Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Sequels of 2025

On December 18, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

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 2025, as well as the best pre-2025 novels I read this year, but in this week’s list I am going to highlight the best sequels I read in 2025. This is a relatively new topic that I have only explored in 2023 and 2024, however it’s proving to be a great topic that I’m keen to keep going back to.

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 2025 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 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

Crusade by Richard Cullen

A great and very exciting historical fiction novel that serves as an excellent sequel to the first book in Cullen’s Chronicles of the Black Lion series, Rebellion.

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben

Harlan Coben provided an intense and clever sequel to one of his better-known novels, Fool Me Once, this year with the awesome new book, Nobody’s Fool

The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

I had a lot of fun reading the compelling Australian crime novel, The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins, this year, which serves as an outstanding sequel to the author’s debut, How to Kill a Client.

Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka

One of the more entertaining sequels of the year was the hilarious and charming English release of Hotel Lucky Seven by iconic Japanese author Kotaro Isaka. A direct sequel to Bullet Train, Hotel Lucky Seven follows the previous book’s terminally unlucky protagonist as he finds himself trapped in a hotel full of outrageous assassins.

Top Ten Tuesday:

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

The first incredible 2025 sequel I want to highlight on this list is A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett. An elaborate and deeply clever fantasy murder mystery novel, A Drop of Corruption serves as a sequel to The Tainted Cup, which was one of my favourite books of 2024. Following an unnaturally skilled detective and her loyal assistant as they investigate impossible crimes in a land constantly under attack from giant monsters, A Drop of Corruption, was an outstanding read that will keep you hooked until the end. Featuring an exceptional mystery that perfectly utilises elements from the universe started in The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption was one of the best books of the year and an incredible sequel.

Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett

Possibly one of the most long-awaited sequel on this list is the awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel, Interceptor City. The sequel to Dan Abnett’s classic novel, Double Eagle, Interceptor City sees the original protagonist return for another gritty war story, this time forced to fly amongst the ruins of a giant city. Featuring some of the best aerial combat sequences you are likely to read in fiction, Interceptor City was an exceptional read and it was amazing to see Double Eagle’s story continue in such a fantastic manner.

The Malevolent Eight by Sebastian De Castell

I had a hilarious time getting through the highly entertaining and gloriously over-the-top fantasy novel, The Malevolent Eight. The sequel to De Castell’s outstanding novel, The Malevolent Seven, The Malevolent Eight follows eight crazy mages as they attempt to save their world from the combined armies of heaven and hell. A comedic treat that I couldn’t put down, this was an incredible fantasy sequel that comes very highly recommended.

Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

I had to feature the impressive Australian crime fiction novel Broke Road by Matthew Spencer on this list. Serving as an interesting follow-up to Spencer’s debut novel Black River, Broke Road is a gritty and complex murder mystery that sees a troubled detective and a rogue journalist investigate a shocking crime in regional Australia. I deeply enjoyed Broke Road and it ended up being a particularly amazing sequel that overshadowed Spencer’s original novel. One of the best pieces of Australian fiction in 2025, I cannot wait to see how Spencer continues to grow as an author.

Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan

Acclaimed fantasy author Anthony Ryan continues to greatly impress with his new fantasy novel, Born of an Iron Storm. The second book in Ryan’s Age of Wrath series, Born of an Iron Storm continues the excellent story started in A Tide of Black Steel, as four separate protagonists attempt to weather a dark invasion coming down upon their lands. A wonderful fantasy adventure sequel that makes full use of its Viking inspiration, Born of an Iron Storm was a powerful read that is really worth checking out.

Cold War by Jonathan Maberry

One of my favourite authors, Jonathan Maberry, continued his distinctive and dark NecroTek science fiction series this year with the fantastic second entry Cold War. Set right after the events of the first book, NecroTek, Cold War was an inventive, intense and disturbing sequel that pitted human scientists and soldiers against the very worst Lovecraftian monsters. A great sequel that cleverly brings in some awesome new characters and further raises the stakes of the crazy plot, Cold War was an exceptional read that I honestly couldn’t stop listening to.

Never Flinch by Stephen King

I’m slightly cheating by including this next entry, however, I honestly count Never Flinch as a sequel as it is the second novel from Stephen King to feature his unique character, Holly Gibney, as protagonist. Following on from the success of Holly (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), Never Flinch sees the protagonist attempt to stop two deadly killers stalking their prey in her city. A particularly moving and intense book, Never Flinch was so damn good, and I’m very glad that King produced a second Holly Gibney focused novel.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

The always fun Django Wexler wrapped up his Dark Lord Davi duology in amazing fashion this year with Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me. Following a slightly insane fantasy protagonist who finds herself trapped in a deadly time loop, this entry was the wonderful sequel to Wexler’s 2024 novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying. With the protagonist now a deadly Dark Lord, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me sees her attempt to save the human nation her minions want to conquer through an elaborate infiltration mission. Filled with mishaps, adventure and outrageous humour, Everybody Wants to Ruel the World Except Me was so damn fun, and I cannot recommend this sequel enough.

The Strength of the Few by James Islington

I had to feature the very impressive novel I just finished, The Strength of the Few by James Islington, on this list. The most elaborate sequel of 2025, The Strength of the Few, serves as a follow-up to Islington’s highly acclaimed 2023 novel, The Will of the Many. Upping the ante in a particularly inventive way, this great sequel sees the protagonist of The Will of the Many split across three separate versions of the same world, requiring three unique story arcs. A very ambitious novel that shows some true inventiveness, The Strength of the Few was an exceptional novel that serves as a worthy sequel to Islington’s previous epic book.

