Tag: Murder

Waiting on Wednesday – The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, Science Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday4 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this latest post I highlight an outstanding upcoming murder mystery novel with a fun science fiction twist that I am extremely keen to check out in 2024 with The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton.

The Last Murder at the End of the World Cover

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2024 is already shaping up to be an excellent year for books and I am even more excited because there is a new Stuart Turton novel coming out in the next few months.  Turton is an outstanding author whose debut novel, The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (also released as The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle) deeply impressed me back in 2018.  Featuring an elaborate murder mystery plot enhanced by clever science fiction elements, this great novel forced a protagonist to jump across the bodies of several different suspects to figure out who was behind a mysterious death.  This was honestly such a brilliant and highly unique read that ended up being one of my favourite books of 2018.

While I unfortunately haven’t had the chance to read his second novel, The Devil and the Dark Water (maybe a good book to check out this Christmas), I am still very keen for any additional content from Turton and I was excited when I saw he had a new book coming out in May 2024.  This new novel is The Last Murder at the End of the World and it looks like Turton is going to present another compelling murder mystery/science fiction hybrid.

Plot Synopsis:

Solve the murder to save what’s left of the world.

Outside the island there is the world destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched. On the island it is idyllic. 122 villagers and 3 scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they’re told by the scientists.

Until, to the horror of the islanders, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And they learn the murder has triggered a lowering of the security system around the island, the only thing that was keeping the fog at bay.

If the murder isn’t solved within 92 hours, the fog will smother the island – and everyone on it.

But the security system has also wiped everyone’s memories of exactly what happened the night before, which means that someone on the island is a murderer – and they don’t even know it…

The outstanding new high concept murder mystery from the Sunday Times bestselling and Costa Book Award winning author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle . An ingenious puzzle, an extraordinary backdrop, an audacious solution.

I love the sound of the epic plot above and I reminds me a lot of The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle in terms of it having a complicated scenario serving as the compelling background to a murder investigation.  The idea of a murder taking place in a post-apocalyptic society is pretty solid on its own, but throw in a mysterious fog, elaborate security systems and the fact that everyone, including the killer has forgotten the events of the night in question, and you have all the components for a highly compelling read.  I cannot wait to see how Turton works all these elements into his new mystery and I’m sure it will make for quite a compelling and intense novel.

I am also quite intrigued by the cool setting the book is taking place in.  A remote island that survived a world-ending event is pretty interesting and it will be fun if we get some history about how that came about.  I’m getting some major The Island or The Village vibes from the sounds of this scenario (it’s totally going to be some form of experiment or social study), and I am quite intrigued to see if I’m right about that.

Overall, I am very excited for The Last Murder at the End of the World and I have some very high hopes for it when it comes out in May next year.  Turton already has a proven skill of combining elaborate science fiction scenarios with murder mysteries and The Last Murder at the End of the World should turn out to be pretty epic as a result.  I am fully expecting this upcoming book to be pretty damn exceptional and I cannot wait to see how Turton messes with my mind this time.

Kill Your Husbands by Jack Heath

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller7 Comments

Kill Your Husbands Cover

Publisher: Allen & Unwin Australia (Trade Paperback – 28 November 2023)

Series: Kill Your Brother – Book Two

Length: 384 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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One of my favourite Australian authors, the scarily good Jack Heath, returns with another twisted and brilliant thriller, Kill Your Husbands.

Easily one of the best Australian thriller authors at the moment has to be the always impressive Jack Heath.  Hailing from my hometown of Canberra, Heath has written a compelling range of epic thrillers over the years, all of which have been fun and captivating in their own way.  I am a major fan of his Timothy Blake series (check out my reviews for Hideout and Headcase), which follows the gruesome adventures of a murder-solving cannibal.  Heath has also produced several other great standalone or Australian series, including his 2021 novel, Kill Your Brother.  An intense and shocking thriller that forced a highly damaged protagonist to choose between killing her guilty brother or dying herself, Kill Your Brother was one of the best pieces of Australian fiction in 2021 and I had such a great time reading it.  As such, when I saw that Heath had a new Australian thriller coming out this year, I was very excited, especially when I found out it was a sequel to Kill Your Brother.  This new book, Kill Your Husbands, had a wicked plot synopsis, and I fell in love with it the moment I read it.  One of my most anticipated books for the second half of 2023, Kill Your Husbands was a shocking read that I had so much fun with.

It was supposed to be a relaxing weekend away for three couples, longtime friends since school the six overworked and stressed adults decide to escape their taxing lives for a weekend up in the mountains.  With no internet or cell reception, their getaway was supposed to be a quiet time of drinking and bushwalking.  However, after the topic of partner-swapping is raised on the first night, the entire mood of the weekend shifts.  What starts as a joke soon turns into an elaborate plan to ensure anonymity between partners, with the lights turned off and the men choosing a bedroom at random.  No one will know who they’ve been with, and no one will ever be certain if they slept with anyone other than their spouse.

However, when the lights come back on, one of the participants is missing.  A search soon reveals their body outside, clearly the victim of a violent attack.  With no cell reception and the keys to the cars missing, the remaining five people quickly become suspicious of the other survivors.  As the weekend continues and more people begin to disappear and die, old wounds, festering grudges and decaying relationships come to the fore, turning husbands against wives and friend against friend.

Two weeks later, Senior Constable Kiara Lui returns to the murder scene with her girlfriend, Elise.  Having interviewed the survivors, Kiara is certain at least one of them is lying and the killer is within her grasp.  Kiara knows that the answers lie within the house, but with strange occurrences occurring around the property, one person still missing, and her own girlfriend’s strange behaviour starting to concern her, can Kiara break through all the lies and secrets and find the truth before the killer strikes again?

This was another excellent and thrilling read from Heath, who pulls together another insane, yet highly clever, mystery that you really cannot put down.  Making full use of Heath’s outrageous plot, Kill Your Husbands is a dark and twisty novel that I had so much fun reading and which is easily one of the best pieces of Australian fiction I have read all year.

I loved the unique, memorable and very twisted central idea that Heath came up with for Kill Your Husbands, as murderous partner swapping is honestly it was one of the more amusing and outrageous plot focuses I have seen.  Starting off with a quick introduction sequence, the reader is soon enthralled in split focus narrative throughout Kill Your Husbands as half the chapters recount the weekend of the murders and the events leading up to the killings, while the rest of the chapters are set after the murders and focus on Senior Constable Kiara Lui, a supporting character from Kill Your Brother, as she attempts to solve the crime.  This proves to be a very clever and impressive way to showcase the plot, and I loved the simultaneous look at the investigation, the weekend in question, and all the key events that led up to the crime.  Both separate storylines are very interesting and compelling in their own way, especially as they paint two different pictures of the chaotic events in question.  Thanks to Heath using first names during the chapters set in the past and only referring to surnames when it comes to the later investigation, you don’t get any spoilers about what is going to happen during the weekend.  As such, it isn’t until the end of the book that you are completely certain about who dies and who survives, and this allows you to remain on the edge of your seat as your watch the chaotic events unfold.

Heath paces out both arcs of the story extremely well, and they work well together to tell an intriguing and powerful story.  The scenes set in the past tell a powerful and character-driven tale, with flashbacks to prior interactions, details about their turbulent relationships, and a great range of petty slights that ensure everyone had a motive for killing the rest of the group.  Heath ensures that the characters are all stewing in this during the early chapters in the mountain before the partner swapping scene occurs.  The author sets this up perfectly, with the subterfuge, secret plans, and hidden desires all coming into their choices, and the resulting chaos sufficiently messing with them.  As such, all of them are primed to be the killer when the first victim emerges, and the subsequent environment of fear, suspicion and hatred make for some outstanding scenes, especially when all their secrets come to light.

At the same time, the reader gets a fantastic look at the ongoing investigation being undertaken by Kiara as she tries to get to grips with the case.  There are some great scenes here, especially as Kiara independently uncovers the secrets of the three married couples, which works into the other timeline extremely well.  There are some fun moments in this part of the investigation, especially when Kiara and Elise make the interesting decision to book out the murder house for a holiday so they can try and find some answers, while also dealing with their own intense personal issues.  While there are some excellent moments in this part of the book, the investigation angle of Kill Your Husbands is the weaker half of the novel, mostly because it lacks the juicy details the lead up to all the murders.  I also didn’t think that Heath needed to shoehorn in the characters from Kill Your Brother into the plot, as fresh new police protagonists would have also been just as effective.  Still this second half of the book was very fascinating, and the clues revealed within give you some great hints about who the killer is and how they got away with it.

