The Children of the King

London in 1940 and there is fear in the country that invasion by the German army is imminent. France is already under German control. Will England be next? Thousands of children are being sent from London to the countryside, and in some cases overseas, where it is hoped that they will be safe if the Germans start bombing England. Cecily Lockwood, aged 12 and her 14 year old brother, Jeremy, leave London with their mother to stay with their uncle at Heron Hall. The train taking the family to the north of England also carries many other children, evacuees from London. One of these evacuees, ten year old May Bright, is chosen to stay with the family.

While exploring the area, May and Cecily discover two boys dressed in strange clothes among the ruins of nearby Snow Castle. Later Cecily's Uncle Peregrine begins to provide installments of a legend from the area involving the life of Richard III and the political unrest and battles occuring in England at the time. Peregrine asks them to remember that the story, as well as the current events occuring during the war, is about Power.

Themes throughout the book include the effects of war on families and individuals, the class differences in England and that events from the past, especially the quest for power, keep occuring throughout the ages. The story about the Lockwood family is interspersed with chapters about events that may have happened 460 years earlier. Peregrine is careful to point out to the children that the full facts of what happened at that time are not known.

The Children of the King by Sonya Hartnett is the set book for English in my grand-daughter's year 8 class in 2023. The book contains many opportunities for discussion, particularly as the quest for political power over other countries continues today . 

The book was first published in 2012, the year that Richard III's body was discovered buried in a carpark. Therefore one of many of the legends about Richard III, that his remains were thrown in a river, has now been disproved. 

Exiles

In Exiles by Jane Harper, Aaron Falk is visiting friends in the wine region of South Australia where he has agreed to be godfather to their young son. The baptism had been postponed for twelve months when Kim, a family member, disappeared leaving her young baby in her pram in a car park. Kim was still missing a year later.

Six years earlier Dean Tozer had been killed in a hit and run accident while walking his dog near a reservoir. His body was found six months later but the case was never solved.

Aaron is a member of the Australian Federal Police investigating financial crime. Two of the guests at the house are also policemen so the inability for the local police to solve the disappearance of one person and the death of another in a small rural community is a topic of discussion. 

The Marralee Valley Food and Wine Festival is being held providing the opportunity to canvass whether anyone has new evidence, particularly regarding Kim's disappearance. Kim's daughter, Zara, and Dean's son, Joel, have joined forces to try and discover what happened to their parents and why.

As family members arrive for the baptism, Aaron tries to analyse who may be withholding relevant information. He and another policeman, Greg Raco, go over what is known in an attempt to discover new information. They come to the conclusion - We see what we expect to see. Someone knows what happened and has misdirected police. What is the true story and what really happened to Kim?

Jane Harper has provided a slow moving description of a family living in a small rural community. The novel explores family dynamics and the unease that can exist in family relationships. The environment also has a powerful influence in the novel.

In Marralee Aaron renews his frienship with Gemma Tozer and is faced with a life changing decision. Another Australian novel well worth reading.

Shortlisted for the 2023 Australian Book Industry Awards - General Fiction

The Death of Remembrance

The tenth volume in the DCI Daley series by Denzil Meyrick does not disappoint. In The Death of Remembrance events encountered in the past of Jim Daley and Brian Scott in Glasgow impact once again on their lives in the small community of Kinloch.

Brian Scott has started drinking again and finds himself in a brawl in the local pub. This results in his suspension from the police force while his conduct is investigated. Later, Brian remembers that he recognised a person from his past in the pub that night - Hugh Machie who had been involved in a Glasgow crime syndicate. Unfortunately, when he tells James Daley about seeing Machie the report of the sighting is ignored due to Brian's condition at the time.

Shreya Dhar is sent to Kinloch to assist DCI Daley while Brian is out of action. She is also interested in investigating Ian Macmillan. a Canadian who may have criminal links. Hamish is convinced that Macmillan was behind the death of his friend Annie and informs James Daley of his visions. 

Chapters in the book include flashbacks to the Glasgow crime scene from the late 1970s and its connections to the police force. References to some of these events have occurred in earlier books but more detail is provided in this novel. With Hugh Machie being the last of the syndicate alive what remembrance is going to remain of the reign of the Machie family.

Like the other books in this series of tartan noir, a feature of the novel is the description of the characters, their strengths, weaknesses and challenges as well as the community of Kinloch.

Dashing through the Snowbirds

Christmas is fast approaching so why not read a Christmas themed crime book and enjoy the company of Meg Langslow and her family and friends once again. Dashing through the Snowbirds is the 32nd book in the Meg Langslow Mystery series and the sixth book in the series with a Christmas theme.

Just before Christmas a team of Canadian forensic genealogists arrive at Caerphilly to work on a project with the Mutant Wizards, a company owned by Meg's brother. The Canadians are resident at Meg and Michael's home as well as some members of Meg's extended family. It is therefore full house. Meanwhile Meg's father is working on a surprise for the family, the construction of an an ice rink in a nearby paddock.