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland

The final sequel I want to highlight on this list is Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland. The sequel to Corland’s 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms sees the murderous and mistrustful protagonists of the first book attempt to once again work together to pull off an impossible heist. Full of compelling characters, doomed romances and clever worldbuilding, Four Ruined Realms was an excellent novel, that worked extremely well as a sequel to Corland’s previous adventure. Four Ruined Realms comes highly recommended as a result, and I really need to check out the third and final book in the series before the end of 2025.

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.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Sequels from the First Half of 2025

On July 29, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

In addition to the highlighting some of the best Australian novels I read in the first half of 2025, I am also taking this opportunity to list some of the best new sequel novels that I have had the opportunity to read this year.

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, but I feel that the first half of 2025 has been particularly rich in the form of amazing follow-up novels from talented authors. Indeed, the sheer quality of some of the sequels coming out this year has been quite remarkable, and it has compelled me to dedicate this list to highlighting the very best.

To complete this list, I pulled together the best sequels released so far in 2025 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 highlights my favourite sequels released in the first half of 2025.

Top Ten List:

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

The first book I had to highlight on this list was the deeply impressive and addictive fantasy/mystery hybrid, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett. The sequel to one of my favourite books of 2024, The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption continues to follow the author’s unlikely detective protagonists as they investigate dark conspiracies in a monster-besieged empire. This second novel was particularly epic, featuring a complex investigation narrative well supported by Bennett’s unique fantasy elements. A deeply addictive read, A Drop of Corruption was a very easy choice for this list, and I cannot recommend this sequel enough.

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben

Next, we have the very cool sequel to Harlan Coben’s classic thriller, Fool Me Once, Nobody’s Fool. Bringing back one of the police protagonists of Fool Me Once, Nobody’s Fool was an intense and quick-paced read, that saw a damaged figure attempt to find answers for one of the more traumatising moments in his life. Loaded with cool twists and some great shocks, I flew through Nobody’s Fool in no time at all, and it was very interesting to see how Coben followed up his previous amazing read.

Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett

A very outstanding sequel that ended up being one of the best books and audiobooks I enjoyed in the first half of 2025 is the epic Warhammer 40,000 novel Interceptor City by Dan Abnett. The long-awaited follow-up to his iconic novel Double Eagle (one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels), Interceptor City took readers back to the skies with another rich, aerial combat focused novel in the grim Warhammer 40,000 universe. This time forcing his protagonist to fly in claustrophobic conditions amongst the ruins of a massive fallen city, Interceptor City was Abnett at his finest, and you will not be able to put down this exceptional Warhammer 40,000 sequel.

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland

Mai Corland provided a great second entry in her Broken Blades trilogy this year with her brilliant novel, Four Ruined Realms. The sequel to Corland’s 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms saw the author’s lethal protagonists forced to complete a deadly heist in an enemy nation. Loaded with lies, betrayals and complex drama, Four Ruined Realms was a very impressive continuation of the series, and I had a ton of fun getting through it.

Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

After impressing with his first novel, the Australian crime fiction read Black River, Matthew Spencer presented an incredible sequel this year with the dark and thrilling read, Broke Road. Setting his protagonists on another harrowing investigation, Broke Road was an intense read that cleverly built on the relationships introduced in Black River. A really amazing Australian sequel and one I’m very glad I got the chance to read.

The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell

One of the more entertaining sequels of 2025 so far is the unhinged dark fantasy novel The Malevolent Eight. The sequel to Sebastien de Castell’s extremely fun novel, The Malevolent Seven, The Malevolent Eight proved to be particularly awesome, especially as de Castell dialled up the mayhem and kept the readers entertained with the resulting carnage. A very interesting and impressive novel, de Castell clearly had fun with The Malevolent Eight, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future, especially as he has another outstanding sequel coming out later this year with Our Lady of Blades.

The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

Next up we have the really cool Australian fiction sequel, The Bluff by Joanne Jenkins. The interesting follow-up to Jenkin’s first novel, How to Kill a Client, The Bluff was a great rural crime fiction novel that cleverly recreated the events leading up to a brutal death. A fantastic, character-focused read loaded with twists, The Bluff was an excellent second novel from Jenkins, and one I had an amazing time reading.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

After blowing me away with the hilarious fantasy novel, How to Become a Dark Lord and Die Trying, Django Wexler finished his story this year with the great sequel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me. Following Wexler’s slightly unhinged protagonist as she attempts to save everyone after achieving her goal of becoming an infamous Dark Lord, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was an awesome second and final book from the author that I couldn’t stop reading. Funny, addictive, and featuring some very interesting plot reveals, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was an outstanding read and an excellent sequel to Wexler’s previous book.

Never Flinch by Stephen King

I’m slightly cheating by including the next novel, Never Flinch by Stephen King, however, I view it as a sequel to his previous novel, Holly, as they are the first books primarily focussed on his memorable character Holly Gibney. An exceptional and powerful crime fiction read that saw Gibney contend with the worrying schemes of two obsessed hunters, Never Flinch was an outstanding novel that you won’t be able to get away from.

Crusade by Richard Cullen

The final sequel on this list is the excellent historical fiction novel Crusade. The second book in the Chronicles of the Black Lion series and works as a great follow-up to last year’s novel Rebellion. Taking his protagonist on a dangerous adventure set around the Fifth Crusade, Crusade was an exciting and captivating read that I had an amazing time with. A fantastic sequel and a great book to end this list on.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Top Ten list. I think it turned out rather well and it encapsulates some of the best sequels I have checked out so far in 2025. I look forward to reading more books from these authors in the future and I have no doubt that some of the third and fourth books in these respective series are going to be just as impressive. It will be interesting to see what other great sequels I will get to experience in the rest of 2025, and I am sure there are going to be some exceptional new books coming out soon. Indeed, the upcoming sequels The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso, Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan and The Strength of the Few by James Islington, are all currently very high on my to-read list, and I am sure they are going to be spectacular novels and deeply impressive sequels.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books from the First Half of 2025

On July 29, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, List3 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature 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 was to lists books with a beachy theme to them. While this is an interesting concept, it’s not one I think I can contribute to in the dead of Australia’s Winter and I’m instead going to do something different and will provide two separate lists here that continue my theme of recapping the first half of 2025.

I have had a lot of fun recapping some of the best recent books and audiobooks released in the first half of 2025 in previous weeks, but I also need to spend this time highlighting other specific releases from the first half of the year. While last year I examined new authors and pre-2024 fiction in my mid-year lists, as I had an abundance of these in my reading list, 2025 is shaping up to be very different, as I instead seem to have read an awful lot of novels from Australian authors. While I generally tend to read a great deal of Australian fiction each year due to my location, I have found that 2025 has been a particularly impressive year for Australian fiction, with some truly outstanding novels from very talented local authors.

As such, I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight some of the very best Australian talents who have so far released books in 2025. To make it onto this list, the book had to be released by an Australia author this year. 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. The eventual list I pulled together was pretty long, but I was eventually able to whittle it down into the absolute best Australian books of the year so far, which included some amazing reads from across the genres.

Honourable Mentions:

Landfall by James Bradley

A gritty crime fiction read set in a deteriorating future Sydney.

Barren Cape by Michelle Prak

A compelling contemporary read that touches on some very pressing Australian issues.

Of Flame and Fury by Mikayla Bridge

A great young adult fantasy debut from a talented new author.

Top Ten List:

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold

First of this list we have the exceptional urban fantasy novel, Whisper in the Wind by rising Australian author Luke Arnold. The fourth book in his Fetch Phillips series, Whisper in the Wind was a powerful novel that saw the author’s damaged protagonist once again dragged into the chaotic events engulfing the formerly magical city he doomed. A very clever novel that perfectly built on the amazing narrative threads of the previous entries in the series, this was one of Arnold’s most impressive books yet and I cannot recommend it enough.

Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

Next, we have one of the best pieces of Australian crime fiction in 2025, with Broke Road by Matthew Spencer. The sequel to Spencer’s excellent debut, Black River, Broke Road brought back the author’s compelling protagonists as they investigated a brutal killing in small town Australia. Featuring a particularly impressive and gripping case, Broke Road had me hooked the entire way through and I deeply enjoyed this complex and powerful read.

Gunnawah by Ronni Salt

New author Ronni Salt greatly impresses with her debut novel, Gunnawah. A captivating crime fiction read set back in 1970s rural Australia, Gunnawah provides an interesting examination of the period while hooking you with a cool mystery. A great piece of Australian fiction from a memorable debuting author.

Sins of the Fathers by John Byrnes

John Byrnes once again dives back into the early 20^th century with his historical epic Sins of the Fathers. Following several battling young characters as they attempt to survive the harrowing 1910s, Sins of the Fathers was another strong outing from Byrnes who has really found his writing niche.

The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

After having a lot of fun with her cool 2023 debut, How to Kill a Client, Joanna Jenkins returns with the outstanding sequel, The Bluff. Moving Jenkin’s big city lawyer protagonist from her first book to small town Australia, The Bluff sees the protagonist attempt to unwind a series of events that lead to the death of the town’s local hero, and the disappearance of a young outcast girl. A masterful read that cleverly recaps events from the past, The Bluff was a brilliant sequel from Jenkins, who continues to showcase her massive potential as an author.

Pacific Heights by S. R. White

The next book on this list is the intricate murder mystery, Pacific Heights, by the distinctive S. R. White. A spinoff from his main series, Pacific Heights follows two detectives as they attempt to solve a murder that took place in easy view of multiple apartments. However, the case becomes complicated when each of the witnesses has a different story, and no series of events truly matches up. A powerful read that combines an excellent mystery with a fun cautionary tale about perception.

The Whisperer’s War by Jackie French

A complex World War II drama from one of Australia’s best authors, this was an outstanding book and one I got really caught up in.

The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers

Another outstanding Australian fiction debut in 2025 was The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers. Following a group of former friends who return to the scene of a great tragedy from their shared past many years later, The Reunion brought out old secrets and lies as a deranged mother tries to discover how her son truly died. A clever and intense novel that you won’t be able to turn away from, The Reunion was very impressive, and I look forward to seeing what cool books Rivers will produce in the future.

2 Sisters Murder Investigations by James Patterson and Candice Fox

Acclaimed Australian author Candice Fox once again teams with the legendary James Patterson for the exciting read, 2 Sisters Murder Investigation. A sequel to 2 Sisters Detective Agency, 2 Sisters Murder Investigation was a thrilling novel that followed the turbulent sister protagonists on another wild ride. Exciting, fast-paced and very fun, this was another great read from this impressive team.

Vanish by Shelley Burr

The final book was the distinctive crime fiction novel Vanish. The final book in the author’s Lane Holland trilogy (which previously featured Wake and Ripper), Vanish sees the protagonist embark on an unusual investigation to try and find the fate of a missing girl. An outstanding novel from one of Australia’s best rising authors, Vanish was a great conclusion to the protagonist’s ongoing storylines and a very worthy entry to this list.

As you can see from the above, I have managed to check out a bunch of epic Australian novels in the first half of this year. Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend to everyone. I look forward to reading more awesome Australian books in the second half of 2025, and I feel that books like The Strength of the Few by James Islington, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson and Once a Villain by Vanessa Len are likely to make the end-of-year version of this list. Make sure to check out my other recent lists about the first half of 2025, especially my other Top Ten Tuesday post tonight, and let me know what cool Australian books you have already checked out this year.

Canberra Weekly Column – Crime Fiction – 6 March 2025

On March 10, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Canberra Weekly Column, Murder Mystery, ThrillerLeave a comment

Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 6 March 2025.

Make sure to check out my extended reviews for The Bluff, Nemesis and Little Red Death.

The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

On March 10, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery3 Comments

Publisher: Allen & Unwin (Trade Paperback – 4 March 2025)

Series: How to Kill a Client – Book Two

Length: 432 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Impressive new Australian author Joanna Jenkins presents another captivating piece of crime fiction with the gripping and emotionally charged read, The Bluff.

Back in 2023 I had the very great pleasure of reading the fantastic legal thriller, How to Kill a Client. The debut novel of Australian author Joanna Jenkins, How to Kill a Client followed various members of a prestigious Australian law firm who are forced to deal with the fallout of the murder of one of their biggest clients, a man who everyone in the firm had a motive to kill. Jenkins produced an outstanding story in her first novel, and How to Kill a Client ended up being one of my favourite debuts and pieces of Australian fiction of 2023. Due to how good her first book was, I have been keeping an eye out for anything else from Jenkins and I was very happy to see she had a new book coming out in 2025 with The Bluff. A surprising sequel to How to Kill a Client, The Bluff has been on my to-read list for a while, and I was very glad that I finally got the chance to check it out.

Plot Synopsis:

People like Dash didn’t die. He was only what? Mid-thirties? Well off. Adored. By some anyway. World at his feet. Well, Myddle at his feet, which was his world.

Ruth Dawson has taken a break from big city law to fill in for a few months at a mate’s small-town legal practice in Myddle. It’s not what she’s used to . . .

So when she hears the front door of her office open she’s expecting a weird demand, or a question she doesn’t know the answer to. But it’s Bea Baulderstone’s mum, worried that she hasn’t seen her seventeen-year-old daughter for five days, and Constable Gazza Parker is refusing to report the girl missing.

Ruth tries to find Bea, but Myddle is a wall of indifference. Then Dash Rogers is found at his farm gate, dead from a gunshot wound, and suddenly the town is very interested in Bea’s whereabouts.

An unputdownable thriller of deception and greed, The Bluff reveals an enmeshed web of family and community loyalties, set in the lush rural hinterland of east coast Australia.

The Bluff was an extremely captivating and complex Australian thriller from Joanna Jenkins that stands on its own feet while also serving as a great sequel to How to Kill a Client. Featuring a fantastic character-driven story loaded with mystery, impressive storytelling and an excellent rural setting, The Bluff had me hooked very quickly, and I ended up powering through it in a day.

I really enjoyed the amazing story that Jenkins came up with for The Bluff, as she provides both an intriguing mystery, and some great character development. A mostly standalone plot set after the events of How to Kill a Client, the reader is reintroduced to high profile layer Ruth Dawson, who is taking a break from the high-flying life to manage a small law firm in the small New South Wales town of Myddle. This change in setting and story focus towards a rural thriller, rather than the big-city legal thriller of Jenkins’ previous book, proved to be quite effective, as was the very clever way the author set out The Bluff’s story.

Jenkins ensured that readers get dragged into The Bluff’s tale almost immediately, with two very quick sequences at the start: one that showed a key moment of the plot without any context, and then a subsequent scene where the protagonist is reintroduced and then finds out about the narrative’s two main mysteries, a missing girl and a murder. With these important bits of information in your brain, the reader is then transported back six months and is shown all the events that occurred over this period that led up to the disappearance of Bea Baulderstone and the murder of Dash Rogers. Through this six-month period, you become acquainted with all the key players around Myddle and observe their interactions with the victims and the protagonist, and you begin the appreciate the complex web of relationships, problems and personalities that surround the case, as well as the many potential motivations for the book’s main crimes.

This dive back in time was an outstanding writing choice by Jenkins that allowed the reader to really appreciate the full breadth of the relationships and troubles that accompany the crime, all while perfectly utilising The Bluff’s excellent rural setting. With every brick of plot laid down to hint at the events to come, you find yourself becoming more and more involved with the plot as you try to picture how and why the murder will occur and which of the many interesting and emotional characters may commit it. The inclusion of a countdown at the start of each new chapter gives a great ticking clock vibe to The Bluff, and you become more and more anxious and excited as you get closer the plot’s principal event. The reader also begins to appreciate just how despicable the main murder victim is, and that allows for an even more compelling read, as you can see just how many potential people have a motive to kill him, as well as cause the disappearance of the missing girl.

The final third of The Bluff is probably the best, and I flew through it to find out how the story ends. The final series of events leading up to the pivotal killings are particularly dark (and potentially triggering for some readers), and it was fascinating to see everyone’s emotional state in advance of this crime, especially as there are so many potential suspects. However, rather than show the killings there, Jenkins instead jumps back to the timeline from the front of the book and spends the last 100 or so pages dealing with the subsequent investigation, with the protagonist pulling events together. I liked this delay, as it provided an excellent trickle effect for the twists and also allowed the protagonist to shine as she uses her knowledge of events and her own skills at deduction to identify the culprit and protect her friends in the town. The eventual solutions for the mysteries were very clever, and Jenkins did such a great job subtly dropping the clues throughout the backstory of the plot and setting up the various motivations. I really appreciated the many complex and compelling twists which fit into the plot perfectly, especially the last one that really made you think.

This entire brilliant story is wrapped up in some great character arcs, as Jenkins features a range of protagonists and potential suspects, each of whom were quite compelling and brought different shades of drama to the plot. I loved seeing their complex relationships and interactions throughout the plot of The Bluff, especially those that could lead to them committing the book’s main crimes. There are some really great characters here, and it was especially interesting to see more of series protagonist Ruth Dawson, who is not only continuing to move on from the personal trauma and loneliness that was a key part of How to Kill Your Client, but is also trying to figure out where her life is going after the collapse of her previous law firm. These character arcs come together in a very satisfying manner at the end of The Bluff, and a lot of this book’s complexity and strength came from how relatable and compelling Jenkins’ made these various characters, especially when it comes to their anger, fear and potential ability to commit murder.

Overall, The Bluff was an exceptional and deeply impressive sequel from Joanna Jenkins that I think was even stronger than the excellent first book. Featuring a very clever and well-written narrative that brings together powerful character storylines and a great rural setting with complex mystery, The Bluff proved to be extremely captivating, and you will become engrossed in uncovering the full extent of the plot. One of the best Australian crime fiction books of 2025 so far, The Bluff comes highly recommended and is really worth checking out.

WWW Wednesday – 26 February 2025

On February 28, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Little Red Death by A. K. Benedict (ebook)

I started reading the very interesting crime fiction book, Little Red Death, this week. A compelling read that sees an obsessed detective try to solve a series of fairytale-themed murders, Little Red Death has an amazing story behind it, and I am really glad I decided to check it out.

Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)

I have just started listening to the awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel, Interceptor City by Dan Abnett. The sequel to Abnett’s classic Warhammer 40,000 novel, Double Eagle, Interceptor City brings back the protagonist from the previous book and sets her on a deadly new flying mission against skilled enemy pilots. I have so much love for Double Eagle, and I am expecting Interceptor City to be just as incredible, especially as Abnett is extremely skilled at writing elaborate air combat sequences. I have only made a little progress on Interceptor City so far, but I am really loving it and I have no doubt that this will be one of the best books I read all year.

What did you recently finish reading?

Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz (Trade Paperback)

I absolutely powered through the awesome new addition to the Orphan X series from one of my favourite thriller writers, Nemesis. One of the best books I have so far enjoyed from Gregg Hurwitz, Nemesis was so damn good, and I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.

Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Audiobook)

I finally managed to finish off Days of Shattered Faith and it was another exceptional five star read from Tchaikovsky that I could not get enough of.

Small Gods by Terry Pratchett (Audiobook)

Thanks to a road trip I’ve been in a real Discworld mood lately, which saw me get through the new audiobook version of Small Gods by Terry Pratchett narrated by Andy Serkis. This was an exceptional listen and Small Gods remains one of my favourite Discworld books.

The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins (Trade Paperback)

I had an exceptional time this week powering through the new book from Australian author Joanna Jenkins, The Bluff. A clever and twisty crime fiction read that serves as an excellent sequel to Jenkin’s debut novel, How to Kill a Client, The Bluff was an amazing read that I look forward to reviewing soon.

Pyramids by Terry Pratchett (Audiobook)

I also managed to get through the brilliant Discworld novel, Pyramids. Another one of my favourites, Pyramids is so much fun to listen to, including in the new audiobook version primarily narrated by Alfred Enoch.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers

I had to make some changes to my reading schedule, so I didn’t get a chance to read the intriguing new Australia debut, The Reunion, this week as planned. However, I am hoping to rectify that next week as The Reunion sounds particularly captivating and thrilling.

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 – 10 February 2025

On February 10, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

I’ve had a 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.

Midnight Black by Mark Greaney

The first recently received book I want to highlight in this post is the new Mark Greaney novel, Midnight Black. The 14th entry in the author’s Gray Man series, Midnight Black follows on from the cliffhanger at the end of the previous novel, The Chaos Agent, and sees the dangerous spy protagonist attempt to rescue his love interest from a Russian prison camp. One of my most anticipated books of 2025, Midnight Black sounds really cool, and I cannot wait to see what brutal action and over-the-top chaos emerge in this amazing read.

The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers

The next book I want to highlight in this book haul post is the intriguing Australian thriller debut, The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers. Set in the iconic landscape of the Blue Mountains, The Reunion will see five former friends return to the site of a fateful incident 10 years before where one of their friends died during a hike. Set to feature old secrets and lies re-emerge, The Reunion has a ton of potential, and I think it will end up being one of my top debuts of 2025.

The Medici Return by Steve Berry

I was very happy to receive a copy of The Medici Return by Steve Berry. The latest entry in the long-running Cotton Malone series (of which I have become very fond of), The Medici Return will see the series’ titular protagonist investigate a deadly conspiracy involving an old debt owed to the historical Medici family by the Catholic church, which could impact the entire future of Italy. I cannot wait to see what elaborate narrative Berry has pulled together for The Medici Return and I know I am going to have an amazing time with this book.