The eventual solution for Kill Your Husbands is exceedingly clever, and I really liked how all the key events of the book played out.  The climax of the murderous weekend is pretty damn shocking in its entirety, and I loved just how well Heath managed to keep secret who survived and who died right until the end.  The killer’s motivations and the events that drove them to it are well set out, and the scenes where they commit their crimes really drive home just how dangerous they are.  Certain other reveals towards the end of the book, especially when Kiara gets close to the truth, reveal just how clever this entire story is, and I loved how certain innocuous mentions or clues are well utilised later in the story.  The entire solution of the book, as well as the final confrontation between Kiara and the killer are just perfect, and you will come away from Kill Your Husbands extremely satisfied after travelling through such a captivating, unique and brilliant mystery.

This elaborate story and murder mystery wouldn’t be possible without the great characters featured in Kill Your Husbands.  I particularly loved the six friends who journeyed to the cabin and who end up being pulled into the deadly partner swapping/murder plot.  Heath does a wonderful job of effectively introducing them and you get drawn into their complex lives, filled with emotional damage and occasionally petty problems.  While you do feel sorry for some of the characters, most of them are somewhat despicable and unlikeable to a degree, which ensures that are highly interesting and fun in the context of the main murder.  I loved how many personal issues and secrets came out as the story progressed, and you really get invested in seeing who the killer is, possibly more than finding out who survived.  I loved how fun and interesting these main characters where and Heath did such a great job featuring him in this crazy story.

The other major characters are Senior Constable Kiara Lui and her girlfriend, Elise, who serve as the main figures in the investigation arc of the book.  As I mentioned about, Kiara and Elise both appeared in Kill Your Brother, with Elise serving as the main character of that novel.  However, Elise takes more of a backseat here with Kiara stepping up and leading the investigation.  While I don’t think Kill Your Husbands really needed some of the drama and ongoing trauma surrounding these characters, I did enjoy seeing them still together after the events of Kill Your Brother, and I liked how Heath moved Kiara more to the fore in this book.  Kiara was a badass investigator, and it was great to see her try to prove herself while also still concerned about her clearly traumatised girlfriend.  For her part, Elise is still trying to prove herself after her controversial past the helpless position she found herself in during the events of Kill Your Brother.  As such, she takes some big risks and acts very recklessly in this book, often to the detriment of Kiara’s investigation or emotions.  This extra layer of emotional charge ensured that Kill Your Husbands’ plot was a little more convoluted and intense, and I did enjoy seeing these two characters again.  That being said, you don’t need to have read Kill Your Brother to full appreciate these characters in this sequel, and you can get the full range of emotions from reading Kill Your Husbands as a standalone read.  I honestly came away from Kill Your Husbands very impressed with how Heath introduced and utilised his characters and they were such a distinctive and fun group of figures who were perfect to get wrapped up in a murder.

Overall, Kill Your Husbands was another outstanding and compelling novel from Jack Heath, who continues to show why he is the master of crazy Australian crime fiction.  Heath had a lot of fun with his outrageous plot and the way he worked his excellent and damaged characters into this complex murder mystery was very impressive.  A captivating and dark read from start to finish, Kill Your Husbands is one of the most memorable and intense Australian thrillers of 2023 and Heath is a must-read author for anyone looking for some truly shocking and mental crime fiction.

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The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Murder Mystery16 Comments

The Last Devil to Die Cover

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 12 September 2023)

Series: Thursday Murder Club – Book Four

Length: 10 hours and 50 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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The exceedingly talented and amazing Richard Osman returns with another exceptional entry in his acclaimed Thursday Murder Club series, with the entertaining and emotionally rich The Last Devil to Die.

Over the last few years I have been blown away by the incredible Thursday Murder Club novels, the debut series of British television personality Richard Osman.  This amazing series follows four residents of a retirement village who solve murders as the Thursday Murder Club.  Featuring a perfect blend of gripping mystery, brilliant and likeable characters, a fantastic sense of humour and a certain amount of tragedy, the series has been a real joy to read.  This includes The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), and The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022), each of which got full five-star reviews from me.  As such, I have been eagerly awaiting the fourth book in this series, and The Last Devil to Die was one of my most anticipated books for 2023.  Unsurprisingly, Osman did not disappoint and presented another compelling and highly addictive read that I absolutely adored.

Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron are the Thursday Murder Club, four bored and bright retirees living at Coopers Chase retirement village, spend their spare time keeping busy with an unusual hobby, solving murders.  Already responsible for bringing several crooks to justice, the club hope to enjoy a nice Christmas without any deaths.  However, murderers are rarely so considerate, and the four friends soon find themselves involved in a complex case that hits close to home.

Antiques dealer Kuldesh Sharma, an acquaintance of the group and an old friend of Elizabeth’s husband, Stephen, has been found shot dead on a dark country lane, apparently the victim of a professional hit.  Determined to get justice for their friend, the club and their associates jump into action and begin their usual unconventional investigation.  Their prying soon uncovers connections between Kuldesh and a local gang of drug importers who were using Kuldesh’s shop as cover for one of their deals.

It quickly becomes apparent that Kuldesh’s death is related to a box of heroin that was in his possession and which has since gone missing.  To find Kuldesh’s killer, the members of the club will need to discover where the heroin is hidden, as well as why Kuldesh decided to steal it.  Their investigation will take them into the dark world of drug dealers, art forgers and stolen antiquities, and force them up against several different groups of criminals each searching for the same prize.  Can the Thursday Murder Club once again solve the case before the murderer escapes, especially when an even greater tragedy waits on the horizon?

This honestly might be one of the very best books I have read all year.  Osman, who I have extremely impressed with in recent years, did a remarkable job with this fourth entry in the series, producing another superb and emotionally charged novel with a clever mystery around it.  Thanks to some high-intensity inclusions and some brilliant character work, The Last Devil to Die is easily one of the strongest entries in this entire exceptional series, and I was hooked the entire way through.  This latest book gets an easy five-star rating from me, and I doubt I will ever forgive Osman for everything I was forced to feel while getting through it.

The Last Devil to Die has an outstanding story behind it, and I was once again deeply impressed by how Osman effortlessly combines an elaborate mystery with intriguing character driven storylines.  The book starts with Kuldesh Sharma, who appeared in the prior novel, getting murdered apparently over a missing box of heroin.  This quickly sets off the new investigation, and the protagonists and their continuously growing group of associates utilise their usual unorthodox methods to get a good picture of events and pull together a group of unusual suspects.  Of course, it doesn’t take long for the case to go in some very interesting directions, especially with extra murders and a segue into the world of antiquities forgeries.  I really got caught up in the intriguing mystery, especially as there are some great complexities, an array of fun professional villains, and some highly entertaining encounters, including a remarkably fun lunchtime meeting with all the suspects.  At the same time, I was also there for the characters, as Osman dove into their unique lives and provided some fantastic development.  However, one major piece of character development proved to be the most compelling part of the entire book and really knocks you for six with a major event around two-thirds of the way through.  This bit of development has been building for the entire series, but when tragedy finally hits you are not ready and it strikes you very hard in the feels.  I honestly was near tears at parts of the book, it was that damn sad, and Osman works to ensure that every major character is affected in a noticeable and gloomy way.

Following this major event, Osman moves towards solving the various murders featured within the book.  This last part of The Last Devil to Die is noticeably more subdued, which was honestly very fitting and completely understandable.  Despite this darker tone, the reader is still very invested in the plot, especially as a solution to the mystery promises to bring some much-needed emotional relief.  Osman delivers this in spades, and there are several clever and thoughtful solutions chucked in as a result.  While I saw a few reveals coming, the way the characters solved the compelling case was impressive and quite brilliant.  Several subtle and well-placed clues were masterfully exploited, and the way that Osman hid them in plain sight is exceedingly clever.  The solutions to the other killings were great as well, especially as they tied into a fun longer-running storyline around a secondary character, and I loved how many of the villains got an appropriate reward for their deeds.  The conclusion of the plot is very well handled, and the reader comes away from The Last Devil to Die both highly satisfied and very sad, much like the protagonists.  This was such a brilliant and moving narrative, and Osman does a wonderful job of fitting in his mystery while wrapping up several long-running narrative threads.

Just as he has with the previous novels in the Thursday Murder Club series, Osman backs up his excellent story with some top-notch writing that drags you in with its tone, subtly and entertainment.  The Last Devil to Die features Osman’s typical exquisite blend of mystery, humour and character development, which is expertly featured in every scene.  While the main mystery is great, watching the brilliant characters grow as they solve it in the most entertaining way is so much fun, and you will be glued to the book as you go.  The comedic charm of a Thursday Murder Club novel is very subtle and undeniably British, but it constantly flows into every scene, with the restrained and often topical jokes and observations of the characters working well with the other story elements.  This includes a large amount of sombre and darker moments, as many of the characters experience a certain amount of tragedy, especially related to the woes of getting older.  Osman honestly turns the heartbreak up to 11 in certain parts of The Last Devil to Die, and readers are in for some powerful emotional blows in this novel, which works both in the context of this single novel but the series as a whole, as it cleverly builds on prior events from the earlier books.  Due to this, I would strongly recommend that readers start the series back at the first book, rather than diving into The Last Devil to Die first, as it will allow you to get the full emotional impact.  However, Osman does ensure that The Last Devil to Die is open enough for new readers to experience, and they honestly will not be spared from the feels either.  Osman does such a good job wrapping together the hurt with the humour, and the emotional combination really strengthens both the character arcs and the mystery elements of this outstanding read.

