There are some intriguing hidden depths to Sahaal that are revealed towards the end of the book, especially when certain manipulations are uncovered, and there are some good revelations regarding his actual mindset and mental status. I also loved the scene where he is finally reunited with his beloved Legion, only to realise just how far they have fallen in his absence. Sahaal ends up having some intriguing interactions with Mita throughout the course of the book, and the two play off each other perfectly, representing different angles of betrayal, loyalty and misunderstood misuse. I deeply appreciated how well Spurrier utilised both of these point of view characters in Lord of the Night and the helped to turn this into quite an amazing read.

Overall, Lord of the Night was an exceptional read and a wonderful piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction. Simon Spurrier does an excellent job of bringing together two amazing, misunderstood characters together in a brutal battle across a terrified city and I was hooked the entire way through this plot. Clever, intense, and loaded with some intriguing pieces of Warhammer lore, Lord of the Night is an outstanding read and it was one of the better pre-2023 Warhammer 40,000 novels I enjoyed in 2023.

WWW Wednesday – 6 December 2023

On December 7, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme 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 Mystery Guest by Nita Prose (Trade Paperback)

The Mystery Guest Cover

I have just started reading the new murder mystery from Nita Prose, The Mystery Guest. The intriguing sequel to Prose’s first novel, The Maid, The Mystery Guest features another compelling murder, seen through the eyes of Prose’s unique protagonist. I’ve only made a little progress on The Mystery Guest but it is so far proving to be an excellent read with a great set up. I am hoping to finish it off in the next couple of days and I look forward to Prose’s twisty conclusion.

Murtagh by Christopher Paolini (Audiobook)

Murtagh Cover

I am still getting through the new Christopher Paolini novel, Murtagh, although I haven’t made as much progress as I would have liked. The sequel to Paolini’s iconic Inheritance Cycle, Murtagh follows the exploits of the damaged dragon rider Murtagh a year after being freed from the control of his evil lord. I am about two thirds of the way through Murtagh at the moment and I am pretty hooked on the elaborate story that shows a whole new angle to Paolini’s elaborate fantasy world. I am hoping to finish off Murtagh in the next week, but I’ll have to see how I go.

What did you recently finish reading?

House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky (ebook)

House of Open Wounds Cover

I had an outstanding time getting through Adrian Tchaikovsky’s latest elaborate book, House of Open Wounds. The amazing sequel to Tchaikovsky’s epic and impressive City of Last Chances, House of Open Wounds was such an incredible read, with complex characters, clever scenarios, and a ton of heart. One of the best fantasy novels of 2023, I’m hoping to get a review up for it soon.

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson (Trade Paperback)

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect Cover

A twisty and extremely hilarious Australian murder mystery that makes fun of so many different tropes and conventions of classic crime fiction. Highly recommended!

Vendetta by Sarah Barrie (Trade Paperback)

Vendetta Cover

A brilliantly dark and gritty Australian crime fiction read that pits a maverick police office against the ghosts of her past. One of Barrie’s best books yet!

What do you think you’ll read next?

West Heart Kill by Dann McDorman

West Heart Kill Cover

The next book I am hoping to dive into is the intriguing murder mystery debut, West Heart Kill by Dann McDorman. An apparently meta-murder mystery, West Heart Kill has an awesome classic murder mystery scenario behind it that McDorman twists to tell a unique story. I have heard some good things about West Heart Kill and I cannot wait to check it out.

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.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

On December 6, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, Science Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday4 Comments

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. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest post I highlight an outstanding upcoming murder mystery novel with a fun science fiction twist that I am extremely keen to check out in 2024 with The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton.

The Last Murder at the End of the World Cover

2024 is already shaping up to be an excellent year for books and I am even more excited because there is a new Stuart Turton novel coming out in the next few months. Turton is an outstanding author whose debut novel, The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (also released as The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle) deeply impressed me back in 2018. Featuring an elaborate murder mystery plot enhanced by clever science fiction elements, this great novel forced a protagonist to jump across the bodies of several different suspects to figure out who was behind a mysterious death. This was honestly such a brilliant and highly unique read that ended up being one of my favourite books of 2018.

