Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 17 October 2024.
A copy of this column also appeared on the Canberra Daily website.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews of High Wire, We Solve Murders and An Eye for an Eye.
Tag: Candice Fox
WWW Wednesday – 9 April 2025
WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
Landfall by James Bradley (ebook)
I’ve just started reading the intriguing Australia crime fiction novel Landfall by James Bradley. Set in a dystopian, flooded Sydney, Landfall follows a dark missing person’s case with major complications. I’ve made a bit of progress with Landfall so far and I am very intrigued to see how it turns out.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (Audiobook)
I didn’t get as much audiobook listening time as I would have hoped this year, but I have still made a bit of progress with the new Hunger Games novel, Sunrise on the Reaping. Set before the original trilogy, Sunrise on the Reaping follows a fan favourite character from the books and films as he goes through his own deadly Hunger Games. I am really enjoying this new addition to the Hunger Games universe, especially as Collins is taking the story in some very interesting directions. I’m just about to start the games section of the book, and I have no doubt I am going to love every second of this dark and compelling young adult read.
What did you recently finish reading?
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett (ebook)
I managed to finish off the exceptional fantasy murder mystery, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett this week and boy was it awesome. The sequel to Bennett’s 2024 novel, The Tainted Cup (one of my favourite books of 2024), A Drop of Corruption was an outstanding and compelling read that perfectly combined a complex mystery with Bennett’s inventive fantasy elements. One of the best fantasy novels of 2025 so far and a very highly recommended read.
Pacific Heights by S. R. White (Trade Paperback)
I had a lot of fun reading the captivating Pacific Heights by S. R. White this week. An intriguing Australian murder mystery, Pacific Heights contained a twisty and clever mystery, complicated by conflicting witnesses. A great piece of Australian fiction, I am hoping to get a review for it up soon.
2 Sisters Murder Investigations by James Patterson and Candice Fox (Trade Paperback)
I also managed to power through the very entertaining novel, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations by the outstanding team of James Patterson and Candice Fox. A sequel to their previous novel, 2 Sisters Detective Agency, this was an amazing book with a very strong story behind it.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Midnight Black by Mark Greaney
If I finish off Sunrise on the Reaping this week, I will probably start listening to the excellent spy thriller, Midnight Black. The latest Gray Man novel by Mark Greaney, Midnight Black will see the author’s elite assassin protagonist attempt to save the woman he loves from a remote Russian prison. This thriller has so much potential, and I cannot wait to see how explosive Greaney makes his latest book.
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.
Book Haul – 7 April 2025
I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from local publishers and Netgalley. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year. I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.
The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell
First up we have one of the potentially most funny and over-the-top fantasy novels of 2025 with The Malevolent Eight. The sequel to the author’s previous novel, The Malevolent Seven, this new book will see a group of unlikely magical heroes as they attempt to save their world from the invading armies of heaven and hell. I had a lot of fun with The Malevolent Seven and I cannot wait to see how de Castell continues this entertaining story.
No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe
After having a ton of fun with Tess Sharpe’s previous novels, The Girls I’ve Been and The Girl in Question, I am excited for the author’s upcoming book, No Body No Crime. Another awesome thriller that will see two women try to survive a powerful crime family coming for them, No Body No Crime sounds really cool and I look forward to reading it.
2 Sisters Murder Investigations by James Patterson and Candice Fox
The superstar team of James Patterson and Candice Fox return for the new fast-paced thriller, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations. The sequel to 2 Sisters Detective Agency, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations will see the dysfunctional sister protagonists dragged into a new murder investigation with potential lethal consequences. I had a lot of fun with the first novel in this series and I am excited to see how it continues.
Retreat by Krysten Ritter with Lindsay Jamieson
An intense and compelling thriller from acclaimed actor Kristen Ritter.
Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake
An intriguing novel that is essentially Succession with magic, Gifted & Talented sounds like a very fantastic read, and I have heard some good things about author Olivie Blake’s previous books.
When She Was Gone by Sara Foster
An intense and complex crime fiction read from a great Australian author.
Vanguard Strike by Jarom Strong
The final book I want to highlight in this blog post is the awesome science fiction novel, Vanguard Strike by Jarom Strong. Featuring a very cool sounding plot about a team of thieves trying to strip a valuable military ship in space, only to contend with its monstrous contents, Vanguard Strike’s plot really appealed to me, and I cannot wait to see how crazy this book gets.
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.
Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books of 2024
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 new-to-them authors they read in 2024. However, as this was a topic I did a few weeks ago, I’m instead going to put together an alternate list today. The reason for this is because last Sunday, 26 January, was Australia’s national holiday, Australia Day. While Australia Day is getting controversial due to its historical implications, I like to look beyond that and instead focus on some of the amazing and varied writing talents Australia produces. As such, I once again took this opportunity to highlight some of the top pieces of fiction written by Australian authors in 2024.
