Karen Chisholm
This seems to have been lurking in the shelves for a while. I really should tidy up more frequently.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
Number 1 read from the long weekend we granted ourselves. A thriller, set in Canberra. Very realistic (and that's even allowing for a bit of wish fulfilment hereabouts).
From the Blurb:
Fast-paced Australian political fiction, Challenge unfolds over three days in an atmosphere of treachery and deceit, amid a looming federal leadership challenge.
Karen Chisholm
Another from the long weekend break.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
A favourite series that I'm out of order and all over the place with - but sick of waiting until I get it sorted. I'm now reading whichever one comes to hand from Mt TBR.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
I've got a lot staked on the final line of the blurb: "And it explains the one lie that binds them all – sex." Otherwise it's feeling a lot like a tawdry gossip at the moment.
From the Blurb:
Between the sheets with Australia's powerful, rich and famous
Karen Chisholm
Now we've planted plenty of trees on the final resting place of beloved animals / chooks etc - but this is a different slant. As you'd expect from a Nell Forrest book.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
Not crime, unless you regard some of the things that ASIO got up to as criminal, as opposed to ridiculous....
From the Blurb:
In this moving, funny and sometimes chilling book, leading Australians open their ASIO files and read what the state's security apparatus said about them. Writers from across the political spectrum including Mark Aarons, Phillip Adams, Nadia Wheatley, Michael Kirby, Peter Cundall, Gary Foley and Anne Summers confront – and in some cases reclaim – their pasts.
Karen Chisholm
Book 2 of the over the holiday's reading - not one for fans of cozies....
From the Blurb:
Detective Gabriella Versado has seen a lot of bodies. But this one is unique even by Detroit's standards; half-boy, half-deer, somehow fused. The cops nickname him "Bambi," but as stranger and more disturbing bodies are discovered, how can the city hold on to a reality that is already tearing at its seams?
Karen Chisholm
Holiday reading thriller which was badly overdue, and a pleasure to finally get to.
From the Blurb:
The terror cells have been activated and elite bombers from ETA and the Real IRA are already making their move, intent on using a device that will cause carnage on an unimaginable scale…
Karen Chisholm
Another holiday week read.
From the Blurb:
I haven't touched a human in three years. That seems like it would be a difficult task, but it's not. Not anymore, thanks to the internet.
I am, quite possibly, the most popular recluse ever. Not many shut-ins have a 200-member fan club, a bank account in the seven-figure range, and hundreds of men lining up to pay for undivided attention.
They get satisfaction, I get a distraction. Their secret desires are nothing compared to why I hide... my lust for blood, my love of death.
Karen Chisholm
I've had a week off work and did a spot of reading catchup - so now I'm doing a spot of posting catchup, which will be followed by a spot of reviewing catchup. But the best thing was a chance to read this departure from the expected from Adrian McKinty.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
With hindsight possibly not a good choice right after a non-fiction book about the "war on terror"... a thriller set right in the middle of that territory :)
From the Blurb:
A nuclear device the size of a briefcase has been developed in Pakistan. The scientist responsible has disappeared with it. The CIA believes the target is on US soil.
Karen Chisholm
Sometimes you can only put off the inevitable for so long. In one way I've dreading reading this book. Even knowing there's a spinoff series which I ABSOLUTELY MUST GET TO, it's still the end of an era and I've loved the Faraday / Winter books so much.
From the Blurb:
As ex-drug baron Bazza Mackenzie runs for parliament, ex-cop Paul Winter knows that his time with Bazza must, at whatever cost, come to an end, in the 12th in this highly acclaimed series of police procedurals
Karen Chisholm
Been hoarding this one a little bit - as the published date is the 1st November and it doesn't seem fair to get everyone excited too far out :)
From the Blurb:
The black sheep of a wealthy grazier dynasty, gentleman artist Rowland Sinclair often takes matters into his own hands. When the matter is murder, there are consequences.
For nearly fourteen years, Rowland has tried to gorget, but now the past has returned.
A newly-discovered gun casts light on a family secret long kept... a murder the Sinclairs would prefer stayed unsolved.
Karen Chisholm
If ever there was a book that you'd want to be fiction, if there could have been a reason for even less respect for the Howard Government and the purposeful devaluation of the political process... well.
From the Blurb:
On a beautiful, balmy evening in Cuba in 2007, David Hicks walked out of Guantanamo Bay, in that moment ceasing to be a detainee of the United States and regaining his rights as an Australian citizen. Watching on was the man who had fought for four long years for Hicks's right to go home: Major Michael Mori.
Karen Chisholm
A new book out of WA - there's something in the water over there.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
4 novellas in one, with (not surprisingly) Cars and Girls as the central themes, although sex and violence also get a big outing.
From the Blurb:
Bad things happen. Everybody dies. But the girl in the red dress kicks against the pricks. Four merciless and compelling stories by emerging writers from Canada, the UK, and USA.
From behind the wheel of her father's lovingly restored Barracuda, a waitress will protect her baby sister at all costs.
Karen Chisholm
Should have got a lot of things done over the weekend. Couldn't put this down instead.