While I unfortunately haven’t had the chance to read his second novel, The Devil and the Dark Water (maybe a good book to check out this Christmas), I am still very keen for any additional content from Turton and I was excited when I saw he had a new book coming out in May 2024. This new novel is The Last Murder at the End of the World and it looks like Turton is going to present another compelling murder mystery/science fiction hybrid.

Plot Synopsis:

Solve the murder to save what’s left of the world.

Outside the island there is the world destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched. On the island it is idyllic. 122 villagers and 3 scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they’re told by the scientists.

Until, to the horror of the islanders, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And they learn the murder has triggered a lowering of the security system around the island, the only thing that was keeping the fog at bay.

If the murder isn’t solved within 92 hours, the fog will smother the island – and everyone on it.

But the security system has also wiped everyone’s memories of exactly what happened the night before, which means that someone on the island is a murderer – and they don’t even know it…

The outstanding new high concept murder mystery from the Sunday Times bestselling and Costa Book Award winning author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle . An ingenious puzzle, an extraordinary backdrop, an audacious solution.

I love the sound of the epic plot above and I reminds me a lot of The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle in terms of it having a complicated scenario serving as the compelling background to a murder investigation. The idea of a murder taking place in a post-apocalyptic society is pretty solid on its own, but throw in a mysterious fog, elaborate security systems and the fact that everyone, including the killer has forgotten the events of the night in question, and you have all the components for a highly compelling read. I cannot wait to see how Turton works all these elements into his new mystery and I’m sure it will make for quite a compelling and intense novel.

I am also quite intrigued by the cool setting the book is taking place in. A remote island that survived a world-ending event is pretty interesting and it will be fun if we get some history about how that came about. I’m getting some major The Island or The Village vibes from the sounds of this scenario (it’s totally going to be some form of experiment or social study), and I am quite intrigued to see if I’m right about that.

Overall, I am very excited for The Last Murder at the End of the World and I have some very high hopes for it when it comes out in May next year. Turton already has a proven skill of combining elaborate science fiction scenarios with murder mysteries and The Last Murder at the End of the World should turn out to be pretty epic as a result. I am fully expecting this upcoming book to be pretty damn exceptional and I cannot wait to see how Turton messes with my mind this time.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Pre-2023 Novels

On December 5, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List13 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. This week participants of Top Ten Tuesday get a freebie to list whatever topics they want. So, I am going to take this opportunity to start my annual end-of-year lists here by looking at my favourite pre-2023 novels that I read this year.

Each December I have a lot of fun looking at some of the best and most impressive books and comics that I have read throughout the year in a series of Top Ten Lists. While these lists will mostly focus on books that came out in 2023, for the last few years, I have also taken the time to list out some of the best older novels that I have read in the last 12 months. There are some excellent novels that were released pre-2023 out there that I haven’t had the chance to read before, and it is always fun to go back and explore them. I ended up reading a bunch of awesome older books throughout 2023, including some pretty incredible novels that got easy five-star ratings from me and are really worth checking out.

To come up with this list I had a look at all the novels I read this year that had their initial release before 2023. This proved to be a momentous task, as 2023 was a year where I spent a lot of time reading and listening to a ton of older books, including quite a few Warhammer 40,000 books. There were so many awesome older novels I got through this year, that I honestly couldn’t fit it all into a Top Ten list. Instead, I turned this into a pretty expansive Top 20 list, just to highlight how much fun I had with older books this year. This mega list ended up containing an interesting combination of novels, although there was a bit of an overload of entries from the Dresden Files’ series by Jim Butcher and Warhammer 40,000 novels, both of which I really got into throughout this year. Indeed, it got a little bad that I ended up combining several of these novels into a single entry, just to diversify it up a bit. While I might be cheating in places, this list honestly reflects the best pre-2023 novels I read throughout the year, so let us see what made the cut.