The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

One of the more intriguing novels I recently received was the cool Australian legal thriller, The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins. The sequel to Jenkin’s fun and clever first novel, How To Kill A Client (one of my favourite debuts of 2023), The Bluff looks set to be another compelling read as the big-city lawyer protagonist investigates a deadly cover-up in small-town Australia.

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben

Easily one of the more intriguing thrillers of 2025, I was very happy to get a copy of the new Harlan Coben book, Nobody’s Fool. A follow-up to Coben’s classic novel, Fool Me Once, Nobody’s Fool will see returning character Sami Kierce forced to face his past after an old girlfriend he thought long dead returns, initiating an impossible mystery. I really like the sound of this amazing book, and I cannot wait to read another incredible novel from Coben.

You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

A very fun and meta thriller that will see several bestselling murder mystery and thriller authors caught up in a classic whodunnit situation when they are summoned to the private of a famous and mysterious author. I love books that attempt to place their own twist on the iconic old-school mystery novels, and You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego sounds like it is going to be something very special.

Count My Lies by Sophie Stava

An intriguing upcoming debut thriller that will see a chronic liar caught up in a dark situation thanks to her bold stories. This could be a very cool read and I look forward to checking it out.

Grave Empire by Richard swan

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the new fantasy novel from Richard Swan, Grave Empire. One of the most anticipated fantasy novels of 2025, Grave Empire takes readers to a new age of the Empire of the Wolf and presents a whole different raft of threats and challenges. This sounds like a really cool book and one I hope I get the chance to check out this year, although as I still haven’t finished off the preceding The Empire of the Wolf trilogy, I worry I won’t be able to enjoy Grave Empire as much.

Barren Cape by Michelle Prak

I was very happy to get an early copy of the fantastic thriller novel, Barren Cape, from Australian author Michelle Prak. This awesome novel will see a desperate person squatting in an abandoned and isolated resort, which will backfire on her in some dark ways. I am extremely curious to see how Barren Cape turns out, and I think I am going to have a lot of fun with this book.

Nightshade by Michael Connelly

Last, but definitely not least, is the new upcoming Michael Connelly book Nightshade. I was very, very lucky to receive an early copy of Nightshade and I am very excited to check it out, especially as all my recent experiences with Connelly’s books have been extremely positive. Introducing a new Connelly protagonist who operates on Catalina Island, Nightshade looks set to be a particularly impressive book and I am very excited to check it out.

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.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Bluff, Pacific Heights and Vanish

On December 11, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday11 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this week’s post, the name of the game is Australian crime fiction as I check out three outstanding upcoming novels set for release in 2025.

I have mentioned a few times on this blog that I have become a major fan of crime fiction in the last several years, ever since I started reviewing across the genres. During this time, I have had the pleasure of reading an array of awesome crime fiction reads, although one sub-genre I get a ton of books of is Australian crime fiction. There are so many great murder mysteries and thrillers released each year that make excellent use of the gritty Australian setting, whether its an outback thriller or a more complex murder mystery set within one of Australia’s urban settings. Australian’s have proven quite adapt at producing epic and mysterious reads, and I tend to receive quite a few Australian focused books from local publishers as a result.

Naturally, after reading a ton of these great reads over the years, I have become skilled at picking out upcoming Australian crime fiction novels that I think are going to be excellent. I have already recently identified a few upcoming 2025 Australian debuts that have a lot of potential, so in this post I am going to look at a series of sequels and releases from established authors that are coming out in the new year. There are three amazing books I want to highlight in this post, and I have a lot of faith that all of them are going to be outstanding.

The first book that I want to talk about is The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins. Jenkins is an excellent novel, whose debut, How to Kill a Client, was a ton of fun. A clever and addictive novel that saw the members of an Australian law firm become suspects in a murder after one of the most important, and distasteful, clients dies suspiciously. I really enjoyed How to Kill a Client, especially as Jenkins created some vivid and compelling characters, and it ended up being one of my favourite debuts of 2023. As such, I have been curious to see what Jenkin’s would write next, and I was very excited to find out details about her upcoming book, The Bluff, especially it is a sequel to How to Kill a Client. Set for release in March 2025, The Bluff places Jenkin’s previous big-city lawyer protagonist in a dangerous small-town setting for another intriguing read.

Plot Synopsis:

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

People like Dash didn’t die. He was only what? Mid-thirties? Well off. Adored. By some anyway. World at his feet. Well, Myddle at his feet, which was his world.

Ruth Dawson has taken a break from big city law to fill in for a few months at a mate’s small-town legal practice in Myddle. It’s not what she’s used to . . .

So when she hears the front door of her office open she’s expecting a weird demand, or a question she doesn’t know the answer to. But it’s Bea Baulderstone’s mum, worried that she hasn’t seen her seventeen-year-old daughter for five days, and Constable Gazza Parker is refusing to report the girl missing.

Ruth tries to find Bea, but Myddle is a wall of indifference. Then Dash Rogers is found at his farm gate, dead from a gunshot wound, and suddenly the town is very interested in Bea’s whereabouts.

An unputdownable thriller of deception and greed, The Bluff reveals an enmeshed web of family and community loyalties, set in the lush rural hinterland of east coast Australia.

