Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 21 August 2025.
A copy of this column also appeared on the Canberra Daily website.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews of The Bolthole and Five Found Dead.
Tag: Sulari Gentill
Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press (ebook – 19 August 2025)
Series: Standalone
Length: 310 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Those looking for a fun and very meta murder mystery that looks back at the classics should check out the very amusing new novel from Australian author Sulari Gentill, Five Found Dead.
There are few Australian crime fiction authors whose works have entertained me over the years as much as Sulari Gentill’s have. An amazing author who knows how to combine unique premises with compelling mysteries, Gentill has written some great novels over the years. I am a particular fan of her Rowland Sinclair series about an unlikely gentleman protagonist in the 1930s who solved crimes loaded with historical cameos, while some of her more recent standalone novels, such as Crossing the Lines, The Woman in the Library and The Mystery Writer, have also received critical acclaim. As such, I was very happy to get my hands on her latest novel, Five Found Dead, which had a very fun plot behind it which resulted in quite an exciting and fast-paced read.
Plot Synopsis:
On a train, there are only so many places to hide…
Crime fiction author Joe Penvale has won the most brutal battle of his life. Now that he has finished his intense medical treatment, he and his twin sister, Meredith, are boarding the glorious Orient Express in Paris, hoping for some much-needed rest and rejuvenation. Meredith also hopes that the literary ghosts on the train will nudge Joe’s muse awake, and he’ll be inspired to write again. And he is; after their first evening spent getting to know some of their fellow travelers, Joe pulls out his laptop and opens a new document. Seems like this trip is just what the doctor ordered…
And then some. The next morning, Joe and Meredith are shocked to witness that the cabin next door has become a crime scene, bathed in blood but with no body in sight. The pair soon find themselves caught up in an Agatha Christie-esque murder investigation. Without any help from the authorities, and with the victim still not found, Joe and Meredith are asked to join a group of fellow passengers with law enforcement backgrounds to look into the mysterious disappearance of the man in Cabin16G. But when the steward guarding the crime scene is murdered, it marks the beginning of a killing spree which leaves five found dead—and one still missing. Now Joe and Meredith must fight once again to preserve their newfound future and to catch a cunning killer before they reach the end of the line.
Gentill brings the fun with this very compelling and exciting crime fiction novel that serves as a great love letter to a classic Agatha Christie novel. Bringing together a colourful array of characters, including an overabundance of cliche detectives and setting them loose against an apparent serial killer, Five Found Dead was a very easy book to fall in love with, and I ended up powering through it in less than a day.
The plot for Five Found Dead had a lot of interesting elements to it, which resulted in a very fast-paced novel that hit a lot of entertaining notes. Starting off with some quick introductions to the lawyer protagonist and her author brother, you soon find yourself aboard the iconic Orient Express. A natural setting for any murder mystery, Gentill brought together an amusing array of characters inspired by classic crime fiction novels, many of whom are revealed to have law enforcement backgrounds, as well as a very similar grudge. The story naturally soon devolves into a compelling murder mystery when a guest disappears from their blood-soaked room. Thanks to a new strain of coronavirus infecting part of the train, the passengers find themselves stuck on the rails, and it falls to the protagonists and the various assembled detectives to solve the case. However, a series of additional murders quickly unfold across the train, resulting in chaos and anarchy, especially when the normal passengers of the train attempt to escape the growing massacre.
I loved the excellent and fast pace of Five Found Dead as Gentill cleverly lays out the respective murders and keeps increasing the stakes of the plot. While much of the story is intentionally silly, including the appearance of so many stereotypical detectives with connections to the initial victim, the author works it into a great investigation angle, and I had fun working out who was behind the killings. There are some fantastic twists and turns throughout the book, and while I saw a few reveals coming thanks to the featured clues, the identity of the actual antagonist hit me by surprise. Some of this was due to the clever red herrings and potential alternate suspects that Gentill included, although I must admit the brilliantly crazy disguise utilised by the killer helped a lot. This led to a very exciting and over-the-top conclusion, where all the secrets come out and the various fun storylines come together. I had an absolute blast getting to the end of Five Found Dead, and Gentill crafted an extremely exciting murder mystery here that served as an homage to the classic, while also bringing its own flair to the occasion.
While Five Found Dead is loaded with amazing and familiar characters, I feel that I need to highlight protagonist Meredith Penvale and her brother Joe as the two best written characters in the novel. A pair of Australian twins, Meredith and Joe have journeyed to the Orient Express to celebrate Joe’s recent cancer remission and to rejuvenate his writing muse. While much of the story revolves around Meredith’s inadvertent role as amateur detective aboard this train of suspicious souls, Gentill also spends time examining the emotional health of these two main characters, and as a result dives deep into the impacts of cancer and the effects it can have on both the sufferers and their loved ones. In this case, Meredith is the loyal sister who sacrificed a successful career to care for her brother and, now that he’s recovered, is wondering where her life will go and whether to follow her true passions. Joe, on the other hand, is a seemingly light-hearted figure who has an amusing meta initial arc about a murder mystery set onboard the Orient Express. However, there is also a lot of hidden fear in Joe about his cancer returning, which sees him literally running from bad news, while also trying to keep this potential truth from his long-suffering sister. You can tell that Gentill put a lot of herself into these two characters, and their personal focuses outside the mystery are extremely realistic and powerful. Indeed, these personal concerns and the powerful writing that accompanies them gives Five Found Dead some much needed emotional heft that helped to evolve this novel into something truly special. Throw in all the additional eccentric figures that accompany Meredith and Joe onto the Orient Express, and Five Found Dead has a truly amazing cast who enhance the entire story.
