Tag: Lainie Anderson

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Want to Read Before the End of 2025

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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 latest Top Ten Tuesday the official topic involved listing modern books that have the potential to be classics in the future.  However, I am going to do something a little different and instead I am going to list the top ten novels I want to read before the end of 2025.

We are once again nearing the end of another interesting and chaotic year, with only around 50 days left in it.  While I am rather keen to see what’s going to happen in 2026, I am very mindful of the big pile of novels from this year currently sitting on my table (and a couple of bookshelves, and the floor).  So, with that in mind, I thought I would pull together a list to inspire me to read these books and knock them out before this year comes to an end.

For this list I have had a look through my many book piles and reading lists to work out which novels I really need to read before the year ends.  To focus this on the books that are cluttering up my house or my audiobook storage, I decided to exclude novels that I do not currently have copies of (such King Sorrow by Joe Hill), books featured in my latest Book Haul post, and novels that have not yet been released.  I also decided to exclude novels that I am definitely going to read before the end of the year, as I have plans to review them for some Canberra Weekly holiday columns. Using these parameters, I was able to come up with a list of 10 books (with some honourable mentions), that I would really like to read before the year ends.  This list includes an interesting range of novels, including some big 2025 releases and some other novels that came in under the radar.  All 10 sound like outstanding reads and I desperately hope I have time to read them all.

Honourable Mentions:

Murder on North Terrace by Lainie Anderson

An exciting Australian historic murder mystery that serves as a sequel to Anderson’s 2024 novel, The Death of Dora Black.

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The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch

Historical carnage as a brutal knight attempts to escort a potential saint from the Holy Lands to England.

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A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

An intriguing fantasy debut that I have been hoping to read all year.

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The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence

The final book in Mark Lawrences compelling and complex Library trilogy.

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Top Ten List:

Circle of Days by Ken Follett

One of the main books I want to read by the end of 2025 is the captivating historical epic, Circle of Days by the always impressive Ken Follett.  An elaborate story set around the construction of Stonehenge, Circle of Days looks set to be a detailed and expansive read, and I am hoping to get to it soon.

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The Blackfire Blade by James Logan

Another major release from the second half of 2025 I need to check out is the outstanding new fantasy novel, The Blackfire Blade by James Logan.  The sequel to Logan’s debut, The Silverblood Promise, The Blackfire Blade will follow the determined series protagonist and his friends to a new fantasy city, only to encounter more plots and corruption.  I have no doubt that The Blackfire Blade is going to be an incredible read, and I am so excited to check it out.

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Warhammer 40,000: Voidscarred by Mike Brooks

There is an impressive multitude of Warhammer 40,000 novels that have been released at the end of 2025, including several from some top authors of the franchise.  However, I particularly want to read the intriguing novel Voidscarred by Mike Brooks, which sounds really fun.  Following aeldari pirates and freebooter orks as they clash in the dark of space, Voidscarred sounds pretty damn amazing, and I’m very keen to read it, especially after the author touched on similar themes in the previous novel, Da Big Dakka.

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The Detective by Matthew Reilly

I’m keen to try and read the new Matthew Reilly novel, The Detective before the year comes to an end.  A dark and twisty mystery set in the American south, The Detective sounds like a complex novel, and it’s one I’m very interested in unwinding.  I’ve had this book for a while now, and it would be good to get it off my bookshelf, especially as it sounds like an incredible read.

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Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky

One of the main science fiction books that came out earlier in the year that I’m still very interested in reading is the dark and claustrophobic novel, Shroud by the legendary Adrian Tchaikovsky.  Following two humans who are forced to take an accidental road trip on a particularly hostile planet, Shroud had one of the more unique plot premises of 2025, and I really want to see how it comes together.

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Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon

The always reliable Harlan Coben teams up with actress Reese Witherspoon to create a thriller collaboration with Gone Before Goodbye.  Following a skilled surgeon whose life is put in risk after a mysterious patient disappears, Gone Before Goodbye sounds like a ball of fun, and I’m very curious to see what sort of book this unique writing partnership has come up with.

