Tag: The Paris Agent

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books of 2023

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, List18 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were supposed to list the top books they meant to read in 2023 but didn’t get a chance to, however, I am going to an alternate list today.  The reason for this, and the reason I delayed putting this list up by a day, is because Friday, 26 January, is Australia’s national holiday, Australia Day.  While Australia Day is getting a lot more controversial due to its historic implications, I like to look beyond that and focus on some of the amazing and varied talents our nation produces.  As such, I thought I would take this opportunity to once again highlight some of the top pieces of fiction written by Australian authors that I read in 2023.

Each year, a ton of talented Australian authors produce an impressive and exciting range of fiction from across the genres, many of which I am lucky enough to get copies of from my local publishers.  Due to this, I tend to read and review a lot of novels by Australian authors, most of which turn out to be some outstanding reads that I deeply enjoy.  As such, for the last few years I have taken to highlighting my favourite pieces of Australian fiction (check out my 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 lists).  I really love how much awesome Australian fiction there is each year, and this list is the perfect way to highlight some of the best Australian authors.

Now I tend to take a bit of a different approach to Australian fiction than some other bloggers, as I highlight all books written by Australian authors rather than novels purely set in Australia or featuring Australian characters.  To qualify for this list, a novel had to be released in 2023 and be written by an Australian author, which I am defining as anyone born in Australia or who currently lives here (Australia is very good at adopting talented people as our own).  This resulted in a long list, 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 were very awesome Australian books.

Honourable Mentions:

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

He Who Drowned The World Cover

An interesting historical fiction/fantasy hybrid from a rising Australian author, Shelley Parker-Chan.  He Who Drown the World was the exciting sequel to the author’s debut, She Who Became the Sun, and it featured a unique and memorable adventure.

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Judgement Day by Mali Waugh

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An impressive debut from an outstanding Australian talent, that saw a damaged cop investigate the murder of a prominent judge.

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The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer

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A gripping World War II historical drama from one of Australia’s top authors of the genre, Kelly Rimmer, who previously wowed me with The Warsaw Orphan and The German Wife.  The Paris Agent had an outstanding plot that followed doomed female spies dropped into occupied France.

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How to Kill a Client by Joanna Jenkins

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How to Kill a Client was an amazing and dark legal thriller that followed members of a prominent legal firm who become suspects in a clients death.  One of the most entertaining debuts of 2023. 

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Top Ten List:

The Will of the Many by James Islington

The Will of the Many Cover

The first book I must highlight is the outstanding and epic fantasy novel, The Will of the Many by James Islington.  The Will of the Many was an amazing book that topped all my best-of lists last year, including my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023 lists.  Set in a great new fantasy world, The Will of the Many follows an exile who infiltrates an elite academy to uncover deadly secrets and find out ways to fight against the nation who stole his home.  An exceptionally addictive read, The Will of the Many is so damn good, and I was extremely impressed by my first book by Islington.

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Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

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The always hilarious Benjamin Stevenson followed up his outstanding 2022 novel, Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone, with this fantastic and brilliant murder mystery.  Set on the legendary Australian train, the Ghan, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect is an intriguing and comedic take on the murder mystery genre, as the main suspects to the murder are all crime fiction authors.  Funny, smart and featuring homages to various crime fiction sub-genres and classic novels, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect was extremely awesome and I loved getting through it.

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Mr Einstein’s Secretary by Matthew Reilly

Mr Einstein's Secretary Cover

One of Australia’s most recognisable authors, Matthew Reilly, had an amazing year in 2023 with Mr Einstein’s Secretary.  Following a fantastic protagonist through some of the most important historical events of the first half of the 20th century, Mr Einstein’s Secretary was a powerful, character-driven story, loaded with action, espionage, and captivating historical detail.  An extremely impressive novel that I managed to knock off in a very, very short amount of time.

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Ripper by Shelley Burr

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Shelley Burr produced an awesome sequel to her debut novel, Wake, with the outstanding read Ripper.  Set in a town made infamous for a deadly serial killer years ago, Ripper follows a new investigation when a body is found in the same spot as one of the original victims.  A twisty and captivating novel that has some great connections to Burr’s previous book.

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Killer Traitor Spy by Tim Ayliffe

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Tim Ayliffe brings back his rugged journalist protagonist for another dark Australian thriller in Killer Traitor Spy.  This time examining the impacts of foreign influence and espionage, Killer Traitor Spy was a brilliant read that makes great use of real-life concerns to contemporary Australia.

