Louisiana – The Unseen Library

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia (Trade Paperback – 21 October 2025)

Series: Sam Speedman – Book One

Length: 383 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Prepare for one of the most over-the-top and highly impressive thrillers of recent years, with the brilliant and utterly addictive The Detective by Matthew Reilly.

Those who follow my blog will know that I tend to read a lot of Australian fiction, not only because I like to support local authors but because there are some cracking and captivating reads from my talented countryfolk. Of the current crop of awesome Australian authors out there, few are more well known internationally than Matthew Reilly, a thriller writer with a raft of distinctive novels in his bibliography. Known for books like his Shane Schofield and Jack West Jr series, as well as some of his outrageous standalone novels, Reilly has been a consistently entertaining author since the 1990s. Despite this, I’ve only had the chance to read a couple of books from Reilly, including The Secret Runners of New York and Mr Einstein’s Secretary (one of my favourite books and pieces of Australian fiction of 2023), both of which were excellent in their own ways. As such, I’ve tried to grab some more of his books, including his 2025 release, The Detective. I only recently got the chance to read The Detective, and boy was I glad that I did. The first book in Reilly’s new Sam Speedman series, The Detective was a highly addictive read with an exceedingly thrilling narrative behind it.

Plot Synopsis:

For 150 years, women have been going missing.

And all of the investigators who went in search of them – from 1877 to the present day – have disappeared, too.

Now Sam Speedman, a most unique private detective, is on the case.

Brilliant, direct and disarming, Sam is … different. He’s not your average private detective. But then again, this isn’t your average case.

For not even he will be prepared for what he will find.

Set in the darkest corners of the American South, tapping into hot-button issues that simmer beneath the surface of the modern United States, this is Matthew Reilly writing faster and bolder than ever before, bringing you a detective thriller like no other.

Well damn, now that was a crazy ass book! While I knew I was likely going to enjoy The Detective, I was unprepared for just how over-the-top and entertaining it was going to be. I honestly read this outstanding novel from Matthew Reilly in less than a day, it was damn addictive, especially when the full insanity of the plot emerged. Due to just how fun and exciting The Detective was, I have to award this book a full five-stars, a rating it very much deserves.

I had an amazing time getting through The Detective’s narrative, primarily because Reilly came up with a powerful and detailed story that provides some intriguing mystery, heavy thrills and very over-the-top moments. Reilly starts the narrative off strong, with an exciting introduction to the protagonist and main point-of-view character, Sam Speedman, the unlikely autistic private investigator. While this opening sequence and early exploration of Reilly’s unique protagonist was great, it was the introduction of The Detective’s main case that personally drew me in, which starts when DNA test reveals that a dead newborn baby in the Louisiana swamp is the child of missing person Speedman has been hired to find. To raise the stakes and interest, this disappearance is the latest in a long string of missing African American women dating back to the end of the Civil War. Even more troubling, every previous detective who has investigated the case, including Speedman’s mentor, has either disappeared or turned up dead.

Despite this terrifying background, Speedman investigates and soon finds himself teaming up with an FBI agent also interested in the case. Reilly does a lot of solid set-up in this first half of the book, and you are presented with some intriguing suspects, great supporting characters, and a real appreciation for the unique case and the way that the protagonist investigates. The case goes in some interesting directions here, especially as Speedman finds an unlikely collection of clues and suspicions, before a seemingly early end to the investigation. However, this is just a prelude to the rest of the plot, especially when Speedman quickly identifies a massive coverup surrounding the case. Despite being offered everything he ever wanted, Speedman is unable to drop his investigation, which results in utter chaos and destruction being thrown at him and everyone he cares for.

While the first half of The Detective was very good and quickly draws you in, it was the brutal and insanely over-the-top second half of the book that makes this a truly memorable read. Reilly throws everything that he can at his protagonist, as Speedman journeys through the deep south to find answers. There are some great moments here, with plenty of action and clever investigating, all pulling together into a crazy result. I don’t want to give too much away, but the hidden secrets behind the case are incredibly insane, while still cleverly fitting into the overarching narrative of The Detective. Everything leads up to an explosive confrontation which delivers some very cathartic moments, as well as some memorable action sequences. Reilly also throws in a great, if now depressingly unrealistic, solution to the giant odds the protagonists are facing, and watching their plan come together was really impressive. An overall outstanding narrative, that you won’t be able to stop reading, even if you wanted to.