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, which is something I really look forward to each Australia Day (check out my 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022and 2023 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 2024 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, and 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:
A compelling and occasionally weird Australian murder mystery from the brilliant author of The Housemate.
The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman
The excellent sequel to Amie Kaufman’s young adult fantasy novel, The Isles of the Gods.
The Winter Palace by Paul Morgan
A gripping historical drama from Australian author Paul Morgan that follows the separate struggles of a Polish husband and wife separated during World War II.
A fantastic thriller that sees an Australian research team travelling to Antarctica forced to deal with dark secrets and dangerous elements. One of the top debuts of 2024.
Top Ten List:
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
Australian author Benjamin Stevenson continued to impress in 2024 with his Ernest Cunningham series, as he released the third entry Everyone this Christmas has a Secret. A fantastic Christmas special that follows on from Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret was another compelling and highly entertaining read that blends clever mystery with the author’s excellent humour and some fun holiday themes.
The Ghosts of Autumn by Peter Watt
The master of Australian historical fiction had another stellar year with the latest book in the Colonial series, The Ghost of Autumn. Set amongst the carnage of World War I, The Ghosts of Autumn continues to follow a family caught up in every historical struggle of the 19th and 20th century, and I really enjoyed seeing how Watt brought this sixth book together.
Devil’s Kitchen by Candice Fox
One of Australia’s top thriller authors, Candice Fox, had an outstanding 2024, releasing three separate books. The first of these books from Fox that I want to highlight is the brilliant and dark thriller, Devil’s Kitchen. Following an undercover agent tasked with infiltrating a crew of firefighters who moonlight as murderous thieves, Devil’s Kitchen was a particularly intense read loaded with complex characters forced to make hard decisions. I deeply enjoyed this amazing book, and it really highlights Fox’s ability to write nuanced and complex narratives.
One of the more intense and shocking Australian novels of last year was the deeply impressive Endgame. The final entry in Sarah Barrie’s Lexi Winter series (Unforgiven, Retribution and Vendetta), Endgame sees the series’ titular protagonist finally face down her monstrous nemesis in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Barrie takes Endgame to some dark places, and I cannot recommend this thrilling novel, and indeed the entire Lexi Winter series, enough.
White Ash Ridge by S. R. White
Author S. R. White continued to produce some of the more distinctive pieces of Australian crime fiction with the addictive White Ash Ridge. The follow-up to the author’s previous novels, Prisoner and Red Dirt Road, White Ash Ridge sees White’s main protagonist, Detective Dana Russo, investigate a murder at an isolated bush hotel. However, things get problematic when it is revealed that the victim and all the potential suspects are board members for a prominent anti-police organisation. White Ash Ridge was such a clever read, and I loved its outstanding mystery and focused character-examination of the various suspects. Highly recommended.
One of my favourite sequels of 2024 was the fantastic spy thriller Dark Arena by recently adopted Australian author and former French spy Jack Beaumont. Following on from the author’s debut, The Frenchman, Dark Arena sees Beaumont’s team of spies become involved in another elaborate operation, the result of which could impact all of Europe. Beaumont provides another intense and highly realistic examination of espionage in this sequel, and I loved the epic and captivating narrative that emerges in Dark Arena.
The Youngest Son by John Byrnes
An excellent historical novel from John Byrnes, who presented a fantastic read in a different style from his debut novel Headland. The Youngest Son follows three children from the same lower-class Australian family who are forced to endure multiple hardships in 1930’s Sydney. Featuring crime, murder, betrayal, war, love and redemption, The Youngest Son was a really great book from Byrnes that had me hooked the entire way through.
The second book from Candice Fox that I want to feature on this list is the gritty Australian thriller High Wire. Set on a dangerous hidden road that traverses the length of Australia, High Wire sees two damaged protagonists kidnapped by a vengeful gang who strap bomb vests to them. Forced to commit a series of violent crimes across the outback, High Wire envisions a brilliantly intense, high-stakes scenario that Fox expertly utilises and explores. A very memorable and over-the-top read, High Wire was another excellent book from Candice Fox that I couldn’t get enough of. Readers should also check out the third 2024 Fox novel, The Murder Inn, which she cowrote with James Patterson.
The Death of Dora Black by Lainie Anderson
One of the more entertaining Australian novels of the year was the fun historical crime fiction read The Death of Dora Black. Set around a fascinating historical figure, The Death of Dora Black sees the iconic and strict Miss Kate Cocks, the first policewoman in the British Empire, stride throughout 1917 Adelaide attempting to solve the suspicious death of a young shop assistant. A clever blend of history and mystery with some real heart to it, The Death of Dora Black was an outstanding book that will appeal to a wide range of readers.
The final book I want to feature on this list is the fifth John Bailey novel from Tim Ayliffe, The Wrong Man. Following on from The Greater Good, State of Fear, The Enemy Within and Killer Traitor Spy, The Wrong Man was another compelling murder mystery, this time exploring a series of brutal murders across Sydney. With a great plot, compelling mystery and a fantastic trio of perspective characters, The Wrong Man was a strong read from one of Australia’s best crime fiction authors.
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 2024. 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 2025 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.
High Wire by Candice Fox
Publisher: Bantam (Trade Paperback – 24 September 2024)
Series: Standalone
Length: 480 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
One of Australia’s top authors of crime fiction finishes of 2024 with a massive bang as Candice Fox presents the powerful thriller, High Wire.
Few authors had the awesome year that Candice Fox did in 2024, as the author released three impressive crime fiction reads. The first of these was the fast-paced crime fiction read, The Murder Inn, which Fox cowrote with the legendary James Patterson. The sequel to their previous book, The Inn, The Murder Inn was a fantastic book that once again highlighted how well Fox and Patterson work together (see my review for their other book 2 Sisters Detective Agency). Fox also released the intense character-driven thriller, Devil’s Kitchen, that saw two highly damaged characters attempt to uncover the secrets of a seemingly heroic group of firefighters with a true dark side to them. Both The Murder Inn and Devil’s Kitchen were outstanding reads, and I was very happy I checked them out. However, Fox decided to provide us with even more fun before the year was over with the standalone novel High Wire. Taking the author back to her home country, High Wire was a compelling and deeply intense Australian thriller that takes you hostage and refuses to let go.
Out in the outback of Australia lies a notorious unmarked track known as the High Wire. Cutting across the country from Broome to Sydney, the High Wire is a lawless road full of small towns, unregulated trails and mobile phone blackspots. A favourite hangout of smugglers, hijackers and criminals, only the desperate, the dangerous and those looking for trouble use the High Wire.
Harvey Buck, former soldier and current recluse, knows all about the dangers of the High Wire, but desperation forces him to travel along it to reach his dying girlfriend. Despite knowing better, he stops to pick up a hapless traveller, Clare Holland, whose car has broken down on the road. However, Clare isn’t the person he should be worried about, as the two are soon ambushed by a masked assailants with their own sinister agenda.
Strapped into bomb vests, Harvey and Clare are forced into a twisted game by vengeful figures from Harvey’s past seeking to ruin his life and reputation. Forced to commit a series of increasingly murderous missions across several small towns, the two prisoners try to work together to escape and stop the insanity going on around them. Harvey and Clare’s only hope may be Senior Sergeant Edna Norris, one of the few police officers stationed on the Wire, and who soon begins to follow the trail of destruction being left in their wake. But Edna has her own problems, especially when Clare’s husband arrives on the scene with his own dark plans.
High Wire was another awesome book from Candice Fox that provides readers will some of the best Australian thrills and action that there were likely to get in 2024. Featuring a bold, compelling and powerful character-driven tale of revenge and escape, High Wire was an outstanding read from one of my favourite Australian authors and one that I cannot recommend enough.
Fox hits the ground running hard with High Wire’s excellent narrative, and I honestly was hooked early on thanks to the compelling and intense story. Quickly introducing the protagonist, Harvey Buck, as well as the High Wire, the lawless road that serves as an intriguing background setting for the plot. After a quick introduction to a secondary protagonist, the mysterious Clare Holland, the main plot of High Wire takes off as the two are ambushed by a group of armed attackers, who take them prisoner after a bloody shootout, and strap them into elaborate bomb vests. Fox keeps the tension running high here, as it becomes clear that the kidnappers know Harvey and are seeking revenge for some past misdeed. Around the same time, the readers are introduced to the other major point-of-view character, Senior Sergeant Edna Norris, who finds herself on the trail of Harvey, Clare and the kidnappers without knowing who is responsible and with an unlikely teenage sidekick helping and hindering her in equal measure.
The plot soon becomes even more intense on several levels, as Fox works several intriguing storylines and elements simultaneously to tell a complex and exciting narrative. The main plot around Harvey and Clare proves to be quite intense, as the two are forced to commit a series of brutal crimes while also trying to escape or take out their captors. Fox carefully doles out intriguing background on both Harvey and Clare to the readers, and you soon discover both have complicated pasts, as Clare is running from her suddenly murderous husband, while Harvey’s past connection to the kidnappers is revealed in a series of dark flashbacks. These flashbacks help to paint the main storyline in some different shades of grey, as you begin to realise that Harvey isn’t the moral hero you initially believed he would be, and while the antagonists are worse, you begin to doubt that Harvey deserves to survive.
At the same time, the focus on Edna and her intriguing supporting cast goes in some interesting directions, as she follows the carnage left behind by the kidnappers and their unwilling pawns. Not only is Edna forced to deal with her hard-headed charge Talon, but she finds herself in all manner of trouble when Clare’s husband, Gareth Holland the Northern Territory Police Commissioner, arrives on the scene looking for his wife. Instantly suspicious of Gareth, Edna is forced off the case due to police politics but continues to try and investigate, determining that she needs to get to Clare first. Edna’s storyline, which I personally enjoyed the most in High Wire, goes in some fantastic directions, and she soon finds herself forced to survive the murderous attentions of Gareth, while also trying to solve the clues being left behind by Harvey. Fox does an excellent job running these somewhat separated storylines simultaneously, and they tie into each other just enough to create an amazing overarching narrative. Fox wrapped these various storylines up in a very effective way, with a satisfying moment in the Edna storyline, while the main narrative goes out on a very dark note, which I felt was a powerful result to some of the character work that Fox had been building up. This honestly ended up being an epic and compelling standalone thriller, and I really appreciated how Fox held back no punches to create this powerful read.
Fox did another amazing job bringing this intense and complex narrative together, and I felt that High Wire was one of her more hard-hitting and enjoyable novels. I loved how the author imbued High Wire with a very dark edge, and between the intense action, despicable villains and deadly plot you really come away not wanting to visit central Australia. The setting of the “High Wire”, a semi-secret road running the length of Australia proved to be an awesome background, and Fox’s strong descriptions of the red-earthed, isolated road combined with its inherent lawlessness and dangerous inhabitants, gave me some major Mad Max vibes as I was reading the book. I felt that Fox utilised this setting perfectly throughout High Wire, and it helped to give this novel a very distinctive feel. The author also made great use of splitting the story across several intriguing central characters. The two main storylines, the one involving Harvey and Clare and the one following Edna and Talon, played off each other extremely well, and having Edna constantly behind the other protagonists and their captors allowed for a great chase narrative, as they tried to interpret all the events going on in front of them. Information from Harvey and Clare also cleverly increased the tension in the other storyline, especially as you learn in advance just how deadly secondary antagonist Gareth Holland is, which allows you to fully appreciate his manipulations and darker agenda. The balance between these two storylines was extremely effective, even with the additional flashback chapters, and this ensured that High Wire had a great pace to it that easily keeps the reader’s attention.
High Wire’s intense and compelling story was greatly enhanced by several fantastic and complex characters whose unique, and often dark narratives, provided some nuanced and complicated tales of personal growth and survival. The main protagonist, Harvey Buck (a great uber-masculine name btw), is a former soldier who spends the book trying to survive the plans of his attackers and save as many people as possible. While Harvey seems to be a good character, Fox makes excellent use of flashbacks to dive into his history with the antagonists, which provides some added complexity to the plot, as both sides have committed atrocities against the other. The same can be said for secondary protagonist, Clare Holland, a seemingly helpless figure inadvertently dragged into events. While Clare is portrayed as a victim for much of the plot, she eventually reveals an intriguing backstory to Harvey that ties into her complicated marriage, which implies she isn’t as innocent as she seems. The character I most got drawn to was local cop, Senior Sergeant Edna Norris, who comes away as one of the few legitimately decent people in the book. Thanks to her caring personality and clever insights, Edna is a protagonist you can get behind 100%, and even when elements of her past are brought up, it proves hard not to still see her as the best figure in the book.
Aside from these key characters, Fox features several intriguing supporting figures in High Wire, including some impressive antagonists. The main supporting character that is featured in the book is Talon, a teenager who is taken under Edna’s wing after she arrests him. An initially annoying and impulsive figure, Talon grows on you as the book continues, especially with his entertaining imagination and surprisingly accurate insights. However, it is the villains of the High Wire who I think stole the show here. The two kidnappers who take control of Harvey and Clare with bomb vests prove to be despicable, if highly damaged figures, and it was fascinating to see how much their current behaviour is due to previous rough treatment from Harvey. Clare’s husband, Gareth Holland, proves to be an excellent secondary antagonist, especially as he has his own murderous agenda and uses his position as Northern Territory Police Commissioner to get away with his goals. In some ways Gareth was a better villain than the kidnappers, especially as he is far more soulless figure who ends up being quite smug and controlling. I really enjoyed the entertaining way that Fox wrapped up Gareth’s storyline in this book, and it was quite satisfying to see him get what he deserved. These character deeply enhanced Hire Wire’s narrative, and it was awesome to see their various storylines unfold.
High Wire ended up being an incredible and thrilling piece of crime fiction from one of Australia’s best writers Candice Fox. Dark, brutal and filled with some complex and damaged characters, High Wire quickly gets you hooked, and you are in for an outstanding time with this brilliant read.
Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Sequels of 2024
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 required participants to list their most anticipated books for Summer (Winter for the Northern Hemisphere). However, as I have already done this list a few weeks ago, I decided to continue with my annual end-of-year lists that I have been working on the last few weeks. I have already covered my favourite new-to-me authors I read in 2024, as well as the best pre-2024 novels I read this year, but in this week’s list I am going to highlight the best sequels I read in 2024. This is a relatively new topic that I only started exploring in 2023, however I had fun doing it last year so decided to replicate it again now.
Everyone loves a good sequel, and nearly every novelist and author has written some form of sequel in their career. I’m sure we can all name some awesome books that requires some form of continuation and each year the talented authors we follow produce interesting sequel novels that cleverly expand from outstanding first novels. I read a ton of sequels every year and I felt that it was about time that I highlighted the very best sequels of the year in a specific post.
To complete this list, I pulled together the best sequels released in 2024 that I had the pleasure of reading. I primarily focused on second novels in a series that were released this year, especially those that I felt were outstanding follow ups to an impressive first novel and which followed the same characters or storylines. For my top ten list, I prioritised those books I considered to be the best sequel, so while I might have enjoyed a specific novel more overall, if a book was a better sequel, it made the cut instead. I think the resulting top ten list turned out pretty well as a result, and definitely highlights my favourite sequels released in 2024.
Honourable Mentions:
The Murder Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox
The superstar team of James Patterson and Australian author Candice Fox had a great time returning to the unusual group of protagonists living at The Inn by the Sea, with their entertaining thriller, The Murder Inn. The sequel to their previous novel, The Inn, The Murder Inn is a highly entertaining read and a great novel for fans of both these authors.
The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman
A fast-paced and emotionally charged young adult fantasy novel from Australian author Amie Kaufman that finishes the story started in The Isles of the Gods.
The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham
The highly entertaining novel, The Wrong Hands, was a very fun book that followed on from Billingham’s first DS Declan Miller book, The Last Dance.
Top Ten Tuesday:
Warhammer 40,000: Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers
The first book on this list is one of my favourite sequels of 2024, Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers. The follow-up to Flowers’ previous awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel, Outgunned, Above and Beyond reunites two of Flower’s complex and traumatised protagonists, a newly cynical propaganda expert and a broken war hero, and throws them into hell. Taking them into another adventure laden with intrigue, lies and manipulation, Above and Beyond was Flowers’ best novel yet, and I loved how effectively it continued the epic story from Outgunned.
M. W. Craven had a brilliant year in 2024, as not only did he release the exceptional and dark murder mystery, The Mercy Chair, but he also presented the fantastic novel, Nobody’s Hero. A sequel to his 2023 novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero is a beautifully over-the-top thriller loaded with brutal action and so much fun. Providing a very interesting continuation to several storylines started in Fearless while also standing on its on with its excessive plot, Nobody’s Hero is a great book and a wonderful sequel.
Ian Ross continued his exciting historical adventures this year with War Cry, the fantastic follow-up to his captivating read, Battle Song. Battle Song, one of my favourite books of 2023, introduced readers to a young squire who participated into one of England’s more intriguing historical civil wars, and featured an exceptionally addictive story. Ross continued the series in a big way with his sequel, War Cry, that dragged his protagonist, now a knight, into the next stage of war, and all the tragedy that contains. I had a great time with this sequel, and it really moved the overarching story along in a big way. Special mention also needs to go to the third book in the series King’s Enemy, that also came out this year, and which ended the series in an excellent manner.
The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe
Back in 2021 I had the very great pleasure of reading the particularly intense and clever young adult thriller, The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe, that followed a teenage former con artist caught up in a bank robbery. I really loved The Girls I’ve Been, and I was very happy that Sharpe released a sequel this year in The Girl in Question. Another captivating and exciting read that I really got hooked on, especially with its distinctive style and damaged teenage protagonists, The Girl in Question was an outstanding sequel that comes highly recommended.
Deep Black by Miles Cameron
The most recent sequel I have picked up was Deep Black by Miles Cameron, which contains a massive and complex science fiction adventure. The sequel to his previous novel, Artifact Space, Deep Black continues the great narrative of exploration and interstellar mystery, as the crew of a massive human trading vessel attempts to learn more about a series attacks trying to destroy it. Cameron’s inventiveness and great character work is on full display in Deep Black, and I loved how he continued the outstanding story started in Artifact Space.
Play of Shadows by Sebastien de Castell
I’m slightly cheating with the next entry on this list, Play of Shadows, as it is technically the first book in de Castell’s new Court of Shadows series. However, at the same time Play of Shadows is also a loosely connected sequel to de Castell’s previous novel, Crucible of Chaos, which was released in advance of Play of Shadows as a prequel. As such, I am counting Play of Shadows as a sequel, and frankly the book was so good I want to highlight it as many times as I can in the coming weeks. An entertaining, compelling and unique fantasy novel, Play of Shadows saw a young actor unravel an ancient conspiracy infecting his city when he gains the ability to manifest the spirt of a notorious historical villain while on the stage. A brilliant, witty and highly addictive read, Play of Shadows really impressed me, and I am so very eager to see how this series continues in the future.
Another outstanding sequel I was happy to read this year was the intricate spy thriller Dark Arena by Jack Beaumont. A particularly authentic spy novel set in Paris, Dark Arena serves as a sequel the Beaumont’s debut, The Frenchman (one of my favourite debut novels of 2021), and follows members of France’s intelligence community as they attempt to unravel a deadly plot impacting all of Europe. A gripping read that served as a great continuation to The Frenchman, Dark Arena is an amazing sequel that is worth checking out.
Warhammer 40,000: Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks
I had a lot of fun with Warhammer fiction in 2024, and that includes the outstanding Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks. The direct sequel to Brooks’ hilarious Warhammer 40,000 novel, Brutal Kunnin, Da Big Dakka showcases the continued adventure of Brooks’ ork protagonist as he brings war, fighting and brutal fun to all corners of the galaxy. This second book pits the orks against a tricky new foe in the most dangerous city in the universe, and the result is as hectic and bloody as you would expect. Pure chaotic fun that any fan of Warhammer 40,000 fiction can enjoy.
The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence
Another highly complex and powerful fantasy novel from the always impressive Mark Lawrence, The Book That Broke the World is a great follow-up to the 2023 novel, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn. Continuing the elaborate narrative from the first book, while also expanding out the twists, turns and intricate details, The Book That Broke the World was a very smart novel that serves as a very satisfying sequel to The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and is very much worth checking out.
The final sequel I want to highlight on this list is the action-packed novel, Sentinel. The follow-up to the action-thriller, Armored, Sentinel throws the protagonist of the first book into an elaborate coup in Africa, with his family’s safety also at risk. A highly exciting and compelling novel, loaded with impressive action and an elaborate narrative, Sentinel was an awesome sequel and I look forward to seeing how Greaney will continue this series in the future.
Well, that’s it for this list. As you can see, I have read several outstanding sequels this year and had a wonderful time doing so. Every entry above was an epic novel, and I loved how they each successfully continued impressive story threads started in the previous novel. All these books come highly recommended, and I cannot wait to see how these talented authors add to their already awesome series in the future.
WWW Wednesday – 16 October 2024
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 Waiting by Michael Connelly (Trade Paperback)
I just started reading the new Michael Connelly novel The Waiting. The latest book from Connelly to feature his awesome police protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, The Waiting sees them team up to investigate another series of intriguing cases, including an infamous cold case murder. Set to be one of the best crime fiction reads of 2024, I have been really excited for The Waiting and I cannot wait to see how this twisty mystery unfolds.
Warhammer 40,000: Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer (Audiobook)
I also started listening to one of the latest Warhammer 40,000 novels, Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer. The second book from Beer following their excellent 2023 debut, The King of the Spoil, Dominion Genesis sees Beer follow the mechanical and inhuman tech priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus as they attempt to survive a devastating alien invasion. I haven’t gotten too far into Dominion Genesis yet, but it’s so far been an interesting start. I look forward to seeing how this entire novel comes together, and I am eager for more Warhammer awesomeness.
What did you recently finish reading?
High Wire by Candice Fox (Trade Paperback)
An exciting and explosive Australian thriller, High Wire was an excellent read and I am hoping to write a review for it soon.
A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)
I absolutely powered through the audiobook version of the new Anthony Ryan fantasy novel A Tide of Black Steel this week. A sequel to Ryan’s The Covenant of Steel trilogy (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel was an epic read that I could not get enough of. An outstanding novel and one of my favourite fantasy books of 2024 so far.
What do you think you’ll read next?
How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler
I’ve got several great books to read at the moment, but I think I’ll try to read the hilarious sounding novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler next. A comedic take on the classic tale of good vs evil, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying will follow a hero who keeps dying in a time loop as they finally snap and decide to become an evil dark lord to survive. I love the sound of this funny and cool fantasy novel, and I know I am going to have a ton of fun reading it.
That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
WWW Wednesday – 9 October 2024
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:
High Wire by Candice Fox (Trade Paperback)
I didn’t make as much progress with High Wire as I’d hoped this week. The latest book from Candice Fox, High Wire is an exciting Australian thriller with some real bang behind it. I’m hoping to devote a bit more time to High Wire in the next week and I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes.
A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)
I’ve started listening to the amazing new fantasy novel A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan. A sequel to Ryan’s The Covenant of Steel trilogy (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel is an epic read that takes some great new characters on an amazing adventure. I am absolutely powering through A Tide of Black Steel, and I should hopefully have it finished by this time next week.
What did you recently finish reading?
Warhammer 40,000: Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster (Audiobook)
I quickly finished off the awesome Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster this week. An impressive and epic read, I deeply enjoyed this exceptional audiobook, and I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.
Warhammer 40,000: Double Eagle by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)
It turns out I was in a real Warhammer 40,000 mood this week as I also quickly listened to the awesome book Double Eagle by Dan Abnett. A spin-off from Abnett’s Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Double Eagle is an exceptional novel about aerial combat that I couldn’t get enough off. This was one of the best Warhammer novels I have ever read, and I will be reviewing it very soon.
What do you think you’ll read next?
The Waiting by Michael Connelly
I am really hoping to read the new Michael Connelly novel The Waiting this week. The latest book from Connelly to feature his awesome police protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, The Waiting will see them team up to investigate another series of intriguing cases, including an infamous cold case. Set to be one of the best crime fiction reads of 2024, I have been really excited for The Waiting and I cannot wait to see what twisty mysteries Connelly has written this time.
Warhammer 40,000: Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer
Finally, if I get through A Tide of Black Steel this week, I will probably start listening to one of the latest Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks, Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer. An intriguing read that will follow a member of the Adeptus Mechanicus as they attempt to save their world from an alien invasion, I think Dominion Genesis has a lot of potential, especially as Beer really impressed me with his debut, The King of the Spoil, last year.
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.
WWW Wednesday – 2 October 2024
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:
High Wire by Candice Fox (Trade Paperback)
I just started reading the awesome new Australian thriller High Wire by Candice Fox. Fox’s third book of 2024, High Wire is an exciting thriller with some real bang behind it. I’ve only read a little of High Wire so far, but I am enjoying its high-octane narrative, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.
Warhammer 40,000: Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster (Audiobook)
I’ve spent most of this week listening to the awesome Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster. An impressive and epic read that follows a company of the Dark Angels to a mysterious planet, Enmity’s Edge has proven to be an exceptional read, loaded with intensity, conspiracy and compelling characters. I have deeply enjoyed this exceptional audiobook, and I am hoping to finish it off in the next day or so.
What did you recently finish reading?
Capture or Kill by Don Bentley (ebook)
I manage to finish off the latest Mitch Rapp novel, Capture or Kill. The first book in this long-running series written by new author Don Bentley, Capture or Kill was an intense and thrilling read that set the murderous protagonist on another dark journey.
What do you think you’ll read next?
The Waiting by Michael Connelly
I am really hoping to read the new Michael Connelly novel The Waiting this week. The latest book from Connelly to feature his awesome police protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, The Waiting will see them team up to investigate another series of intriguing cases, including an infamous cold case. Set to be one of the best crime fiction reads of 2024, I have been really excited for The Waiting and I cannot wait to see what twisty mysteries Connelly has written this time.
That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring 2024 To-Be-Read (TBR) List
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week requires participants to highlight the posts that best showcase their personality. While this is an interesting topic, and one that I may come back to in the future, I am instead going to look at some upcoming books. That is because today is the last Tuesday before Spring 2024, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to read in Spring (Autumn for folks in the Northern Hemisphere). This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.
For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 September 2024 and 30 November 2024 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section. I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles and my most anticipated books for the second half of 2024 lists (fantasy and science fiction and other genres), and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads. I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2024.
Honourable Mentions:
High Wire by Candice Fox – 24 September 2024
Another exciting read from one of Australia’s top crime fiction authors. High Wire is Candice Fox’s third book of 2024 (following The Murder Inn and Devil’s Kitchen) and looks set to be a high-octane read in the middle of the Australian outback.
Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven – 8 October 2024
An intriguing follow-up to Craven’s 2023 novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero sounds like a ton of fun, and I am particularly keen to check it out after deeply loving Craven’s other 2024 novel, The Mercy Chair.
Star Wars: The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes – 15 October 2024
A cool and intriguing new Star Wars novel that looks set to highlight the legendary Mace Windu.
Endgame by Sarah Barrie – 30 October 2024
Another awesome Australian thriller from impressive author Sarah Barrie. Endgame will end the outstanding and dark Lexi Winter’s series, which has previously featured Unforgiven, Retribution and Vendetta.