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Never a Hero by Vanessa Len

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After wowing me in 2022 with her impressive debut, the young adult fantasy novel Only a Monster, Australian author Vanessa Len produced an excellent sequel last year with Never a Hero.  An intense novel that cleverly makes use of the alternate timeline established at the end of the first book, Never a Hero was an exceptional sequel from a very talented author.

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Kill Your Husbands by Jack Heath

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One of my absolute favourite Australian authors, Jack Heath, had another incredible year in 2023 with the amazing book Kill Your Husbands.  An intriguing novel that sees three couples in an isolated cabin all become murder suspects after an attempt at partner-swapping goes terribly wrong.  I love the unique and drama inducing plot of Kill Your Husbands, especially as it also served as a sequel to one of Heath’s previous novels, Kill Your Brother.  This was such a great read, and I really enjoyed the complex mystery Heath came up with.

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Vendetta by Sarah Barrie

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Sarah Barrie continued her dark and deadly Lexi Winter series in a big way last year with the exceptional novel Vendetta.  Following on from her previous books, Unforgiven and Retribution, Vendetta sees Barrie’s maverick protagonist infiltrate a deadly bikie gang she has history with, all while a vengeful killer seeks to blow everyone up.  This was one of Barrie’s best books yet, and I had an outstanding time getting through Vendetta.

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Fire with Fire by Candice Fox

Fire With Fire Cover

Candice Fox continued to dominate the crime fiction market with the impressive 2023 thriller, Fire with Fire.  Following several different protagonists as they try to save vital evidence being held hostage by two desperate parents, Fire with Fire had an amazing story and I loved how it turned out.  Another amazing book from Fox, who has several fantastic novels coming out in 2024.

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Dark Corners by Megan Goldin

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The final book on this list is the impressive 2023 novel from one of Australia’s fastest rising crime fiction authors, Megan Goldin.  Her latest book, Dark Corners, serves as a sequel to her previous novel The Night Swim, and sees the author’s podcasting protagonist join the hunt for a deadly killer stalking an influencer convention.  Featuring both an intense mystery and an entertaining look at the current obsession with influencers and social media, Dark Corners was another great book from Goldin that comes highly recommended.

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Well, that is the end of this latest list and I am really happy that I got a chance to highlight some of the best Australian releases of 2023.  The above books represent an outstanding collection of fiction from talented Australian authors, and each of them comes highly recommended by me.  I had a lot of fun coming up with this list and I cannot wait to find out what the best Australian books of 2024 are going to be.  Until then, stay tuned for more epic reviews and lists, and make sure you let me know who your favourite Australian authors are in the comments below.

Quick Review – The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Drama, Historical Fiction2 Comments

The Paris Agent Cover

Publisher: Hachette Australia (Trade Paperback – 28 June 2023)

Series: Standalone

Length: 337 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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One of Australia’s premier authors of historical fiction, the supremely talented Kelly Rimmer, returns with another moving and intense novel that dives into the horrors of World War II, The Paris Agent.

Over the last couple of years, I have been deeply impressed with the works of Kelly Rimmer, a well-established Australian author whose previous novels have been excellent historical dramas set during the Second World War.  Rimmer’s books are pretty spectacular, as they masterfully blend powerful personal stories with intense depictions of key parts of the war, especially those involving the evils of the Nazi regime.  Her last two books, The Warsaw Orphan (one of my favourite Australian books of 2021) and The German Wife (one of my favourite books and Australian books of 2022), were exceedingly moving, and I now make it a point to grab her new books each year.  Her latest novel, The Paris Agent, presented the reader with an interesting new story, one that focuses on female espionage agents in occupied France.

Plot Synopsis:

Two otherwise ordinary women become spies in WWII France in this sweeping new novel of historical suspense by New York Times bestselling author Kelly Rimmer

Twenty-five years after the end of the war, ageing British SOE operative Noah Ainsworth is reflecting on the secret agent who saved his life when a mission went wrong during his perilous, exhilarating years in occupied France. He never knew her real name, nor whether she survived the war.

His daughter Charlotte begins a search for answers. What follows is the story of Fleur and Chloe, two otherwise ordinary women who in 1943 are called up by the SOE for deployment in France. Taking enormous risks with very little information or resources, the women have no idea they’re at the mercy of a double agent within their ranks who’s causing chaos.

