Don't Let Go

I enjoyed Don't Let Go by Harlan Coben which is set in a small town in America.  Police Officer, Nap Dumas, investigates the apparent suicide of his brother Leo 15 years earlier.  Too many coincidences lead him to new information and clues about what happened.  Lots of twists to keep readers interested. 4/5

Bridge of Clay

I enjoyed Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak (author of The Book Thief).  The story is set in a Sydney suburb and a property in the country, west of Sydney.  The narrator is Matthew, the eldest of five boys.  He tells the story of his parents and much of the story is about his brother Clay.  It's about men and boys dealing with tragedy.  Clay moves to his father's property west of their family home.  Together Clay and his father build a bridge which helps them heal.  The story has a slow start, but persevere.  This a big beautifully written book. 41/2/5

Scrublands

I enjoyed Scrublands by Chris Hammer which is set in a small outback town "west of Sydney."  Journalist, Martin Scarsden, arrives in the town to follow up on how the town is coping one year after their priest shot five parishioners.  Martin meets a young mother who runs a bookshop/cafe and learns more about the townspeople.  There are a number of interesting characters and Martin discovers some shocking information about the priest and those he killed.  There is a lot going on in the town beneath the surface.  He ends up with a more compelling story than the one he was sent to write. 4/5

Boy Swallows Universe

I very much enjoyed Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton who used to write for the Courier-Mail weekend paper before he moved to Sydney.  The story is narrated by Eli Bell who lives with his older brother August, his mother, and his step-father in south-west Brisbane.  His family gets a little too close to some really bad people and there are consequences.  Eli is infatuated with a young reporter for a local paper and he hopes one day to be a crime reporter for the Courier-Mail.  Trent Dalton has fleshed out some wonderful characters in this story - the good and the bad.  After watching video interviews with him, we understand more about them.  I loved this book. 5/5

Crime Club Christmas Lunch

We had a very enjoyable lunch at the Monier Tavern yesterday.  It was a good turnout.  We had a good time talking and eating delicious and well-presented food in a great venue.  We have a little Christmas tradition where we bring along a Christmas wrapped book (pre-loved or not) and make a colourful pile in the middle of the table (forgot to photograph that).  Then we "pass the parcel" around the table till we've all got a wrapped book.  I was very happy to receive Markus Zusak's new book Bridge of Clay.  Another member had her book inside a beautiful hand crafted book bag which had been made by one of our clever members.  We were all very pleased with our new books and look forward to

getting together again in 2019.

The Lost Man

I very much enjoyed The Lost Man by Jane Harper, another fine piece of storytelling by this author.  The story opens with the horrific death of a man in the desert at "The Stockman's Grave".  We then learn who he was and his family is at a loss to understand how he could have died there.  He has an older brother Nathan who owns an adjacent property.  Nathan and his son Xander are staying at the family property for Christmas. The family and police are at a loss to determine the circumstances which led to the death in the desert.  As Nathan explores possibilities, he soon learns that he didn't know his brother well at all.  A good mystery set amidst the harsh outback.  Harper makes you feel the heat and desert sand.  41/2/5

The Music Shop

I enjoyed The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce which is set in England mainly in 1988.  Frank owns a music shop which is stocked with only vinyl.  He refuses to have CDs in his shop.  Frank has an extensive knowledge of music passed to him from his mother.  He has an uncanny knack of knowing which music a customer needs to hear.  One day Ilse, a lovely woman in a green coat visiting from Austria sees the shop and Frank.  From there the story continues as Frank gives Ilse weekly "music lessons" introducing her to the classic pieces that are essential to know about.  Here is the playlist.  There are some great characters in this story.  This is another lovely book by the author who also gave us the delightful The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy.  Enjoy. 4/5

Together

I enjoyed Together by Julie Cohen which is a love story set in Maine in the USA.  The two main characters are Robbie and Emily and the story is told backwards, which is quite unusual.  The end begins in 2016 when Robbie makes a very difficult decision.  Then we see where the couple is in 1990, then in 1975 and the beginning in 1962.  As we read the story, we discover that they share a terrible secret which has had a huge impact on their lives and the lives of their extended family.  We wonder what could be so bad that they have been treated by their family this way.  The reason is finally revealed and it was a shock (extra 1/2 star) just for that.  I didn't see that coming. 41/2/5