Top Twenty List (by release year):

Gaunt’s Ghosts novels by Dan Abnett – 2000-2002

Warhammer 40,000 - Necropolis Cover

If this list is going to show anything it is that 2023 was the year that I really started diving into older pieces of Warhammer 40,000 fiction and boy did I have fun doing so. One of the most important of these series is the Gaunt’s Ghost books by Dan Abnett. Generally considered the most seminal series of the entire Warhammer 40,000 franchise, the Gaunt’s Ghosts books are a compelling and moving military fiction series that follow the common human soldier as they face the worst horrors the Warhammer 40,000 universe has to offer. I ended up reading four Gaunt’s Ghosts books in 2023, including Ghostmaker, Necropolis, Honour Guard and The Guns of Tanith. Each novel had an outstanding story behind it and I loved seeing the great characters continue to evolve in each entry. Compelling, intense and very addictive, each book was worthy of its own entry on this list, although I combined all four into this one entry to add more diversity. I am hoping to really dive into this series next year and I cannot wait to see what happens next.

13th Legion and Kill Team by Gav Thorpe – 2000-2001

13th Legion Cover 2

Another cool, older Warhammer 40,000 series I started reading in 2023 was the fantastic Last Chancers books by Gav Thorpe. Essentially The Dirty Dozen in space, the Last Chancers books follow an elite squad of condemned soldiers as they pull off suicidal missions hoping to receive a pardon. I had an incredible time with the first two books in this series, 13^th Legion and Kill Team, and I loved the intense action, compelling characters and insane scenarios. I am hoping to get the rest of the series in 2024 and I cannot wait to see what chaos the Last Chancers cause next.

Eisenhorn Trilogy by Dan Abnett – 2001-2002

Warhammer 40,000 - Xenos Cover

Another major Warhammer 40,000 series from Dan Abnett that I finally got around to reading this year is the iconic Eisenhorn trilogy. Made up of Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus, the Eisenhorn books follow the titular Inquisitor Eisenhorn as he faces off against dangerous aliens and the forces of Chaos seeking to destroy humanity from within. All three books in this trilogy are so damn good, and I love how they showed an interesting progression of internal corruption as the principled Eisenhorn begins to use darker methods to fight his war, even using the tainted weapons of his enemy. An outstanding series that all Warhammer 40,000 fans need to read, I cannot recommend these books enough and this trilogy is a worthy entry for this list.

Giantslayer by William King – 2003

Giantslayer Cover

While I mostly read the science fiction focussed Warhammer 40,000 books this year, I also dove back into the Warhammer Fantasy universe as well with another cool Gotrek and Felix book, Giantslayer. Following a doomed dwarf slayer and his human companion as they battle through a mysterious magical island, Giantslayer was a pretty fun entry to this already great series and I loved seeing these fantastic characters again. Giantslayer marked William King’s last entry on this long running series and I look forward to seeing how the series evolved under Nathan Long when I read the next book, Orcslayer.

For the Emperor and Caves of Ice by Sandy Mitchell – 2003-2004

Warhammer 40,000 - For the Emperor Cover

One of the more distinctive and beloved Warhammer 40,000 series is the fun Ciaphas Cain books by Sandy Mitchell. Following a famous and heroic Imperial Commissar who is actually a massive coward, the Ciaphas Cain books are often more comedy than serious action, as Cain tries to do everything he can to avoid danger, only to be thrust into the middle of the battle against his will. I have been meaning to dive into this series for a while and I finally got the chance to read the first two books in the series, For the Emperor and Caves of Ice this year. Both are amazing reads and I really have to highlight their outstanding audiobook formats that feature three outstanding narrators. Some of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 books out there, the Ciaphas Cain books live up to all the hype around them and I cannot wait to read more of them in the future.

Blood Angels: Deus Encarmine by James Swallow – 2004

Deus Encarmine

A powerful and exciting read that sees members of the iconic Blood Angels chapter of Space Marines, fall under the sway of a new champion of their order. However, not everything is as it seems, and one Blood Angel seeks to find the truth before war and zealotry destroys him.