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Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland

One of the books I’m most keen to read before the end of 2025 is Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland, especially as it finishes the Broken Blades trilogy that I have been really enjoying.  Finishing the story started in Five Broken Blades and expertly continued in Four Ruined Realms, Three Shattered Souls will see the damaged and deadly protagonists attempt to save the world from dangerous enemies and dark magic.  I know this final book is going to be incredible and I can’t wait to finish this series off.

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Warhammer 40,000: The Relentless Dead by Steve Lyons

Another recent major Warhammer 40,000 release I want read this year is The Relentless Dead by Steve Lyons.  The fourth Warhammer 40,000 book from Lyons that follows members of the relentless and dutiful Death Korps of Krieg, The Relentless Dead will follow a group of these faceless soldiers as they journey to a cursed planet and face enemies even more unstoppable than them.  I’ve had an amazing time with Lyons’ previous novels, including Dead Men Walking, Krieg and The Siege of Vraks, and The Relentless Dead looks set to be another outstanding read.

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How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe

A great fantasy novel with a fun LitRPG twist, How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe has been high on my to-read list for a while, and I will be very happy if I can get to this book by the end of the year.

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Valour by Richard Cullen

The final book I want to highlight in this post is the recently released historical fiction novel, Valour by Richard Cullen.  The third book in the author’s Chronicle of the Black Lion series (which previously featured the excellent novels Rebellion and Crusade), Valour will pit the series’ knight protagonist on another compelling adventure, this time in the Carpathian Mountains.  I really love the sound of this new novel from Cullen, and it is sure to be an amazing book to finish off 2025 with.

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That’s the end of this week’s Top Ten list.  I am happy with how this list turned out as I am extremely keen to read every one of the novels listed above. All of them have an amazing amount of potential and I think several could end up being some of my favourite books of 2025.  Make sure to check back in a few weeks to see if I have managed to get around to reading any of them yet.  In the meantime, let me know which books you really want to read before the end of 2025 and best of luck getting through them.

Book Haul – 17 September 2025

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I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive a huge number of incredible and amazing new novels from local publishers and Netgalley.  These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year.  I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

Let’s start this Book Haul post off strong with the new Thursday Murder Club novel, The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman. Following on from all the previous exceptional Thursday Murder Club books (The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed and The Last Devil to Die), The Impossible Fortune will bring back the series’ amazing pensioner protagonists and see them attempt to solve another complex crime in their typical, funny fashion.  I have been so eager to see how this series continues, especially after the heartbreaking events of The Last Devil to Die, and I already know that this is going to be one of the top books of 2025.

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Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan

Next on this haul we have the outstanding fantasy novel, Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan. The sequel to Ryan’s previous novel, A Tide of Black Steel (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024), Born of an Iron Storm continues the epic story from the first book, as several compelling protagonists try to fight back against a mysterious, invading force. I am currently listening to Born of an Iron Storm on audiobook, and it is proving to be quite an exceptional listen that I am deeply enjoying.

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Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

The laughs are sure to come with the new Australian crime fiction novel from Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief.  The fourth book in one of the funniest Australian series currently running, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief has a great plot that see’s inadvertent detective Ernest Cunningham attempt to solve a new murder, this time in the middle of a violent bank heist. I cannot wait to see how this clever book unfolds, and I already know I’m going to love it.

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Circle of Days by Ken Follett

The latest book I’ve managed to get my hands on is Circle of Days by the always impressive Ken Follett.  Another massive and deeply compelling historical fiction novel Circle of Days will chronicle the lives of several characters as they witness the creation of Stonehenge. This looks set to be an epic new read from the author and I am very excited to see Follett explore a new period of history.

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Crossroads of Ravens by Andrzel Sapkowski

I was particularly happy to receive a copy of the new Witcher novel from Andrzej Sapkowski, Crossroads of Ravens, which is probably one of the bigger fantasy releases of 2025. A prequel book set before the other The Witcher novels, Crossroads of Ravens will follow a younger Geralt on his earliest adventures as he attempts to survive a world that hates and fears him. I am hoping to read Crossroads of Ravens really soon, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

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The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

Dan Brown returns with an excellent new thriller with The Secret of Secrets. Bringing back his iconic protagonist for another thrilling examination of historical conspiracies, The Secret of Secrets is going to be one of the more awesome releases of 2025 and I am hoping to start reading it today.

