Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 3 July 2025.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews of Sins of the Fathers and Broke Road.
Tag: John Byrnes
Sins of the Fathers by John Byrnes
Publisher: Macmillan (Trade Paperback – 1 July 2025)
Series: Standalone
Length: 399 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
A rising author in the field of Australian drama and historical fiction, John Byrnes, had a very interesting book back in 2025 that I have been meaning to review for a while, Sins of the Fathers.
Byrnes is a relatively new Australian author whose work I have been rather enjoying in recent years. Byrnes career started back in 2023 with his cool thriller Headland, a compelling modern crime fiction novel with some interesting dramatic twists around it. Headland ended up being one of my favourite debuts of 2023, and I made sure to read his next novel, the historical saga The Youngest Son (one of my favourite Australian novels of 2024). It looks like Byrnes intends to continue his focus on Australian historical epics going forward, as his third book was the intriguing and exciting novel from last year, Sins of the Fathers, which followed several compelling characters through several major events of the 1910s.
Plot Synopsis:
In 1910s Australia, the sins of the fathers leave behind a bloody legacy in this historical epic saga, perfect for fans of Peaky Blinders.
Two fathers, their sons and the feud that binds them.
In the early years of the twentieth century, Billy and Tommy Smith are growing up on the mean streets of Sydney’s Millers Point. It’s a hungry, hard-scrabble life, made even worse when their violent father returns home from a long stint in prison.
In the wealthy eastern suburbs, Charles Davies is living an entirely different life, the beneficiary of his father’s business acumen and insatiable, unyielding greed. Charles wants for nothing – except perhaps his father’s approval.
When an incident on The Point leads to the deaths of both Charles’ and the Smith boys’ fathers, a hatred is born that will follow the three men through their lives. In an epic saga taking them from Sydney to Gallipoli and the killing fields of France in World War I, to the melting pot of Darwin and the opal fields at Lightning Ridge, the men’s paths all lead to one final revenge.
But in the end, what price must be paid for the sins of the fathers?
Sins of the Fathers was a very good historical fiction read that thrusts several damaged youths into the grinder of early 20th century Australian history. Starting off strong, the book primarily begins in early 1910, when violent father of Billy and Tommy Smith is released from prison back into their already hard lives. As the Smith children attempt to survive in harsh poverty, their lives take a dangerous spin when their father is murdered, and the evidence points to crooked businessman Arthur Davies, who soon also dies. This leads to a life-long, mostly one-sided feud between the Smiths and the spoiled son of Davies, Charles, who is determined to get revenge for the slights against him. This revenge plot also extends to the Smith’s young neighbour Angeline, who serves as a love interest to Tommy throughout the book.
After these early chapters, the plot of Sins of the Fathers keeps jumping ahead every couple of years, with the protagonists examining some key historical events that impacted Sydney in the early 1910s. Naturally, this leads to the three male characters of the book getting enlisted in the Australian Army for World War I, with the Smiths and Charles Davies eventually ending up on the same battlefield, with disastrous results for all involved. At the same time, Angeline remains in Sydney and serves as an interesting fourth point-of-view character, as she uses her business acumen to survive and gain status. Back in Europe, the three male characters are eventually separated and start making their own way in the world in their own standalone adventures. The exception is Davies, who continues to attempt to get revenge and gain money by attacking his apparent rivals. Byres explores some interesting different historical locales and periods throughout the second half of Sins of the Fathers, with some intense and exciting adventures befalling the cast. Everything eventually leads up to all the characters reuniting towards the end of the book, as the protagonists attempt to overcome one last plot from Davies. The end result is a very compelling and intense standalone narrative, that drags you in with its fun characters and cool historical content.
At this point Byrnes has settled well into the historical fiction groove, producing a complex and layered narrative across several entertaining characters. Making good use of a split between four key characters, Byrnes did an excellent job exploring the turbulent 1910s in Sins of the Fathers, with some great dives into key elements of early Australia and World War I. This exploration of this crucial decade served as a captivating backdrop to the personal narratives of the four main characters, and the mixture of personalities and their separate struggles allows for a highly enjoyable read.