Lord of the Night by Simon Spurrier – 2005

Lord of the Night Cover

A fantastic, dark and compelling Warhammer 40,000 novel that pits an ostracised psychic against the personification of fear in a Night Lords Space Marine in a desolate and decaying city. Lord of the Night was an outstanding piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction that I am planning to review fully in my next upcoming Throwback Thursday post. Highly recommended.

Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher – 2006-2012

Ghost Story Cover

Ok, so I’m kind of going a bit overboard with this entry as I’m actually covering six different books here. Readers of this blog will be aware I have been having fun getting through the awesome Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher over the last couple of years, and it has been a pretty epic experience. I really picked up my Dresden Files game in 2023 as I ended up listening to six books, including Dead Beat, Proven Guilty, White Night, Small Favour, Turn Coat, Changes and Ghost Story. All six were exceptional five-star reads and would have taken up a spot on this list each if I hadn’t combined them into one entry here. I had such a brilliant time with these Dresden Files novels in 2023 and Butcher tells some elaborate, entertaining and emotionally charged tales in this iconic urban fantasy series. I am hoping to finish it off in the new year, but before I do make sure to check out the linked reviews for books 7-13 above.

Mr Mercedes by Stephen King – 2014

Mr Mercedes Book Two

In anticipation for the release of the new Stephen King novel, Holly (which is going to top a bunch of my end-of-year best of lists), I went back and read the book she was introduced in, Mr Mercedes. A slick, powerful and intense thriller, Mr Mercedes was an absolute riot, with complicated characters, unique crimes and one of the best games of cat-and-mouse you are likely to see. An outstanding read from one of the best authors of all-time, this is such a highly recommended read, especially if you loved King’s latest book.

Kingsblade by Andy Clark – 2017

Kingsblade Cover

I had to include the action-packed extravaganza that was Kingsblade on this list. Written by the highly talented Andy Clark (who impressed me last year with Steel Tread), Kingsblade is a great Warhammer 40,000 novel loaded with explosions, battles and war. Focussing on the legendary Imperial Knights, nobles who fight in deadly mecha, Kingsblade is set in the middle of a brutal war where a newly crowned king must contend with the very worst of treachery. A particularly exciting book, Kingsblade was so much fun and I’m glad I got to check it out this year.

Flesh and Steel by Guy Haley – 2020

Flesh and Steel Cover

A cool Warhammer 40,000 sub-series I had an excellent time exploring in 2023 was the Warhammer Crime series of books. Set in a massive and corrupt city, the Warhammer Crime books each recount a unique criminal investigation that could only take place in that sort of setting. Flesh and Steel was a great example of this, as it featured a distinctive buddy-cop storyline with a disinherited heir and a machine priest teaming up to work out why lobotomised machine/human hybrids are suddenly killing people. A fantastic and impressive novel that is really worth checking out.

The Infinite and the Divine by Robert Rath – 2020

The Infinite and the Divine Cover

One of the absolute best Warhammer 40,000 novels I enjoyed in 2023 was The Infinite and the Divine. Focussing on two eternal rivals as they plot and scheme across the millennia to obtain a rare artifact, The Infinite and the Divine is a brilliant read that gets funnier and funnier with each passing scene. Watching two typically taciturn and serious immortals devolve into petty children as the rivalry continues is so damn good, and Rath builds such an outstanding story around it. I loved this book so much and it got a full five-star rating from me.

Sepulturum by Nick Kyme – 2020

Warhammer 40,000 Sepulturum Cover

Another fun and gruesome Warhammer 40,000 novel, Sepulturum is part of the Warhammer Horror range and is set in a dying city overrun by zombies. Scary, fast-paced, and filled with some interesting twists, Sepulturum is a great read for those after an exciting horror story in the Warhammer universe.