As Charlotte’s search for answers continues, new suspicions are raised about the identity of the double agent, with unsettling clues pointing to her father.

This was another powerful and clever novel from Rimmer, who takes on another aspect of World War II and weaves together an outstanding story.  The focus on Allied female spies being dropped into occupied France is a well-established and highly utilised topic in historical fiction and historical dramas, and Rimmer manages to produce a very distinctive read in The Paris Agent that I found very hard to put down.

To tell her story, Rimmer utilises an excellent multi-perspective narrative, with some interesting time differences also added in for each of the timelines.  The first timeline, shown from the perspective of Charlotte, is set in 1970, and follows the protagonist’s attempts to find out more about her amnesic father’s activities during the war after she finds out he was a spy in France.  The other two storylines focus on the characters of Fleur and Chloe respectively.  Both characters were dropped into France at different points of the war to do their own specific missions, including committing sabotage and investigating reports that the local network had been compromised.  These two past storylines are set across a couple of years in the war, with the two protagonists interacting with each other, and Chloe’s father, Noah, at various points, and together the three storylines wrap together to provide a complex and powerful narrative of espionage, personal relationships, and betrayal, all set in front of the brutal Nazi occupation of France.

All three stories are brought together throughout the course of The Paris Agent, and I liked the complex and intriguing narrative threads that emerged.  The risks and sacrifices of the characters during the war are pretty intense, and the emotional connections that they make bring a compelling balance to the dark story elements of espionage and betrayal.  The third storyline that focuses on Charlotte and her father is also very good, both on its own and for how it supports and enhances the other two plot lines.  This more modern storyline gives some great hints at the tragedy to come in the other storylines, while also underlying further the cost that these intelligence agents had to make.  The intriguing hints that Noah might have been a traitor responsible for terrible events is very compelling, and it is fascinating to see the impact that the war was still having on survivors like him.

The two storylines in the past eventually come together in the last quarter of the novel, and some of the compelling twists that come from this are moving and dark.  The identity of the traitor, while not overly surprising, does have some major emotional heft to it, and you can’t help to despise the antagonist, especially as Charlotte’s storyline serves to underline all the terrible things they did.  Both the Fleur and Chloe storylines end on a very tragic, if inspiring, note, and readers will come away from that exceedingly saddened but impressed by how well written these storylines were.  I did think that the ending of the Charlotte storyline was a little weaker, mainly because it relied on a little too much on coincidence, and I think that the author left some intriguing story opportunities closed.  Still, I really appreciated how cleanly and powerfully these three separate storylines came together, and it resulted in an overall exceptional read.

Rimmer utilises some intriguing writing elements to ensure her story is extra impactful.  As I mentioned before, the use of multiple character perspectives and timelines was a major part of this book, and I was mostly happy with how that turned out.  I must admit that I am not the biggest fan of historical novels that features a storyline where someone in the present day attempts to uncover family secrets, as frankly it is bit of a cliché at this point.  However, I think that Rimmer did a good job here, as it was set far closer to the war, and the family secrets that the protagonist is trying to uncover are the result of amnesia, which is well balanced by the potential spy aspect.  The rest of the story flows through extremely well as a result, and I loved how cleverly the separate wartime storylines interacted and enhanced each other, especially when it came to Noah’s connected story and the examination of the potential treachery.

However, one of the best things about The Paris Agent for me was the outstanding and deep portrayals of the Nazi occupation of France and the espionage efforts the Allies utilised in response.  Rimmer always excels at diving into some of the darkest and most intriguing parts of World War II history, and The Paris Agent was another great example of this.  The author provides some intriguing examinations of how the Nazis controlled France during the war, and Rimmer tries to showcase the occupation from several different sets of eyes in various French settings.  However, the real focus of the book is on the intelligence networks that the Allies set up in France during the war and the missions they engaged in.  This compelling part of the war is always rich ground for historical fiction authors, and I think that Rimmer’s take on it was particularly noteworthy.  She really captures the intensity and dedication that these agents had, as well as the constant risk that they found themselves in.  The focus and portrayal of tradecraft, intelligence gathering, and communication was very realistic, and I cannot emphasise how well each of the major spy protagonists were developed and featured throughout the book.  Of course, as this is a Rimmer book, The Paris Agent does get very dark in places, mainly when it comes to the fate of captured spies and intelligence agents.  Rimmer pulls no punches when it comes to how badly these prisoners were treated, nor when it comes to the terrible fates they experienced.  The fact that many of the characters are based on real historical people makes parts of the book hit even harder, and you really won’t come away from The Paris Agent without a tear in your eye.