While the story, mystery and humour are all outstanding parts of The Last Devil to Die, without a doubt the high point of any Thursday Murder Club novel are the characters.  Osman has an incredible knack for producing compelling, delightful, and impressive characters who you cannot help but fall in love with.  Thanks to his split between different perspective characters (which includes a change in writing style for Joyce’s journal entries), you get to see so many different angles of this mystery, and I loved the amazing personal arcs that emerged as well.  Osman does a great job of balancing the narrative between the many characters featured in the novel, including the recurring protagonists from the previous books and several new intriguing figures.  These characters form the emotional heart of The Last Devil to Die and Osman really amps up the feelings, tragedy and love for this latest book to produce an exceptional and memorable read.

At the centre of the story are the members of the titular Thursday Murder Club: Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron, four cheeky and brilliant retirees who pass their time solving murders.  Osman has done such a good job setting these characters up as a group throughout the previous books, and they each have a well-defined role in the group, with Elizabeth the hard-nosed former spy serving as leader, Joyce the loving grandmother figure who is a lot more devious and strong then people realise, Ron the tough larrikin who is starting to come to terms with his feelings, and Ibrahim the sensitive soul who can connect with everyone.  These fantastic characters prove to be the usual dedicated and brilliant investigators, and it is always fun to see them utilise their unique skills and their old age to solve their crime.  Much of the book’s humour is derived from them leveraging their advanced years and apparent helplessness to trick or manipulate the younger suspects, and I always enjoy their direct and hilarious take on crime solving.  However, while there is a certain humorous element around these characters in The Last Devil to Die, certain significant events throw them into an emotional tailspin and watching them become unstuck and devastated really hits the reader hard.

Elizabeth in particular is hit the hardest and this is honestly the most significant novel for her, especially as the great tragedy she has been expecting for the entire series finally comes to pass, and your heart hurts at seeing such a strong character broken down so much.  Joyce proves to be the emotional rock the novel, stepping up when the others are down and trying to keep the investigation going.  I loved seeing Joyce the leadership role, and watching her come out of her shell proves to be quite heartwarming in light of other tragedies.  Ron probably gets the least amount of focus in The Last Devil to Die, but he still has his moment to shine throughout this book.  Not only does he have one of the funniest scenes when he has to pretend to be traumatised at discovering a body, but his chaotic romantic relationship raises some fun questions about when Christmas gifts should be opened.  I also deeply enjoyed Ibrahim’s character focus, not only because of his warmth and insights, but because of his unusual friendship with imprisoned criminal Connie Johnson and his fantastic patter with Ron.  Osman also finally reveals some secrets about Ibrahim’s past that have been hinted at in previous books, and I loved the extra layer of understanding about Ibrahim that results.  Each of these main characters are so well featured and their emotional struggles prove to be such an important part of the plot and help to turn The Last Devil to Die into in a very powerful and moving novel.

In addition to the main cast, Osman’s ever expanding collection of supporting characters were very well featured in The Last Devil to Die, and while they are primarily there to assist the main characters with their investigation, the author always takes the time to develop some intriguing and heartfelt storylines around them.  This includes the duo of DCI Chris Hudson and PC Donna De Freitas, who find themselves once again competing against their retiree friends to solve the case, despite their futile attempts to keep them out of trouble.  While many of their scenes are played for laughs, especially as they get exasperated trying to stop the club members, they add in a good official police presence and move the story along in some interesting ways.  There is also a continued focus on their personal lives, especially as they have both found true happiness thanks to the events of the prior books.  Cocaine queen and jailbird Connie Johnson proves to be another great recurring figure here, especially as much of her story deals with her simultaneously manipulations of Ibrahim and her attempts at rehabilitations.  Her scenes opposite the team’s psychiatrist are pretty hilarious, and it’s going to be fun to see how her storyline continues.  The always dependable Bogdan is also a fantastic presence in The Last Devil to Die, and I loved how he proves to be both a supportive partner to Donna and a reliable assistant in Elizabeth’s attempts to undermine the police.  Bogdan is also hit emotionally hard in this book and you really have to feel for this wonderfully written character who has the body of a thug and a heart of pure gold.  Throw in several great new antagonists, an unpopular elite police officer and several entertaining new residents at Coopers Chase, and this proves to be an amazing book when it comes to supporting characters.

However, the character I need to talk about the most is Elizabeth’s academic husband, Stephen, who honestly has been one of the strongest and saddest figures in the entire series due to his growing dementia.  A caring and intelligent figure, despite his ailment and his wife’s attempts to hide him from the world, Stephen is such an impressive character you honestly cannot help but fall in love with.  It is always so tragic to see Stephen slowly lose his mind while Elizabeth’s heart breaks next to him, and I really appreciate how well Osman portrays the complexities of dementia when it comes to this figure.  Despite that, he proves to be an essential part of the plot, and his insights into his friend have some major impacts on the case, even if you do not realise it at the time.  Osman also makes sure to enhance the misery around Stephen again in this book, especially as he finally becomes aware of his condition in one of his lucid periods, and the resulting scenes are so damn moving and emotional as a result.  Everything about Stephen in The Last Devil to Die, from his continued warmth, his love for Elizabeth even when he doesn’t know who she is, his sad friendship with a local fox, and his journeys back inside the past of his mind, is handled perfectly and powerfully, and he honestly steals every moment he is in.  Stephen steals the show in his own way in The Last Devil to Die, but honestly every character in this book is pretty exceptional, and you will find yourself falling in love with them again, even if it breaks your heart.

Due to my previous experiences with this series, I chose to check out The Last Devil to Die on audiobook, rather than reading the physical copy I received.  Coming in with a runtime of just under 11 hours, this is a relatively quick audiobook to get through, especially once you get caught up in the story, which you definitely will.  I find that the audiobook format is pretty damn good at getting so many elements of Osman’s story across, including the characters, the powerful emotions and the fun humour, and you really will have a hard time turning off this audiobook of as a result.  It also definitely helps that they keep getting such awesome narrators in to read these books.  The first two entries in the series were narrated by Lesley Manville, who did such a great job bringing the characters to life, especially Joyce.  Unfortunately, Lesley left after narrating the first two books, which I was initially sad about.  However, they did a really good job of replacing her in the third audiobook with acclaimed actress Fiona Shaw, who also returns for The Last Devil to Die.

Now I was already a fan of Fiona Shaw before her work here, and I think she was honestly the best possible replacement they could have gotten for Lesley Manville.  Utilising her trademark Scottish accent, Shaw hits the story with a soft and gentle voice that perfectly fits the more relaxed tone of these murder mystery novels.  These gentler tones are excellent at conveying the unique humour and emotions of the Thursday Murder Club books, and I really got enveloped by the powerful story as a result.  Shaw also does an outstanding job voicing each of the brilliant characters featured within this book and I have a lot of love for the vocal choices she makes here.  Now, while there is a little difference between Shaw’s performances and the previous audiobooks with Manville (Manville is a natural Joyce, while Shaw more of an Elizabeth), Shaw really keeps the magic from the first two books going.  She does a great job of matching many of the key voices Manville originally used, while also adding her own flairs to make the characters her own.  I really loved how effortlessly Shaw slipped into the various members of the cast, and this honestly helps you fall in love with all the characters and the story as a whole.  This entire audiobook honestly comes up pretty perfectly, and there is even a fantastic and cosy chat at the end between Osman and Shaw discussing the series.  As such, I would strongly recommend the audiobook version of The Last Devil to Die to anyone interested in checking out this novel, and it is easily the best way to enjoy this fantastic series.  One of the best audiobooks of 2023!

Look, I could go on about how good The Last Devil to Die is, but the bottom line is that this was an exceptional read and one of the best entries in the already great Thursday Murder Club series.  Richard Osman did a wonderful job of producing an elaborate and compelling book that featured both an amazing mystery, and some outstanding character work.  Funny and tragic in equal measures, and with some of the most emotionally charged scenes of 2023, The Last Devil to Die was an incredible book from start to finish and I cannot recommend it enough.  This fantastic book is going to top all my end-of-year best of lists and I cannot wait to see what Osman releases next.

Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday – White Ash Ridge by S. R. White

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an intriguing and compelling upcoming piece of Australian crime fiction with White Ash Ridge by S. R. White.

White Ash Ridge Cover

Over the last couple of years, I have been having a lot of fun with the cool outback murder mysteries of one of Australian fiction’s rising stars, S. R. White.  White has so far written three impressive novels that each focus on the character of Detective Dana Russo, an outback cop drafted in to solve the most difficult of cases with her talent for interrogation.  These awesome books include Hermit, Prisoner, and Red Dirt Road, each of which had their own excellent mystery, as well as a great focus on unique characters and their stories.  Each of these books have been pretty awesome and compelling in their own ways, and I was quite excited to hear that White has another intriguing read coming out in early 2024.