Bloodlines by Chris Wraight – 2020

Warhammer 40,000 - Bloodlines Cover

Probably one of the most impressive Warhammer Crime books I read all year was the outstanding and elaborate Bloodlines by Chris Wraight. Featuring a much more standard crime fiction storyline about gangs, illicit dealings and missing heirs, Bloodlines was a fascinating book that still made great use of its impressive setting. The main crime fiction storyline, combined with the tired protagonist and the unique crime, really resonated with me and I loved how well a classic cop story could come across in this setting. This book desperately needs a sequel and I hope we see more books from Chris Wraight soon.

The Sandman: Act II by Neil Gaiman – 2021

The Sandman - Act II Cover

I managed to finish off the second audiobook adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s epic comic The Sandman this year. Featuring two impressive central storylines, as well as multiple intriguing standalone tales, Act II of The Sandman continues to tell the complex and dark tale of Morpheus, the personification of dreams, as he faces off against dangerous threats and elaborate games from other immortals. Complex, highly inventive and featuring an outstanding voicecast, this epic audiobook is such an amazing way to enjoy this excellent comic and I cannot recommend it enough.

Grim Repast by Marc Collins – 2021

Warhammer 40,000 - Grim Repast Cover

The final Warhammer Crime novels I want to highlight on this list is the outstanding read, Grim Repast. A grim and dark novel that leans heavily into the noir traditions, Grim Repast is a particularly bleak read that sees an ostracised detective try to solve a series of murders connected to a corrupt company. This was one of the more memorable and chilling Warhammer 40,000 books I have had the pleasure of reading, and it really encouraged me to check out the other Warhammer Crime entries on this list.

The Maleficent Seven by Cameron Johnston – 2021

The Maleficent Seven Cover 2

After falling in love with Johnston’s first two novels, The Traitor God and God of Broken Things, I have been hoping to read his next dark fantasy novel, The Maleficent Seven, since it came out in 2021. I finally got the chance to read it while away on holiday and boy was I missing out. Pitting seven monstrous former comrades against a dangerous army of religious fanatics in a deadly siege scenario, The Maleficent Seven was an intense and action-packed read that I had such a hard time putting down. I really regret not reading this book sooner and I will try to get a proper review up for it soon.

Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 2022

Ogres Cover

One of the things I most regretted not reading in 2022 was the cool novella Ogres. Written by Adrian Tchaikovsky, an author I am growing to love more and more each year, Ogres was an intriguing sounding read that many people gushed about when it first came out. I ended up listening to the audiobook version of Ogres in advance of reading a more recent Tchaikovsky novel, City of Last Chances, and it turned out to be such a clever read. Set in a world where ogres rule, Ogres was a captivating tale of revolution and deceit, with some excellent social commentary included. One of the more unique stories I read all year, this was everything I hoped it would be and more.

Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans – 2022

Notorious Sorcerer Cover

A cool and unique fantasy novel from last year, Notorious Sorcerer had been on my to-read list for a while and I finally got the chance this year while on holiday. Featuring a great story with a complex magical system, Notorious Sorcerer was a fine book and I’m hoping to get a review up for it soon.

Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham – 2022

Age of Ash Cover

The final pre-2023 book I want to highlight on this list is the outstanding fantasy read, Age of Ash by one half of the team behind The Expanse, Daniel Abraham. Set in an elaborate fantasy city loaded with secrets and lies, Age of Ash follows several complex protagonists as they try to survive the chaos following the sudden ascension of a new ruler. I had a great time with this book, and I’m hoping to check out the next entry soon, especially as it apparently has a compelling, multi-layered story that ties into the first book in a unique way.

And that is the end of this list. As you can see, I have managed to read a huge number of epic pre-2023 releases this year. Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend them, especially if you are in the mood for some fun fantasy or science fiction adventures. I look forward to reading some other older books in 2024, and it will be interesting to see what makes my next version of this list then. I imagine it will end up looking a little similar, especially as I have plans to finish off the Dresden Files, as well as examining some other outstanding Warhammer novels. Make sure to check back in next week for some other end-of-year lists as I continue to highlight some of my favourite reads from 2023.