Wild Fire

I enjoyed Wild Fire by Ann Cleeves but was disappointed to learn this is her last Jimmy Perez mystery.  A young woman is murdered and there are a number of suspects.  "Newcomers" move in to an old house and renovate it.  The family is treated with suspicion when two bodies are found on their property.  Jimmy's boss, Willow has some news for him which he doesn't take very well at first.  They continue with their investigation amid an underlying tension between them.  A good mystery. 4/5

Any Ordinary Day

I enjoyed Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales which is a book of interviews Sales has conducted with various people who have experienced terrible experiences in their lives.  Many of the names are recognisable including Walter Mikac, James Scott, and Stuart Diver.  They and others interviewed were involved in major dramas that changed their lives. "Any ordinary day" any one of us could be involved in a terrible tragedy or one that happens to people we love.  In either case we will be changed.  No one is immune.  We can't think - that happens to other people, not to me.  Sometimes we are the "other people".  How we respond to a new life challenge will determine how we live in the future.  I found the book very interesting and thought provoking.  Recommended. 4/5

November Book Club

We enjoyed our last Book Club meeting for the year last Monday evening.  This year has flown by, but I say that every year.  I remember waiting for months for our holiday in Alaska and Canada, seemed to take forever, and now it's over, left with memories and photographs.  Our host on Monday  provided a great Christmas themed supper which was delicious.  We always want
her recipes.  The lemon cake is on my list to make.  She always has gorgeous tea cosies.  As most of us were at the meeting, one absentee, we had a good time talking about everything, as well as the
wonderful books we've read.  Our host bought a number of great new books and we've got enough to see us through the Christmas/
New Year break.  We hope not to get to that sorry state of having nothing to read. We'll look forward to our Christmas lunch.  Happy Reading!!

Full Bore

I enjoyed Full Bore by William McInnes which is a collection of short stories based on his life.  He is very amusing as he "rambles" on about different events and what it means to be an "Aussie bloke".  He speaks fondly of his upbringing at Redcliffe and attending the HumpyBong primary school.  I found the stories about breakfast cereals, particularly Rice Bubbles, very funny.  I enjoy his self-deprecating humour. 4/5

Before the Fall

I enjoyed this story Before the Fall by Noah Hawley which is set on the east coast of USA.  I read it on Amazon Kindle while on holiday.  A small plane crashes into the sea and there are only two survivors.  Nine die, one of them a billionaire businessman.  The story gives us details about what happened after the crash then the investigation continues, plane parts and bodies recovered are examined as speculations grows about what could have happened.  We learn the back stories of the individuals on the plane.  Eventually, the full horror of what happened is revealed with the recovery of the black box. Recommended. 4/5

The Clockmaker's Daughter

I enjoyed The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton which is set in a few different time periods in an English country home.  A young London archivist, Elodie, discovers material in a leather satchel and tries to discover its origins and the story behind the artwork within it.  The story surrounds one country home which at different times was home to a number of people.  There was a mysterious gathering at the home in 1862 which has a lasting impact on some who were there.  There are several voices who speak to the reader in this story, including the most mysterious one who is revealed towards the end of the story.  I have enjoyed all Kate Morton's books but I think this one was unnecessarily long.  4/5

October Book Club

I had just returned from a fabulous holiday in Alaska and Canada.  Other members were away this month on holidays.  We had a lovely meeting our our host's home.  Always good to catch up with everyone.  Our host bought some great new books and I have a few books to read for the month.  We had a delicious supper in very pleasant surroundings.

Thanks to our host and also thanks to another member for taking me there.

Normal People

I've read Normal People by Sally Rooney which is set in Ireland.  This is a love story.  Connell and Marianne are at school together.  Connell's mother is Marianne's mother's cleaner.  So they are very different in socio-economic terms.  They go to university and remain friends while they each have other lovers. There is no punctuated dialogue but the story still flows. 3/5

The Choke

I enjoyed The Choke by Sofie Laguna which is set in a small town on the Murray River.  Justine lives with her grandfather, "Pop" as her parents went their separate ways and she only occasionally has her father visit.  Justine is shy and doesn't really have any friends.  One day when her father is visiting he takes her to "visit" a former girlfriend and something happens which adds to a long-term feud with that girl's family.  This later has serious ramifications for Justine. 4/5

Ginny Moon

I enjoyed Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig which I read on my Kindle app. while overseas recently.  The author has experience with autistic children and the narrator in this story an autistic 14-year-old.  Ginny had a traumatic childhood and was removed from her mother four years before.  She has been in a few foster homes and the story has her with a couple who want to adopt her.  They have some reservations about her behaviour when the foster mother becomes pregnant.  Eventually Ginny's behaviour is understood and the story continues.  I found it interesting being "inside Ginny's head". 31/2/5

The Lie of the Land

I enjoyed The Lie of the Land by Amanda Craig which is set mainly in the English countryside.  A woman moves there with her children while waiting for their house in London to sell so she can divorce her philandering husband.  There is a mystery surrounding the property as they learn the reason for the cheap rent.  A murder took place there and the killer has not been identified.  There are interesting characters in this small village including the landlord ageing rock star.  Twist at the end. 4/5

A Gentleman in Moscow

I very much enjoyed A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.  In the early 1920s in Moscow, Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to remain in the Hotel Metropol for life but not in his usual room.  He is taken to an attic room which he eventually makes comfortable for himself.  There are some great characters in the hotel and the Count is the most interesting of them all.  He meets and sees many people come and go in the hotel.  A young girl has an impact on his life and the story takes a new turn.  Highly recommended. 5/5

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

I very much enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman which is set in Glasgow. Eleanor is a great character, very likeable and it is very interesting to watch her develop in the story as she breaks free from her self-imposed constraints.  She had a terrible childhood which we gradually learn about.  Her life changes when she and a work colleague help a stranger who collapses in the street.  Beautifully written, a delightful book. 5/5

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart

I read The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland which is set in Australia.  Alice grows up with her violent father and her mother who tries to keep the peace in their insular household.  Alice doesn't go to school, she doesn't leave her family property.  When tragedy strikes, Alice is sent to live with her grandmother on an unusual flower farm.  Alice is taught that flowers have meanings.  She grows up on the farm and then story is about her life there and living with the ghosts of the past.  31/2/5

The Nowhere Child

I very much enjoyed The Nowhere Child by Christian White, an Australian author's first book.  In Melbourne a young woman, Kim, is confronted by a man, who believes she is his sister who was abducted 28 years before in Kentucky.  At first Kim is sceptical but then agrees to travel with her "brother" to the town from where the child was abducted.  The story is well told.  In alternating chapters, we have the "Now" and the "Then" where the reader learns the story of the abduction in the "Then" chapters and what is happening as the story unfolds in the "Now" chapters.  This was a good writing device, the "Now" told by Kim and the "Then" in the third person.  Is Kim really the abducted child and if so, why?  Highly recommended. 5/5

The Other Wife

I enjoyed The Other Wife by Michael Robotham which is set in England.  Joe O'Loughlin is called to his father William's hospital bed to learn he has been seriously assaulted. By William's bedside is a woman Joe has never met before.  She claims to be William's "second wife".  Joe tries to discover what has happened.  Who has assaulted William?  Who is this woman with him?  Everything Joe thought he knew about his father comes into question as he tries to discover the truth. 4/5

The Couple Next Door

I enjoyed The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena which is set in New York.  A couple, Marco and Anne, live in a terrace house and go to dinner with the couple next door, Cynthia and Graham.  They leave their baby, Cora, in her cot and take their baby monitor with them to the dinner party.  They also check on Cora every half hour.  Of course, the inevitable happens.  Anne's parents are quite wealthy and they have never liked Marco. He wasn't good enough for their daughter.  The story is played out as we eventually learn what happened to Cora.  31/2/5

Idaho

I've read Idaho by Emily Ruskovich which is set in (where else?) Idaho. The story is told in many different time periods, starting with 2004 when Ann has been married to Wade for eight years.  Ann looks back at the past when she was a piano teacher back when Wade was married to Jenny until a terrible tragedy ended that relationship.  The story of the tragedy is told in snippets throughout the book until it ends in 2025.  The writing in this book is beautiful, sometimes poetic but it is let down by the story.  It is not clear to the reader what actually happened on that terrible day. 3/5

August Book Club

Had a lovely evening for our Book Club last Monday.  This meeting all members were present which is unusual as our ladies love to travel and at least a few are usually absent in another part of the world.  Our host has bought a number of great books which I'll look forward to reading.  It was good to chat with the ladies and enjoy our host's delicious supper.  We've all read some terrific books in the last month.

 

The Last Painting of Sara De Vos

I very much enjoyed The Last Painting of Sara De Vos by Dominic Smith which is set in three time periods.  In 1957 New York a 17th century painting is forged and stolen, substituted for the original. The forger, Ellie, a young Australian artist is paid well to make the forged copy.  In 1631 Amsterdam the artist, Sara de Vos is struggling with her life and trying to make a living with her art.  In 2000 Sydney Ellie is now a well-respected academic in the art world, specialising in Dutch female painters. She is expecting a reunion with the owner of the forged painting.  The story tells a lot about the art world and how paintings are made or forged.  The writing is excellent and the characters well defined.  Highly recommended. 5/5

The Child

I very much enjoyed The Child by Fiona Barton which is set in England.  The remains of an infant are found on a building site of a new housing development.  Police and journalist, Kate, believe there may be a connection with the disappearance of a baby from a hospital decades ago.  We see the story develop from the different perspectives of the main characters in their own chapters.  Angela, whose baby was abducted; Kate, the journalist who pursues the story; Emma, a young woman with a mysterious past; Jude, Emma's mother, who seemed blind to Emma's pain.  It's takes a long time to realise the truth as the reader follows the investigation.  Recommended. 41/2/5

Lost for Words

I enjoyed Lost for Words by Stephanie Butland which is mainly set in a second-hand book shop - and don't we all love book shops!  Loveday Cardew works in a bookshop, the ideal job for her as she prefers books to people.  She is the narrator and we soon discover she has a mysterious past.  Part of that past is told in flashbacks.  In the present Loveday finds a book near a bus stop and puts a card in the window of the book shop saying it's been found.  The result is inevitable and life-changing for Loveday.  Her boss is a great character who had taken Loveday under his wing.  It's a lovely story. Recommended. 4/5

Little Fires Everywhere

I very much enjoyed Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng which is set in Cleveland in the 1990s.  A single mother, Mia, and her teenage daughter, Pearl, move in to a rental property owned by the Richardson family.  They are the "perfect" family living in the "perfect" home - mother, father, two teenage sons, two teenage daughters.  The families become enmeshed in each other's lives.  Mia and Pearl have never stayed long wherever they've lived but seem more "settled" this time.  However, without intending to, they stir things up for this "perfect" family.  Highly recommended. 41/2/5

The Woman in the Window

I very much enjoyed The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn which is set New York.  Anna, an agoraphobic and alcoholic, lives alone in her New York home.  She has not left her home for months.  She spies on her neighbours, watching them through her telephoto lens.  A new family moves in across a park from her - man, woman and teenage son.  Shortly after Anna witnesses, or thinks she witnesses the murder of the woman.  The police get involved.  This is a suspenseful story with many twists, a "page turner".  Highly recommended. 41/2/5

Our House

I enjoyed Our House by Louise Candlish which is set not far from London. Fi Lawson returns to her house to find a removalist truck outside and a couple she's never met moving in to her house.  All her furniture and effects are no longer in her house.  She struggles to make sense of what's going on.  Her story is told in the form of a podcast transcript.  Fi's husband, Bram, is nowhere to be found.  Her young sons are staying at Bram's mother's house.  Bram's story is told in the form of a Word document which chronicles the events leading up to removalists outside their house.  A really intriguing story.  4/5

July Book Club

It's almost a week since our July Book Club which wasn't far from my place.  There were only a couple missing this month.  One is cruising in the Baltic and another had overseas visitors.  So it was a good turnout.  Lots to talk about (including books we'd read).  Thanks to our host we had a delicious supper and we've got some fabulous new books.  I've grabbed some good ones.  You can't wait to dive in to them, then disappointing when you run out.  

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper

I enjoyed The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick which is set in England.  Arthur is recently widowed and misses his wife, Miriam.  He has a strict routine and keeps himself busy so he doesn't have too much to time to dwell on his circumstances.  It is the first anniversary of Miriam's death and Arthur decides to clean out her wardrobe.  He discovers a gold bracelet hidden in a shoe.  Arthur has never seen Miriam wear this bracelet in their 40 year marriage.  The bracelet has a number of charms on it including a tiger, elephant, book and heart.  Arthur is curious to discover the story behind each of the charms and in doing so, he learns more about Miriam's life before Arthur.  He meets new people, does new things and sees new places.  This is a sweet story. 4/5