Overall, I found Five Found Dead to be an addictive and engaging novel that I honestly couldn’t stop reading. Sulari Gentill’s latest standalone novel was a wonderful blend of mystery, charming humour and complex characters, that came together into something extremely awesome. I really enjoyed Five Found Dead, and it is an excellent read for someone in the mood for a light-hearted murder mystery with some amazing heart to it.
WWW Wednesday – 13 August 2025
WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
The Bolthole by Peter Papathanasiou (Trade Paperback)
I’ve started reading the excellent Australian crime fiction novel, The Bolthole, this week, and it’s proving to be a fantastic read. The latest book from author Peter Papathanasiou, The Bolthole is set on Kangaroo Island and focusses on the disappearance of a rich man, while also featuring a battle for the island’s identity. The Bolthole is so far proving to be a really intriguing novel and I look forward to seeing how it comes together.
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman (Audiobook)
I’m still obsessed with Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and I’ve just started the sixth book in the series, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride. A very awesome entry in the larger series, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride features a cool new dungeon floor with an interesting concept behind it, and I’m loving how Dinniman is continuing his unique story. This is one of the longer Dungeon Crawler Carl audiobooks, but I’m hoping I’ll be able to get through it in the next week. I look forward to seeing all the cool twists and turns in this new book, and I’m sure it’s going to be so much fun.
What did you recently finish reading?
Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill (ebook)
I managed to finish off the cool murder mystery novel, Five Found Dead by Australian author Sulari Gentill this week. An intriguing crime fiction story set on the Orient Express, Five Found Dead was very fun, and I had a blast Gentill’s clever narrative.
The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman (Audiobook)
I ad an absolute blast with the fifth Dungeon Crawler Carl book, The Butcher’s Masquerade, which is probably my favourite entry in the series at the moment. Featuring a particularly intense narrative, loaded with shocks, dark moments, and the author’s amazing humour, The Butcher’s Masquerade was an incredible book that I couldn’t stop listening to.
Death at Booroomba by A. L. Booth
Another outstanding piece of Australian fiction. Death at Booroomba was an amazing novel, and I’m glad I got the chance to check it out.
What do you think you’ll read next?
While I have so many incredible books to read at the moment, I think I’m going to sit down and enjoy The Final Vow by M. W. Craven next. A very awesome sounding novel that will see Craven’s protagonist face off against a deadly sniper terrorising England, The Final Vow has a ton of potential, and I am very excited to see how the story unfolds, especially after being enthralled by The Mercy Chair last year. I have a strong feeling that The Final Vow is going to be one of the top books of 2025, and I am extremely excited to see how it unfolds.
That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
WWW Wednesday – 6 August 2025
WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill (ebook)
I just started reading the cool murder mystery novel, Five Found Dead by Australian author Sulari Gentill. An intriguing crime fiction story set on the Orient Express, Five Found Dead is proving to be an excellent novel and I look forward to seeing how its captivating mystery unfolds.
The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman (Audiobook)
I’m still powering through Matt Dinniman’s exceptional Dungeon Crawler Carl series, which is so damn good. I have already made it to the fifth book in the series, The Butcher’s Masquerade, which sets the unlikely protagonists against a new array of dangerous opponents, including professional hunters who specialise in killing dungeon crawlers. Another incredible book and one that I cannot stop listening to, The Butcher’s Masquerade is already proving to be one of my favourite books in this series, and I cannot wait to see where the crazy story goes next.
What did you recently finish reading?
Templar Traitor by Angus Donald (ebook)
An outstanding historical fiction novel with a very interesting plot behind it.
The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman (Audiobook)
Another exceptional entry in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. This was a worthy fourth book in this outstanding series, perfectly following books like Dungeon Crawler Carl and Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, and I instantly started reading the fifth book the second I finished it.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Death at Booroomba by A. L. Booth
I’m hoping to read some outstanding Australian fiction next week and I’ll start by checking out the fantastic and compelling historical crime fiction novel, Death at Booroomba. This novel sounds really awesome, and I cannot wait to dive into it.
That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
Book Haul – 4 August 2025
I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from local publishers and Netgalley. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year. I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.