Kelly Rimmer continues to showcase why she is one of Australia’s best writers of intense and moving historical fiction.  The Paris Agent was an excellent piece of historical drama that features a powerful and compelling story about spies, tragedy and betrayal.  Cleverly written and guaranteed to stick with you long after you’ve finished reading it, The Paris Agent is an outstanding and highly recommend book that I am really glad I got to experience.

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WWW Wednesday – 12 July 2023

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Kill For Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh (Trade Paperback)

Kill For Me Kill For You Cover

I just started reading the cool thriller Kill For Me Kill For You by Steven Cavanagh. I am a big fan of Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series (The Devil’s Advocate and The Accomplice) and this new novel is an intriguing take on the classic Strangers on a Train storyline, that sees two women team up to kill the people who destroyed their lives.  I am about 50 pages into this book at the moment and I am already pretty damn hooked and cannot wait to see how Kill For Me Kill For You turns out.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer (Trade Paperback)

The Paris Agent Cover

I managed to finish off the new historical drama from Australian author Kelly Rimmer, The Paris Agent this week. Following an aging spy’s dive into the past as he attempts to find out who saved his life during an SOE operation in Nazi occupied France, The Paris Agent was a powerful and compelling novel that proved to be an excellent and captivating read.

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Warhammer 40,000: Leviathan by Darius Hinks (Audiobook)

Warhammer 40,000 - Leviathan Cover

I also managed to finish off one of the latest Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks, Leviathan by Darius Hinks.  Featuring an intriguing, mind-bending story about an alien invasion, Leviathan was extremely intense and compelling with a very unique narrative.  This ended up being a pretty awesome read and I had a brilliant time getting through it.

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The Hunger by Marsheila Rockwell

The Hunger Cover

I quickly powered through the cool upcoming Marvel Comics tie-in novel, The Hunger by Marsheila Rockwell this week.  Set during the Marvel Zombies storyline, The Hunger was a very fun novel that will appeal to all lovers of Marvel Comics and zombies.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini

Fractal Noise Cover

I am hoping to read the new science fiction novel from Christopher Paolini, Fractal Noise next.  A prequel to his previous novel, To Sleep In A Sea of Stars, Fractal Noise looks set to be a compelling space exploration novel and I am very curious to see how it turns out.

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The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando

The Drowning Girls Cover

I am also hoping to start reading the fantastic Australian crime fiction novel, The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando, this week.  A compelling crime fiction novel set in a small Australian town where someone appears to be sacrificing women in the waves, this should be a pretty amazing read and I am excited to check it out.

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Warhammer 40,000: King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer

The King of the Spoil Cover

I am still hoping to start listening to the audiobook version of the new Warhammer Crime novel, King of the Spoil next.  Sent in a grim, crime-ridden mega city, King of the Spoil sounds like a ton of fun and I always love it when they combine intense crime fiction elements with the awesome Warhammer 40,000 universe.

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That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

WWW Wednesday – 5 July 2023

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer (Trade Paperback)

The Paris Agent Cover

I just started reading the new historical drama from Australian author Kelly Rimmer, The Paris Agent.  Following an aging spy’s dive into the past as he attempts to find out who saved his life during an SOE operation in Nazi occupied France, The Paris Agent is a powerful and compelling novel that I am really sinking my teeth into.  This book has a very strong start, and I cannot wait to see how the entire story develops.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: Leviathan by Darius Hinks (Audiobook)

Warhammer 40,000 - Leviathan Cover

I have been making a bit of progress with one of the latest Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks, Leviathan by Darius Hinks.  Featuring an intriguing, mind-bending story about an alien invasion, Leviathan has been quite compelling so far and I am enjoying Hink’s unique narrative.  I am very curious to see how this story unfolds and it should prove to be a very exciting read.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Her Sweet Revenge by Sarah Bonner (Trade Paperback)

Her Sweet Revenge Cover

An excellent and powerful thriller, loaded with twists and turns, this is an outstanding novel that is really worth checking out.

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The Will of the Many by James Islington (Audiobook)

The Will of the Many Cover

An exceptional fantasy novel that got a full five-star rating from me.  Easily one of the best books from the first half of 2023.

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Killer Traitor Spy by Tim Ayliffe

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A gripping and insightful thriller that cleverly examined espionage and political murders in Australia.

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The Interpreter by Brooke Robinson

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A fantastic debut from an awesome new Australia author.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Hunger by Marsheila Rockwell

The Hunger Cover

I am hoping to dive into the cool upcoming Marvel Comics tie-in novel, The Hunger by Marsheila Rockwell in the next week.  Set during the Marvel Zombies storyline, The Hunger sounds like an intense and fun novel that will appeal to my love of Marvel Comics and zombies.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer

The King of the Spoil Cover

I am also hoping to start listening to the audiobook version of the new Warhammer Crime novel, King of the Spoil.  Sent in a grim, crime-ridden mega city, King of the Spoil sounds like a ton of fun and I always love it when they combine intense crime fiction elements with the awesome Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Amazon

 

 

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 – 25 June 2023

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Book Haul1 Comment

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.

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Starter Villain Cover

First up, I was very happy to receive a copy of the upcoming John Scalzi novel, Starter Villain.  Scalzi has been killing it with his brilliant and satirical novels recently, including Redshirts and The Kaiju Preservation Society, and this new book sounds pretty damn cool.  Following someone who inherits a supervillain business and all the problems that entails, Starter Villain sounds like a ton of fun and I cannot wait to check it out.

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Traitors Gate by Jeffrey Archer

Traitors Gate Cover

I was also very happy to receive a copy of the new Jeffery Archer book, Traitors Gate.  The sixth book in Archer’s Willaim Warwick series, Traitors Gate will see the protagonists of the series attempt to stop an attempted heist of the Crown Jewels.  This series is always a ton of fun to read (see my reviews for Nothing Ventured, Hidden in Plain Sight and Turn a Blind Eye) and this sounds like an awesome and compelling new plot.

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Fearless by M. W. Craven

Fearless Cover

The next book I’ve recently received is the fantastic sounding new thriller from M. W. Craven, Fearless.  Following an elite government agent turned drifter who is dragged back into action when someone tries to hunt him down. Fearless has a ton of potential and should turn out to be an amazing thrill ride that I know I am going to really enjoy.

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The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer

The Paris Agent Cover

I was very, very happy to receive a copy of the new novel from Australian author Kelly Rimmer, The Paris Agent.  Rimmer has been on fire the last few years, producing some of the best historical drama novels out there, including The Warsaw Orphan (one of my favourite Australian books of 2021) and The German Wife (one of my favourite books of 2022).  This latest novel from Rimmer is also set during World War II and will look at the always dependable topic of female spies sent into Nazi occupied France.  I know that Rimmer is going to produce another intense and hard-hitting novel with The Paris Agent and I am very keen to see what happens here.

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Never a Hero by Vanessa Len

Never A Hero Cover

Vanessa Len will follow up her exceptional 2022 debut, Only a Monster, with the exciting new upcoming release, Never a Hero.  Only a Monster was a brilliant young adult fantasy novel that saw a young woman find out that she was a literal monster with time travel abilities and was forced into a desperate adventure for her own survival. I had a lot of fun with Only a Monster (one of my favourite debuts and Australian novels of 2022) and I cannot wait to see how Len follows it up with Never a Hero.

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The Hunger by Marsheila Rockwell

The Hunger Cover

Ok, I will admit that I mostly requested a copy of this book because of the cover.  The Hunger is an awesome upcoming Marvel Comics tie-in novel set in the Marvel Zombies universe.  Written by Marsheila Rockwell, this cool novel will see an eclectic group of heroes attempt to stop the zombie apocalypse, only to cause far bigger issues with their meddling.  This novel sounds like it is going to be so damn amazing and I am very excited to read it.

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The Berlin Traitor by A. W. Hammond

The Berlin Traitor Cover

A compelling thriller set in post-war Berlin, The Berlin Traitor is a great new novel from A. W. Hammond and I look forward to trying something from this author.

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Altered Sense by Max Jeffries

Altered Sense Cover

The final book I received a copy of was the interesting Australian thriller, Altered Sense by Max Jeffries.  Following a man who starts to receive dark visions after a blow to the head, Altered Sense looks to be a quick and exciting novel and I hope I get the chance to read it.

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Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post.  As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in.  Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.