I had a lot of fun with Reilly’s style for The Detective, which was very easy to read and really highlighted the book’s fantastic action. The author makes excellent use of the first-person perspective, which showcased the entertaining viewpoint of the primary perspective character. Thanks to this, you get a great view of the investigation and the protagonist’s mind as he pulls the unique threads of the mystery together. The mystery itself is quite well set up, and I appreciated the variety of clues and hints that Reilly introduces early in the book, even if you can’t imagine just where the author is going with them. I will say that Reilly makes good use of the southern setting for the plot, with race, cultural heritage and other issues all working as motives or underlying factors. These contemporary issues, as well as some key historical events, are cleverly referenced or alluded to (including quotes from real-life events or people), and while Reilly naturally takes everything several steps further than reality, it still makes you think. I deeply enjoyed the narrative extremes that Reilly went to, which added a lot of entertainment to this book, and you must imagine that some of the world’s current craziness bled into Reilly’s mind as he wrote it. I also have to highlight some of the cool diagrams and helpful alternate formatting that was added into the paperback version of The Detective, which helped order key parts of the plot and allowed even more insights into the protagonist’s mind.

I’ve already mentioned the unique protagonist of The Detective, Sam Speedman, a few times, and I want to again make it clear how interesting and fun he proved to be. Introduced as a questionable investigative protagonist due to his lack of social skills and distinctive way of thinking, Speedman quickly grows on the reader thanks to his insights, down-to-earth view, and determination to do the right thing no matter what. I liked how Reilly already had Speedman set up as a very competent figure right at the start of the book, and you are soon drawn into his personality, as well as the unlikely connections he already has. The author also throws in some growth for Speedman in this book, with the protagonist becoming even more comfortable with other people while continuing to stick to his principles no matter the cost. I really think that Reilly did a good job of providing a nuanced portrayal of an autistic central character, and I liked how Speedman’s eccentricities, such as his preferred restaurant and inherent caution, played into the plot in some natural ways. Speedman proved to be one of the more memorable crime fiction protagonists in recent years, and I’m very curious to see what other adventures Reilly takes him on in the future.

Aside from Speedman, The Detective features an intriguing array of supporting characters, each of whom add their own spin on the plot. Reilly has fun showcasing many of these great characters from Speedman’s perspective, and it was interesting to see his take on them. I personally enjoyed secondary protagonist FBI agent Audrey Mills, who serves as a motivated support to Speedman, as well as a moving love interest once she realises who she is working with. Other fun characters include Speedman’s eclectic contacts, such as an enterprising assistant, an exceedingly brave fellow investigator, and several Hooters waitresses who are some of the protagonist’s best friends. Finally, we have the various antagonists of the story, who exist at near supervillain levels thanks to their audacious evil plans. To avoid spoilers, I won’t say too much about these antagonists, except that they make for a terrifying opposition thanks to their reach and influences. This fantastic and over-the-top group of characters all fit naturally into Reilly’s ambitious and ultra-entertaining narrative.

Thanks to its outrageous story, complex characters, and non-stop fun and excitement, The Detective proved to be an incredible read, and one that I still cannot stop thinking about. Matthew Reilly really came up with something special with The Detective, and it was a crazy pleasure to read it. I am now exceedingly excited for the soon to be released sequel, King’s Ransom, which I already know is going to be exceedingly awesome and crazy.

Amazon

Half Moon Lake Cover.jpg

Publisher: Bantam Press (Trade Paperback Edition – 2 January 2019)

Series: Standalone

Length: 320 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Amazon Book Depository

Debuting Australian author Kirsten Alexander presents a dramatic, captivating and hard-hitting novel of desperation and loss loosely based around a real and shocking historical event.

In the summer of 1913, a young boy, Sonny Davenport, walks into the woods around his family’s summer home at Half Moon Lake, Louisiana, and never returns. Despite a widespread search of the surrounding area by an army of volunteers, no trace of the boy can be found. As the search grows in volume, the disappearance becomes headline news across the country, especially as Sonny’s parents, John Henry and Mary Davenport, are wealthy and influential members of their home town of Opelousas. For the next two years, the Davenports engage in a desperate hunt for Sonny across the south, offering a massive reward for information on their missing son. But with no substantiated leads, the Davenports slowly lose hope and Mary sinks more and more into her despair.