This new novel will be the impressive sounding novel, White Ash Ridge.  Coming out in March 2024, White Ash Ridge sees Detective Russo dive into another complex murder investigation, this time surrounding the brutal death of a charity organiser.  With the only suspects being other members of the same controversial anti-police charity, Detective Russo will need to balance politics and public perception with her desire to solve the case.  I love the sound of this intriguing upcoming story and I look forward to seeing how complex and inventive White makes his new book.  I have no doubt that this will be an amazing read and White Ash Ridge will probably end up being one of my favourite Australian fiction reads of 2024.

Plot Synopsis:

A REMOTE HOTEL. FIVE GUESTS. ONE MURDER.

During a broiling heatwave, the inner circle of a high-profile charity attend a critical meeting at White Ash Ridge, a small hotel nestled in the Australian wilderness.

As the temperature rises, a body is found lying in the thick bush, bludgeoned to death.

One of the four remaining guests is a murderer – but who, and why, is a mystery.

Detective Dana Russo knows the national spotlight will be sharply focused on the case.

The charity was formed when the founders’ teenage son was killed after intervening in a vicious assault – sparking public outrage and a damning verdict on the police investigation.

But under huge pressure and with few clues – plus suspects who instinctively distrust the police – how can Dana unravel the truth?

Waiting on Wednesday – The Murder Inn and Devil’s Kitchen

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday12 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight two upcoming books from a very talented Australian author, Candice Fox.

Over the last few years, I have been having a wonderful time getting into the novels of Australian crime fiction author Candice Fox, who has been a staple inclusion in my yearly reading schedule.  Fox has produced some amazing and compelling thrillers throughout her career, and I’ve deeply enjoyed several of her recent books, including Gathering Dark, The Chase and Fire With Fire.  Fox is also quite well known for her collaborations with legendary crime fiction author James Patterson, having written several novels together.  This includes their very entertaining novel from a couple of years ago, 2 Sisters Detective Agency, which proved to be a particularly exciting read.  As such, I am always quite excited when I find out details about some of Fox’s upcoming books and 2024 is shaping up to be a pretty major year for Fox with two awesome sounding books coming out.

The first of these is The Murder Inn, which Fox is once again co-authoring with James Patterson.  The sequel to their previous collaboration, The Inn, which follows the unusual inhabitants of a seaside in, including its former police officer owner, as they get caught up in a dangerous series of events.  The Murder Inn is set for release in February 2024 and looks like it will feature another great story, this time featuring two killers coming to the titular inn and raising hell.  The Murder Inn sounds like a pretty awesome read and I look forward to seeing what fantastic fun these two great authors come up with next.

The Murder Inn Cover

Amazon

Plot Synopsis:

In this thrilling follow-up to the international bestseller THE INN, past mistakes come back to haunt the friends and residents of The Inn by the Sea.

It’s the perfect getaway. But the past will always find you . . .

Since leaving the Boston Police Department, Bill Robinson has run The Inn by the Sea in Gloucester, Massachusetts. There he offers a safe and supportive home for his long-term guests.

That tranquil life, however, is about to be shattered.

Two murderers are heading to Bill’s door.

One needs his help to evade the cops. The other plans to kill again to silence the truth.

Standing in their way are the residents of the Inn. And not everyone will get out alive.

In addition to her collaboration with Patterson, Fox also has a standalone novel coming out in 2024 with Devil’s Kitchen.  Set for release shortly after The Murder Inn, Devil’s Kitchen has a brilliant sounding plot behind it about a heist crew made up of firefighters and the women who joins them trying to bring them down.  Fox has always been good at coming up with elaborate or unique thriller concepts for her books and Devil’s Kitchen sounds like a particularly cool one that I’m very keen to check out.

Devil's Kitchen Cover

Amazon

Plot Synopsis:

Candice Fox’s latest thriller is the definition of nailbiter, as a female agent goes undercover in a New York firefighting crew that is far more dangerous than the fires they fight.

When a city’s heroes become its boldest criminals . . .

For years the firefighters of New York’s Engine 99 have rushed fearlessly into hot zones, saving countless lives and stopping devastating blazes in their tracks.

They’ve also stolen millions from banks, jewellery stores and art galleries. With their inside knowledge and specialist equipment they’ve become the most successful heist crew on the East Coast.

Their newest member, Andrea ‘Andy’ Nearland, is not what she seems either. She’s an undercover operative, hunting the men of Engine 99 for a host of crimes – including the murder of an off-duty cop and the disappearance of a mother and child.

As the clock counts down to the gang’s most daring heist yet, loyalties begin to fray and mistrust boils over. Andy’s career is all smoke and mirrors, but infiltrating this crew of ‘heroes’ might prove her most dangerous job of all . . .

As you can see, Candice Fox fans have a pretty big year coming up in 2024 as this amazing Australian author has two great offerings for us, including one with the always impressive James Patterson.  Both The Murder Inn and Devil’s Kitchen sound extremely epic and it looks like I’m going to get a major crime fiction fix early next year.

Throwback Thursday – Ghost Story by Jim Butcher

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday5 Comments

Ghost Story Cover

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 4 August 2011)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 13

Length: 17 hours and 36 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

So by this point in my explosion of Throwback Thursday articles I think I’ve made it pretty clear that I have been really enjoying the epic Dresden Files series lately.  This amazing series has so much going for it, and after listening to and reviewing Small Favour, Turncoat and Changes, I honestly had no choice but to dive into the 13th entry in the series, Ghost Story, especially as it continued on from a great cliffhanger at the end of Changes, and boy am I glad that I did.

Harry Dresden is dead.  Brutally and suddenly gunned down following his victory over the Red Court of vampires and his decision to sell his soul to Queen Mab, Dresden’s life is over, and his body is lost to the murky depths of Lake Michigan.  However, nothing is ever simple for Chicago’s only professional wizard and supernatural protector, and even his own death proves to be far too complicated for his own good.

Waking up in spiritual realm between life and death, Dresden is given an option to travel back to Chicago as ghost to clear up his irregular death.  If he manages to find out who killed him, he may save the lives of the friends he left behind, but if he fails, he will be wiped from existence completely.  Determined to save those he loved, Dresden elects to return home and finds himself back in his city, but in the six months he has been away, everything has changed.

Without his protection, Chicago has become a target of deadly dark powers wishing to capitalise on the destruction of the Red Court.  Worse, his allies have each been affected by his death, and their attempts to keep Chicago safe in his absence have led many of them upon a dark path.  Determined to save who he can, Dresden calls upon the services of ectomancer Mortimer Lindquist.  However, Mortimer is facing his own difficulties as a sinister force seeks to capture him using an army of dark spirits.  To help Mortimer and his friends, and to discover who has behind his death, Dresden will need to master his new ghostly abilities and face down some of the deadliest creatures stalking the afterlife of Chicago.  But even if he succeeds, is the remnants of Dresden’s soul ready for the dark truths and hidden secrets lurking just around the corner?

Well damn, the further I get in this series the more I appreciate just how good an author Jim Butcher is.  Ghost Story is another exceptional and epic Dresden Files book, and it might be one of the very best things he has ever written.  A dark and complex character-focused tale that places its protagonist is his most unique situation yet, Ghost Story has so much going for it, and I loved every second I spent reading it.

Ghost Story probably has one of the most unique and memorable narratives in the entire Dresden Files series, primarily because the protagonist and narrator is dead.  Cleverly following on from the intense cliffhanger of Changes, in which Dresden gets shot and killed in the final scene of the book, Ghost Story sees Dresden’s shade sent back to Chicago six months later to solve his own murder.  The initial scenes of Ghost Story are pretty interesting, and I quite liked how Butcher set up the scenario and reinforced it with the book’s first major action sequence at Mortimer Lindquist’s house, where the protagonist learns some of the rules about being a spirit and has his first encounter with the book’s antagonist.  The story really takes off when Dresden meets up with all his old friends and sees how much things have changed since his death.  The emotional damage his murder has caused is pretty damn moving, and the unintended consequences of his victory against the Red Court serve as a good set-up for some new long-running storylines.

The narrative from here continues at a brisk pace as Dresden attempts to simultaneously solve his murder, aid his lost apprentice, help a bunch of street kids being controlled by a minor sorcerer, and save Mortimer from a dangerous entity.  The last one proves to be the major storyline of the book, especially as it involves an old foe of Dresden’s, and the protagonist is forced to use all his limited ghost powers to save him.  This leads to several intense and distinctively dark set pieces, including a memorable storming of the beaches, an invisible ghost duel, and some major sacrifices.  The final confrontation of the book is very impressive, especially as it helps to reveal the full truth behind Dresden’s murder.  Butcher was really clever in setting this up big reveal, and I thought it was very fitting and complex, especially as it ties nicely to some events in Changes and hints at some great evils yet to come.  The scenes that follow are some of the best and most emotionally charged, as many of the characters get closure, and you get to see just how important Dresden is to his friends and family.  In some ways I kind of wish that Butcher ended series here, as there was a certain finality to some of the storylines that I really appreciated.  However, I’m also not upset that Butcher chose to continue the Dresden Files even further, and the inevitable scene returning Dresden to life was handled extremely well, setting up a whole new course for the protagonist.