Two Kinds of Stranger by Steve Cavanagh
The first awesome new book I recently received is the new Steve Cavanagh novel, Two Kinds of Stranger. An excellent legal thriller from Cavanagh that will see his former conman protagonist attempt to save an innocent client from a terrible set of circumstances, Two Kinds of Stranger sounds very cool and I am hoping to read it soon.
The Final Vow by M. W. Craven
Next, we have the exceptional novel from M. W. Craven, The Final Vow. Part of his Washington Poe series, The Final Vow will see Craven’s intense protagonist attempt to stop a deadly sniper terrorizing the UK. I love the sound of this book, and I am very excited to read it, especially after how impressive the previous entry in the series, The Mercy Chair, turned out last year. I honestly believe that The Final Vow is going to end up being one of the top thrillers of 2025 and I cannot wait to dive into it.
Templar Traitor by Angus Donald
I was very happy to have received a copy of the excellent historical fiction novel, Templar Traitor, this week, especially as I really enjoyed author Angus Donald’s first book many years ago. This latest novel features a very interesting plot about an English knight who joins the Mongol army as it invaded Europe. I am actually reading Templar Traitor now and it is proving to be a very impressive read with a great story behind it.
The Detective by Matthew Reilly
The always outstanding Matthew Reilly dives into the crime fiction genre this year with The Detective. The Detective will see a new investigator protagonist dive into a long-running case of missing girls and murdered detectives in the American South. The Detective sounds like a particularly awesome read and I am really intrigued to see how this cool novel unfolds.
High Rise by Gabriel Bergmoser
I am very excited for this next book, High Rise by Australian author Gabriel Bergmoser, which honestly sounds so damn awesome. Featuring a very cool plot about a rogue cop who finds himself being hunted by an entire city’s underworld in his daughter’s apartment building, High Rise has the potential to be one of the most thrilling Australian novels of 2025, and I cannot wait to dive into it.
Seed by Bri Lee
A compelling thriller about two people stuck out in an isolated seed vault, Seed sounds really good and could be quite an interesting read.
Blood Like Mine by Stuart Neville
A gritty and layered novel from a very highly regarded thriller author.
Dead Line by Marc Cameron
An outstanding new novel from Marc Cameron set in Alaska that has a very intriguing plot synopsis behind it.
Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill
The final book I recently received is the fantastic murder mystery novel Five Found Dead by Australian author Sulari Gentill. An interesting take on the classic train-based whodunnit, Five Found Dead sounds like quite a compelling read, and I am curious to see what sort of mystery Gentill has planned. I am hoping to start reading Five Found Dead in the next week or so, and it should prove to be a pretty amazing mystery.
Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.
Top Ten Tuesday – Novels from the First Half of 2024 that I Still Need to Read
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was to return to a previous list you’ve done as part of a Throwback Freebie. However, I decided to instead continue my literary examination of the first half of 2024 by looking at the top books from the first half of the year that I still need to read.
While I have already enjoyed a substantial number of outstanding novels in 2024, there are still quite a few impressive novels from the first half of the year that I have yet to read. Many of these were on my most anticipated books lists for 2024 (both fantasy and other), and while I was really excited for them, I have honestly not had a chance to check all of them out yet. Therefore, I am going to use this freebie session to shame myself in the hope that it gets me into gear to finally check out these epic reads. This proved to be an easy list to pull together, as many of these books have been weighing on my mind for a while. All 10 novels below (plus honourable mentions) sound really, really good, and I hope I get the chance to read all of them soon.
Honourable Mentions:
The Burning Land by David Hair
An epic fantasy novel that I know I would have an amazing time reading.
The Trials of Empire by Richard Swan
One of the big fantasy releases of 2024. I left this book as an honourable mention, mainly because I haven’t read the preceding book in the series yet, and I would need to do that before even contemplating reading The Trials of Empire. Still, this seems like a big gap in my 2024 reading schedule, and I should try to get up to date with this series ASAP.
Past Crimes by Jason Pinter
A cool and exciting science fiction thriller that sees true-crime documentaries get way too interactive in the future.
Top Ten List:
Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis
Probably the book I am most surprised about not having read yet is the new Flavia Albia novel from Lindsey Davis, Death on the Tiber. An excellent and intriguing historical murder mystery, Death on the Tiber is the latest book in one of my favourite series and looks set to throw the protagonists into another complex murder in ancient Rome. I always have so much fun with this series, so it’s very surprising that I haven’t read it yet. This will hopefully be resolved soon, as it will likely be one of my top books of the year.
Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Another major book from the first half of 2024 that I really need to check out is Service Model by acclaimed science fiction author Adrian Tchaikovsky. The second of four books Tchaikovsky has coming out this year, Service Model will follow a rebellious robot who gains sentience and becomes determined to destroy the crumbling remnants of human society. I have no doubt this is going to be an epic read, and I am going to try very hard to read it as soon as humanly possible.
How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin
One of the more compelling murder mystery novels from the first half of 2024, How to Solve Your Own Murder sounds like an extremely fun read, and I must try to check it out.
Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Lords of Excess by Rich McCormick
I have had a lot of fun with several Warhammer books in 2024 so far, but the key one I’ve missed out on reading is Lords of Excess by debuting author Rich McCormick. Part of the Renegades subseries that highlights Chaos Space Marine warbands, Lords of Excess follow the hedonistic Emperor’s Children as they attempt to bring their twisted version of perfection to an isolated world. I love the sound of this book, especially as you know more chaos and destruction is likely on the way, and it is always fun to read a Warhammer book told from the villain’s perspective. I might honestly try to start listening to the audiobook version of Lords of Excess in the next week or two, especially as I need another Warhammer 40,000 fix.
The Shadow King by Harry Sidebottom
Another major historical fiction book from the first half of 2024 that I need to check out is the epic novel, The Shadow King by Harry Sidebottom. Sidebottom is a fantastic author, and I have had a wonderful time with all his recent books set in the Roman empire. The Shadow King will see Sidebottom examine Alexander the Great’s empire in an intriguing new way, and I know that I will find the whole thing deeply fascinating and exciting. As such, I will hopefully make time to read The Shadow King soon, especially as I will be very disappointed not to read this book by the end of 2024.
The Instruments of Darkness by John Connolly
John Connolly is an author who I have been meaning to read for years. I had hoped that his latest book, the intense and dark legal thriller The Instruments of Darkness, would have been a good opportunity to enjoy his work for the first time, but I have yet to have the time to read it. I am still optimistic that I will be able to read The Instruments of Darkness soon, as it sounds like a very complex and powerful novel.
Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart
A very fun sounding thriller about a retired assassin in a killer support group who is dragged back into the world of contract killing against his will. I honestly fell in love with Assassins Anonymous’s fun sounding plot the moment I read the synopsis and I have been meaning to grab a copy since it came out. Hopefully I get one soon, as this sounds like such an exciting and awesome book.
Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller
While there were a few Star Wars novels out in the first half of this year, the one I most regret not reading is The Living Force by John Jackson Miller. Set just before the events of The Phantom Menace, The Living Force is a compelling entry to the canon that focuses on the various members of the Jedi Council. I love the sound of this awesome book and I am hoping to listen to it in the future, as it should be a fantastic novel.
The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill
An intriguing and captivating murder mystery from a very talented Australian author, The Mystery Writer sounded like a very impressive novel, and I have had some great experiences with Sulari Gentill in the past. I look forward to checking this book out at some point in the future and I am sure it will be an outstanding read.
Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland
The final book from the first half of 2024 that I want to highlight here is the fantasy debut Five Broken Blades. Following five dangerous rogues tasked with killing a tyrannical king, Five Broken Blades sounds like a very awesome book, and I have heard some great things about it. I currently have the audiobook version of Five Broken Blades ready to go and I am hoping to listen to it soon, especially as I am in the mood for some fun and fierce fantasy fiction.
Well, that is the end of this latest list. As you can see, there are a bunch of exceptional novels from the first half of the year that I need to check out. All the above books sound incredibly epic, and I am going to have to try a lot harder to start reading through them. In the meantime, let me know which books released in the first half of the year you most regret not reading in the comments below.
Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Autumn 2024 To-Be-Read (TBR) List
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week required participants to list the most unusual topics that they have looked up online as a result of reading a book, which while interesting, wasn’t something I felt I could contribute to. However, as this is the first Tuesday of March, I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to read in Autumn (Spring for folks in the Northern Hemisphere). This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.
For this list, I have come up with the ten books coming out between 1 March 2024 and 31 May 2024 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few very cool novels set for release in the next few months that I am looking forward to, including some of my most anticipated books of the year (as well as my most anticipated fantasy/science fiction books of the year). Due to how impressive some of these upcoming books are, it took me a little while to finalise my list, but I was eventually able to whittle it down into a Top Ten list (with a few honourable mentions). I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads. I am really excited for the next three months as quite a few up these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2024.
Honourable Mentions:
White Ash Ridge by S. R. White – 14 March 2024
A cool, imminent Australian murder mystery with a very intriguing premise behind it.
The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill – 19 March 2024
Another unique novel from one of Australia’s best crime fiction authors.
Behind a Closed Door by J.D. Barker – 13 May 2024
A brilliant and dark thriller from the always impressive J. D. Barker
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton – 21 May 2024
A fantastic sounding science fiction thriller with a particularly distinctive murder premise behind it.
Top Ten List:
Devil’s Kitchen by Candice Fox – 26 March 2024
The first book on this list is probably the novel I will be reading next, with Devil’s Kitchen by Candice Fox. A compelling and fun sounding thriller by one of Australia’s most popular crime fiction authors, Devil’s Kitchen sounds extremely awesome and I cannot wait to read it, especially after how much I enjoyed The Murder Inn by Fox earlier this year.
Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 28 March 2024
After his exceptional 2023, where he released both City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds (two of my favourite books of 2023), I am eagerly waiting to read all of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s upcoming books. His first 2024 release is Alien Clay, an outstanding and entertaining science fiction read set in a deadly prison on an alien planet. It sounds like Alien Clay will combine over-the-top characters with unique science fiction concepts and I have no doubt that this is going to be one of the most entertaining reads of the next three months.
The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence – 9 April 2024
The gripping sequel to Lawrence’s exceptional 2023 novel, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, The Book That Broke the World is an awesome upcoming read that I am so very excited for. Continuing the elaborate narrative started in The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, which follows two connected characters whose lives revolve around a massive library; The Book That Broke the World will no doubt contain more of Lawrence’s exceptional world building and amazing storytelling.
Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller – 9 April 2024
It has been a little while since I read a Star Wars novel, but that is going to change in April when I get my hands on The Living Force by John Jackson Miller. Set before the events of The Phantom Menace, The Living Force has an intriguing story that will expand out the early lore of the Star Wars franchise. I cannot wait to see what excellent story Miller has planned for The Living Force, and I have no doubt I am going to love this book.
Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis – 9 April 2024
One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Lindsey Davis, will continue her impressive Flavia Albia series in April with the new book, Death on the Tiber. Featuring another intriguing mystery set in ancient Rome, Death on the Tiber promises to be a particularly awesome addition to the series, especially as it pits the protagonist against an old foe from her traumatic past.
Warhammer 40,000: Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward – 23 April 2024
I have been loving some of the great Warhammer 40,000 novels in 2024, but one of my most anticipated releases is Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward. Set to feature the ultimate battle of survival between the hardest human jungle warriors in the canon and the deadliest aliens, Deathworlder has so much awesome potential and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.
The Silverblood Promise by James Logan – 7 May 2024
The fantasy release that has me most intrigued in the next few months is The Silverblood Promise. The debut novel of James Logan, The Silverblood Promise will combine a cool new fantasy world with thrilling criminal intrigue, as a young lord tries to determine who killed his father in a deadly city. This book sounds so damn amazing, and I am hoping to dive into it very soon.
The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe – 14 May 2024
Back in 2021, I had the very great pleasure of reading The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe, a young adult thriller that pitted a teenage con artist with a past against deadly bank robbers. I absolutely loved The Girls I’ve Been, and I was excited to find out a sequel, The Girl in Question, is coming out in May. Set to follow the protagonist as she once again faces off against the ghosts of her past, The Girl in Question is going to be outstanding and I cannot wait to read it.
Cloaked Deception by Timothy Zahn – 14 May 2024
One of the more unique books coming out in Autumn this year is Cloaked Deception by Timothy Zahn. An epic and entertaining science fiction thriller, Cloaked Deception features a brilliant narrative that will see a deadly assassination plan involving nuclear weapons become entangled with the theft of advanced cloaking technology. I love the over-the-top plot of this book, and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds.
Necrotek by Jonathan Maberry – 28 May 2024
The final book I want to highlight on this list is Necrotek by one of my favourite authors Jonathan Maberry. The first book in a new series from Maberry, Necrotek is a dark and brutal sounding piece of science fiction that will see human scientists encounter a deadly, Lovecraftian threat in space. I have no doubt that Maberry is going to deliver another outstanding read here with Necrotek and I cannot wait to get my hands on its audiobook version, especially with the always amazing Ray Porter narrating it.
Well, that is the end of my Top Ten list. I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months. Each of the above should be extremely epic, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a few books to get through soon and they should all be pretty awesome.
Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Thrillers, Crime Fiction and Historical Fiction releasing in the First Half of 2024
Welcome to my second Top Ten Tuesday list of the week, were I look at my most anticipated thrillers, crime fiction and historical fiction novels coming out in the first half of 2024. Traditionally I usually only do one list to represent the top upcoming books for the year, however, I was inspired to separate out the fantasy and science fiction novels into my previous list, while this list will feature epic reads from the other major genres that I am interested in.
Despite only just starting, 2024 is already shaping up to be an epic and exciting year for books with a huge range of impressive and highly anticipated novels due for release in the next 12 months. This includes exciting debuts, anticipated sequels and the latest entries in beloved bestselling series. The first half of the year is looking particularly awesome, with a substantial number of incredible upcoming releases that I am deeply looking forward to.
Even though I excluded fantasy and science fiction books, this ended up being a rather difficult list to pull together due to all the awesome releases coming out in Australia or on Netgalley between 1 January 2024 and 30 June 2024. There were way too many extraordinary upcoming books that I could have included, and I ended up having to make some very tough calls and cutting several novels that have an immense amount of potential. Despite this, I am rather happy with the eventual choices that I made, and I think that this list reflects the upcoming novels and comics I am going to have the most fun reading. However, there are also some interesting new books that I am discussing for the first time here, so that should give this list a bit of variety. So let us get to my selections and find out which upcoming novels are my most anticipated releases for the first half of 2024.