However, just when everything seems lost, a boy matching Sonny’s description is found wandering around several southern towns in the company of a tramp. As the world watches, Mary meets the child and claims that he is Sonny. But is he truly her missing son? There are a number of differences between the two boys and many are convinced that the Davenports have taken in the wrong child and the real Sonny is still out there.

As the people of Opelousas, including many of the Davenport’s friends and servants, debate the true identity of this young boy, a kidnapping trial for the tramp begins. However, the proceedings are thrown into chaos when Grace Mills, an unwed farm worker, arrives in town, claiming that the boy is her son.

This is an outstanding first book from Alexander, who has created a powerful and memorable story based partially around real-life events. Half Moon Lake is a fantastic and dramatic story that dives deep into the hearts and psyche of its characters and the historical elements of the time to create a lasting impact on the reader. I was very surprised about how addictive I found this book to be, as the intense character emotions and the dramatic actions that they take to alleviate their grief and the grief of their loved ones was just incredible. I am still reeling from several of the revelations and developments that occurred towards the end of the book, many of which will stick with me for a long time.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this book is that is partially based on a real-life historical event, the disappearance of Bobby Dunbar, which took place in America’s south in the early 20^th century. Bobby Dunbar disappeared when he was four. After months of searching, a young boy was found some distance away who appeared similar to Bobby and was claimed by Bobby’s parents, despite many people voicing their doubts about the boy’s true identity. In addition, a second woman attempted to claim the child as her own son, and a legal case was initiated to determine the identity of the child. I was unfamiliar with the Bobby Dunbar case before I read Half Moon Lake and did not look up the details of it until after I finished the book. As a result, I was amazed that the intense story was so closely based on a real story. This case and its eventual results are absolutely fascinating, and I felt that Alexander did a fantastic job of capturing the essence of this event and installing it within her story.

For example, the author does an excellent job of portraying the probable emotions, feelings and opinions of people who would have been involved in the real-life disappearance, as she utilises a number of different character perspectives throughout her book. Readers of Half Moon Lake get a great idea of the despair all of the parents in this story would have experienced, the fear and confusion of the children, and the bewilderment and conflicted emotion of everyone else involved in the case. I felt that Alexander’s portrayal of the missing child’s mother was done particularly well, as the readers gets to see her so filled with realistic fear, grief and despair that it drives her to try and claim a child that might not even be hers. I also quite enjoyed the way that the author explored the highly publicised nature of the child’s disappearance and how the media at the time covered the case, dividing those following the case as they try to determine the true fate of the missing child and the real identity of the discovered child. I also loved the way that the author looked at how the media scrutiny of the time might have affected the individuals involved in the case, and how this could have potentially influenced their actions and decisions.

I also really liked the way that the period’s ideas of class came into effect during this book. There are some key examinations of the different ways that the rich and the poor were treated during this time, and how this would have impacted the investigation, the search for the missing child, the media scrutiny and overall results of the big trial that served as an important scene at the end of the book. Also significant and intriguing was the way in which Alexander looked at how concerns for personal and familial reputations might have come into these events, resulting in several characters undertaking various actions that they knew to be wrong, all in the name of protecting someone’s social standing and reputation. The story is set in America’s south during the early 20^th century, and as such there are a number of African American characters who are involved with the case. Race and the perception of certain ethnicities came into this book a lot more than I thought it would, and I thought that Alexander did a fantastic job capturing how these characters might have been ignored or disciplined for trying to get involved in proceedings. All of these elements result in an amazing historical tapestry which forms an excellent setting for this story.

Overall, this is an amazing debut from Australian author Kirsten Alexander, who uses the inspiration of a fascinating real-life case to craft an epic and powerful story. There are so many great story elements spread throughout Half Moon Lake, as the character’s emotions and despair drive them to desperate and immoral acts. It features a narrative that is at times sad and at other times darn right appalling, and several reveals and character decisions at the end of the book will leave you shocked and will stick in your mind long after you finish reading it. I loved this spectacular first book from Alexander and I am looking forward to seeing where she goes next.