I really liked how effectively Butcher wrote Ghost Story so that it had a different feel to most of the other Dresden Files books.  Thanks to the protagonist’s ghostly form, there is less traditional action and adventure, although Dresden compensates for this by bringing in a lot more world building and a lot of emotional character moments.  Thanks to the situation of the protagonist and the general gloomy atmosphere of the current setting, this is a much more subdued and grimmer Dresden Files novel than you might be used to.  Luckily, Butcher does try to break through this darker content with Dresden’s usual humour, which helped to lighten up some of the other characters in the book.  The usual investigative elements are still strongly represented here, especially as Dresden has to find his own killer, and I really enjoyed how the protagonist’s new limitations forced him to think about the case in new ways.  The main mystery is set up extremely well throughout this book, with clues hidden both in Ghost Story and Changes.  I particularly appreciated how the subtle absence or mention of a recurring character ended up being a clue, and it’s a brilliant bit of writing once you understand it.  Butcher really got the right blend of story elements here in Ghost Story, and I liked how he made the book a bit darker while still allowing established readers the sense of familiarity to keep them going.  These excellent writing decisions really enhanced the overall impact of the book, especially when combined with the exceptional character work and intriguing new fantasy elements.

Ghost Story is honestly one of the most significant entries in the entire Dresden Files series, not only because it resolves the cliffhanger from the previous novel but because it starts to change the status quo of the series’ wider world.  A lot of major ongoing storylines start in Ghost Story, and the six-month gap between Changes and Ghost Story also results in some intriguing changes to the main setting and supporting cast.  These changes are pretty jarring for established fans but are really clever, and I liked the darker picture of the world they painted.  Unlike most of the books in the Dresden Files series, Ghost Story really should not be read as a standalone novel or an entry into the series.  While Butcher does do his usual excellent recaps, there are just too many big story elements going on in Ghost Story for it to be an effective launchpad for new readers.  The emotional impact of the character interactions will also be reduced for those unfamiliar with the characters, and the big reveal at the end also loses a lot of punch if you haven’t read Changes.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about Ghost Story was the way in which Butcher worked some cool new fantasy elements into the story.  The spiritual world and the undead aren’t unfamiliar concepts to the series, especially with previous entries like Grave Peril and Dead Beat, but Ghost Story takes it in a whole new fascinating direction with Dresden’s death and return as a spirt.  This transformation forces Dresden to learn about spirits and ghosts extremely quickly, especially when he needs to utilise all his new abilities to save his friends.  This proves to be an excellent and complex inclusion, and Butcher does an amazing job of completely changing the abilities of his protagonist for an entire book.  The resultant changes and new talents are very cool, and I loved the dive into what ghosts are and how they can affect the world around them.  It also allows for some impressive scenes, and it was a lot of fun seeing pitched battles between ghostly magical practitioners while the mortals are completely unaware.  Throw in some intriguing new long-term baddies, the Fomor, and some new abilities for established characters, and Ghost Stories proves to be a book where Butcher was at his most inventive.

As with all the Dresden Files novels, one of the key highlights of Ghost Story is the excellent characters and the elaborate personal stories that Butcher weaves around them.  The characters arcs in Ghost Story are particularly poignant and moving, even compared to Butcher’s usual high emotional standard, as the lingering impacts of the protagonist’s death drive many of them to do things they would never expect.

Naturally, most of the focus returns to protagonist Harry Dresden, who experiences some major life changes after dying.  Despite losing his physical body, Dresden maintains much of his usual drive, humour and general disrespect for all the dangerous and scary creatures out there, and if there were ever a character who would excel as a nosey and noble ghost, it would be Dresden.  However, despite his outer façade of good cheer and comedic charm, Dresden is experiencing a great deal of emotional turmoil, because of both the events of the previous books and his regrets of leaving those close to him behind.  There are some brilliant examinations of the pure guilt he feels, especially around his destructive choices in Changes and their impact on his friends.  Despite all this, Dresden is still his usual bold and determined self, and I had an excellent time watching him come to terms with his spiritual nature and his new abilities.  Dresden had to be a lot more passive in this book, which honestly drove him a little crazy at times, and it was an interesting change of pace to see him so helpless.  Butcher also used this book to dive back into Dresden’s past, providing us with some intriguing looks at his early adventures, including his first traumatic apprenticeship, which has been mentioned but not fully explored until now.  I really enjoyed how Dresden was portrayed in this book, especially as Butcher wrote some particularly emotional and hard-hitting scenes for him, and this was one of his most unique adventures.  I look forward to seeing what happens to him next, especially as he comes to terms with certain new facts of his life in the rest of the series.

While Dresden does get a lot of compelling and emotionally rich development in Ghost Story, I really need to highlight how exceptionally well Butcher featured several of his key supporting characters in this novel.  Many of the characters the reader has grown to know and love throughout the course of this series really change in Ghost Story, especially as they have all had to spend six months dealing with the death of Dresden and the crazy world that developed in his absence.  There is some outstanding and brilliant development here as a result, and I really appreciated how effectively Butcher examined the impacts of grief, anger and guilt.

This excellent development can be particularly seen in the character of Karrin Murphey, who, after losing her position in the police and her potential romantic partner in Dresden, was forced into a dangerous war to keep Chicago safe from supernatural threats.  The resulting fights made her a lot more dangerous and unforgiving than we’ve previously seen, especially as she barely manages to keep her grief and anger contained.  The always fun Waldo Butters also grows up a lot for Ghost Story, especially now he is the holder of Bob the Skull.  Butters honestly becomes a better character with each appearance in the series, and it was great to see him being a more determined and bold figure here to try and live up to Dresden’s example.  I also really loved how well Butcher featured the character of Mortimer Lindquist in Ghost Story, as he had a sizeable role here.  A somewhat minor figure from several of the previous Dresden Files novels, Mortimer has been slowly growing into a better person with each appearance, something attributed to Dresden’s influence.  However, Ghost Story is the book were he finally shines, as you get some real insights into his abilities and heart.  While he might not be a traditional heroic figure, he does his best in this book, especially when it comes to helping the lost spirits of Chicago, and I really enjoyed how Butcher featured him, and his ghostly companions, in this novel.

While I loved all the work for the characters above, the most impactful and tragic character development revolves around the fascinating character of Molly Carpenter, Dresden’s wizard apprentice.  Molly has always been a potentially dangerous figure due to her talent for mental magic.  However, the loss of Dresden drives her off the deep end as her guilt and sorrow turn her into something a lot more dangerous and unhinged.  Molly ends up becoming the murderous, magical vigilante, the Rag Lady, to scare sinister creatures away from Chicago, and begins living on the streets, untrusted by her former friends.  This is such a powerful and surprising transformation from her previous appearances, although it’s not too surprising considering some of the darker things she’s done in the past.  Butcher does an exceptional job of diving into her grief, her growing power, and the reasons behind her actions, and it is very heartbreaking to see Molly go down such a dark path.  The full extent of her mental issues is a major part of the book’s plot, and I think that Molly had some of the best development in this whole emotionally charged novel.

As with all the other Dresden Files novels I enjoyed, I made sure to check out Ghost Story on audiobook, which frankly never fails to impress me.  Coming in with a runtime of just over 17 and a half hours, Ghost Story is one of the longer Dresden Files audiobooks, but you really don’t mind as Butcher packed so much awesome moments into this complex story.  Interestingly enough, Ghost Story is the only Dresden Files audiobook that has two separate versions to it, as actor John Glover provided the narration for the first version before James Marsters narrated a second edition a few years later.  While I did love John Glover in Smallville, I decided to listen to the Marsters version, mainly because I have gotten so used to him over the previous 12 Dresden Files audiobooks.  Marsters of course was exceptional here, and his particularly emotional and heartfelt performance in Ghost Story really highlights why he is one of my favourite audiobook narrators at the moment.  There is honestly no better way to enjoy a Dresden Files novel than by having it read out by James Marsters, and this format comes very highly recommended.

Overall, the fourth and final Dresden Files novel I review here today, Ghost Story, was an impressive and highly captivating read, especially when it comes to powerful characters and intriguing fantasy changes as Jim Butcher really showcased his writing skills here.  Exciting, emotionally charged and featuring a very different story than fans are used to, Ghost Story is one of the strongest books Butcher has ever written, and I was hooked the entire way through.  I honestly cannot express just how epic and awesome this series is at times, and I look forward to getting through the last few Dresden Files novels in the coming months.