From the Blurb:
Dirty Cops. Lying Politicians. Vampire Gigolos . . . An Unbelievable True Story.
Karen Chisholm
Right, so I'm a rev-head and a massive fan of the yearly Mount Panorama race. So the opening sequence of QUICK not only appealed, it works. It describes the action on one of those mad opening laps like you were there.
From the Blurb:
Strap in for a breathtaking, tyre-peeling, high-octane adventure ride by rising star of action trillers.
Karen Chisholm
Another New Zealander writing crime fiction - this time set in Turangi, featuring the beautiful Tongariro River and fly fishing. Honestly!
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
Over the weekend I found it very difficult to put this one down.
From the Blurb:
Criminal, murderer, raconteur, author . . . mythmaker?
Mark Brandon 'Chopper' Read is undoubtedly Australia's best-known criminal. Author of many bestselling books about the underworld he inhabited, and subject of a smash-hit film, his story has become part of the country's culture. And Read certainly knew how to spin a yarn.
Karen Chisholm
Disclosure Number 1: I'm a Clan Destine Minion. Disclosure Number 2: I got to read this when it was a submission. Disclosure Number 3: I barracked a lot for us to publish this. Loudly. Ask Lindy. I think I might have pleaded.
From the Blurb:
Picturesque Daylesford has a darker side.
Melbourne writer Georgie Harvey heads to the mineral springs region of central Victoria to look for a missing farmer.
Karen Chisholm
Have been lucky enough to read a few of the books from Le French Book - French crime fiction translated and they have all been different and really interesting - so looking forward to this police procedural styled story.
From the Blurb:
Winner of France's prestigious Prix du Quai des Orfèvres prize for best crime fiction, named Best Crime Fiction Novel of the Year, and already an international bestseller with over 150,000 copies sold.
Karen Chisholm
Second in the Lexie Rogers series from ex-cop Karen Davis.
From the Blurb:
A young nurse’s body is found at Clovelly Beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Apart from a puncture wound in her neck, she is in perfect condition. But she’s also clutching a rose in her hands – and there’s an empty packet of prescription drugs in her pocket.
Karen Chisholm
Having first come across the author when he was known as "The Honest Conman" talking on ABC Regional Radio - I'm going to take a guess at the idea he might know what he's talking about here.
From the Blurb:
Friendship and fraud is a dangerous mix
Joel Fitch has watched every twist-happy movie there is about con men, and he thinks he knows it all. After nineteen years of being a sucker, Joel’s going to take everything he’s learned from the screen and finally get his. He’s going to be a master con artist.
Karen Chisholm
Still catching up with some excellent local books - it's so exciting to think that no matter HOW many good books I read, there are more piling up.
From the Blurb:
It was a butcher on smoko who reported the man stashing the kid in the car boot. He didn't really know whether he'd seen anything at all, though. Maybe an abduction? Maybe just a stressed-out father.
Karen Chisholm
Did some reading over the weekend - in the sun - worse ways to spend a day.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
And Sunday evening saw this book started.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
1920's India, written by an author with a most interesting background (and a love of cricket?)
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
Spent the weekend in exotic places - firstly with the great characters in the first Mason & Dixie thriller set in Bangkok.
From the Blurb:
In Bangkok anything – or anyone – can be had for a price.
Karen Chisholm
Yes, I'm reading a crime fiction / science fiction cross genre novel. It happens.
From the Blurb:
SOCIETY IS DIVIDED. Silicon Valley has taken virtual sex to the extreme, encouraging men to act out their darkest and most violent sexual fantasies. Militant feminists and churches are bitterly opposed. Powerful corporations battle for market control. In the midst of a fierce protest campaign, a bomb goes off in San Francisco.
Karen Chisholm
The first in the Diane Rowe series, read second of course. I think this might be my "thing". Never ever ever getting my act together well enoug to read a series in order.
From the Blurb:
"A detective as tough as the country she comes from..."
Missing persons expert Diane Rowe is used to making sense of other people's lives. It's just a pity she's not having much luck with her own.
Karen Chisholm
Something Andrew Nette mentioned in Bendigo a few weekends ago reminded me that I had this book on my tablet, and I'd started to read it and then got distracted. So now I'm very pleased to be revisiting some of the earlier stories, and finishing off the few I'd missed.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
New series, set in Amsterdam featuring, allegedly, the Dutch version of Rebus.
From the Blurb:
Introducing Inspector Jaap Rykel in a crime debut that does for Amsterdam what Rankin did for Edinburgh
A murdered policeman, a dead businessman hanging from a hook, a building burnt to the ground in an arson attack and a missing girl - identity unknown.
Karen Chisholm
I'd intended on doing a lot of work around the farm this weekend. Didn't. Read this instead (if you're noticing this Michael - read EVERY word :) )
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
The electrifying story of a criminal Quaker, a poisoned mistress, and the dawn of the information age in Victorian England.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
2014 Ned Kelly Shortlist was announced by ACWA tonight at the Bendigo Writers Festival. Full list is here: http://www.austcrimewriters.com/content/2014-ned-kelly-awards
Karen Chisholm
A project for Oxfam, OxCrimes is a collection of short stories from some of the very best crime fiction writers.