Book Haul – 4 December 2023

On December 4, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

I have been having an excellent couple of weeks for book, as I have been lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from some of my local publishers and from Netgalley. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including some books that have the potential to be the top novels of 2023 and early 2024. I am extremely keen to check out all of the books below and they should make for some amazing reads.

Resurrection by Michael Connelly

Resurrection Walk Cover

I got Resurrection Walk a while ago but I haven’t had a chance to really highlight it on this blog yet. The cool and epic new book from Michael Connelly, Resurrection Walk sees the return of two of the author’s main protagonists and they solve a complex and intriguing case. I had a brilliant time already reading Resurrection Walk and I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.

Vendetta by Sarah Barrie

Vendetta Cover

I was also very happy to receive a copy of the new Sarah Barrie novel, Vendetta. The sequel to Barrie’s previous novels, Unforgiven and Retribution, Vendetta will see the series’ maverick protagonist go up against bikie gangs and revenge driven bombers in an excellent piece of Australian crime fiction. I have actually already started reading Vendetta and it is proving to be an excellent and captivating read.

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

The Mystery Guest Cover

Another excellent book I recently picked up was the intriguing novel, The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose. The sequel to Prose’s unique debut, The Maid, The Mystery Guest will follow the author’s compelling protagonist as she finds herself involved in another murder at her hotel. I am hoping to read this book next and it should be quite a fun read.

Extinction by Douglas Preston

Extinction Cover

A fantastic novel from early 2024 that sees a brutal series of murders take place in an advanced biological zoo filled with resurrected creatures from prehistory. This book sounds so incredibly awesome, and I cannot wait to dive into it.

Dark Arena by Jack Beaumont

Dark Arena Cover

A compelling and impressive thriller that will serve as a sequel to Beaumont’s explosive debut, The Frenchman.

West Heart Kill by Dann McDorman

West Heart Kill Cover

One of the most intriguing books I recently received was the compelling debut, West Heart Kill. Marketed as a unique take on the murder mystery genre, West Heart Kill will apparently present a classic crime fiction scenario and completely turn it on its head. This sounds like such a fantastic read and I cannot wait to dive into it.

The Watch Maker’s Hand by Jeffery Deaver

The Watch Maker's Hand Cover

The latest intriguing Lincoln Rhyme thriller from Jeffery Deaver, this new awesome book will see Deaver’s protagonist attempt to stop a series of deadly attacks on New York City.

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

The Christmas Guest Cover

A cool and twisty Christmas themed novella from the always impressive Peter Swanson.

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

Bookshops & Bonedust Cover

After wowing the world with his beloved novel, Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree presents another cozy fantasy novel, this time a prequel set inside a second-hand bookshop. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading Legends & Lattes but I like the sound of Bookshops & Bonedust and I’m sure I will have fun with it.

The Wiregrass by Adrian Hyland

The Wiregrass Cover

The final book that I want to highlight in this book haul post is the cool sounding thriller, The Wiregrass, by bestselling author Adrian Hyland. This sounds like another excellent read and I look forward to diving into it.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.

Kill Your Husbands by Jack Heath

On December 2, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller7 Comments

Kill Your Husbands Cover

Publisher: Allen & Unwin Australia (Trade Paperback – 28 November 2023)

Series: Kill Your Brother – Book Two

Length: 384 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

One of my favourite Australian authors, the scarily good Jack Heath, returns with another twisted and brilliant thriller, Kill Your Husbands.

Easily one of the best Australian thriller authors at the moment has to be the always impressive Jack Heath. Hailing from my hometown of Canberra, Heath has written a compelling range of epic thrillers over the years, all of which have been fun and captivating in their own way. I am a major fan of his Timothy Blake series (check out my reviews for Hideout and Headcase), which follows the gruesome adventures of a murder-solving cannibal. Heath has also produced several other great standalone or Australian series, including his 2021 novel, Kill Your Brother. An intense and shocking thriller that forced a highly damaged protagonist to choose between killing her guilty brother or dying herself, Kill Your Brother was one of the best pieces of Australian fiction in 2021 and I had such a great time reading it. As such, when I saw that Heath had a new Australian thriller coming out this year, I was very excited, especially when I found out it was a sequel to Kill Your Brother. This new book, Kill Your Husbands, had a wicked plot synopsis, and I fell in love with it the moment I read it. One of my most anticipated books for the second half of 2023, Kill Your Husbands was a shocking read that I had so much fun with.