The resulting narrative is loaded with action, adventure and some excellent examples of personal determination, which allows for a very fast-paced read. I also loved the thrilling intrigue that surrounds the book’s antagonist, Charles Davies, who is a devious and entertaining brat incapable of taking responsibility for his actions. Byrnes did such a good job creating another repellent villain here with Davies, and watching his various schemes against the protagonists and others really amps up the stakes of the book as the reader is eager to see him fail. I frankly had the most fun with Davies’s various chapters, and it was an entertaining foil to perspectives of the more likeable protagonists. Throw in some interesting twists about the death of the Smith’s father and the resulting rivalry between them and Davies, and the entirety of Sins of the Fathers plot really comes together into a clever and deeply personal historical journey.
Overall, I was quite impressed with John Byrnes’s second dive into the historical fiction genre, and Sins of the Fathers proved to be a strong and highly exciting piece of Australian fiction that you could really sink your teeth into. An addictive epic that expertly showcased some key Australian moments and locations in the 1910s, Sins of the Fathers was a great read, and I am excited for whatever historical adventure Byrnes comes up with next.
Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books from the First Half of 2025
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.
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 20th 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.
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.
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.
WWW Wednesday – 2 July 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:
Grave Danger by James Grippando (Audiobook)
Due to getting distracted by another audiobook this week, I am still going with the intriguing legal thriller Grave Danger by James Grippando. The 19th Jack Swyteck novel, Grave Danger features a deeply compelling central case involving a complex custody case, political activism and fraught relations. I have made more progress on Grave Danger this week and I should hopefully knock it off in the next day or two.
What did you recently finish reading?
Sins of the Fathers by John Byrnes (Trade Paperback)
A wonderful third book from Byrnes after Headland and The Youngest Son. This was a compelling, historical read that is really easy to get lost in.
Mort by Terry Pratchett (Audiobook)
Thanks to a short road trip, I started listening to the classic Discworld novel Mort this week and quickly powered through it. The first Discworld novel to feature Death as a major character, Mort is a hilarious early novel from Pratchett that I couldn’t get enough of. A highly recommended book I am hoping to review soon, Mort is an outstanding novel, especially on audiobook.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Stone and Sky by Ben Aaronovitch
The next book that I am hoping to read is the cool new Rivers of London novel, Stone and Sky by Ben Aaronovitch. Set to continue the author’s excellent blend of high concept urban fantasy fiction with clever police procedural, Stone and Sky should be an incredible novel, and I cannot wait to check it out.
That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
WWW Wednesday – 25 June 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:
Sins of the Fathers by John Byrnes (Trade Paperback)
I have just started reading the amazing Australian historical fiction novel, Sins of the Fathers by John Byrnes. Following two feuding families as they try to kill each other for the sins of their respective fathers in the chaotic history of 1910s Australia, Sins of the Fathers is proving to be an excellent novel, and a wonderful third book from Byrnes after Headland and The Youngest Son.
Grave Danger by James Grippando (Audiobook)
I decided to dive into the audiobook version of the intriguing legal thriller Grave Danger by James Grippando this week, especially after having so much fun last year with Goodbye Girl. The 19th Jack Swyteck novel, Grave Danger features a deeply compelling central case involving a complex custody case, political activism and fraught relations. I have made a fair bit of progress on Grave Danger this week and I am really enjoying its complex and captivating narrative.
What did you recently finish reading?
Broke Road by Matthew Spencer (Trade Paperback)
I finished off the excellent Australian crime fiction novel Broke Road by Matthew Spencer this week. The sequel to his fantastic debut, Black River, Broke Road was a brilliant outback murder mystery that I couldn’t get enough of. A very impressive sequel from a rising Australian author.