From the Blurb:
For 2014, Oxfam and Profile have turned to crime in order to raise a further £200,000 for Oxfam's work.
Karen Chisholm
FOUR OUTSTANDING novels have been announced as the finalists for the 2014 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel, which will be presented on 30 August following The Great New Zealand Crime Debate event at the WORD Christchurch Writers & Readers Festival. The Ngaio Marsh Award is made annually for the best crime, mystery, or thriller novel written by a New Zealand citizen or resident.
Karen Chisholm
The Ngaio Marsh Award are running a competition where readers around the world can go into the draw to win a personally signed copy of the eventual NM Award-winning novel. There are no geographic limits on the prize.
Karen Chisholm
So far I've read the second and now this - the third Sean Devereaux novel from NZ author Ben Sanders. Set in Auckland this is a fast paced, dry, very noir styled series.
From the Blurb:
When a failed witness protection operation ends in multiple homicides, evidence suggests the crime is linked to a series of violent robberies in Auckland City.
Karen Chisholm
I will admit to having been looking forward to this book immensely. So no pressure...
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
Not going to pretend that the sheer size of this is not making it a rather daunting undertaking.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
The Cleaner absolutely blew me away, and Joe Victim is a follow up to that book. Sounds good to me :)
From the Blurb:
Joe Middleton has a lot on his plate, to say the least. Arrested for a whole slew of murders he says he can’t remember, Joe—a.k.a. the Christchurch Carver—has been in jail for the last year awaiting trial, charged with the task of convincing the psychiatrists interviewing him that he wasn’t of sound mind and can’t be blamed for what he did. And, incredibly, that’s the least of his worries.
Karen Chisholm
Honestly, it does not matter how many books you read in the world, there always seems to be more that you should have read. Somehow I missed the first in this series so have some catching up to do - which I'm doing back to front and out of order, as usual.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
When you read a lot of books, the most frequent question you seem to get is "how do you manage to read so many books". The subtext obviously being either you're a speed reader, or you somehow don't have anything better to do. (You can tell from the look on the enquirer's face.) I'm not a speed reader by any means, but since childhood, coincidentally on a farm just outside Ballarat, I have been blessed with ability to stick my nose in a book and pretty well ignore everything else around me. And I do mean blessed.
Karen Chisholm
I've been very remiss with Paddy Richardson's books - I have quite a few of them in the shaky Mt TBR which obviously needs a darn good re-prioritising.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
It's been cold in these parts - so a good weekend for some reading.
From the Blurb:
Karen Chisholm
Spent last night chasing bulls, ducks and geese around in circles in the dark and the rain - so it was a relief to get back inside, in front of the fire and read something that is much better than the blurb indicates.
From the Blurb:
Tony is worried. His wife, Anna, isn't coping with their newborn. Anna had wanted a child so badly and, when Jack was born, they were both so happy. They'd come home from the hospital a family. Was it really only six weeks ago?
Karen Chisholm
Debut thriller from Australian based, New York born former violinist Diane Hester who now lives in Port Lincoln. Quite a bio :)
From the Blurb:
It's been two years since Shyler O'Neil's beloved son Jesse was killed - but his final moments are as vivid to her now as they were that dreadful day. Suffering from post-traumatic stress, and convinced she did not do enough to protect him, she retreats to an isolated cabin in the woods of northern Maine.
Karen Chisholm
An Australian thriller series of three books, The Purifier is the opening salvo.
From the Blurb:
The Purifier is the story of a fanatical priest with ideas of world dominance, and his two power hungry children.
The Purifier is Paavan Chandra, a priest who is excommunicated from the Zoroastrian Church and who founds his own religion in India which spreads his word around the globe. Paavan’s mission is to destroy capitalism, and to form world government.
Karen Chisholm
Over the weekend I managed to get some reading done for a change.. thankfully the bull stayed in his paddock, the cats didn't attempt any escape routines and the Guinea Fowl (mostly) stopped chasing the chooks around in circles. Don't ask what the sheep did - you can't win all of them.
From the Blurb:
Rachel Watts has just moved to Melbourne from the country, but the city is the last place she wants to be.
James Mycroft is her neighbour, an intriguingly troubled seventeen-year-old who is also a genius with a passion for forensics.
Karen Chisholm
It is always a good weekend when you get to dip into something unexpected from New Zealand.
From the Blurb:
When Johno comes out of prison, he resolves never to go back again. But his new life is not easy, especially as he soon finds himself in sole charge of his strange young son, Danny. Danny isn't the kind of son he would have chosen, but, in caring for the boy, Johno finds new meaning and new direction.
But what do you do when the world you've so carefully built comes crashing down? Can you ever escape your past?
Karen Chisholm
First for me, but fifth in the Wiki Coffin series, it's always a huge pleasure to get my hands on a book from New Zealand. To accompany it I'm having a bit of a flashback to my Dragon fandom days.
From the Blurb: