Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 7 September 2023.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews for The Pit, The Hidden Book and Ordinary Gods and Monsters.
Tag: Australian
Quick Reviews – Cold People, Code Red and Ordinary Gods and Monsters
In recent weeks, I have been trying to get out reviews of several books I read last year but never got the chance to write anything about. I am hoping to partially rectify that now by publishing quick reviews of three great novels from 2023 I had a fun time reading.
Cold People by Tom Rob Smith
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (Trade Paperback – 1 February 2023)
Series: Standalone
Length: 452 pages
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
The first book I want to quickly review in this post is Cold People by established author Tom Rob Smith. Cold People was an intriguing science fiction read that presented a very unique scenario to the reader.
Plot Synopsis:
The world has fallen. Without warning, a mysterious and omnipotent force has claimed the planet for their own. There are no negotiations, no demands, no reasons given for their actions. All they have is a message: humanity has thirty days to reach the one place on Earth where they will be allowed to exist… Antarctica.
Cold People follows the journeys of a handful of those who endure the frantic exodus to the most extreme environment on the planet. But their goal is not merely to survive the present. Because as they cling to life on the ice, the remnants of their past swept away, they must also confront the urgent challenge: can they change and evolve rapidly enough to ensure humanity’s future? Can they build a new society in the sub-zero cold?
This was a pretty cool (ha ha) story, although I must admit it went in some directions that I really wasn’t expecting. Based on the synopsis, I was expecting Cold People to primarily show the harrowing journey that many different people would take to get to the safety of Antarctica, which would have made for a great story on its own. Instead, only the first section of the book really showcased this journey, which was honestly a rushed introduction to the whole plot. The rest of the book skips ahead many years and dives into showcasing the ongoing struggles that humanity faces whilst trapped in Antarctica. This part of the book then becomes a cautionary tale about genetic modification as various geneticists work to make humans more adaptable to living in the ice, only to unleash something far more dangerous than the alien threat above.
I honestly had some issues with how Cold People is structured. I felt that this book might have been better if the author had either focused fully on the journey to Antarctica or set it completely in the isolated future and explored the journey in flashbacks for several characters. The focus on genetically enhanced humans was also an interesting choice, and while it was primarily to explore how humans are capable of surviving anything, it felt very unrealistic in places and got way out of hand. It was also odd that you really don’t get to find out anything about the mysterious aliens who caused the human exodus, and you are instead left wondering about who or what they were.
Still, there were some great elements to this book. The genetic antagonists are pretty scary, and Smith does a good job diving into the psychology behind them. I also really loved the author’s intriguing insights into the hostility of Antarctica as a continent and how hard it would be to live on it. The clever way Smith built up the background setting to showcase several ingenious ways that humans could potentially adapt and survive in such a scenario was quite fascinating, and it proved to be a great part of the book. As such, Cold People is an interesting novel to check out, and many readers will appreciate Smith’s ideas about humanity and its strong desire to survive.
Code Red by Kyle Mills (Based on the series by Vince Flynn)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (ebook – 4 October 2023)
Series: Mitch Rapp – Book 22
Length: 352 pages
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
The next book I want to highlight here is Code Red by Kyle Mills, which served as the 22nd entry in the long-running Mitch Rapp series that was originally written by the late Vince Flynn. Following a hyperviolent veteran American spy as he goes up against a range of deadly threats in unusual thriller situations, the Mitch Rapp books are a key part of my yearly reading schedule, and I have really enjoyed several of the latest entries, including Red War, Lethal Agent, Total Power, Enemy at the Gates and Oath of Loyalty.
Plot Synopsis:
Mitch Rapp returns to make a mortal enemy of Russia in this high-octane and up-to-the-minute installment in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from “one of the best thriller writers on the planet” (The Real Book Spy).
Mitch Rapp hates owing anyone a favor—especially when it’s the world’s most powerful crime lord. But when Damian Losa calls, Mitch is honor-bound to answer.
The Syrian government appears to have created a highly addictive new narcotic that it plans to distribute throughout Europe. It’s a major threat to Losa’s business and he’s determined to send someone to keep him on top by any means necessary. Rapp is the perfect choice for the mission. Not only does he have extensive experience operating in the Middle East, but he’s also entirely expendable. As he crosses into war-torn Syria, Rapp quickly discovers a shocking truth. The new drug isn’t being produced by Damascus to prop up the government’s collapsing finances. Instead, it was created by Russia’s asymmetrical warfare unit, not for profit but as a weapon against the West.
With far more than Damian Losa’s interests at stake, Rapp devises a desperate plan that forces him and his team onto a battlefield where the United States is virtually powerless and allegiances shift almost hourly. Further, if Russia uncovers their plot, it will set off a confrontation between the two countries that could change the course of human history.
This was another exciting entry in the Mitch Rapp books, although I must admit this book wasn’t my absolute favourite novel in the series. Don’t get me wrong, Mills came up with a very compelling story that thrust the protagonist into some dangerous situations as he attempts to repay his debt to the entertaining crime lord Damian Losa. However, in some ways Code Red is a little by the numbers, especially as we have just come off several impressive reads where Rapp was in some very ridiculous or deadly situations, such as a massive power-outage impacting all of America, or the last two books where Rapp found himself at war with a corrupt US President. An infiltration mission into Syria seems a little tame in comparison, so this might have coloured my appreciation for Code Red a little.
Despite this minor complaint, Code Red was a great action-packed read that showcased Mitch Rapp doing what he does best, infiltrating the Middle East and frustrating Russian plans. There are loads of firefights and intense action scenes scattered throughout this book, and I thought the underlying Russian plot to destroy economies and weaken Western society through an addictive drug was very intriguing, especially as it also featured some dark scenes of exploitation and utilisation. Easily read as a standalone novel or as an entry into the wider Mitch Rapp series, Code Red was a fantastic novel that I managed to get through quickly, and it is well worth checking out.
Ordinary Gods and Monsters by Chris Womersley
Publisher: Picador (Trade Paperback – 29 August 2023)
Series: Standalone
Length: 300 pages
My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
The final book I want to feature in this post was the excellent Australian novel, Ordinary Gods and Monsters by Chris Womersley.
Plot Synopsis:
It could have been any summer’s evening, but of course it wasn’t.
It was the end of some things, the beginning of so many others.
Nick Wheatley has finished high school, but he isn’t ready for the rest of his life. His parents are getting divorced, his sister is downright weird and his best friend and neighbour, Marion, seems to have acquired a boyfriend.
One hot night, Marion’s father is killed in a hit-and-run. There are no suspects and no leads. But a sly tip from the local psychic sends Nick and Marion into the undertow of a strange and sinister world they hadn’t known existed in the suburbs – one of inscrutable gangsters, speed-dealing bikies and unpredictable, one-eyed conspiracy theorists.
It’s a world they’ll be lucky to survive.
Ordinary Gods and Monsters was a pretty awesome book from Womersley that proved to be one part crime fiction novel, one part Australian coming-of-age story. Following Nick Wheatley, a young teenager in 1980s suburban Melbourne, as he simultaneously deals with life, complex family issues, and his uncertain relationship with his best friend and neighbour Marion. Life becomes even more complicated when he is forced come to terms with the death of Marion’s father. Thanks to a tip from a drug-dealing psychic, Nick finds himself identifying a series of clues that suggest that Marion’s father was murdered, and he takes it upon himself to investigate.
The resulting story is an interesting mixture of elements that will appeal to a range of different readers. Womersley does an excellent job of portraying the life and difficulties of a teenage protagonist, and I loved the protagonist’s very relatable take on the various events, both mundane and unusual, going on around him. This dramatic, 80’s focused, character-driven storyline blends extremely well with the more crime fiction elements of the book, as the protagonist finds himself becoming more and more involved with searching for the person responsible for Marion’s father’s death. His unlikely investigation adds some exciting spice to an already engrossing coming of age tale, and you get drawn into his attempt to find answers.
The result of this plot is very interesting, especially as the reveal about who is behind everything is well handled and compelling. Womersley also adds in a very compelling final sequence, where Nick and Marion find themselves confronting the perpetrators in a dangerous scenario. The conclusion of this confrontation will leave readers wondering about what truly happened, and which I felt was a great end to this book. An overall excellent piece of Australian fiction that I had a great time reading.
Waiting on Wednesday – The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe
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 Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an excellent upcoming piece of Australian crime fiction with The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe.
As regular readers of this blog will know, I consume a lot of Australian fiction each year, mainly because of my geographic location and the focuses of my local publishers. A large portion of this Australian fiction tends to be crime fiction, with my fellow Australians coming up with an amazing range of thrillers, murder mysteries and other crime-focused reads. Some of the best of these make full use of the Australian setting to tell their compelling stories, and I have become a huge fan of Australian crime fiction as a result. One of my favourite authors coming up with awesome Australian crime fiction is journalist turned author Tim Ayliffe, who has had some great success with his John Bailey books.
The John Bailey novels are an excellent series that follows the titular character, an alcoholic and damaged journalist, as he finds himself involved in a series of dangerous situations related to his investigative stories. Not only do these novels feature captivating thriller storylines and compelling mysteries, but Ayliffe often laces them with intriguing insights into Australian society, featuring plot points that have parallels to real life headlines, social issues or controversies. These include examining foreign interference in Australian politics, terrorism, the growth of right-wing extremism, and the impact of international spies in Australia. As such, I have had a wonderful and thoughtful time with each of the John Bailey novels, and they are often some of the top pieces of Australian fiction I read each year. This includes The Greater Good, State of Fear, The Enemy Within (one of my favourite Australian books of 2021), and Killer Traitor Spy (one of my favourite Australian books of 2023).
Due to how much I have enjoyed Tim Ayliffe’s work in the past I was excited when he recently announced he had a new novel coming out in 2024. That book is The Wrong Man which is currently set for release in early July. The fifth entry in the John Bailey series, The Wrong Man has an amazing plot behind it that I am really excited for.
Plot Synopsis:
The fifth novel in the John Bailey thriller series. Bailey is trying to solve two murders, ten years apart – unfinished business from his former flame Sharon Dexter. But will it cost him his life?
Detective Holly Sutton has been seconded to work with the New South Wales Homicide Squad to investigate the murder of Sydney socialite, Tottie Evans, who was found dead at the Palm Beach home of a millionaire property developer.
Alec Blacksmith isn’t like other real estate guys. He’s a former mercenary soldier who shot to fame after appearing on a reality TV show. Blacksmith is refusing to cooperate with police because he has his own secrets.
John Bailey is an old school reporter with a nose for a story.
He gets a call from the police about a break-in at the house he inherited from his former girlfriend, Sharon Dexter – a cop murdered in the line of duty.
Whoever crowbarred the lock was looking for Dexter’s case file about the murder of a waitress named Sally King at an exclusive Sydney gentlemen’s club a decade earlier. After examining the file, Bailey discovers something that will blow up the Homicide Squad’s investigation into Tottie Evans’s death – a link to the murder of King.
The only problem is that a serial killer is already serving a life sentence for the crime.
Catching killers is Holly Sutton’s job. But for John Bailey, solving the case offers him a chance to finish a job for the woman who saved his life.
I really like the sound of this latest John Bailey novel as it a lot of interesting elements to it. A pure murder mystery focused book will make The Wrong Man stand out a little bit from the previous entries in the series, and I like the scenario that Ayliffe introducing here. Controversial figures, linked murders, and a potentially falsely imprisoned serial killer has some real potential for a narrative, and I cannot wait to see how it unwinds. The inclusion of a controversial soldier as a prominent figure was also interesting to me, and it made me wonder if Ayliffe is going to allude to a high-profile legal case that recently played out in the Australian media. I am also interested in the character of Detective Holly Sutton, and I am looking forward to seeing how she plays off the older John Bailey. Bailey, a damaged figure who has slowly been pulling his life together throughout the series, will also be a great inclusion, and I am curious to see how his character continues to evolve, especially after the additional health issues that were raised in the previous book (those darn Russian sonic weapons).
Based on my previous positive experiences with Tim Ayliffe’s work, I am very keen to get my hands on the new John Bailey book when it comes out in a few months’ time. The Wrong Man has a very exciting and compelling story behind it, and I am keen to find out how it all comes together. I have no doubt that The Wrong Man will probably end up being one of the top Australian novels of 2024 and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.
The Murder Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox
Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 13 February 2024)
Series: The Inn – Book Two
Length: 307 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The superstar writing team of James Patterson and Candice Fox produce another wildly entertaining and captivating read with the impressive and over-the-top thriller, The Murder Inn.
As one of the world’s best-known authors, James Patterson needs very little introduction, especially with a huge range of exciting thrillers and gripping murder mysteries to his name. Patterson has been particularly prolific in recent years, as he has been writing collaboratively with talented authors to create a range of unique reads. I have had a wonderful time reading some of the more recent Patterson collaborative books, including Blow Back with Brendan DuBoise, The Perfect Assassin with Brian Sitts, Lost with James O. Born, Death of the Black Widow with J. D. Barker (one of my favourite books of 2022) and the short story collection 3 Days to Live (featuring three additional authors).
One of my favourite authors that Patterson regularly collaborates with is Australian writer Candice Fox. Fox is one of Australia’s best thriller authors with some great books to her name, including the excellent Crimson Lake series, and impressive standalone thrillers like Fire With Fire, Gathering Dark and The Chase. Patterson and Fox have written several books together in the past, including the highly addictive read, 2 Sisters Detective Agency, which saw two mismatched women forced to investigate a brutal crime after finding out they’re sisters. I really enjoyed the intriguing story this fantastic writing team cooked up and I have been keen to read more from this pairing for a while. I finally got my chance this week as I just got my hands on an early copy of the upcoming thriller by Patterson and Fox, The Murder Inn. The sequel to their previous novel, The Inn, The Murder Inn was a particularly fun and enjoyable book that I powered through in no time at all.
Former Boston police officer Bill Robinson has found his life getting increasingly complicated ever since he set up his little coast-side guesthouse. Known as The Inn by the Sea, the picturesque dwelling in Gloucester, Massachusetts, has become something of a safe house for several unusual long-term boarders, including his former FBI agent girlfriend, the town’s sheriff, disturbed veteran Nick Jones, an elderly former gangster, and other mysterious or outrageous residents. However, trouble always seems to find the occupants of the Inn, especially when secrets from their complex pasts resurface.
Bill Robinson once again finds himself on the receiving end of this trouble after attending a funeral for former police colleague Mark Bulger. While Robison has fond memories of his dead friend, Bulger was a particularly crooked cop, whose secret stash of stolen evidence could put many dangerous people away, including notorious drug lord Norman Driver. When Driver’s thugs come looking for it, the Bulger widow, Shauna, finds herself caught in the crossfire, but she quickly proves that she isn’t the frail old lady everyone thinks she is.
As Shauna embarks on a one-woman crusade against Norman Driver, Robinson tries to help, but his actions only put him and the Inn in the crosshairs of the crime lord. At the same time, he also finds himself trying to uncover the secrets surrounding his best friend, Nick Jones. Nick has been receiving threatening messages regarding his former squad in Afghanistan, whose dark deeds might soon come to light. Caught between criminals, dangerous vigilantes, and a dark killer stalking Nick, the Inn soon finds itself under siege, and not everyone will survive the night.
This was an extremely awesome and compelling read from Patterson and Fox that had me hooked the entire way through. Featuring a great story, loaded with action, intrigue and fun characters, The Murder Inn was an outstanding novel and one that proves near impossible to put down.
The wonderful team of Patterson and Fox came up with an excellent narrative for The Murder Inn that really draws you in quickly. Initially starting with background on side-character Nick Jones, The Murder Inn soon introduces several intriguing storylines as protagonist Bill Robinson finds himself drawn into the various troubles of his residents and friends. What starts as a funeral for a friend soon sees Robinson drawn into a war against a crime lord, as his friend’s widow, the wildly entertaining Shauna Bulger, finds a stash of evidence and then goes to war in the name of justice. At the same time, Robinson finds himself drawn into Jones’s military past, as the consequences of a deadly massacre come to light. Throw in a mysterious guest, personal dramas surrounding the various characters, and other dark secrets emerging, and this proves to be a full and compelling story. This explosive mixture of storylines comes together extremely well as the book continues, and I loved how each of the major characters are expertly explored, especially Shauna and Nick, which allows you to get really drawn into their personal histories and demons. Thanks to a series of betrayals and dark secrets, you are never quite sure who is going to survive this dangerous story, and the constant threat and brushes with death upped the ante in a huge way. I loved some of the great twists and turns that emerged, and Patterson and Fox ensured that parts of the story got wonderfully over-the-top in all the right ways, especially when it comes to key character deaths. This was such a fun and exciting story to read, and I managed to blow through it so damn quickly.
Unsurprisingly, The Murder Inn utilised Patterson’s typical writing style, which I think worked extremely well for this impressive and enjoyable story. The use of a huge number of short, sharp chapters really draws the reader in and sets an incredibly fast pace for the story. Due to how quick these chapters are, and the exciting and constantly evolving story that accompanies it, you honestly have a hard time putting this book down; especially as it is so tempting to read a couple more pages just to see what is going to happen next. This frenetic pace really increases the impact of the story in places, and I loved how well the authors continued to transition between multiple point-of-view characters. The intriguing range of perspectives increased the complexity of the plot, especially as you get to see events through the eyes of all the affected characters, including the villains, and I loved the amazing storylines that emerged as a result. Thanks to this, it proves very hard to stop reading The Murder Inn once you start, and the authors reward you with a ton of great action and some joyfully over-the-top moments. Despite being a sequel, The Murder Inn is essentially a standalone novel, and no knowledge of the previous book is needed to enjoy it. This was such a great story, and the team of Patterson and Fox made sure to display in the best way possible.
Patterson and Fox came up with some great characters for The Murder Inn, and there are some amazingly likeable protagonists showcased throughout the plot. A lot of this focus revolves around protagonist Bill Robinson, the proprietor of The Inn by the Sea and a former cop who is trying to find redemption after a questionable police career. Bill is a great straight man for much of the chaos going on in this book, and his dedication to helping his friends no matter what, made him a very likeable figure. I liked how Robinson’s chapters were the only ones told from the first-person perspective, especially as it gave those chapters some additional importance, and the change of pacing surrounding that was quite fun. It also allowed the reader to get a better look at the nice romance arc surrounding the protagonist, and it was great to see him finally get some happiness, if only temporarily. Robinson’s friend, Nick Jones, also gets a lot of focus in The Murder Inn, as one of the primary storylines revolves around him. Jones, an army veteran, is deeply traumatised by his time in Afghanistan, especially after a dark mission made him question everything. Already damaged by his time in the war and the paranoia that followed, Nick finds himself coming to terms with his past in a big way here, and his battle for redemption is a powerful part of the book.
Probably my favourite character in The Murder Inn was new character Shauna Bulger. The widow of a dirty cop, Shauna finds herself in a dark situation when criminals break into her house, searching for her husband’s secrets. Rather than lying down for them, Shauna fights back and this awakens something primal in her that sees her wage war on the local criminals. Shauna proves to be a hilariously badass vigilante, and it was interesting to see how she finally processed years of trauma into such a violent and over-the-top response. Her counterpart, the crime lord Norman Driver, proves to be an outstanding villain for the story, and I loved how despite being a dangerous man with a dark history, even he was overwhelmed by the unusual inhabitants of the Inn and the other deadly people coming for him. Throw in the other great residence of the Inn, many of whom have interesting history and stories that will no doubt get explored in future books in the series, and you have an amazing cast you can’t help but fall in love with.
Overall, The Murder Inn was an exciting, awesome and captivating read that was everything I hoped it would be and more. James Patterson and Candice Fox once again from to be an effective writing team, and I loved the impressively insane and compelling story they came up with here that I absolutely absorbed. A wonderfully entertaining novel that any thriller fan will have an amazing time with, The Murder Inn is really worth reading.
Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books of 2023
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 were supposed to list the top books they meant to read in 2023 but didn’t get a chance to, however, I am going to an alternate list today. The reason for this, and the reason I delayed putting this list up by a day, is because Friday, 26 January, is Australia’s national holiday, Australia Day. While Australia Day is getting a lot more controversial due to its historic implications, I like to look beyond that and focus on some of the amazing and varied talents our nation produces. As such, I thought I would take this opportunity to once again highlight some of the top pieces of fiction written by Australian authors that I read in 2023.
Each year, a ton of talented Australian authors produce an impressive and exciting range of fiction from across the genres, many of which I am lucky enough to get copies of from my local publishers. Due to this, I tend to read and review a lot of novels by Australian authors, most of which turn out to be some outstanding reads that I deeply enjoy. As such, for the last few years I have taken to highlighting my favourite pieces of Australian fiction (check out my 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 lists). I really love how much awesome Australian fiction there is each year, and this list is the perfect way to highlight some of the best Australian authors.
Now I tend to take a bit of a different approach to Australian fiction than some other bloggers, as I highlight all books written by Australian authors rather than novels purely set in Australia or featuring Australian characters. To qualify for this list, a novel had to be released in 2023 and be written by an Australian author, which I am defining as anyone born in Australia or who currently lives here (Australia is very good at adopting talented people as our own). This resulted in a long list, including several novels that I considered to be some of the best reads of last year. I was eventually able to whittle this novel down to the absolute cream of the crop and came up with a fantastic top ten list (with my typical generous honourable mentions). I really enjoyed how this list turned out, especially as it features novels from a range of different genres, all of which were very awesome Australian books.
Honourable Mentions:
He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
An interesting historical fiction/fantasy hybrid from a rising Australian author, Shelley Parker-Chan. He Who Drown the World was the exciting sequel to the author’s debut, She Who Became the Sun, and it featured a unique and memorable adventure.
An impressive debut from an outstanding Australian talent, that saw a damaged cop investigate the murder of a prominent judge.
The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer
A gripping World War II historical drama from one of Australia’s top authors of the genre, Kelly Rimmer, who previously wowed me with The Warsaw Orphan and The German Wife. The Paris Agent had an outstanding plot that followed doomed female spies dropped into occupied France.
How to Kill a Client by Joanna Jenkins
How to Kill a Client was an amazing and dark legal thriller that followed members of a prominent legal firm who become suspects in a clients death. One of the most entertaining debuts of 2023.
Top Ten List:
The Will of the Many by James Islington
The first book I must highlight is the outstanding and epic fantasy novel, The Will of the Many by James Islington. The Will of the Many was an amazing book that topped all my best-of lists last year, including my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023 lists. Set in a great new fantasy world, The Will of the Many follows an exile who infiltrates an elite academy to uncover deadly secrets and find out ways to fight against the nation who stole his home. An exceptionally addictive read, The Will of the Many is so damn good, and I was extremely impressed by my first book by Islington.
Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
The always hilarious Benjamin Stevenson followed up his outstanding 2022 novel, Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone, with this fantastic and brilliant murder mystery. Set on the legendary Australian train, the Ghan, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect is an intriguing and comedic take on the murder mystery genre, as the main suspects to the murder are all crime fiction authors. Funny, smart and featuring homages to various crime fiction sub-genres and classic novels, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect was extremely awesome and I loved getting through it.
Mr Einstein’s Secretary by Matthew Reilly
One of Australia’s most recognisable authors, Matthew Reilly, had an amazing year in 2023 with Mr Einstein’s Secretary. Following a fantastic protagonist through some of the most important historical events of the first half of the 20th century, Mr Einstein’s Secretary was a powerful, character-driven story, loaded with action, espionage, and captivating historical detail. An extremely impressive novel that I managed to knock off in a very, very short amount of time.
Shelley Burr produced an awesome sequel to her debut novel, Wake, with the outstanding read Ripper. Set in a town made infamous for a deadly serial killer years ago, Ripper follows a new investigation when a body is found in the same spot as one of the original victims. A twisty and captivating novel that has some great connections to Burr’s previous book.
Killer Traitor Spy by Tim Ayliffe
Tim Ayliffe brings back his rugged journalist protagonist for another dark Australian thriller in Killer Traitor Spy. This time examining the impacts of foreign influence and espionage, Killer Traitor Spy was a brilliant read that makes great use of real-life concerns to contemporary Australia.
After wowing me in 2022 with her impressive debut, the young adult fantasy novel Only a Monster, Australian author Vanessa Len produced an excellent sequel last year with Never a Hero. An intense novel that cleverly makes use of the alternate timeline established at the end of the first book, Never a Hero was an exceptional sequel from a very talented author.
Kill Your Husbands by Jack Heath
One of my absolute favourite Australian authors, Jack Heath, had another incredible year in 2023 with the amazing book Kill Your Husbands. An intriguing novel that sees three couples in an isolated cabin all become murder suspects after an attempt at partner-swapping goes terribly wrong. I love the unique and drama inducing plot of Kill Your Husbands, especially as it also served as a sequel to one of Heath’s previous novels, Kill Your Brother. This was such a great read, and I really enjoyed the complex mystery Heath came up with.
Sarah Barrie continued her dark and deadly Lexi Winter series in a big way last year with the exceptional novel Vendetta. Following on from her previous books, Unforgiven and Retribution, Vendetta sees Barrie’s maverick protagonist infiltrate a deadly bikie gang she has history with, all while a vengeful killer seeks to blow everyone up. This was one of Barrie’s best books yet, and I had an outstanding time getting through Vendetta.
Candice Fox continued to dominate the crime fiction market with the impressive 2023 thriller, Fire with Fire. Following several different protagonists as they try to save vital evidence being held hostage by two desperate parents, Fire with Fire had an amazing story and I loved how it turned out. Another amazing book from Fox, who has several fantastic novels coming out in 2024.
The final book on this list is the impressive 2023 novel from one of Australia’s fastest rising crime fiction authors, Megan Goldin. Her latest book, Dark Corners, serves as a sequel to her previous novel The Night Swim, and sees the author’s podcasting protagonist join the hunt for a deadly killer stalking an influencer convention. Featuring both an intense mystery and an entertaining look at the current obsession with influencers and social media, Dark Corners was another great book from Goldin that comes highly recommended.
Well, that is the end of this latest list and I am really happy that I got a chance to highlight some of the best Australian releases of 2023. The above books represent an outstanding collection of fiction from talented Australian authors, and each of them comes highly recommended by me. I had a lot of fun coming up with this list and I cannot wait to find out what the best Australian books of 2024 are going to be. Until then, stay tuned for more epic reviews and lists, and make sure you let me know who your favourite Australian authors are in the comments below.
Canberra Weekly Column – Australian Fiction – 31 August 2023
Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 31 August 2023.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews for Ripper, Never a Hero and Dark Corners.
Quick Review – Never a Hero by Vanessa Len
Publisher: Allen & Unwin (Trade Paperback – 29 August 2023)
Series: Only a Monster – Book Two
Length: 475 pages
My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars
New Australian fantasy author Vanessa Len follows up her outstanding debut with her second book, Never a Hero.
Back in 2022 I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Vanessa Len’s awesome debut novel, the young adult fantasy Only a Monster. This amazing and clever read saw a young woman find out that she was a monster, part of a community of people who can travel through time by absorbing the life force of ordinary humans. When her crush is revealed to be a deadly monster hunter determined to destroy her and everyone she loves, she is forced to flee through time to try and save her family. I loved the unique concept that Len came up with in her debut, and the resulting story was powerful, compelling, and very moving, especially as the author finished it off with a major twist and some heartbreaking decisions. Only a Monster proved to be so damn good, and it ended up being one of my favourite debuts and Australian novels of 2022. As such, I was quite excited when I saw that Len had a sequel to Only a Monster coming out last year, and I really enjoyed the unique way that she chose to continue her brilliant narrative.
Plot Synopsis:
This sequel to the contemporary fantasy Only a Monster will take Joan deeper into the monster world, where treacherous secrets and even more danger await.
Despite all of the odds, Joan achieved the impossible. She reset the timeline, saved her family – and destroyed the hero, Nick.
But her success has come at a terrible cost.
She alone remembers what happened. Now, Aaron, her hard-won friend – and maybe more – is an enemy, trying to kill her. And Nick, the boy she loved, is a stranger who doesn’t even know her name. Only Joan remembers that there is a ruthless and dangerous enemy still out there.
When a deadly attack forces Joan back into the monster world as a fugitive, she finds herself on the run with Nick – as Aaron closes in.
As the danger rises – and Nick gets perilously closer to discovering the truth of what Joan did to him – Joan discovers a secret of her own. One that threatens everyone she loves.
Torn between love and family and monstrous choices, Joan must find a way to re-gather her old allies to face down the deadliest of enemies, and to save the timeline itself.
Vanessa Len’s stunning Only a Monster trilogy continues with this second instalment, a thrilling journey where a secret past threatens to unravel everyone’s future.
Len comes up with quite an outstanding story for Never a Hero that hits the ground running fast and never lets up with the feels, action and deadly reveals. The story starts with Joan living in a slightly different world thanks to her manipulations of the timestream, where her former love interest, Nick, has no memory of who she is or that he used to be a monster hunter. However, an attack by the agents of the Monster Court forces her to once again jump back into that world to try and unravel a deadly conspiracy hinted at in the first novel. However, this time she is the expert, dragging along the very human Nick, who quickly learns about the monster world as Joan desperately tries to keep him from remembering his deleted past as a monster hunter. At the same time, her former ally from the first book, Aaron Oliver, has no idea who she is and is instead leading the hunt for her.
The resulting story proves to be quite exciting and intense, as the protagonists stay on the run, connecting with old allies and trying to discover why they are being chased and what deadly new plot has impacted their lives. While there are some deliberate similarities with the first book, Never a Hero goes in some different directions, especially as Joan is aware of what it means to be a monster. The book really goes in some interesting directions, and I loved how Len chose to wrap everything up. The conclusion has so many heartbreaking revelations about the characters’ pasts, and the resulting secrets will shake readers to the core. I love how well Len set up many of these reveals, and it was great to get a satisfying pay-off to some of the secrets and questions left unanswered in Only a Monster. Never a Hero ends on a big and ground-shaking note, hinting at a big final novel that will push the characters to their limits.
Len did an outstanding job following up her amazing debut here in Never a Hero, and this was another intense and moving character-driven read that expertly built on the elaborate story of her first book. This was a great piece of young adult fantasy fiction that will attract both a mature teenage audience as well as older fans of inventive fantasy fiction. While written in the same style as Only a Monster, Never a Hero definitely has a different feel to it, mainly because Len is weaving in some complex and inventive additional time travel elements. In particular, the protagonist is forced to manoeuvre through a different world brought on by the changes to timeline she made at the end of the last book. There is a constant reintroduction of supporting characters, locations and events, often in a much different context as the protagonist tries to work out the consequences of her actions. At the same time, the reader is also treated to some additional lore surrounding the various monster families and there is some substantial and imaginative world building as a result. I love how effectively and effortlessly Len utilised these complex fantasy concepts throughout her second novel and it really enhances an already exciting and memorable story. While Len does work to make Never a Hero more accessible to new readers, the focus on differing timelines and alternate characters does slightly restrict who is going to enjoy this book. I personally would strongly recommend reading the first novel before diving into Never a Hero, and that is honestly the best way to enjoy this story.
One of the best aspects of Never a Hero was the amazing character work of Len, who did an amazing job bringing together several intense and compelling story arcs around her excellent protagonists. The main three characters of the book, Joan, Nick and Aaron, each have impressive appearances and scenes in Never a Hero, and what was particularly great about them is that they were so different from their prior appearance in Only a Monster. Thanks to the time manipulations, each of them experiences an interesting new narrative in this book, and Len works this into the overall narrative of the book extremely well. Joan, the only one who effectively remembers the prior events, is burdened by all manner of guilt, not only because of her monster heritage but because she killed off a version of Nick in the previous novel. This guilt and despair only grows as the novel continues, especially when she realises the true consequences of her actions. At the same time, Joan is constantly trying to hide the evil of her species from Nick, while also trying to come to terms with the other dramatic changes and revelations in her life.
The other two major characters, Nick and Aaron, also have some amazing sequences in this book. Nick, who spent the previous novel hunting Joan as a monster hunter, is reborn for this book as a normal teen with a happy home life. However, he is soon forced back into the world of monsters when he and Joan are attacked, and it was fascinating to see him experience everything from the other side, especially as a single wrong move from the other characters could turn Nick back into a ruthless killer. Len also dives into the complex past around Nick’s various incarnations, and I deeply appreciated the tragic story about how he became a killer. Aaron, on the other hand, is a monster from a noble family who was a reluctant ally to Joan in the previous book, before something else formed between them. However, in Never a Hero, Aaron remembers nothing about this adventure or Joan, and instead he finds himself hunting her. This was an outstanding move from Len, as readers of the first book had grown to care for Aaron, so it was jarring to see him evil again in this sequel. The author wove quite an interesting storyline around Aaron, especially when it came to his connection with Joan, and there were some amazing scenes where the protagonist tried to bring him back onside by using secrets she previously learned from him. These three characters and their unique personal stories formed a powerful emotional heart to Never a Hero, especially when combined with the excellent supporting cast and a wonderfully wicked villain.
Never a Hero proved to be quite an impressive and outstanding follow-up to Vanessa Len’s epic debut. This amazing young adult fantasy novel had me quite enthralled and I loved the clever and powerful ways Len continued her unique narrative. Len is truly proving to be one of Australia’s best new fantasy authors and I cannot wait to see how she wraps this series up with her next amazing novel.
Ripper by Shelley Burr
Publisher: Hachette Australian (Trade Paperback – 30 August 2023)
Series: PI Lane Holland – Book Two
Length: 344 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Impressive rising Australian crime fiction star Shelley Burr follows up her amazing debut with the complex and addictive rural murder mystery, Ripper.
In 2022 I had the very great pleasure of reading Shelley Burr’s debut novel, Wake. An awesome book that followed two compelling protagonists as they investigated an infamous missing persons case in a small Australian town, Wake really had me hooked from the get go. Wake ended up being one of my favourite debuts and favourite pieces of Australian fiction in 2022, and I have been eager to see how Burr would follow that up for a while. Burr did not disappoint, as she recently released an intriguing sequel, Ripper (also released as Murder Town).
Seventeen years ago, the small town of Rainier was rocked by a series of brutal killings that saw three people murdered and the infamous killer captured in a heroic effort by the police. Thanks to these tragic events, Rainier is now known as an infamous murder town, with people far more interested in checking out the site of the Rainier Ripper’s trial of destruction rather than the town’s quaint charm and bush location.
Now, after years of neglect and changing economic times, Rainier is starting to financially fail. The town’s only hope might be a dark tourism company that is eager to exploit Rainier’s infamous name. However, when the tour operator is brutally killed in the same location as one of the Ripper’s victims, it opens old wounds and forces the locals, long traumatised by the events of that massacre, to uncover long buried secrets.
Gemma Guillory knows everything about the Rainier Ripper, especially as her teashop was the location of the original Ripper’s final killing. When the new murder occurs, Gemma is brought back to her painful past and is determined to discover whether this new crime was done by a copycat or if the real Rainier Ripper escaped justice years before. Receiving unlikely help from incarcerated investigator Lane Holland, Gemma begins to chip away at years of secrets and lies she didn’t even know surrounded her. But is Gemma truly ready for the truth, especially as a dangerous killer is still hiding in town, waiting to kill again?
I really enjoyed Ripper and felt that it was a fantastic follow-up to Burr’s first novel. I deeply appreciated the complex, moving and character driven murder mystery storyline at Ripper’s centre, especially as it forced its complex protagonist to simultaneously look at events in the past and current concerns.
The book starts off very strong, with a flashback to the original killings, followed by a good recap of the events that made Rainier infamous, and some excellent set up around the current day town, including the proposal to start a dark tourism company and some of the personal problems impacting the key locals. Naturally, things get dark quickly, as a new body is found in the same location of one of the Rainier Ripper’s victims, and the population of Rainier, especially primary protagonist Gemma Guillory, is dragged back into their complex history. The following story is very powerful, as the protagonist begins to dive back into her towns past to try and find the killer, which also forces her to look at those closest to her in a new light. At the same time, the returning protagonist from Wake, imprisoned investigator Lane Holland, is tasked by his prison warden to interrogate the Rainier Ripper to determine if he has any additional information about the case.
Burr moves Ripper’s intriguing plot along at a quick pace, and I liked how complex and intricate the mystery soon became. Solving the crime involves a great mixture of current intuitions about the key characters, memories of the past, and interrogations by Holland in prison. The mystery branches off into some interesting places, and the protagonists need to do some emotionally charged digging to find out what really happened. The resulting solutions to the mystery are very clever, and Burr did a wonderful job laying down subtle but effective clues throughout the main body of the book. I really enjoyed how there wasn’t just one solution, but multiple secrets and reveals that had to come to light for the full truth to be revealed, and there was an outstanding domino effect of revelations and twists. I cannot emphasise enough just how impressive this full range of reveals was, and Burr did a great job weaving together the solutions into one moving and complex narrative.
I think Burr hit the right blend of mystery, excitement and character storylines in Ripper, and the author ensured that everything moved along at an exciting and enjoyable clip. I really enjoyed how much of the story relied on diving into the complex lives of the key Rainier residences, and the author balanced some interesting character storylines in both the present day and in the past. This was especially true of main character Gemma Guillory, and her return to the past, coupled with revelations around the lies of her loved ones, added some powerful emotion to the story. If I had one complaint, it would probably be that Burr worked a little too hard to insert Lane Holland into the plot. While I do appreciate that Burr is trying to set up an ongoing series with Lane Holland as the connecting character, the plot of Ripper might have been a bit sleeker without him. Still, it was fun getting a sequel to Wake and I’m very keen to see what exciting mysteries Burr cooks up in the future.
Ripper by Shelley Burr was another outstanding and compelling read from a talented, rising Australian author. This second rural Australian murder mystery from Burr was extremely compelling and featured an intense narrative, loaded with great twists and complicated characters. I had a brilliant time getting through Ripper and it was one of the top pieces of Australian crime fiction I read last year.
Quick Review – The Hidden Book by Kirsty Manning
Publisher: Allen & Unwin (Trade Paperback – 29 August 2023)
Series: Standalone
Length: 312 pages
My Rating: 3.75 out of 5
Australian author Kirsty Manning presents an emotionally charged and compelling historical drama that follows a beleaguered group of protagonists during and after the horrors of World War II with The Hidden Book.
Plot Synopsis:
Europe, 1940
Imprisoned in the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, Spanish fighter and photographer Mateo Baca is ordered to process images of the camp and inmates for a handful of photo books being made for presentation to top Nazi figures. Just five books in total, or so the officials think …
Mateo manages to make a secret sixth book and, with the help of a local woman, Lena Lang, it remains hidden until the end of the war.
Australia, present
When thirteen-year-old Hannah Campbell’s Yugoslavian grandfather, Nico Antonov, arrives in Australia to visit his family, one of the gifts he brings with him is an intriguing-looking parcel wrapped in calico cloth which Roza, Hannah’s mother, quickly hides.
Later, Hannah sneaks off in search for the mysterious package. She is horrified to find in it a photo book full of ghastly historical photographs of a terrible place full of people suffering.
At first Hannah has little context for what she sees, but over the years as she experiences love, grief and trauma, she understands what these photos came to mean, for herself, her freedom and for those who risked their lives to ‘bear witness’ to history.
A startling story of clandestine courage and treachery in World War Two, and how we must meet and overcome our pasts to move into our futures.
This was a great piece of historical fiction from Manning, who has written several other intriguing novels in this genre over the years. The plot of The Hidden Book is interesting as it combines a harrowing story of people caught up in the Holocaust with a complex narrative of a young person trying to understand the horrors they came from. Half the novel follows several characters either imprisoned at the Mauthausen concentration camp, or living in the surrounding area, as they work together to record and smuggle out pictures of the atrocities being perpetrated against them. The second storyline follows Hannah, the grandchild of one of the characters from the first storyline, who grows up in Australia, constantly wondering about the secrets of her grandfather’s book of pictures, and who finds her life defined by it.
Both of these storylines are interesting in their own way, and I think that Manning did a pretty good job of bringing them together into a fantastic overall story. The half of the book, set in Mauthausen, is suitably dark and nerve-wracking, as you are constantly bombarded by the fear and determination of the characters imprisoned there in one shape or another. This part of the book is an interesting retelling of real historical events surrounding Mauthausen, and Manning brings together a great group of characters here, including a sadistic camp commandant and a family of anti-Nazi locals who are afraid the Nazis will find out about their mentally impaired daughter. This compelling and dark storyline serves as an excellent basis for much of The Hidden Book’s plot, and it leads into the second plot line extremely well.
This secondary plotline involves the character of Hannah Campbell finding her grandfather’s photo album covering the atrocities at Mauthausen and spending the rest of her life trying to make sense of them. While I am not the biggest fan of historical dramas that rely on descendants finding old material from their ancestors (it is a bit of an overused story device), Manning presented some interesting storylines around it. In particular, she uses it as a key part of Hannah’s coming-of-age storyline, as she experiences the highs and lows of life from childhood to parenthood. Manning tells a great story of growing up in Australia, including country living and city life, and while parts of this storyline is are very frustrating, and it serves as an interesting counterbalance to the Holocaust tale while also providing insights into how the younger generations view the Holocaust and how knowing your history and change your present.
I enjoyed how well these two separate and distinctive storylines come together throughout the course of The Hidden Book. The intensity, conflict and drive for survival in the historical part of the novel is well offset by a different layer of emotion in Hannah’s life story, and I liked the constant looks back to the past. This proved to be a fast-paced and easy to read novel, and I liked the blend of characters, historical elements and two very different background settings that emerged. Despite all that, I didn’t get amazingly emotionally invested in the plot, and I think parts of Hannah’s storyline slowed down the pacing at times. Overall, I thought that The Hidden Book by Kirsty Manning was an intense and compelling read that I had good time with. An excellent read for fans of historical drama, especially those that combine dark pasts and hopeful futures into powerful character driven narratives.
Vendetta by Sarah Barrie
Publisher: HQ (Trade Paperback – 15 November 2023)
Series: Lexi Winter – Book Three
Length: 392 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
One of Australia’s most impressive crime fiction authors, Sarah Barrie, returns with the third book in her gritty Lexi Winter series, Vendetta.
For the last couple of years one of my favourite new Australian crime fiction series has been the Lexi Winter books by Sarah Barrie. Set in Sydney and central New South Wales, the series follows Lexi Winter, a vigilante hacker who bears a massive and righteous hatred for child molesters. The first book in the series, Unforgiven, saw Lexi attempt to take down a serial killing paedophile with connections to her complex past in a dark and bloody read. This first book in the series served as a great introduction to Lexi and her police supporting characters, while also giving some fantastic insights into the events that formed her. The second book, Retribution, saw Lexi as a newly initiated police officer who still broke the rules, especially when it came to hunting down her nemesis and destroying everyone who helped him. The first two books in this series are so damn good, and I have been keen to see how this series would continue. I recently got my wish as I just finished off the third book in the series, Vendetta, which proved to be an exceptional and dark read.
After taking down a notorious crime family, maverick rookie police officer and occasional vigilante hacker Lexi Winter is riding high. However, a sudden phone call is going to take her down a dark path that will force her to revisit some of the worst parts of her past. Two old friends she owes deeply are in trouble with a well-connected local motorcycle club, Chaos Reigns, and the only way Lexi can save them is to go undercover and pretend to work for the gang.
However, as Lexi begins her new assignment, she finds herself confronting a long-hidden ghost from her past. Years ago, Lexi found a family with another outlaw motorcycle club, the Combat Crew, who harnessed her natural talent with computers and taught her every dirty trick she knows. With members of Combat Crew making up the senior levels of Chaos Reigns, Lexi finds herself forced to deal with hardened criminals who know more about her troubled history than anyone else. Forced to assume her old persona, Lexi works to once again earn their trust, but not everyone is convinced that she is on the level, especially when her connections with the police are discovered. Worse, members of her police team are convinced that her undeclared past with Combat Crew makes her too much of a liability and soon Lexi’s loyalties are tested like never before.
