Dec 22, 2007
Cocaine Blues – Kerry Greenwood
Introducing Phryne Fisher – intelligent, beautiful, wealthy and seductive, with more than her fair share of wit and sass, and a desire to find something more distracting to occupy herself than flying planes, driving fast cars or listening to boring society talk. In the first of the Phryne Fisher mysteries, our heroine takes herself to Melbourne. It is the late 1920s, and within days she is caught up... read more
Dec 22, 2007
Just One Look – Harlan Coben
Harlan Coben had been recommended to me, as he was apparently a master of page turning suspense with an ability to give a twist comparable to Robert Goddard. Therefore, I started Just One Look with high hopes and I am pleased to say, I wasn’t disappointed. As I understand, this is one of Coben’s books which reads as a stand-alone story, rather than the continuation of one of his pivotal heros... read more
Dec 19, 2007
The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
The narrator of this story is Death. He (or she) thinks the fact that humans represent him with a scythe is amusing, he notices colours to keep him sane while he works, and he only wears a black cloak when it is cold. And it is Death who is charged with the responsibility of telling the story of Liesel Meminger, who arrives kicking and screaming at the house of the Hubermanns’ and learns to become a... read more
Dec 16, 2007
The Rosary Girls – Richard Montanari
The Rosary Girls is a very well written whodunnit introducing a gruesome murderer and two troubled, but likeable police detectives. Set in the crime-ridden city of Philadelphia, Detective Kevin Byrne – police veteran with a damaged life, a near death experience and a whole lot of anger is partnered with Jessica Balzano, young, pretty and a champion featherweight female boxer. On the first day of... read more
Dec 14, 2007
Silent in the Grave – Deanna Raybourn
“To say that I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband’s dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor…” And thus opens a simply marvellous murder mystery set in late nineteenth century London, and the introduction of Lady Julia Grey, a feisty, witty and intelligent woman with a sometimes dangerous curiosity and an unconventional... read more
Dec 13, 2007
The Devil’s Companions – John Misto
I find it fascinating to try and determine what it is that makes a book well written and what it is that makes it poor. Is it the characterisation? The storyline? The plot? The twist at the end? Or is it just the difference between a good writer and a not so good one? Unfortunately, The Devil’s Companions fell firmly into the latter camp. It just wasn’t worth the read. The book was supposed to... read more
Dec 11, 2007
Birdsong – Sebastian Faulks
In some ways, it is difficult to write a review of this book. It was so well written, so graphic, so poignant and so descriptive, but ended so poorly, I almost wish I had put it down 15 pages before the end and left it at that. I am not sure what it is with Sebastian Faulks. I felt the same disappointment when I read Charlotte Grey – for some reason his endings are the weakest part of his novels,... read more
