The Impossible Dead

I enjoyed The Impossible Dead by Ian Rankin which is the second in his new Malcolm Fox series.  Fox is a detective who works with Complaints investigating other police who have done "the wrong thing".  While investigating a policeman convicted of sexually assaulting female prisoners, the uncle of that policeman is murdered.  Fox had met the uncle and learned he was investigating the mysterious death of a lawyer who died 30 years previously.  As he digs deeper into both deaths he discovers links with a radical group who had campaigned for Scottish independence.  4/5

Never Short of a Word

I very much enjoyed this "slim volume" Never Short of a Word by Warwick Hadfield, a witty Radio National sports commentator. He's published this book to mark his 60th birthday filling it with short stories, a transcript of one of his broadcasts and some of the columns he wrote for newspapers, poetry and song lyrics.  He has chosen his selection well as they show humour, poignancy, human interest, some wisdom and philosophy as he looks back on a satisfying life while discussing those from who he has learned.  These include his father (a World War II veteran), Kevin Sheedy and David Boon.  I share the author's interest in those who fought in the Wars, as well as his love for books, the pun and Oscar Wilde. This is a delightful little book. 41/2/5

The Bat

I enjoyed The Bat by Jo Nesbo which is the first in the Harry Hole series.  It was written in 1997 but only recently translated.  We began reading the series with The Redbreast (translated in 2006) which had some references to Hole solving a serial killer case in Sydney.  Six books later we return to the first story.  He is a Norwegian detective and he's sent to Sydney to liaise with detectives investigating the murder of a young female  Norwegian TV personality.  He is teamed up with an aboriginal detective, Andrew, who shows him around.  There is also a romantic interest as Harry starts dating a Swedish girl who worked at the same bar as the murdered the Norwegian girl.  There are a number of twists and turns along the way, and as is typically Jo Nesbo, some are quite ugly.  The book, particularly at first has a number of Australian cliches which may grate, but bearing in mind the story was originally for a Norwegian readership it likely educated them (and now us) about some Australian history. 4/5

Farewell Dear People

This book Farewell Dear People by Ross McMullin made for sombre reading as the author tells the biographies of 10 young men of "Australia's lost generation" who died in World War I.  Its 534 pages are well researched accompanied by great photographs.  These particular 10 men epitomise Australia's loss and show how they might have further contributed to Australia's growth as a nation.  McMullin has emphasized these men should not be forgotten, as they are not well known in our history but they are well memoralised in this book.  Each of these 10 men had an exceptional talent and their death meant a loss to their families, the community and the nation.  After reading the first biography of Geoff McCrae, the author's intent is clear.  He gives us a complete biography of each man, building up a picture of his character and his contribution so we know him well.  When he is killed at Gallipoli  or the Western Front, the reader feels the loss.  This is exacerbated as these men mostly die through the incompetence of their superiors in sending them to a futile death. The most well known example is shown in the movie "Gallipoli", which was based on the death of Wilfred Harper. These biographies are very interesting.  They range from stories about sportsmen, a winemaker, an engineer who accompanied Mawson to Antarctica, a medical scientist, Rhodes scholar and career soldier. For those with an interest in World War I history, this is highly recommended. 5/5

The Shadow Girls

This well-written story The Shadow Girls by Henning Mankell highlights the plight of refugees fleeing a past which has no hope and trying to find a life worth living in Sweden.  The story (published in Sweden in 2001) has only recently been translated into English.  Jesper Humlin a celebrated poet is having financial problems as his investments crash and his latest book of poems is not selling well.  His agent tries to persuade him to write a crime novel as this popular genre would make him a lot of money.  While on a book signing tour to promote his latest poetry book he meets three women who make a big impression on him as he learns their stories.  He is convinced theirs is the story he wants to tell as they are stories unknown to the general public because the women must remain hidden to avoid deportation. There is humour and poignancy in the telling of this story and shows the desperate lengths some will go to, those that retain the will to survive while others don't.  Very thought provoking. 41/2/5

Standing in Another Man's Grave

I quite enjoyed the return of Rebus in Standing in Another Man's Grave by Ian Rankin.  Rebus was "pensioned off" from the regular police force and in this book he's working in a cold case unit, which employs retired police.  He is approached by a woman whose daughter went missing many years previously and there was a recent disappearance in the same area.  Rebus investigates and finds there are other young woman who have also disappeared in that area, so wangles his way in to the current investigation, teaming up again with Siobhan Clarke.  She has moved up since Rebus' retirement but they work well together to help solve these cases.  Rebus' methods are unconventional and attract unwelcome attention, but he get's the job done.  He's a very familiar character, smokes and drinks too much. Good read. 4/5