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The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani

Probably one of the more exciting novels I’ve received is the epic historical thriller, The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani. An excellent revenge novel that sees a man join the crusades to get revenge on a group of soldiers who killed his family.  I am hoping to get to The Pilgrim’s Revenge really soon and I have no doubt it’s going to be a particularly impressive read.

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How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe

I was very happy to receive the entertaining fantasy novel, How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe.  A fun sounding book with some interesting LitRPG elements to it, this new release of How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps is going to be awesome, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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Murder On North Terrace by Lainie Anderson

The next book I want to highlight in this Book Haul post is Murder on North Terrace.  The sequel to Lainie Anderson’s 2024 novel, The Death of Dora Black, Murder on North Terrace is going to be a compelling Australian murder mystery set in Adelaide during World War I. I had an excellent time with The Death of Dora Black last year and I am looking forward to reading the sequel

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Star Trek: Lower Decks, Volume 1: Second Contact by Ryan North

I had to feature Second Contact in this haul, which is going to be so damn good. A very fun Star Trek comic that focuses on the characters of the Lower Decks animated series, this first volume of this series, Second Contact, has a fantastic sounding plot that will place your favourite Star Trek characters into all manner of whacky situations.  I have a lot of love for Lower Decks, which is such a funny Star Trek show, and I cannot wait to see its characters and unique humour comes across in comic book form.

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The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch

The final book I want to highlight on this post is the intriguing historical fiction novel, The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch. Set during the Third Crusade, The Devil’s Knight sees a deadly knight attempt to escort a potential saint back to England while every other major force involved in the war tries to stop him. I really love the sound of this book, and it is an excellent recently received novel to end this post on.

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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

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, List3 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 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:

Body of Lies by Sarah Bailey

A compelling and occasionally weird Australian murder mystery from the brilliant author of The Housemate.

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The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman

The excellent sequel to Amie Kaufman’s young adult fantasy novel, The Isles of the Gods.

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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.

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The Chilling by Riley James

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Endgame by Sarah Barrie

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.

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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.

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Dark Arena by Jack Beaumont

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.

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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.

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High Wire by Candice Fox

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.

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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.

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The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe

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.

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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.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List14 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was books to read during a storm, which while interesting, is something I am putting aside for the moment as I want to continue with my end of year best-of lists, which I started last week when I looked at pre-2024 novels I read this year.  instead, this week I will be looking at new-to-me authors I discovered in 2024.  This is a list I have covered for the last couple of years (make sure to check out my 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 versions), and it is one that I always have a lot of fun doing.

Each year I am lucky enough to read a great number of awesome novels and this often includes books written by authors whose work I was previously unfamiliar with.  2024 was a particularly good example of this as I powered through an incredible collection of amazing novels written by authors who were completely new to me.  Many of these new-to-me authors produced some truly exceptional novels, including one or two which I consider to be some of the best books released in 2024 (more on that later), and I really feel the need to highlight them here.

To appear on this list, the author had to be someone whose work I checked out for the first time in 2024.  All new-to-me authors were eligible to appear here, although I did exclude debut authors as I am going to cover them in another list.  Even with debuting authors excluded, I still had a ton of potential inclusions, as I apparently got through 24 new authors in 2024.  After some hard work, I was able to whittle this down to a manageable top ten list, with my usual generous honourable mentions section.  I am really surprised at some of the impressive and enjoyable authors I had to exclude, and I was honestly tempted to increase this to a top twenty list.  I managed to resist and I think the below entry really highlights the absolute best new-to-me authors I enjoyed in 2024.

Honourable Mentions:

Don Bentley – Capture or Kill

Thanks to him taking over the Mitch Rapp series this year with the exciting read Capture or Kill, I got my first taste of thriller writer Don Bentley, who impressed me with his fantastic first entry in the series.

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Mark Billingham – The Wrong Hands

I had fun with my first Mark Billingham novel, The Wrong Hands, which showed the authors quirky side in this entertaining crime fiction read.

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Lainie Anderson – The Death of Dora Black

Australian author Laine Anderson impressed with this excellent Australian historical crime fiction read, based around Australia’s first female police officer.

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James Patterson and Nancy Allen – The No.1 Lawyer

While I have read many things from James Patterson before, 2024 is the first time I enjoyed anything he wrote with co-author Nancy Allen.  Allen, whose legal thriller fiction I haven’t read before, worked well with Patterson to create an exciting and captivating novel with The No.1 Lawyer.

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Top Ten List:

Steven B. Fischer – Warhammer 40,000: Witchbringer and Broken Crusade

The first new-to-me author that I want to feature on this list is Warhammer 40,000 writer Steven B. Fischer.  I was lucky enough to read two books from Fischer this year, including his debut from a couple of years ago, Witchbringer, as well as his 2024 release, Broken Crusade.  Both books were particularly good examples of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and I love the author’s intense style and ability to dive into two different, unique factions.  Fischer is a Warhammer author to watch in the future and I look forward to seeing what cool stories he comes up with next.

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M. L. Wang – Blood Over Bright Haven

I am particularly happy that I decided to read something from M. L. Wang this year, as she has been on my radar for a while now.  An intriguing author, Wang has so far written two acclaimed adult fantasy novels with amazing plots behind them.  I read one of them this year with Blood Over Bright Haven, and boy was it something special.  Set around a particularly inventive magical system, Blood Over Bright Haven follows two very different protagonists as they uncover a dark secret at the heart of a magical city.  I was really blown away with this book, especially as Wang loads it up with shocking twists, and this ended up being one of the top fantasy books of 2024.

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C. J. Box – Three-Inch Teeth

I had a lot of fun getting to know well-established thriller author C. J. Box this year when I was grabbed a copy of the latest book in his Joe Pickett series, Three-Inch Teeth.  Following his game warden protagonist as he investigates a series of bear attacks, the book quickly turns into something special when an old nemesis returns, disguising a series of revenge-fuelled murders using an unlikely contraption.  I had an outstanding time with Three-Inch Teeth, and I fully plan to grab the next Joe Pickett novel when it comes out in 2025.

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Douglas Preston – Extinction

One of the wildest novels I had the pleasure of reading in 2024 was my first Douglas Preston book, Extinction.  Preston goes all out with this amazing science fiction thriller, that sees a series of grizzly murders take place within a nature park filled with living mammoths and other cloned pre-historic creatures.  I powered through this outstanding read, especially as Preston really amps up the craziness and intensity shortly into Extinction, and I honestly loved every second I spent with this book.

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Gary Kloster – Warhammer 40,000: Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge

Another fantastic new-to-me author from the vast Warhammer 40,000 franchise I discovered this year was Gary Kloster who wrote the epic read, Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge.  Focussing on the iconic Dark Angels chapter of Space Marines, Enmity’s Edge was a particularly clever and addictive Warhammer read that drew readers in with its elaborate conspiracy and fantastic characters.  This proved to be an extremely cool addition to the canon, and I am very, very glad that I decided to read it.

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Django Wexler – How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying

Easily the funniest new author I checked out in 2024 was Django Wexler, who blew me away with his hilarious comedic fantasy novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying.  Featuring an outstanding plot about a human trapped in a time loop within a fantasy realm who, after hundreds of painful attempts at being the hero, decides to win by becoming the evil dark lord instead.  Thanks to his cracked protagonist, outrageous scenario, and entertaining use of the time-loop concept, Wexler had me in stiches the entire way through How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, and I have so much love for this book as a result.  The sequel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me, is out in May next year, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

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J. D. Barker – Behind a Closed Door

Now this next entry is slightly cheating, as J. D. Barker is someone who I have technically read before.  However, as all the Barker books I have previously read were co-written with other authors, such as James Patterson (Confessions of the Dead and Death of the Black Widow), I felt that it was appropriate to include him on this list after reading one of his solo novels for the first time with Behind a Closed Door.  A gripping, distinctive and highly adult thriller, Behind a Closed Door was an intense novel that I felt really showcased Barker’s own unique writing style.  This was a very fun book, and I look forward to seeing what other devious narratives he comes up with in the future.

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C. J. Tudor – The Gathering

I had been meaning to read something from awesome author C. J. Tudor for years, especially I have heard nothing but good things about her impressive thrillers and horror novels.  I finally got a chance in 2024 with The Gathering, which ended up being one of the best books from the first half of the year.  Set in an alternate version of America where vampires are second-class citizens, The Gathering follows an investigation into an apparent vampire attack in an isolated town, which could result in the extermination of the entire local vampire settlement.  A particularly epic and clever horror thriller that made full use of its inventive concept, The Gathering was such a great read, and I plan to grab every new Tudor book that comes out from now on.

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James Grippando – Goodbye Girl

It looks like I have a new awesome legal thriller author to become obsessed with after checking out my first book from James Grippando, Goodbye Girl.  The latest book in Grippando’s long-running Jack Swyteck series, Goodbye Girl was a captivating and memorable legal thriller that dived into the world of online piracy in a surprisingly nautical way.  Featuring some entertaining court sequences and a fantastic crime fiction plot, Goodbye Girl was a lot of fun to get through and comes very highly recommended.  Grippando is another new-to-me author I am planning to add to my must-read list each year, and I am already excited for his next Jack Swyteck book, Grave Danger, which is out very soon.

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Robbie MacNiven – Warhammer 40,000: Oaths of Damnation

The final new-to-me author I want to highlight on this list is Robbie MacNiven, who impressed me with his 2024 Warhammer 40,000 release.  MacNiven, who has written a couple of series I am very interested in exploring, had fun diving into a unique Chapter of Space Marines with the compelling novel Oaths of Damnation.  A fantastic novel loaded with epic Space Marine action; Oaths of Damnation was an outstanding read that made MacNiven a very easy choice for this list.

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Well, that’s the end of this latest Top Ten list.  I think it turned out rather well and it encapsulates some of the best new authors I checked out in 2024.  I look forward to reading more books from these authors in the future and I have no doubt they will produce more epic and incredible reads.  Make sure to let me know which new authors you enjoyed in 2024 in the comments below and make sure to check back next week for another exciting end of 2024 list.

Quick Review – The Death of Dora Black by Lainie Anderson

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery, Quick Review5 Comments

Publisher: Hachette Australia (Trade Paperback – 28 August 2024)

Series: Petticoat Police Mystery – Book One

Length: 312 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

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Australian author Lainie Anderson presents a fun and compelling historical murder mystery that looks at a unique Australian historical figure with The Death of Dora Black.

Plot Synopsis:

Summer, Adelaide, 1917. The impeccably dressed Miss Kate Cocks might look more like a schoolmistress than a policewoman, but don’t let that fool you. She’s a household name, wrangling wayward husbands into repentance, seeing through deceptive clairvoyants, and rescuing young women (whether they like it or not) with the help of a five-foot cane and her sassy junior constable, Ethel Bromley.

When shop assistant Dora Black is found dead on a city beach, Miss Cocks and Ethel are ordered to stay out of the investigation and leave it to the men. But when Dora’s workmate goes missing soon after, the women suspect something sinister, and determine to take matters into their own hands. After all, who knows Adelaide better than the indomitable Miss Cocks?

*In 1915, Fanny Kate Boadicea Cocks became the first policewoman in the British Empire employed on the same salary as men. This novel is a rich exploration of that little-known chapter of Australian history.*


The Death of Dora Black was a particularly interesting and entertaining read from Lainie Anderson, who has struck upon a fascinating figure to set her book around.  The first book in Anderson’s new Petticoat Policy Mystery series, The Death of Dora Black was a clever novel that blended the real-life history of the infamous Miss Kate Cocks with the author’s own crime fiction narrative.

Starting out in Adelaide, 1917, the book’s story sees formidable real-life police officer Miss Kate Cocks become embroiled in a deadly murder mystery when shop assistant Dora Black is found dead on the city’s beach.  What follows is an excellent story that blends the historical exploits of Cocks, which included helping the needy of Adelaide in her own unique way and attempting to save the morality of the young women of the city with her cane, with a gritty informal murder investigation.  This later investigation of course adds most of the meat to the story, as Cocks, and her junior constable Ethel Bromley, uncover a dark conspiracy of murder, drugs and kidnapping, with its roots deep in the heart of the city.