It was supposed to be a relaxing weekend away for three couples, longtime friends since school the six overworked and stressed adults decide to escape their taxing lives for a weekend up in the mountains. With no internet or cell reception, their getaway was supposed to be a quiet time of drinking and bushwalking. However, after the topic of partner-swapping is raised on the first night, the entire mood of the weekend shifts. What starts as a joke soon turns into an elaborate plan to ensure anonymity between partners, with the lights turned off and the men choosing a bedroom at random. No one will know who they’ve been with, and no one will ever be certain if they slept with anyone other than their spouse.

However, when the lights come back on, one of the participants is missing. A search soon reveals their body outside, clearly the victim of a violent attack. With no cell reception and the keys to the cars missing, the remaining five people quickly become suspicious of the other survivors. As the weekend continues and more people begin to disappear and die, old wounds, festering grudges and decaying relationships come to the fore, turning husbands against wives and friend against friend.

Two weeks later, Senior Constable Kiara Lui returns to the murder scene with her girlfriend, Elise. Having interviewed the survivors, Kiara is certain at least one of them is lying and the killer is within her grasp. Kiara knows that the answers lie within the house, but with strange occurrences occurring around the property, one person still missing, and her own girlfriend’s strange behaviour starting to concern her, can Kiara break through all the lies and secrets and find the truth before the killer strikes again?

This was another excellent and thrilling read from Heath, who pulls together another insane, yet highly clever, mystery that you really cannot put down. Making full use of Heath’s outrageous plot, Kill Your Husbands is a dark and twisty novel that I had so much fun reading and which is easily one of the best pieces of Australian fiction I have read all year.

I loved the unique, memorable and very twisted central idea that Heath came up with for Kill Your Husbands, as murderous partner swapping is honestly it was one of the more amusing and outrageous plot focuses I have seen. Starting off with a quick introduction sequence, the reader is soon enthralled in split focus narrative throughout Kill Your Husbands as half the chapters recount the weekend of the murders and the events leading up to the killings, while the rest of the chapters are set after the murders and focus on Senior Constable Kiara Lui, a supporting character from Kill Your Brother, as she attempts to solve the crime. This proves to be a very clever and impressive way to showcase the plot, and I loved the simultaneous look at the investigation, the weekend in question, and all the key events that led up to the crime. Both separate storylines are very interesting and compelling in their own way, especially as they paint two different pictures of the chaotic events in question. Thanks to Heath using first names during the chapters set in the past and only referring to surnames when it comes to the later investigation, you don’t get any spoilers about what is going to happen during the weekend. As such, it isn’t until the end of the book that you are completely certain about who dies and who survives, and this allows you to remain on the edge of your seat as your watch the chaotic events unfold.

Heath paces out both arcs of the story extremely well, and they work well together to tell an intriguing and powerful story. The scenes set in the past tell a powerful and character-driven tale, with flashbacks to prior interactions, details about their turbulent relationships, and a great range of petty slights that ensure everyone had a motive for killing the rest of the group. Heath ensures that the characters are all stewing in this during the early chapters in the mountain before the partner swapping scene occurs. The author sets this up perfectly, with the subterfuge, secret plans, and hidden desires all coming into their choices, and the resulting chaos sufficiently messing with them. As such, all of them are primed to be the killer when the first victim emerges, and the subsequent environment of fear, suspicion and hatred make for some outstanding scenes, especially when all their secrets come to light.