But suspicions and secrets are the least of Lexi’s problems when she finds herself in the middle of a series of explosive attacks aimed at the members of Chaos Reigns. The former president of Combat Crew, Arthur Cronin, has been released from prison and is more than willing to blow up anyone he feels was responsible for the murder of his wife and child. Caught between deranged bikies and suspicious friends, Lexi must use all her skills to survive and save who she can. But as the case takes more from her and more of her colleagues begin to turn on her, Lexi will be forced to finally decide where her loyalties belong and what side of the law she truly exists on.
Sarah Barrie continues to showcase why she is one of Australia’s fastest rising crime fiction stars with another powerful and gritty read. Vendetta had one of the strongest plots of the entire Lexi Winter series so far, as not only did it present the reader with a great murder mystery/thriller plot but it also featured some intriguing character work. Barrie does an excellent job of moving the plot of Vendetta away from the previous novels, and the interesting redirect towards a motorcycle club, a firm favourite villain organisation in Australian crime fiction, makes for an interesting change of pace.
The main story proves to be an intricate and compelling mixture of character driven narratives as the plot jumps across several excellent characters, most of whom were introduced in the prior novels. The story primarily follows troubled protagonist Lexi Winter who is forced to go undercover in a motorcycle club to save some old friends. Initially pretending to be a criminal, Lexi soon finds her cover blown and must work all sides as she tries to retain both the trust of her police colleagues and her old associates. Having the protagonist forced back with the bikies who trained her was a masterstroke from Barrie, and I loved how conflicted it made both her and the reader, as you don’t know which way she’s going to turn. Barrie really hammers home the importance of Lexi’s chapters by showing everything from her perspective in the first person, and you really feel connected to her adventure as a result. The author makes things even more interesting by introducing a crazed bikie leader seeking revenge, internal police politics making things difficult for Lexi, and personal conflicts amongst the protagonists finally coming to the surface in some damaging ways.
The last half of Vendetta is probably the best. After the great set-up at the start, Lexi is fully imbedded in Chaos Reigns and is committing all manner of criminal acts for them. Watching Lexi at her worst was so damn powerful, especially as she appears to turn on her friends, and the resulting drama, anger and conflict made for some excellent reading. You are constantly on your edge of your seat as the various story elements start to come together and the police start to close in on Lexi, Chaos Reigns’ criminal actions, and the mad bomber. Things get pretty dark at times, and Barrie works in some big twists. I saw a few of these coming, but the main reveals at the end were cleverly hidden and well set up in the first half of the book. I loved the exciting and compelling end to the plot that allowed the protagonist to really shine and setting up some interesting future adventures. Everything about this story was extremely awesome, and I really got invested in the high-stakes plot and the deeper personal aspects that resulted as well.
Despite the central crime being unconnected to the main series antagonist, Vendetta was a great Lexi Winter novel that masterfully moved the series and characters along. I honestly think that the series needed a book with a different investigative target at this point in the ongoing narrative, and it builds up anticipation for the next interaction with the main villain in future entries. The change in focus also allows Vendetta to be enjoyed more as a standalone novel than the second book, although I did notice a few minor plot gaps from the previous entries that Barrie could have done a better job exploring. Barrie also continues some of the prevailing themes of the previous book, including comparisons between vigilantism and official police work, as Lexi tries to decide what side of the law best works for her to get her required revenge. Naturally, those readers who checked out the prior novels are probably going to get a lot more out of Vendetta, and indeed it helped to explain certain character actions from the previous book that never quite made sense to me. However, Vendetta is honestly a great and gritty piece of Australian fiction anyone can enjoy.
Once again, a major highlight of this series is the outstanding cast of compelling and damaged protagonists, each of whom has their own unique stories. This is particularly true of the series’ titular protagonist, Lexi Winter, who Barrie has turned into quite a conflicted and complex figure. We have already seen quite a lot of Lexi’s dark past in the previous books, especially in Unforgiven, and Vendetta builds on this extremely well, giving us insights into her criminal past, including the origins of her hacking abilities. I loved how well this past was explored and featured throughout Vendetta, and it gave this already fantastic character some extra layers, especially it explores why she is more reliant to do things on her own then go through official channels. This complex past with the motorcycle club ensured that Lexi had a particularly compelling and exciting storyline in Vendetta as she finds herself caught between her prior loyalties and the friends she made in the last two books. As such, the reader spends much of the story unsure whose side Lexi is truly on, especially when key police characters turn against her, and I was constantly on the edge of my seat waiting to see how this would turn out. I think Barrie resolved this extremely well, as Lexi’s strong moral compass always guided her along the right path, and I also enjoyed how parts of Lexi’s narrative come full circle, especially when she finds herself a protégé. There is also some intriguing examination of Lexi’s view on relationships and love, much of which is impacted by her past, and I appreciated the compelling and mostly tasteful way that Barrie explored this. I cannot wait to see how Lexi’s story continues in the future, as she is without a doubt the best character in the series.
In addition to Lexi, Vendetta features a brilliant and compelling cast of additional characters, many of whom have appeared in prior novels in the series. Barrier introduces some great development and personal drama to surround these characters and it works to enhance the already powerful story. Detective Senior Sergeant Finn Carson is once again very solid as the male lead of the book, and Barrie makes good use of his unique friendship/relationship with Lexi to build up some serious drama as he tries to work out her actions and motivations. Lexi’s mentor, Detective Inspector Rachael Langly, also proves to be compelling figure in Vendetta, especially as, after going to bat for Lexi time and time again, it looks like her protégé has turned on her. Finally, I was particularly happy that we got some further developments around Detective Sergeant Lisa “Cass” Cassidy. Cass was an interesting inclusion in the second novel, although for some unexplained reason her main character attribute was being dismissive and hostile towards Lexi. Barrie expanded on this in Vendetta, as Cass was revealed to have a hidden connections to Lexi’s past which is explored in this current case. As such, Cass spends much of the book trying to hide her involvement with Lexi and her prior mistakes involving the bikies. This adds some major fire and drama to the plot, and while Cass proves to be one of the more unlikable characters in the story Barrie masterfully paints her as a victim, and I deeply appreciated her journey and the deeper pain behind her actions. Throw in a great collection of bikies and other criminals, including her old mentor and protector, and the intense personal connections in Vendetta really jump up, resulting in an outstanding read.
Sarah Barrie continues to showcase why she is one of Australia’s best current crime fiction authors with the outstanding third Lexi Winter book. Featuring a particularly strong story that takes the reader on a dark journey in both the past and the present, Vendetta is a great read that had me hooked all the way to the end. Loaded with violence, bad decisions and damaged characters, Vendetta one of Barrie’s best novels yet and I cannot recommend it enough.
The Unseen Library 