I really like the sound of The Bluff and it should be an interesting change of pace from Jenkins’ first book. Forcing the protagonist to deal with small town politics and loyalties while she attempts to find out the truth should result in a great read, and I am intrigued by the mystery that seems to be developing. I’m also curious to see how Jenkins deals with another seemingly adored figure who dies suddenly, as the last one of those the author featured was a brilliant character study in bad behaviour. I honestly think that The Bluff has a ton of potential and I cannot wait to dive into as soon as I can.

The next book that I want to highlight in this post is the deeply intriguing novel, Pacific Heights by S. R. White. White is an exceptional author who has left an impression on the Australian outback thriller scene the last few years. Known for his Detective Dana Russo series (Prisoner, Red Dirt Road and White Ash Ridge), White has produced some gripping reads that focus more on personalities and character motivations rather than evidence. This has resulted in some outstanding mysteries, and I really get caught up in his excellent writing.

Due to this, I am always eager for a new book from White and it is generally one of the better Australian novels released at the start of the year. The author’s next book sounds particularly awesome, as White is releasing a standalone novel outside of his main series with Pacific Heights. Coming out in late March, Pacific Heights once again dives into human nature as the author brings together another distinctive crime fiction scenario.

Plot Synopsis:

FIVE WITNESSES. FIVE DIFFERENT STORIES. WHO IS THE KILLER?

In the courtyard of the Pacific Heights building, a local waitress is found dead.

Five apartments overlook the murder scene. Five people witnessed a crime take place.
Finding the killer should be simple.

Except none of the witnesses’ stories match.
They all saw something – from a different angle, at a different time.
None of them saw everything. Anyone could be the killer.

Detectives Carl “Bluey” Blueson and Lachlan Dyson, each with their own careers in peril, must solve what others assume is a straightforward case. But to unmask a killer they must unpick a complex puzzle – where the motivations of the witnesses are as mystifying as the crime itself.

How can you solve a crime if anyone could be lying?

Now this is another very cool and captivating scenario from White and it is one that I am really drawn to. Forcing the protagonists to work out which of the five conflicting eyewitnesses is lying is going to require a deep dive into each of their characters, and I am very interested to see how the detectives unwind the complex motivations, histories and personality traits to determine which of them is telling the truth and which of them is keeping secrets. As such, this should be a very deep, character-driven crime fiction read, which White really excels at. Based on the plot synopsis alone, I believe that Pacific Heights is going to be a very exceptional read and I cannot wait to find out who is lying and why.

The final book I want to discuss in this Waiting on Wednesday is Vanish by Shelley Burr. Burr is another rising Australian author who I have become very attached to. Her debut novel, Wake, presented a complex and moving story of small-town mystery and the scars it leaves behind when an investigator with his own agenda attempts to uncover the long-hidden fate of a missing girl. Wake was a very impressive read and it ended up being one of my favourite debuts of 2022. Burr made sure to continue her story the next year, as she presented an outstanding sequel in 2023 with Ripper (also released as Murder Town). This book also focused on small town crime, as a new mystery emerges in a picturesque community made infamous by the actions of a serial killer. Ripper was a very worthy follow-up to Wake, and I loved the outstanding narrative that Burr featured in this awesome sequel.

Due to how impressive and clever Burr’s first two novels were, I have been keen to see what she releases next, and we luckily don’t have too much longer to wait for her third novel, Vanish. Coming out in April 2025, Vanish will continue to follow the author’s protagonist, Lane Holland, as attempts to uncover long-hidden killers and their victims. This new novel will take Holland on his darkest adventure yet, as dangerous personalities strike at the protagonist’s deepest desires.

Plot Synopsis:

People go to the isolated Karpathy farm looking for a new life – and are never seen again. A chilling thriller from the award-winning and bestselling author of Australian noir, Shelley Burr.

Lane Holland’s crime-solving career ended the day he went to prison. With his parole hearing approaching, he faces the grim reality that an ex-con can never work as a private eye. Yet one unsolved case continues to haunt him: the disappearance of Matilda Carver two decades ago.

Never one to follow the rules, Lane finds a lead – a mysterious farm community led by the enigmatic Samuel Karpathy. His farm attracts lost souls. People who want a more meaningful life. People who are hiding from their pasts. People with nowhere else to go.

But those who go to the farm seem to vanish without a trace.

Is it a commune? Is it a cult? Is it something even more dangerous? Lane goes undercover at the farm to find its dark secret – but could he too find himself intoxicated by the prospect of a new life on the land?

Inspired by a real-life criminal case, VANISH is a nail-biting novel of suspense by the Number One-selling author of WAKE and RIPPER.

Vanish sounds like another particularly amazing novel from Burr and I am very excited to see how it turns out. Continuing her protagonist’s attempts to needlessly redeem himself by solving missing persons cases should result in a powerful read, and I am curious to see what dark secrets lie within this mysterious and sinister farm. Forcing the protagonist to uncover truth amongst a band of lost souls, and a no doubt manipulative leader, should result in a very complex and intense story, and it is one I am very keen to dive into. Based on Burr’s previous captivating novels, I am very sure that Vanish will be an excellent book that will keep me in suspense right to the very end.

It looks like 2025 is going to be a very good year for Australian crime fiction, especially with new releases from these three very talented authors. Jenkins, White and Burr have all produced exceptional crime fiction novels in the past, and I have no doubt whatsoever that their new books are going to be just as impressive, especially as all of them feature incredible and unique plot ideas. I look forward to exploring all these brilliant crime novels, and the new year is really looking up when it comes to awesome Australian fiction.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books of 2023

On January 24, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, List18 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. 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

He Who Drowned The World Cover

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.