At the same time, the reader gets a fantastic look at the ongoing investigation being undertaken by Kiara as she tries to get to grips with the case. There are some great scenes here, especially as Kiara independently uncovers the secrets of the three married couples, which works into the other timeline extremely well. There are some fun moments in this part of the investigation, especially when Kiara and Elise make the interesting decision to book out the murder house for a holiday so they can try and find some answers, while also dealing with their own intense personal issues. While there are some excellent moments in this part of the book, the investigation angle of Kill Your Husbands is the weaker half of the novel, mostly because it lacks the juicy details the lead up to all the murders. I also didn’t think that Heath needed to shoehorn in the characters from Kill Your Brother into the plot, as fresh new police protagonists would have also been just as effective. Still this second half of the book was very fascinating, and the clues revealed within give you some great hints about who the killer is and how they got away with it.

The eventual solution for Kill Your Husbands is exceedingly clever, and I really liked how all the key events of the book played out. The climax of the murderous weekend is pretty damn shocking in its entirety, and I loved just how well Heath managed to keep secret who survived and who died right until the end. The killer’s motivations and the events that drove them to it are well set out, and the scenes where they commit their crimes really drive home just how dangerous they are. Certain other reveals towards the end of the book, especially when Kiara gets close to the truth, reveal just how clever this entire story is, and I loved how certain innocuous mentions or clues are well utilised later in the story. The entire solution of the book, as well as the final confrontation between Kiara and the killer are just perfect, and you will come away from Kill Your Husbands extremely satisfied after travelling through such a captivating, unique and brilliant mystery.

This elaborate story and murder mystery wouldn’t be possible without the great characters featured in Kill Your Husbands. I particularly loved the six friends who journeyed to the cabin and who end up being pulled into the deadly partner swapping/murder plot. Heath does a wonderful job of effectively introducing them and you get drawn into their complex lives, filled with emotional damage and occasionally petty problems. While you do feel sorry for some of the characters, most of them are somewhat despicable and unlikeable to a degree, which ensures that are highly interesting and fun in the context of the main murder. I loved how many personal issues and secrets came out as the story progressed, and you really get invested in seeing who the killer is, possibly more than finding out who survived. I loved how fun and interesting these main characters where and Heath did such a great job featuring him in this crazy story.

The other major characters are Senior Constable Kiara Lui and her girlfriend, Elise, who serve as the main figures in the investigation arc of the book. As I mentioned about, Kiara and Elise both appeared in Kill Your Brother, with Elise serving as the main character of that novel. However, Elise takes more of a backseat here with Kiara stepping up and leading the investigation. While I don’t think Kill Your Husbands really needed some of the drama and ongoing trauma surrounding these characters, I did enjoy seeing them still together after the events of Kill Your Brother, and I liked how Heath moved Kiara more to the fore in this book. Kiara was a badass investigator, and it was great to see her try to prove herself while also still concerned about her clearly traumatised girlfriend. For her part, Elise is still trying to prove herself after her controversial past the helpless position she found herself in during the events of Kill Your Brother. As such, she takes some big risks and acts very recklessly in this book, often to the detriment of Kiara’s investigation or emotions. This extra layer of emotional charge ensured that Kill Your Husbands’ plot was a little more convoluted and intense, and I did enjoy seeing these two characters again. That being said, you don’t need to have read Kill Your Brother to full appreciate these characters in this sequel, and you can get the full range of emotions from reading Kill Your Husbands as a standalone read. I honestly came away from Kill Your Husbands very impressed with how Heath introduced and utilised his characters and they were such a distinctive and fun group of figures who were perfect to get wrapped up in a murder.

Overall, Kill Your Husbands was another outstanding and compelling novel from Jack Heath, who continues to show why he is the master of crazy Australian crime fiction. Heath had a lot of fun with his outrageous plot and the way he worked his excellent and damaged characters into this complex murder mystery was very impressive. A captivating and dark read from start to finish, Kill Your Husbands is one of the most memorable and intense Australian thrillers of 2023 and Heath is a must-read author for anyone looking for some truly shocking and mental crime fiction.