Anderson brings these disparate elements together into a fantastic overall read, and it was fascinating to see the more cozy and historical elements you would associate with Kate Cocks and her real-life actions blend with a darker murder plot.  I felt that Anderson’s main murder mystery was very well set out, and the resulting investigation by two underestimated women got quite thrilling and exciting.  There are some dark moments and intriguing twists featured throughout this plot, and Anderson produces a particularly powerful crime fiction narrative.  The entire murder mystery and the investigative arc came together extremely well, and I really enjoyed seeing Anderson’s unique protagonists trying to solve the case in their own unique way.  The background setting of Adelaide during World War I also added quite a lot to the narrative, and the author provided a complex and detailed recreation of the historical setting.

The real highlight of The Death of Dora Black was the intriguing main protagonists, Miss Kate Cocks and her junior constable Ethel Bromley.  The two protagonists play off each other extremely well throughout the course of the novel, and the blend of personalities, with the strict but caring Kate and the sassy and exceedingly keen Ethel, proved to be a winning combination.  Readers will particularly enjoy Anderson’s portrayal of Miss Kate Cocks in this book, especially as the author tried to capture all this unique figures’ quirks and historical reputation.  Anderson, who is a major expert on Kate Cocks, paints her as a particularly complex and conflicted figure driven by her religious principals but also willing to do the moral choice and help anyone in need.  It was fascinating to see Miss Cocks wander around historical Adeliade, distributing her moral judgement with her cane, while also solving problems no-one else can.  Anderson succeeded in capturing various aspects of her occasionally controversial history, and I really appreciated the way in which she converted her into a fearsome crime-fighting force, capable of hunting down murderers and drug smugglers.  The utilisation of this very distinctive figure helped to turn The Death of Dora Black into something very special, and I look forward to more exploits with Miss Kate Cocks in the future.

Overall, I felt that The Death of Dora Black was an amazing and highly entertaining novel from Lainie Anderson, who successfully brings her real-life historical protagonist to life and sets a wonderfully enjoyable crime fiction book around her.  Clever, fascinating, and with a lot of crossover appeal to many different readers, The Death of Dora Black was a great book, and I had a ton of fun getting through it.

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WWW Wednesday – 4 September 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Precipice by Robert Harris (Trade Paperback)

I started reading the historical thriller Precipice this week.  The new book from the always outstanding Robert Harris, Precipice covers an infamous World War I scandal involving the British prime minister.  I have made a little bit of progress on Precipice already and I am loving the author’s deep dive into the controversial events surrounding this scandal.

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Warhammer 40,000: Oaths of Damnation by Robbie MacNiven (Audiobook)

I didn’t get a lot of time to listen to audiobooks this week, so I’m still going with the entertaining Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Oaths of Damnation by Robbie MacNiven.  Following the infamous Exorcists chapter of Space Marines, Oaths of Damnation sees the Exorcists attempt to track down a dangerous daemon before it reveals their chapter’s darkest secrets.  Despite my slow progress, this is a very awesome audiobook and I look forward to seeing how it all comes together.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Youngest Son by John Byrnes (Trade Paperback)

An excellent historical crime fiction read that follows a compelling family in early 20th century Sydney.

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King’s Enemy by Ian Ross (Trade Paperback)

The final book in the de Norton trilogy, King’s Enemy was everything I hoped it would be and more.  An outstanding final entry in a trilogy that previously featured the awesome books Battle Song and War Cry, King’s Enemy saw the protagonist, now declared a traitor, fight in England’s most infamous siege.  This was an extremely epic historical novel, and I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.

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The Death of Dora Black by Lainie Anderson (Trade Paperback)

A great Australian historical mystery, set around the British Empire’s first female police officer.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham

I have several amazing books to check out next, but I think I’ll quickly dive into the entertaining thriller The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham.  This book sounds like a ton of fun, and I have no doubt that I am going to have an outstanding time getting through it.

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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.