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Throwback Thursday – Turn Coat by Jim Butcher

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday4 Comments

Turn Coat Cover

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 7 April 2009)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 11

Length: 14 hours and 36 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

It’s a Dresden Files multi-feature today! In addition to reviewing Small Favour, I also check out the 11th book in the series, Turn Coat.

As I mentioned in my other post tonight, I have been in a real Dresden Files mood recently.  Thanks to how much fun I had with Small Favour, I immediately started listening to the 11th entry in the series, Turn Coat, which was another excellent novel.  I managed to finish off Turn Coat in a couple of days, and it proved to be another amazing entry in the series, tying up several long-running storylines while diving into some of the unique relationships surrounding the protagonist.

Throughout his entire magical career, professional wizard Harry Dresden has been feared and despised by the White Council of Wizard after killing his crazed mentor with magic.  Despite his crime being in self-defence, Dresden was watched and harassed for most of his life by a Warden of the White Council tasked with slicing his head off if he showed any dark magical inclinations.  The man who so relentlessly watched him was the implacable Warden Morgan, who still suspects Dresden of dark magic to this day.  So when Morgan shows up wounded at Dresden’s apartment asking for help, Dresden is reluctant to provide it.

Morgan has been accused of betraying the White Council and murdering one of its most senior members.  Despite the long history of hatred, Dresden agrees to help him, fully aware that Morgan is incapable of committing the acts he is accused of.  But by sheltering Morgan, Dresden has made himself a target of the White Council, and the only way to survive is to identify the real murderer before Morgan is discovered.

Digging into the case, Dresden soon uncovers an insidious conspiracy that threatens the fragile stability of the White Council and the world of magic it governs.  Forced to face off against friends, mercenaries, rogue vampires and one of the most dangerous mystical creatures in existence, a skinwalker, Dresden finds himself walking a razor’s edge.  If he succeeds, he could start a civil war within the White Council, but if he fails, he will be executed alongside Morgan.  With danger all around, can Dresden survive both his enemies and his own complicated feelings for Morgan?

This was a very interesting and compelling entry in the Dresden Files series, and I had quite a bit of fun with it.  Unlike the preceding novel, Small Favour, Turn Coat has a bit of a slower pace to it, and there is more of a focus on conspiracy, mystery and character growth rather than full on action.  The story has a very strong start, especially as Butcher brings back one of the more complex supporting characters: Morgan.  A lot of the story revolves around the contentious history between Dresden and Morgan, and the powerful tension between them makes for some excellent moments in the story.  I liked the central premise of Dresden attempting to uncover a conspiracy at the heart of the White Council and it follows up several key storylines from the rest of the series.  The shadowy plot that emerges is very intriguing, and the mixture of players, as well as a particularly terrifying antagonist, really ensures that the story is highly compelling the entire way through.  Everything leads up to the big fight sequence at the end of the book quite nicely and it was fun to see the unusual array of Dresden’s allies face off against a dangerous and deadly force.  The following big reveal of who the real antagonist of the story is was also very well set up and quite clever, although I was able to figure out the culprit some time in advance.  Still, this really didn’t detract from the impact of the reveal and the subsequent tragic events really hit the reader hard.  Butcher ends Turn Coat on a troubled and tragic note, with more questions than answers, and I quite enjoyed the darker, less hopeful tone that emerged as a result.

Butcher applied his typical writing style to Turn Coat, which I greatly appreciated, especially as it makes jumping from book to book in the series easy when I’m in the mood for something familiar to escape into.  Thanks to Butcher’s great continued use of the first-person perspective, you get a complex and intense story in Turn Coat, especially as much of the narrative focussed on Dresden’s hunt for the traitor and his other personal issues.  The protagonist’s usual glib outlook on life helped to provide much of the book’s humour, which melded well with the compelling fantasy and investigation elements of the book.  Butcher made Turn Coat particularly dark in places, and the haunting depictions of certain creatures and the inherent tragedy of much of the plot helped Turn Coat really stand out.  I personally enjoyed how well Butcher expanded the lore surrounding the White Council and the subsequent magical politics and backstabbing that emerged was a fascinating inclusion.  As with most of the Dresden Files books, Turn Coat can be read as a standalone novel or a starting point to the larger series, although much of the enjoyment of this 11th book relies on the continuation of key storylines and character arcs from the previous novels.  However, Butcher does an outstanding job of rehashing key events and characters were needed, so it is very easy to follow along if you start here.

I once again need to highlight some of the amazing characters featured in Turn Coat, each of whom expertly enhance the overall story.  Obviously, Dresden gets most of focus in Turn Coat and he proves to be as entertaining and enraging as usual.  Dresden has quite a lot of emotional baggage to unpack here, especially when it comes to his past with Morgan, and their hostility and inability to agree on the White Council and the laws of magic makes for some excellent scenes.  That being said, it is clear that Dresden has grown a lot as a person and a mentor by this point in the series, and his ability to plan ahead and outthink his opponents is quite impressive.  Thanks to how the story unfolds, the intriguing and harsh character Morgan got quite a lot of focus and I was really glad to see more of him here in Turn Coat.  Morgan has only had a few appearances in the series and is usually treated as a secondary antagonist thanks to his hostile attitude towards Dresden.  Butcher spends much of Turn Coat unpacking Morgan’s personality, and you finally get to understand why he’s so strict and concerned about dark wizardry.  The scenes featuring both Dresden and Morgan are some of the best in the book, and I deeply appreciated how Butcher was able to both expand upon and wrap up their turbulent relationship here.

Aside from Dresden and Morgan, Turn Coat also features an outstanding and compelling supporting cast, each of whom adds a lot to the overall story.  Recurring characters Molly Carpenter and Thomas Raith each get a great focus in Turn Coat for different reasons, with Molly trying to deal with the inherent prejudice of the White Council against her and Dresden, while Thomas is tortured for a good part of the book and reverts to his baser instincts.  Dresden’s current love interest, Anastasia Luccio, also has a great outing in Turn Coat, and certain elements of her emotional state prove quite vital to the story in some clever and quite tragic ways.  Dresden’s giant dog, Mouse, who is always a scene stealer, has some fantastic moments in Turn Coat, especially when he proves to be the only intelligent adult in the room when it comes to Molly, Morgan and Luccio.  There are also some great scenes featuring small pixie Toot-Toot and wizard elder Listens-to-Wind, who are very entertaining and fun in their own ways.  Finally, I really need to highlight one of the more sinister figures of the book, the skinwalker (also known as a Naagloshii), a Native American spirit who bursts into the scene by driving Dresden insane with fear.  Butcher did an amazing job building them up as a mega shapeshifting threat quite early in the story, and their powerful abilities and dark nature really comes across throughout the entire story.  These characters and more each added so much to the story and I had an amazing time seeing all of them get even further developed by this talented author.

As with Small Favour and the other Dresden Files books I have enjoyed over the years, I chose to grab the audiobook version of Turn Coat, which is just the best way to enjoy this amazing novel.  Thanks to the narration of the always talented James Marsters, Turn Coat was a real joy to listen to, and I love how well Marsters dives into the various characters.  His fun takes on many of the figures, especially protagonist Harry Dresden, are just perfect, and you must appreciate how well he knows all of the cast at this point.  Marsters does a lot of fantastic voices in Turn Coat, although I particularly enjoyed the voice he used for new character Binder, who sounds an awful lot like a certain blonde vampire from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I absolutely powered through this outstanding audiobook, and despite its 14 and a half hour run time, I managed to listen to it in an enjoyable two days.  Easily to best way to enjoy a Dresden Files novel, you will not be disappointed by the Turn Coat audiobook.

As you can no doubt tell from the gushy review about, I had a lot of fun with Turn Coat, and it was an outstanding addition to one of the very best fantasy series out there.  Slick, emotionally rich and building on some amazing long-running storylines, Turn Coat had so much going for it that I honestly could not put it down.  Heck, thanks to how awesome both Turn Coat and Small Favour was, I listened to yet another Dresden Files book, Changes, which I am also featuring today.  This is such an epic series, and Turn Coat is another five-star read that I cannot recommend enough.

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Quick Review – The Pit by Peter Papathanasiou

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Drama, LGBT+, Murder Mystery, Quick Review3 Comments

The Pit Cover

Publisher: Maclehose Press (Trade Paperback – 25 July 2023)

Series: DS George Manolis – Book Three

Length: 297 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Australian author Peter Papathanasiou returns with his third DS George Manolis novel, The Pit, a complex and intriguing piece of Australian crime fiction that takes three unlikely companions on a memorable road trip.

Plot Synopsis:

A third outback noir from Peter Papathanasiou, following Special Constable Sparrow as he investigates a cold case in a barren mining region of Western Australia.

With DS Manolis on leave in Greece, Senior Constable Sparrow receives a phone call from a man who wants to turn himself in.