Unfortunately the leader of the Canadian team has a number of enemies and when he is found murdered there are many possible suspects to be investigated. Fortunately all is resolved so that all the family can enjoy a white Christmas with enough snow for sleigh rides by the end of the book. Donna Andrews has provided another fun read for the Christmas season.

Three Pines

Last night I watched the first two episodes of Three Pines, a television series based on the novels by Louise Penny. The first two episodes were based on the second novel in the series, A Fatal Grace also published under the title Dead Cold.

When C C de Poitiers is murdered at Three Pines, Chief Inspector Gamache and his team discover that she has many enemies as they investigate her murder. Set in Quebec in Canada in the middle of winter the two TV episodes that tell the story also investigate the fate of a young indigenous girl who has disappeared. The episode gradually introduces the viewers to some of the main characters in the books including Armand Gamache, Jean Guy Beauvoir, Isabelle Lacoste, Ruth and the other characters that inhabit the village of Three Pines. No doubt we shall see more of them in coming episodes.

Three Pines puts a darker lens on Louise Penny Series - Crime Reads

Episodes 3 and 4 are based on The Cruellest Month, the third novel in the Armand Gamache Mystery series by Louise Penny. Armand Gamache and his team investigate the disappearance of a man last seen in the former home for indigenous children in Three Pines. They eventually locate his body hidden in the basement of the former school. The history of mistreatment of children attending the school is uncovered as police investigate the murder. Armand and Isabelle continue their investigations (from the previous episodes) into the disappearance of an another girl.

Episodes 5 and 6 are based on A Rule Against Murder, the fourth novel in the Armand Gamanche Mystery series. Armand Nad his wife are celebrating their wedding anniversary at a hotel when a body is found. The hotel is owned by members of the Morrow family. Meanwhile investigations continue into the disappearance of the missing indigenous girl, Blue. The young man who has been helping Isabelle Lacoste with the enquiries is found dead.

Episodes 7 and 8 are entitled The Hangman. A man visiting the village is found hanged in the nearby forest. He had previously accused residents of Three Pines of hiding a secret. When the bodies of two young people are found in the forrest, Armand and his team discover police involvement in their deaths.

Three Pines was a gripping series to watch however the portrayal of the residents of Three Pines, a focal point of the novels, was missing from the television series. Aspects from plots of the early novels were included with the running story of the mistreatment of indigenous Canadians - a plotline created for the television series. The series was worth watching but to fully appreciate the atmosphere of the community of Three Pines you need to read the novels.

Going Rogue

Going Rogue by Janet Evanovich is number 29 in the Stephanie Plum series. Stephanie arrives at the office to discover that Connie is not there and is not answering Stephanie's calls. Connie's mother confirms that Connie left for work so where is she? Lula arrives and does not know where Connie is either. Then Stephanie receives a call demanding that a coin given to Vinnie as collateral for bail be handed over in return for Connie who has been kidnapped. The man who originally owned the coin has been murdered and Vinnie has lost the coin. The hunt is therefore on to locate the coin and to to find those responsible for kidnapping Connie.

Assistance in the hunt is provided by Lula, Grandma Mazur, Ranger and and his team and also Morelli. Lots of action, lots of humour throughout the book as the Stephanie and Co. hunt for the kidnappers and also persuade a few bail absconders to apply for a new trial date. Another entertaining read from Janet Evanovich.

The Museum of Modern Love

The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose is a work of fiction based around an exhibition, The Artist is Present, at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2010. For seventy-five days Marina Abromovic sat in a chair facing a member of the audience while other audience members watched. People queued for hours for the experience of silence with the artist.

In the novel the author examines the lives and reactions to the exhibition of a group people facing loss and or challenges in their lives. It shows how art in its various forms can affect people's lives and perhaps reconsider their actions. It is also a story about love.

 Wikipedia article about Marina Abramovic

The Book-seller's Apprentice

Set in 1871 The Book-seller's Apprentice by Amelia Mellor is the prequel to The Grandest Bookshop in the World.  Twelve year old Billy Pike has to find a job to help his family pay the bills. He replies to an advertisement for the job as a book-seller's apprentice at Coles book stall in Paddy's Market in central Melbourne. Mr Cole wants to employ someone around sixten but agrees to give Billy the opportunity to work with him. 

Billy meets a young girl his own age, Kezia Nobody, who warns Billy about the dangerous Obscurosmith who frequently visits the market tempting people to make a deal with him. For much of the book Billy and Kezia work together to defeat the Obscurosmith and prevent him from threatening people working in or visiting the market.

There are lots of descriptions of the stalls and some of the entertainers who frequent Paddy's Market which really was the location of the first Coles book-selling enterprises. But this is basically a book of fantasy with lots of magic, lots of riddles and also tension as Billy and Kezia race aginst time to defeat the Obscurosmith. Written for children 10 + years it is a fun book for teenagers and adults to read as well.

Shortlisted for the 2023 Australian Book Industry Awards - Book of the Year for Younger Children 7-12 years.

The winner of the 2023 ARA Historical Novel Prize – Children and Young Adult (CYA) Category.