Honourable Mentions:
Goodbye Girl by James Grippando – 9 January 2024
A compelling legal thriller with a ton of potential.
The Murder Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox – 13 February 2024
A great crime fiction read about killers heading towards an unusual inn, introduced in a prior novel by Patterson and Fox.
Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven – 1 June 2024
The exciting sequel to Craven’s 2023 novel, Fearless, I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Sentinel by Mark Greaney – 25 June 2024
The fantastic sounding sequel to Greaney’s amazing action-packed Armored, Sentinel sounds very exciting and I look forward to checking it out.
Top Ten List:
The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman – 6 February 2024
First on this list is the exciting new murder mystery from Jonathan Kellerman. I have become a real fan of Kellerman’s long-running Alex Delaware series, especially after reading such excellent books as The Wedding Guest, The Museum of Desire, Serpentine, City of the Dead and Unnatural History, and I am very excited to get my hands on The Ghost Orchid. Set to follow the series’ great protagonists as they investigate a sensational double-homicide, The Ghost Orchid should prove to be very twisty, especially as both victims have secrets that could have made them the intended target of the attack. I have a lot of love for this series, and reading the new Alex Delaware book has become a fun start-of-year tradition for me.
Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz – 13 February 2024
An excellent spy thriller to start of 2024 is Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz. Part of Hurwitz’s fantastic Orphan X series (Out of the Dark, Into the Fire, Prodigal Son, Dark Horse and The Last Orphan), this book follows a former government assassin turned vigilante of last resort, who specialises in helping people with no-one else to turn to. This new book will set the protagonist against his deadliest enemies yet, a visionary tech billionaire and a skilled serial killer who may prove to be just as lethal as the legendary Orphan X. I look forward to diving into this awesome book and it should prove to be a great addition to a particularly cool series.
The Chaos Agent by Mark Greaney – 20 February 2024
Probably the book I’m most looking forward to in early 2024 is the new Gray Man novel by Mark Greaney, The Chaos Agent. The Gray Man books are one of my favourite series at the moment, especially as all the books in the series, including The Gray Man, Mission Critical, One Minute Out (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), Sierra Six (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and Burner (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), have been so very strong. This latest entry will pit the titular Gray Man against a massive conspiracy surrounding AI and force him to face off against one of his oldest friends. Sure to be one of the best books I read this year, I am so very excited to dive into The Chaos Agent.
The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry – 20 February 2024
Another awesome spy thriller that I am particularly excited to read in 2024 is The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry. Part of Berry’s awesome long-running Cotton Malone series, The Atlas Maneuver will force the series titular protagonist to unravel another world-shattering conspiracy with its origins hidden in historical secrets, including lost World War II gold, and the world’s oldest bank. I have had such a brilliant time with this series in recent years, including with books like The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol, The Kaiser’s Web and The Last Kingdom, and I cannot wait to dive into this new elaborate and captivating read.
War Cry by Ian Ross – 12 March 2024
In 2023 I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the awesome historical fiction novel, Battle Song by Ian Ross, which followed a brutal knight and his naïve squire as they get caught up in one of England’s many civil wars. A fantastic and powerful historical adventure, Battle Song was a particularly impressive read that made me a huge fan of Ross. As such, I am very eager to grab a copy of the upcoming sequel, War Cry, when it comes out here in Australia. Set to provide a follow-up to the brutal and character-forming events of Battle Song, War Cry should be another exceptional read and I cannot wait to see how Ross follows-up his previous epic novel.
White Ash Ridge by S. R. White – 14 March 2024
One of the most promising authors of Australian crime fiction, S. R. White, returns with another enticing outback mystery, White Ash Ridge. White has really impressed me in recent years with his prior novels, Prisoner and Red Dirt Road, and I am looking forward to seeing another one of his unique mysteries. His new book, White Ash Ridge, will see his unconventional detective try to solve a complex murder in an isolated hotel, where only a handful of guests of a charity dedicated to police reform were present. This will probably be one of the best Australian mysteries of 2024 and I look forward to unwinding White’s elaborate mystery.
The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill – 19 March 2024
Another great novel from an Australian author I am looking forward to in the next few months is The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill. An elaborate and personal murder mystery about a complex family and the death of a famous author, The Mystery Writer sounds so damn awesome and I cannot wait to dive into this excellent novel.
The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe – 9 April 2024
Tess Sharpe follows up her outstanding young adult thriller, The Girls I’ve Been, with a new awesome adventure in The Girl in Question. Once again following her intriguing teenage con-women protagonist as she attempts to outwit a deadly group of criminals, The Girl in Question sounds extremely awesome, and I am really excited to read this book. The Girls I’ve Been was extremely impressive and I have been waiting for a sequel for ages.
Behind a Closed Door by J. D. Barker – 13 May 2024
A gritty and dark psychological thriller that sees a couple get caught up in an elaborate online game where the stakes keep getting higher and higher. This is one of the most intriguing books that has caught me eye in early 2024 and I am very keen to unravel the entire sordid tale.
Devil’s Kitchen by Candice Fox – 4 June 2024
The final book I want to highlight on this list is the awesome thriller from one of Australia’s best crime fiction authors, Devil’s Kitchen by Candice Fox. Set to follow an elite unit of firefighters who moonlight as a dangerous heist gang, Devil’s Kitchen sounds that an extremely cool read with a great plot behind it. I have had a lot of fun with Fox’s last few books, and this should prove to be another amazing novel.
That is the end of this list. I am extremely happy with how my latest Top Ten Tuesday article turned out and this list contains an intriguing collection of upcoming books that should prove to be incredible reads. I think that nearly every one of these books has the potential to get a full five-star rating from me and I cannot wait to see what amazing and exciting stories they contain. While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you, as well as what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below. Also, make sure to check out my other Top Ten List with the top upcoming fantasy and science fiction books of 2024.
Book Haul – 11 September 2023
I have been having an excellent couple of weeks for book, as I have been lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from some of my local publishers and from Netgalley. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including some books that have the potential to be the top novels of 2023. I am extremely keen to check out all of the books below and they should make for some amazing reads.
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
The first recently received novel that I need to highlight is the incredibly awesome The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman, which is one of my most anticipated novels of 2023. The fourth book in Osman’s exceptional Thursday Murder Club series (following on from The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice and The Bullet That Missed), The Last Devil to Die sounds pretty amazing and looks set to contain the same great blend of mystery, complex characters and unique humour that made the previous novels so damn epic. I cannot wait to read The Last Devil to Die and I have no doubt it will be one of the top books of 2023.
He Who Drowned The World by Shelley Parker-Chan
Next up I was very happy to receive a copy of He Who Drowned The World by Australian author Shelley Parker-Chan. The sequel to the author’s awesome debut, She Who Became The Sun, He Who Drowned The World will continue to follow Parker-Chan’s unique protagonist as they try to end the Mongol rule of China while establishing their own complex rule. She Who Became The Sun was one of my favourite debuts and Australian Fiction novels of 2021 and I have been eager to see a sequel for a while.
The Changing Man by Tomi Oyemakinde
A gripping and compelling sounding young adult thriller about a mysterious school and a dangerous presence changing its students. I love the unique sounding plot of The Changing Man and I think I’m going to really enjoy this book.
The Secret Hours by Mick Herron
One of the more interesting books that I recently received a copy of is The Secret Hours by Mick Herron. A compelling and complex sounding spy thriller about the inner workings of MI5 from a top author, The Secret Hours has a ton of potential and I will really try to make an effort to check this fantastic novel out.
Stop Them Dead by Peter James
I was very happy to receive another crime fiction read from Peter James, who has released a ton of novels in the last few years. This new book, which is part of his Roy Grace series, presents the reader with another intriguing case that I know I will have fun with.
Worst Knights Ever by Dane Hanson
I managed to get a copy of the fun fantasy novel Worst Knights Ever from Netgalley and I hope I get the chance to read it soon. This comedic novel will see four celebrity knights (Elton John, Sean Connery, Michael Caine and Anthony Hopkins) face off against a dragon bent on destroying London. This sounds like a very silly, but fantastic book, and I can’t wait to check it out.
The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill
I was pretty happy to get an advanced copy of the upcoming Sulari Gentill novel, The Mystery Writer. Gentill, who is one of Australia’s best crime fiction authors, has written some awesome books over the years and this new novel sounds particularly excellent as it follows a mystery writer who finds themself involved in an insidious murder investigation. I have no doubt this will be an excellent and complex mystery read and I cannot wait to dive into it.
Midnight by Amy McCulloch
The final book I recently received was an advanced copy of Midnight by Amy McCulloch. An intriguing thriller set in Antarctica, Midnight sounds like a very awesome read that I will hopefully get to soon.
Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.
Top Ten Tuesday – Australian Books of 2020
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were supposed to list their top new-to-me authors that they read in 2020, however, I am going to do something a little differently here at The Unseen Library. I have actually already completed and published this list a few weeks ago as I knew in advance that I would be doing an alternate list today. The reason for this is because 26 January is Australia Day, so I thought that I would take this opportunity to highlight some of the top pieces of fiction written by Australian authors that I read in 2020.
Each of year talented Australian authors produce an impressive and exciting range of amazing fiction from across the various genres, many of which I am lucky enough to get copies of from the local publishers. As a result, I tend to read and review a ton of novels by Australian authors, most of which turn out to be some outstanding reads that I deeply enjoy. While I have previously listed my absolute favourite pieces of Australian authored fiction, I thought that this year I would change it up and examine which Australian novels were the best in 2020.
To qualify for this list, a novel had to be released in 2020 and written by an Australian author, which I am defining as anyone born in Australia or who currently lives here (Australia is very good at adopting talented people as our own). This resulted in a surprisingly long list, including several novels that I considered to be some of the best reads of last year. I was eventually able to whittle this novel down to the absolute cream of the crop and came up with a fantastic top ten list (with my typical generous honourable mentions). I really enjoyed how this list turned out, especially as it features novels from a range of different genres, all of which ended up being very awesome Australian novels.
Honourable Mentions:
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix
Finding Eadie by Caroline Beecham
Where Fortune Lies by Mary-Anne O’Connor
Top Ten List:
Let us start this list on a very high note with Hollow Empire by Canberran author Sam Hawke. Hollow Empire was the exciting and much-anticipated sequel to Hawke’s epic fantasy debut, City of Lies, which continued the fantastic adventures of two poison-eating siblings as they attempt to save their city from war and intrigue. This second novel was an exciting and deeply compelling read filled with new dangers, new enemies and an amazing selection of clever twists and reveals. A deeply enjoyable novel that was one of the best fantasy novels of the year, I cannot talk up Hollow Empire enough.
A Testament of Character by Sulari Gentill
The second entry on this list is the 10th historical murder mystery book in Gentill’s long-running Rowland Sinclair series, A Testament of Character. This fantastic novel sent the titular protagonist and his bohemian friends on a captivating adventure in 1930’s America as they attempt to find out who killed an old associate of theirs. I always have a great deal of fun when I read the Rowland Sinclair novels, and A Testament of Character turned out to be an impressive and highly enjoyable entry in the series which I deeply enjoyed.
Next up we have the exciting and creative science fiction debut, Stormblood, by brilliant new author Jeremy Szal. This great new novel serves as the impressive first entry in a bold new series that follows a former soldier who was purposely infected by alien biological enhancements as he attempted to uncover a massive conspiracy on an elaborate space station. Stormblood was an excellent and amazing read that perfectly sets up this cool series and which is really worth reading. A sequel, Blindspace, is set for release later this year, and I am rather looking forward to it.
Either Side of Midnight by Benjamin Stevenson
I only recently finished off this dramatic and compelling Australian murder mystery, but I had to include it on this list due to its clever mystery and complex characters. A fantastic sequel to 2018’s Greenlight, this is Australian crime fiction at its best and comes highly recommended.
The Erasure Initiative by Lili Wilkinson
One of the most unusual but extremely captivating pieces of Australian fiction this year was The Erasure Initiative by the infinitely talented Lili Wilkinson. Wilkinson, who previously wrote the exceptional After the Lights Go Out, produced another high-concept and darkly creative young adult science fiction thriller that sees several strangers will no memories of their past locked in a bus by someone with a strange and lethal agenda. Clever, intense and highly addictive, The Erasure Initiative was just amazing, and I ended up really loving it.
The Queen’s Captain by Peter Watt
One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Peter Watt, finished off his action-packed Colonial series on a high note with the amazing The Queen’s Captain. Serving as a great conclusion to the story featured in The Queen’s Colonial and The Queen’s Tiger, this latest novel took the protagonist on another set of deadly adventures in the Victorian empire and was a very awesome book to read.
I had to include the fantastically fun and incredibly exciting Hideout by another Canberran author, Jack Heath. This was the third novel in Heath’s fantastic Timothy Blake series. It follows a cannibalistic protagonist as he attempts to kill and eat a house full of sociopathic killers. An excellent read that you can really sink your teeth into, this is an awesome one to check out.
Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
If you are in the mood for an exceedingly fast-paced science fiction read, you need to check out the latest outstanding young adult read from the dream team of Australian authors Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. The epic sequel to 2019’s Aurora Rising, this latest novel continues an impressive tale that follows several cool teen protagonists on a wild adventure in space with the entire universe gunning for them. Thanks to the epic cliffhanger at the end, I will have to grab the third entry in this series when it comes out, and I cannot wait to see how it ends.
The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold
The Last Smile in Sunder City is a sensational fantasy thriller that follows a depressed private investigator as he attempts to find a missing girl in a city tragically devastated by the destruction of all magic. Arnold’s debut was pretty damn awesome, and he has already followed it up with a sequel, Dead Man in a Ditch. A clever and inventive read from a fantastic new author, this is a great book to check out.
The Night Swim by Megan Goldin
Last, but certainly not least, was the moving and dramatic thriller The Night Swim, by acclaimed up and coming Australian author Megan Goldin. Goldin is a talented and dramatic writer who previously wrote the bestselling thriller The Escape Room. This latest novel from Goldin was a clever and powerful read that examined two haunting crimes taking place over two generations. The Night Swim was an impressive novel, and I cannot wait to see what Goldin will come up with next.
Well, that is the end of this latest list and I am really happy that I got a chance to highlight some of the cool Australian releases of 2020. The above books represent an outstanding collection of fiction from talented Australian authors, and each of them comes highly recommended by me. I had a lot of fun coming up with this list and I plan to examine my favourite Australian novels of 2021 this time next year. Until then, stay tuned for more epic reviews and lists, and make sure you let me know who your favourite Australian authors are in the comments below.
The Unseen Library 