Bob is sixty-five years old, confined to a Perth nursing home. But thirty years ago, he killed a man in the remote northern Kimberley mining region. He offers to show Sparrow where the body is, but there’s a catch: Sparrow must travel north with him under the guise of being his carer.

They are accompanied on the drive by another nursing home resident: Luke, thirty years old, paralysed in a motorbike accident. As they embark on their road trip through the guts of Western Australia, pursued by outback police and adrenaline-soaked miners, Sparrow begins to suspect that Bob’s desire to head north may have sinister motivations. Is Luke being held against his will? And what lies in store for them when they reach their goal?


The Pit proved to be quite an interesting and compelling novel which honestly was very different from what I was expecting.  I thought this would be more of a standard crime fiction/murder mystery novel in the Australian wilderness, but instead I got a character driven story that dove into one protagonist’s complex life, and I honestly think it worked out better this way.

The plot of The Pit is very far removed from Papathanasiou’s previous DS George Manolis novels, with the protagonist of the first two books not even actually appearing.  Instead we get an intriguing story about supporting character Special Constable Sparrow, who finds himself presented with an unusual opportunity by an old man, Bob, wanting to confess to a 30-year-old murder.  While I do think that Sparrow agreed to Bob’s strange request without backup a little too readily, it sets up an interesting and heartfelt storyline where Sparrow accompanies Bob and Bob’s unsuspecting young protégé, Luke, across Western Australia into the heart of mining country.  The narrative splits into two separate timelines at this point, with the main narrative focusing on the three companions as they travel across the Pilbara, getting into all manner of trouble and meeting a range of outrageous and unique outback locals.  The other main storyline is a series of intense flashbacks that examine the full life of Bob and the many hardships he experienced as a homosexual man in Australia from the 1960s onwards.  There is also a subplot that follows the friendship Bob formed with Luke in the nursing home and why Bob decided to take him on the road trip.

These different fantastic storylines are interesting and emotional in their own way, and the reader gets heavily invested in seeing both the past and the present.  Bob’s tragic and violent life story really drags the reader in, and it was fascinating to see his take on the homosexual experience throughout various periods of recent Australian history.  At the same time, you get quite entranced by the unique friendship that forms between the three road trippers, especially as each of them has their own secrets, personal issues and emotional turmoil.  I felt that the darker past storylines blended well with the unusual hijinks of the modern storyline, and the hidden clues in Bob’s recounting of events ended up having some interesting impacts on the central story.  These split storylines come together in an excellent way, and Papathanasiou really lays on the tragedy in the main narrative threads, especially when it comes to Bob and the tragedies he’s experienced.  The ending of the book is quietly poignant and ultimately unavoidable, and you will come away quite moved by how everything turned out and how the main characters developed.

Papathanasiou backed up this emotionally rich story with some fantastic and highly detailed background settings.  The Pilbara in particular is shown in all its red glory, and the author does a remarkable job describing its harsh beauty and the heavy burden of those who traverse it.  The anecdotes about the unusual people who worked in the Pilbara, both in the modern day and in the 1970s and 80s, are pretty over-the-top and very entertaining to absorb.  I do hope that Papathanasiou was exaggerating just how crazy everyone out in the Pilbara is, as there were a lot of unsettling and concerning characters involved who added some interesting spice to the story.  The memorable social interactions and courtship rituals of the repressed male Pilbara mining community back in the 1970s also seemed a bit unlikely, and I doubt I will be able look at a ute full of blokes the same way again after reading this book.  These outrageous scenes were quite entertaining, and I think they helped to enhance some of the more emotional parts of the book in greater detail.  Throw in other interesting historical locations, such as Sydney during the AIDS epidemic, and you have a fantastic background to this intense story that Papathanasiou used to full effect to tell his unique story.

Overall, The Pit was quite a memorable and compelling read by Papathanasiou, who told quite a complex Australian tale.  As a dramatic Australian tale with historical elements more than a pure crime fiction read, The Pit was a fantastic book that beautifully dove into some dark issues and showcased some amazing characters.  Charming and heartbreaking, The Pit was an excellent piece of Australian fiction that is well worth checking out.

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Throwback Thursday – Mr Mercedes by Stephen King

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Five-Star Books, Thriller, Throwback Thursday16 Comments

Mr Mercedes Cover 1

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (Paperback – 3 June 2014)

Series: Bill Hodges – Book One

Length: 407 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Welcome back to my Throwback Thursday series, where I republish old reviews, review books I have read before or review older books I have only just had a chance to read. Is this week’s Throwback Thursday, I am going back to some of the older works of the legendary Stephen King lately, starting with his compelling and intense psychological thriller, Mr Mercedes, an excellent and captivating read that I had an outstanding time reading.

I have to admit that I don’t have a lot of experience with Stephen King’s books, having only read some of his more recent releases, such as Later, Billy Summers (one of my favourite novels of 2021), and Fairy Tale.  However, I have been keeping an eye out for King’s upcoming novels, including his next book, Holly, which is out very soon.  In preparation for Holly’s release, I decided to go back and read an earlier King novel, Mr Mercedes, especially as it serves as the introduction of the titular character from the upcoming book, and boy was I glad to try this fantastic novel out.

On a dark and cold morning in a depressed mid-western city, a desperate crowd gathers outside a jobs fair, hoping to turn their lives around.  However, many never got the chance, as a lone driver in a stolen Mercedes drives into the crowd, killing eight people and wounding more, before managing to escape.  This gruesome crime has haunted the community, and especially detective Bill Hodges, who was unable to catch the “Mercedes Killer” before he retired.

Years later, Hodges is living the solitary and depressed life of a former police officer who has seen too much.  Barely managing to get through each day, Hodges is suddenly revitalised when he receives a disturbing letter from someone claiming to be the Mercedes Killer.  Now more determined than ever to hunt down this killer and bring him to justice, Hodges jump-starts an unofficial investigation, hoping that his prey’s decision to contact him will be his biggest mistake.

Hodges’s new search leads him back to the owner of the Mercedes, who committed suicide from the guilt of her car being used in such a horrendous attack.  Teaming up with the dead woman’s sister and a band of unlikely helpers, Hodges begins to finally unravel the case.  However, the Mercedes Killer is a far more dangerous prey than Hodges ever realised.  Not only is he obsessed with killing Hodges, but he also has a nefarious plan that will rock the city to its core.  Can Hodges finally defeat his nemesis before it is too late, or will the Mercedes Killer once again get away with an outrageous act of violence?

This was a very impressive novel from King, who masterfully explores the psychological thriller genre the way only he can.  Featuring some powerful and complex characters, an elaborate cat-and-mouse plot, and King’s intense and addictive writing style, Mr Mercedes is a masterful novel that proves near impossible to put down.

I loved the powerful and captivating story that King pulled together for Mr Mercedes, as the author really dives into this dark story in a big way.  Starting with the gruesome and over-the-top Mercedes killing, which definitely sets the scene for much of the book, the main plot begins years later, with the retired Bill Hodges receiving a letter from the Mercedes Killer, who is attempting to persuade Hodges to kill himself.  However, Hodges instead enters into an off-the-books investigation, attempting to goad the Mercedes Killer into making a mistake while also connecting with the sister of the case’s key witness.  Half the book also focuses on the character of Brady Hartfield, the Mercedes Killer, who has become obsessed with ending Hodges, while also launching a new attack.  Disturbed, and determined to win, Brady’s perspective adds a great narrative edge to Mr Mercedes, and you are soon swept up in his complex emotional journey, especially once he realises that Hodges is on his tail.

The plot develops at a pretty fast and compelling pace, and you swiftly get drawn into each perspective character’s unique view on life and the grizzly events unfolding around them.  King really focuses on the dark and damaged minds of each of his characters, and the ongoing narrative is littered with compelling and fascinating dives into each of their pasts and the events that led them to where they are now.  The author also introduces several great supporting characters, each of whom adds their own unique elements to the book, whether it’s by helping Hodges with his investigation or by adding to the emotional fire that burns within both main characters.  Most of the story is devoted to the cat-and-mouse chase between Hodges and Brady, especially as they come closer and closer to confronting each other and digging at each other’s psyche.  King really moves the story along in the second half, thanks to a massive moment that really shatters the somewhat comfortable narrative that had been building at that point.  Everything leads up to the big and inevitable conclusion, as Brady attempts to unleash his master plan and Hodges and his allies close in on him.  This big confrontation is pretty damn interesting and intense, especially as a surprising third party takes the lead, but it leaves a fantastic and satisfying conclusion that readers will deeply appreciate and will leave you wanting more of the great characters and King’s unique style.

This awesome story was well backed up by King’s uncanny and wonderful writing style, and he really had me hooked the entire way through.  While early parts of the book where a tad slow in places, especially as King was building up the main two characters, once the full psychological dance between Hodges and the Mercedes Killer truly begins, you really cannot pull away from this great novel.  The mounting tension as these characters make their respective plays is so damn effective, and you get drawn into the dark mental battle between them.  King’s use of multiple perspectives really helps to enhance the brilliant story, and the captivating look into all the key characters’ minds is such an essential part of the book that it proves hard to turn away from these tragic and damaged figures.  I honestly could not put this book down in places, especially the last third, as the tension, emotional power and tragedy that King had built up by then was extremely palpable.  This was probably one of the better King novels I have read so far, especially as it had an excellent conclusion that fit the earlier themes of the book, and I deeply appreciated how well he explored the darker areas of the mind.

As I mentioned above, one of the main highlights of Mr Mercedes were the complex and highly damaged characters that were such a vital part of the plot.  King always excels at effectively utilising impressive and highly realistic character driven narratives in his books, and Mr Mercedes was no exception to this.  The major figures featured in this book were also highly unique and complex in their own way, often with some distinctive and understandable psychological damage that defines them and which they spend much of the book trying to overcome.  These highly personal and compelling character elements were really well woven into Mr Mercedes’ plot, and you really get drawn into each character’s own damaged journeys, as well as the intriguing relationships that they form.

The main character of Mr Mercedes is retired police detective Bill Hodges, who serves as a dogged and solid protagonist.  A rugged and tired figure who has seen too much, Hodges was an awesome retired cop character, and King did an outstanding job of capturing his loneliness and regret, especially in the early stages of the book.  However, this burns away when the killer contacts him, and he once again has a purpose.  I felt that this change in character focus was very well done and you easily understand why he dives back in the case, desperate to solve that one lingering case.  While initially driven by obsession, Hodges soon develops more reasons to live, as he connects with several of the other characters in the book and each connection makes him want to live that little bit more.  It was also interesting to see him revisit and reflect on his previous actions as a police officer, especially when he connects with the family of the witness he falsely accused of negligence, and the insights and empathy he develops now he is no longer a cop is quite touching.  You really grow to appreciate Hodges as a character as the book continues, especially as you see him once again enjoying life, and King’s portrayal of a man who suddenly rediscovers his purpose is very well done.  Of course, this opens him up to even greater tragedy, and watching him suffer cuts you to the core.  Thanks to the television adaptation of the book, I could only envision Hodges as Brendon Gleeson, which I think fit the depictions shown in the book, and I really enjoyed seeing this gruff, no-nonsense figure in action.

I also really need to highlight the excellent work that King puts into creating the antagonist of Mr Mercedes, Brady Hartfield, the titular Mercedes Killer.  I have read many good villains of the years, but frankly, the Mercedes Killer was one of the best, mainly because of how quickly and effectively King makes you despise him.  King does such a good job of introducing and utilising the character of Hartfield throughout Mr Mercedes, and his dual life and obsession with Hodges become a key part of his chapters.  The character’s sheer arrogance, distain and disregard for human life are so well written, and you understand just how deranged and damaged Hartfield is in just a few pages of his introduction.  King does take the time to build up Hartfield as a character, showcasing his traumatic past, formulative family events and unsettling relationship with his mother, all of which helps the reader understand how he become the monster he currently is and why he does the things he does.  However, even with that, it proves very hard to find any sympathy for the character, especially as every scene of his features an arrogant and hateful internal diatribe about the people he encounters and the world around him.  I deeply appreciated how King was able to capture Hartfield’s sociopathic superiority complex and inherent sense of greater intelligence with his writing, and it was such a key part of Hartfield’s character.  This ensures that when things do not go his way or when he is outsmarted by Hodges, a man he views as his inferior, he takes it badly, and watching Hodges manipulate Hartfield this way was a fantastic part of the book.  This is honestly one of the better King villains I have so far had the pleasure of reading and his obsession with Hodges and being the smartest man in the room, was so damn well written.

Aside from the main perspective characters of Hodges and Hartfield, King also features several other intriguing figures in Mr Mercedes who also add a great deal to the plot in a supporting role.  I personally really enjoyed the character of Janelle Patterson, who serves as Hodges’ main love interest.  Janelle was a feisty and highly likeable figure in the book, and I actually really enjoyed the heartfelt connection she formed with Hodges, especially as they filled an emotional hole in each other’s lives.  Janelle’s self-involved sister, Olivia Trelawney, also proves to be a great inclusion, despite being dead by the time the main plot starts.  King builds her into a complex and tragic figure, and it was intriguing to see her sense of reality combat with guilt and despair in several flashback scenes.  Jerome, the wisecracking teenager who serves as Hodges’s assistant and tech support added some great humour to the story, and his loyalty to Hodges ensured the reader grew quite attached to him, while also getting worried as Hartfield circled around.  However, probably the most unique supporting character was Holly Gibney, who, as I mentioned above, is getting her own spin-off story soon.  Initially shown as emotionally damaged and barely able to function, Holly doesn’t strike you as having protagonist potential.  However, thanks to her bond with Hodges and certain shocking events breaking her out of her trauma shell, Holly ends up becoming a key supporting figure, able to assist in the case due to her unique insights and life experiences.  Despite only being in the book for a relatively short amount of time, Holly really shines through as a complex and exciting figure who the reader quickly gravitates to.  As such, by the end of the book you very much understand why Holly goes on to become her own protagonist, and I look forward to seeing how much she further developed when I grab King’s next novel.

Overall, Mr Mercedes was just as good as I had been led to believe, if not better.  Stephen King did a masterful job with this powerful and captivating dark psychological thriller, and I got so wrapped up in the awesome battle of damaged minds that emerged.  Featuring an excellent story, some exceptionally complex protagonists, and King’s infallible character-focused writing style, Mr Mercedes was a joy to read from start to finish, and I have to give it a full five-star rating as a result.  I cannot wait to dive into King’s next book, Holly, when I get my hands on it in the next week, and I have no doubt that will also blow me away.

Mr Mercedes Book Two

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Waiting on Wednesday – The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I look at the next upcoming entry in one of my favourite crime fiction series with The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman.

The Ghost Orchid Cover

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Over the last few years I have found myself getting attached to several great long-running crime fiction or thriller series, most of which have spoken to me in their own specific ways.  One of the most surprising for me has to be the iconic Alex Delaware series from acclaimed author Jonathan Kellerman, which has been going for nearly 40 years, but is still going strong.

The Alex Delaware books follows the team of psychologist Alex Delaware and his police friend, Detective Milo Sturgis, as they investigate a series of unique murders through LA.  The Alex Delaware novels turned out to be a pretty inclusive series that you can start reading at any point, and all of them have featured some outstanding and clever mysteries.  I have so far had the pleasure of reading The Wedding Guest, The Museum of Desire, Serpentine, City of the Dead and Unnatural History.  Each of these books has been fun and compelling in their own fantastic way, and I have really got drawn into each of their distinctive cases.

Due to have intriguing and entertaining each of the previous Alex Delaware novels have been, this series is now a permanent and anticipated entry in my yearly reading schedule, and I always have a ball of fun reading the latest Alex Delaware novel.  As such, I was pretty excited when I recently found out the details about the next book in this impressive series, with The Ghost Orchid.

The Ghost Orchid will be the 39th entry in this excellent series and is currently set for release in February 2024.  This new book will set the compelling protagonists on another intriguing investigation, this time involving the double murder of two people with complicated pasts.

Plot Synopsis:

Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis confront a baffling, vicious double homicide that leads them to long-buried secrets worth killing for in the riveting thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling “master of suspense” (Los Angeles Times).

LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis sees it all the time: Reinvention’s a way of life in a city fueled by fantasy. But try as you might to erase the person you once were, there are those who will never forget the past. . . and who can still find you.

A pool boy enters a secluded Bel Air property and discovers two bodies floating in the bright blue water: Gio Aggiunta, the playboy heir to an Italian shoe empire, and a gorgeous, even wealthier neighbor named Meagin March. A married neighbor.

An illicit affair stoking rage is a perfect motive. But a “double” in this neighborhood of gated estates isn’t something you see every day, The house is untouched. No forced entry, no forensic evidence. The case has “that feeling,” and when that happens, Milo turns to his friend, the brilliant psychologist Alex Delaware.

As Milo and Alex investigate both victims, they discover two troubled pasts. And as they dig deeper, Meagin March’s very identity begins to blur. Who was this glamorous but conflicted woman? Did her past catch up to her? Or did Gio’s family connections create a threat spanning two continents?

Chasing down the answers leads Alex and Milo on an exploration of L.A.’s darkest side as they contend with one of the most shocking cases of their careers and learn that that some secrets are best left buried in the past.

Ooh, now this a very cool sounding mystery and I am already quite curious about what sort of case this is going to turn out to be.  A complex double homicide with all manner of secrets, motives and hidden pasts is just what I am in the mood for and I know that Kellerman’s distinctive and captivating style will help to turn The Ghost Orchid into a powerful and addictive read.  I already know that I will have a wonderful time with The Ghost Orchid next year and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next epic murder mystery from Jonathan Kellerman.