Top Ten List:
King’s Enemy by Ian Ross – 10 September 2024
The first book on this list is the awesome historical fiction release, King’s Enemy. The third and final book in the de Norton trilogy, which has previously featured the exceptional reads Battle Song and War Cry. King’s Enemy will see the protagonist, knight Adam de Norton, forced to turn against his king after losing a deadly civil war, resulting in one of England’s most infamous sieges. I love the sound of this book so much, and I have a feeling it is going to be one of the top historical fiction books of 2024.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman – 17 September 2024
Over the last four years, Richard Osman has consistently impressed me with his incredible and exceptional crime fiction reads. His Thursday Murder Club series, made up of The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and The Last Devil to Die (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), are so damn good, and I am always eager for more Osman. As such, Osman’s new book, We Solve Murders, is one of my most anticipated books of 2024. Featuring a new group of protagonists, We Solve Murders has another outstanding story behind it, and I cannot wait to check it out.
A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan – 24 September 2024
Probably the fantasy novel I am most looking forward to in 2024 is A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan. The start of new series from Ryan that follows on from his Covenant of Steel trilogy (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel looks set to be a powerful and compelling adventure read, following a new group of protagonists. I love the cool sounding plot of A Tide of Black Steel, and I am eager to see how it will continue some of the open storylines from the Covenant of Steel books.
Darkside by Michael Mammay – 24 September 2024
I was very excited to see that outstanding author Michael Mammay was returning to his Planetside series later this year. Following a veteran, maverick solider in the future who finds himself involved in a series of genocidal plots, the Planetside books are so damn good and have been deeply impressing me since Mammay’s writing debut. Made up of Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside, the Planetside books are extremely awesome, and I cannot wait to check out the fourth book in the series, Darkside. Following the protagonist as he investigates a sinister missing person’s case on the dark side of an isolated moon, Darkside should be an incredible read, especially when the protagonist goes up against multiple mega-corporations he’s annoyed in the past.
Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai – 8 October 2024
Readers of this blog will know that I need my Usagi Yojimbo fix each year, as it is easily my favourite comic series out there. Luckily, I don’t need to wait too much longer for the new Usagi Yojimbo comic, as the 39th volume in this incredible series, Ice and Snow, comes out in October. This latest entry in the series sounds very awesome, as Usagi and his cousin are forced to face off against his most deadly enemy, the deadly supernatural killer Jei. I am so excited to get my hands on this comic, and it is going to be so much fun to read.
The Waiting by Michael Connelly – 15 October 2024
Time and time again, Michael Connelly continuously shows why he is the very best crime fiction author in the world today. So many of his recent books have deeply impressed me, including The Night Fire, Fair Warning and Resurrection Walk, just to name a few. As such I am always keen to grab the new Connelly book, and I am very, very happy that the new entry, The Waiting, is out very soon. Once again focusing on his main police protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, The Waiting looks set to be an excellent entry in the series, as Connelly has stacked it with multiple compelling cases, as well as bringing in another Bosch for fans to enjoy. I have no doubt that I am going to absolutely love The Waiting, and it will probably end up being one of my top books of 2024.
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson – 22 October 2024
Another top crime fiction book coming out in Spring that I am particularly excited for is Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Australian author Benjamin Stevenson. Following on from Stevenson’s previous hilarious and clever books, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret, will be a Christmas themed murder mystery romp, with the protagonist forced to figure out who amongst a group of professional Christmas performers is a killer. This will be one of the funniest books of 2024, and I look forward to seeing how this latest book in one of my favourite Australian series turns out.
The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne – 22 October 2024
Probably the book with the best cover on this list is The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne. The third and final book in Gwynne’s The Bloodsworn Saga, The Fury of the Gods will follow on from the amazing and inventive fantasy releases, The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods. I have had an outstanding time with this incredible, Viking-inspired fantasy series, and I have no doubt this final battle between gods and mortals is going to be something truly special.
Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 12 November 2024
I can’t talk about November releases without highlighting the upcoming Simon Scarrow book, Revenge of Rome. The 23rd Eagles of the Empire novel, Revenge of Rome follows on from several recent Scarrow books set in Britannia, The Honour of Rome, Death to the Emperor and Rebellion. Revenge of Rome will be set in the bloody aftermath of Boudica’s revolt and follows the damaged protagonists as they attempt to hunt down the fleeing Boudica. This will no doubt be a particularly intense entry in the series, and I cannot wait to see how Scarrow will continue this epic series. Another amazing entry in one of my absolute favourite series.
The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso – 19 November 2024
The final book I want to highlight on this list is the cool and unique upcoming fantasy read, The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso. Caruso, who previously deeply impressed me with her debut Sword and Fire trilogy (The Tethered Mage, The Defiant Heir and The Unbound Empire), is set to deliver an intriguing fantasy crime fiction book. Following an odd-couple pair of investigators as they attempt to examine a mysterious set of murders driven by unusual time magic The Last Hour Between Worlds sounds extremely cool and distinctive, and I cannot wait explore this new amazing fantasy tale from Caruso.
Well, that is the end of my Top Ten list. I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months. Each of the above should be extremely epic, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a few books to get through soon and they should all be awesome.
The Unseen Library 