Judgement Day by Mali Waugh

Judgement Day Cover

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

The Paris Agent Cover

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 Cover

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 Will of the Many Cover

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

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect Cover

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

Mr Einstein's Secretary Cover

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 20^th 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.

Ripper by Shelley Burr

Ripper Cover

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

Killer Traitor Spy Cover

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.

Never a Hero by Vanessa Len

Never A Hero Cover

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

Kill Your Husbands Cover

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.

Vendetta by Sarah Barrie

Vendetta Cover

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.

Fire with Fire by Candice Fox

Fire With Fire Cover

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.

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin

Dark Corners Cover 2

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.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Debuts of 2023

On January 16, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List19 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week involved Bookish Goals for 2024 which, while interesting, isn’t something I plan to contribute to. Instead, I am going to be continuing listing some of my favourite books of 2023 (make sure to check out my previous lists that highlight my favourite sequels, audiobooks, pre-2023 novels, new-to-me authors in 2023, and favourite books of 2023), by examining my favourite debuts released in 2023.

2023 was an awesome year for debuts as there were an excellent array of new authors releasing some impressive and entertaining first novels which I was lucky enough to receive. I always love checking out new authors when they produce their first book or dive into a whole new genre, and I was blown away with some of the debut talent on display this year. As such, I am glad that I can highlight some of the absolute best of these releases in this Top Ten list.

To be eligible for this list, the book had to be a 2023 release that was either the author’s first novel ever, or a novel that was different from an author’s previous work (their debut in the genre). I didn’t end up reading as many debuts in 2023 as I did in previous years, but I was still able to pull together a full list of 10 books. I am pretty happy with the results, and I feel captures my favourite debuts of the year and highlights them accordingly. So, let us see what made the cut.

Top Ten List:

The King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer

The King of the Spoil Cover

The Warhammer 40,000 franchise had a strong year when it came to fiction, and I was very happy to see that the franchise gave several impressive new authors the opportunity to write their first novel ever. I read several of these intriguing debuts last year and the first one I’m going to highlight here is The King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer, Beer’s first full-length novel. A compelling, entertaining and amazing novel in the Warhammer Crime sub-series, The King of the Spoil showcases the fallout following the assassination of a major gang lord in a massive, crime ridden city. An extremely epic and very fun debut that comes highly recommended.

Headland by John Byrnes

Headland Cover

A great Australian crime fiction debut that sees three cops trapped in a flooding town, while a killer hunts them.

How to Kill a Client by Joanna Jenkins

How to Kill a Client Cover

An impressive legal thriller from new Australian author Joanna Jenkins. How to Kill a Client followed several members of a prestigious Australian law firm after one of their most important, and unpleasant, clients, is murdered and the lawyers become potential suspects. Witty, gripping, and extremely addictive.

Ashes of Cadia by Jude Reid

Creed - Ashes of Cadia Cover 2

After writing several Warhammer 40,000 short stories and novellas, Jude Reid released her first full-length novel in 2023 with Ashes of Cadia. Forcing a complex protagonist to return to the desolate ruins of her home planets, years after her legendary father lost it in battle, Ashes of Cadia was a moving and dark novel that had me hooked from the very beginning.

Deadly Game by Michael Caine

Deadly Game Cover

Legendary actor Michael Caine begins his writing career in his 90s with this fun and over-the-top thriller about a maverick London police officer hunting for stolen nuclear material.

Judgement Day by Mali Waugh

Judgement Day Cover

A gripping Australian murder mystery that saw a damaged detective attempt to solve the sinister murder of a family court judge who was killed in her own chambers. One of the best pieces of Australian fiction all year and a top debut that comes very highly recommended.

Longshot by Rob Young

Longshot Cover

The last Warhammer 40,000 novel I am going to feature on this list is Longshot. The debut novel of impressive new author Rob Young, Longshot follows a veteran sniper as she attempts to overwhelm an advanced alien force while also dealing with the prejudices of her own comrades.

Echo Lake by Joan Sauers

Echo Laker Cover

A fun and entertaining cozy crime fiction read that makes good use of the local Australian scenery. A favourite debut of mine in 2023, especially as Sauers expertly featured several nearby towns I am very familiar with.

The Interpreter by Brooke Robinson

The Interpreter Cover

A unique and intriguing debut from Australian author Brooke Robinson that followed a court interpreter in London who begins to twist her translations to put people she thinks are guilty away. However, when someone catches on to what she is doing, she finds her entire life spiralling around her. An excellent and compelling debut from a great new author.

The Girl from London by Olivia Spooner

The Girl From London Cover

The final debut on this list is The Girl from London by Olivia Spooner, a fantastic and intense historical drama. While Spooner has written a couple of books before, The Girl from London was her first historical novel, and I enjoyed her unique World War II story that cleverly retold the story of a civilian ship destroyed by the Nazis off the coast of New Zealand. An outstanding book, I hope Spooner writes more historical books in the future.

Well, that is the end of this list. As you can, there were some incredible debut novels that came out this year and I had a blast getting through all of them. Each of the above debuts are really worth checking out, and I had an amazing time exploring these talented authors’ first forays into fiction. I am really excited to see what these authors produce next, and I have a feeling that quite a few are going to become major names in their genres. I am also excited to see what amazing debuts come out in 2024, and I have already enjoyed my first debut from this year with Argylle by Elly Conway. Make sure to check back this time next year to see what debuts from 2024 are the best from this year.