Warhammer 40,000: Fulgrim: The Perfect Son by Jude Reid (Audiobook)
I also finished off the awesome Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Fulgrim: The Perfect Son by Jude Reid this week. Following members of the hedonistic and corrupt Emperor’s Children Chaos Space Marines Legion as they embark on siege on behalf of their dark master, The Perfect Son was one of Reid’s best books yet and featured a brutal and compelling plot. Highly recommended.
What do you think you’ll read next?
The Medici Return by Steve Berry
I’ve got several excellent books I can dive into next, but I think I might try and read the latest Cotton Malone novel by Steve Berry, The Medici Return. Featuring another elaborate historical conspiracy, The Medici Return sounds like a ton of fun, and I have been meaning to check it out for a while. I will have to see how I go getting onto this, but I have no doubt I will have an amazing time with this book at some point.
Badlands by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
If I manage to finish off Grave Danger this week, I’m planning to start the over-the-top thriller Badlands on audiobook next. Bringing back the writing team of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child for another awesome thriller, Badlands will feature a very unique mystery as people start dying while holding Native American artefacts. I have no doubt this is going to be an incredible and very exciting novel and I cannot wait to see how fun things get.
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 – 18 June 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:
Broke Road by Matthew Spencer (Trade Paperback)
I just started reading the excellent Australian crime fiction novel Broke Road by Matthew Spencer. The sequel to his fantastic debut, Black River, Broke Road sets up another compelling murder mystery, this time out in rural Australia. I have made a bit of progress with Broke Road so far and it is proving to be an intriguing and compelling piece of crime fiction. I look forward to unwinding the full case this week, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.
Warhammer 40,000: Fulgrim: The Perfect Son by Jude Reid (Audiobook)
I’m still listening to the awesome Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Fulgrim: The Perfect Son by Jude Reid, who previously impressed me with books like Creed: Ashes of Cadia and Daemonbreaker. Following members of the hedonistic and corrupt Emperor’s Children Chaos Space Marines Legion as they embark on siege on behalf of their dark master, The Perfect Son looks set to be an intriguing and entertaining Warhammer 40,000 novel loaded with secrets and betrayal. I’ve made a fair amount of progress on The Perfect Son, and it is proving to be a particularly impressive piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and one of Reid’s best books yet.
What did you recently finish reading?
Battle Mountain by C. J. Box (ebook)
A very fun and over-the-top thriller with a ton of action and adventure. Review to follow very soon.
The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson (ebook)
I decided to check out the interesting fantasy debut, The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson this week, and boy was it particularly impressive. Featuring a unique fantasy narrative, loaded with murder, intrigue and conspiracy, The Raven Scholar was an outstanding novel, and one I’m hoping to gush about very soon.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Sins of the Fathers by John Byrnes
I’m hoping to check out the amazing Australian historical fiction novel, Sins of the Fathers by John Byrnes next. Set to follow two feuding families as they try to kill each other for the sins of their respective fathers admit the chaotic periods of Australian history, Sins of the Fathers sound really cool and I love a good generational historical epic. I am looking forward to checking this book out, especially after enjoying Byrnes previous novels Headland and The Youngest Son.
Badlands by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
I’m also hoping to start the over-the-top thriller Badlands on audiobook this week. Bringing back the writing team of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child for another awesome thriller, Badlands will feature a very unique mystery as people start dying while holding Native American artefacts. I have no doubt this is going to be an incredible and very exciting novel and I cannot wait to see how fun things get.
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 – 18 May 2025
I’ve been away on holiday for a few weeks, which has resulted in a lack of major posts on this blog (at least that’s my excuse). One upside about being away is that you tend to come back to a big pile of books, which is always fun to explore. This holiday was no exception as I managed to return to a great collection of awesome books that have built up the last couple of weeks. This includes some major 2025 releases, including a few books likely to be amongst my top books of the year. I am very happy with this collection, and I just had to gloat about it here.
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
Probably the book I was most excited to receive was the new Joe Abercrombie novel The Devils. The start of a cool new series set in an alternate and dark medieval Europe filled with fantasy creatures, The Devils follow a mismatched group of monsters under the command of the Pope as they attempt to pull off an impossible mission. This was one of my most anticipated fantasy releases of 2025 and I have already started reading it. I’m a good third of the way through The Devils at the moment and it is already proving to be a particularly exceptional read that will likely be one of the best books of the entire year. Highly recommended!
Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler
Another particularly awesome fantasy novel I was very happy to get my hands on was Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler. The sequel to the hilarious 2024 fantasy novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me follows a reluctant fantasy protagonist whose plan to survive by becoming a feared dark lord starts to backfire on her. This will probably end up being one of the funniest books of the year and I am hoping to read it very soon.
Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold
Australian author Luke Arnold returns with Whisper in the Wind, the fourth entry in his urban fantasy Fetch Phillips series that follows a damaged investigator desperately trying to bring back magic to a dying fantasy city. I loved the first three books in this series, The Last Smile in Sunder City, Dead Man in a Ditch, and One Foot in the Fade, and I cannot wait to see how this series continues. Another amazing sounding book from an excellent author that I will probably be reading this week.
Stone and Sky by Ben Aaronovitch
The fantasy hits I recently received keep on coming with the epic new Rivers of London novel, Stone and Sky by Ben Aaronovitch. The latest book in one of the best ongoing urban fantasy series, Stone and Sky will follow the series’ police protagonist as he attempts to have a family holiday in Scotland, only to encounter a new dark magical mystery. I really love the sound of this book, and I cannot wait to dive into Stone and Sky’s complex and entertaining story.
The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence
Another great book I was lucky enough to recently receive was the third and final book in Mark Lawrence’s Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart. Following on from The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and The Book That Broke the World, The Book That Held Her Heart will show the final battle for the impossible and infinite library, as the separated protagonists must find a way back to each other to save the lives of those closest to them. I am very excited to finish this trilogy off, and The Book That Held Her Heart has a great deal of potential.
Sins of the Fathers by John Byrnes
Another cool Australian historical epic from John Byrnes, who previous impressed me with Headland and The Youngest Son. This new book will follow three children through the early 20th century as they feud throughout key Australian historical events and locations. This will likely be a fun and compelling read that I look forward to checking out.
The Maid’s Secret by Nita Prose
An intriguing new novel from Nita Prose that will continue to showcase the investigations of her unlikely and unusual protagonist.
Paved with Good Intentions by Peter McLean
The final book I have received was the cool fantasy crime novel, Paved With Good Intentions by Peter McLean. A standalone novel set in McLean’s War for the Rose Throne universe, Paved With Good Intentions will follow a woman forced into the spying game as she tries to survive and get back to her children. A very intriguing and cool book from a talented author that I look forward to reading.
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.
Canberra Weekly Column – Crime Fiction – 5 September 2024
Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 5 September 2024.
A copy of this column also appeared on the Canberra Daily website.
Make sure you check out my extended reviews of The Chilling, Witness 8 and The Youngest Son.
Quick Review – The Youngest Son by John Byrnes
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia (Trade Paperback – 30 July 2024)
Series: Standalone
Length: 386 pages
My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
Rising Australian author John Byrnes dives into a new genre with the fascinating and compelling historical fiction novel, The Youngest Son, which focuses an exciting and moving narrative around one damaged family.
Plot Synopsis:
On the unforgiving streets of 1920s Sydney, the Leach family have nothing but each other.
In a tale spanning decades, three children of the broken, working-class family find adventure, heartache and trouble as their lives drift apart.
John finds faith and love at a young age. The inevitable clash between the two leads him into a different kind of brotherhood as war clouds gather.
Maureen dreams of a life ‘just like the movies’ and waits to be swept off her feet. Yet at every crossroad, she makes the wrong choice.
Bob discovers a natural talent with his fists and an instinct for trouble. But with every win he earns the hard way, more enemies rise.
From police corruption and gambling dens to brothels and blood feuds, the Leach family toil in Sydney’s seedy underbelly and on battlefields far away. Against the backdrop of the Great Depression and the Second World War, The Youngest Son chronicles one family’s mesmerising fate in a grand saga and a masterclass in epic storytelling.
The Youngest Son was a fast-paced and addictive novel that cleverly followed the youngest members of a disadvantaged working class 1920s Sydney family through the highs and lows of early 20th century Australian history. Byrnes, who really impressed me last year with his first novel, the gripping modern thriller Headland (one of my favourite debuts of 2023), did an outstanding job diving into the historical fiction genre, and I enjoyed the excellent and personal story that emerged.
The plot of The Youngest Son works very well, as Byrnes follows the varied lives of the three Leach children, John, Maureen and Bob, as well as a raft of other entertaining and complex characters. Starting in the 1920s and continuing towards the end of World War II, The Youngest Son’s narrative splits between each of these primary characters and follows the highs and lows of their lives. This includes the criminal activities of the youngest son, Bob, whose career fighting for Sydney’s criminal underbelly leads him into trouble time and time again. The oldest son, John, attempts to live a good life and join the church, but misfortune and deceit instead lead him towards the horrors of war. Finally, the daughter of the Leach family, Maureen, tries to find the excitement and glamour missing from her working-class life, but finds only heartbreak and bad decisions as she is constantly led along the wrong path in life. Each of these characters experience conflict, betrayal, and tragedy as they attempt to find their way in life, and it helps produce one hell of a story.
I really enjoy historical fiction books that follow the lives of multiple characters as they follow their own path amid the backdrop of real-life history, and it is a format that has served many authors, such as Ken Follett, Jeffrey Archer and Peter Watt extremely well over the years. Byrnes is another great author who perfectly utilised this story telling method, and I had a lot of fun getting to know the Leach family and their various friends and associates. The author pulls together a great layered narrative, and I loved the mixture of story elements that emerged, including personal stories of self-discovery, a gritty war narrative, and a continued dive into the criminal underbelly of Sydney during the 1930s and 40s. While all these major storylines are great in their own way, I personally found myself drawn more to Bob’s narrative, mainly because his dangerous dive into the world of underground boxing is full of excitement and action.
Each of the three main protagonists have intriguing journeys in their respective chapters, and I deeply enjoyed where each of their specific storylines go. All their story arcs have a great mixture of success, tragedy and self-discovery, and you grow attached to all of them as a result. The storylines also blend into a fantastic major narrative, and while for the most part they are kept separate from each other, they play off each other well, ensuring that readers get a good mixture of emotions and different experiences, as well as alternating character highs and lows. Byrnes also makes excellent use of the 1930s and 40s background setting throughout The Youngest Son, and the author ensures each character’s story cleverly evolves to face the various changes occurring around Sydney. The entire narrative goes in some interesting directions, and you willingly follow these characters wherever they end up, even if that leads you even deeper into tragedy.
While the three main characters are all entertaining in their own ways, I felt that the fourth perspective character Byrnes added in really helped to make The Youngest Son especially special. This fourth character is the villainous Vince, a cowardly street thug who makes a big impact on the Leach family’s lives in different ways. Vince proves to be a great recurring antagonist, and his slimy story of success blends in well with the alternating fortunes of the Leach children while also providing some real entertainment value. You really cannot help but dislike Vince as he succeeds, but you really can’t look away as he succeeds, especially as his various dastardly and snivelling interactions with the other characters, primarily Bob and Maureen, prove to be excellent bridges between these protagonist’s respective storylines. I really appreciate how Byrnes wove the story of Vince amongst the other major narrative threads of The Youngest Son, and the use of the excellent antagonist continuously moves the plot in the best direction, including with the big finale.
Overall, I felt that this was a great book from John Byrnes, who created an amazing and captivating novel with The Youngest Son. A slick and easy-to-read novel with some real heart that makes excellent use of its impressive character-driven narrative, historical setting, and engaging protagonists, The Youngest Son is an awesome book to get lost in, and it was fantastic to see how Byrnes has grown as an author.
The Unseen Library 