Frankie

When eighty-four year old Frankie Howe broke her leg her friend, Norah Forester, arranged for a carer, Damian, to look after her at night. Initially Frankie was not impressed with the arrangement but as she came to know Damian she gradually tells him the story of her eventful life.

Frankie was born in Ireland but was orphaned when she was a young child and brought up by relatives. Her life was lonely until she made friends with Norah at school - a friendship, despite the occasional ups and downs, that lasted a lifetime. After completing school Frankie (or Frances as she was then known) attended a cookery school which she enjoyed and provided her with skills that that became an important part of her life. From Ireland she moved to London and eventually found herself in New York where she  met Jack, a young man with desires to become an artist. 

Frankie by Graham Norton is primarily a study of relationships. Frankie recounts events in her life covering the years from 1950 to 1987 interspersed with conversations with Damian and Norah. We learn of the many challenges she faced in discovering how she really wanted to live her life. The background story provides information about the art scene in New York and also on the affects of AIDS when the first cases appeared in the community.

Graham Norton has written a heart warming novel about loneliness, trying to establish one's place within a community, love, kindness and facing despair. It is also a study of how people of different ages and backgrounds can come to an understanding and learn to care for each other. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this sensitive novel and learning about Frankie's world.

The Christmas Stocking Murders

It is 1976 and once again Inspector Frank Grasby recounts events recorded in his diaries. Three days before Christmas in 1953 he is summoned to the office of Superintendent Juggers and informed that they are to travel to the fishing village of Uthley's Bay to investigate a murder. The body of a man with a stocking wound around his head had been found on the beach. Shortly after their arrival another body is found and in the evening quantities of packets of ladies' stockings cover the beach. Grasby soon realises that they are in Uthley's Bay to investigate a murder.

What follows is the often bungling attempt of the two police officers as they attempt to solve the crimes. Snow has arrived in the area and the White Christmas is not helping the investigation. The villagers are closing ranks and it is difficult for the police to know who to trust. Superintendent Juggers also has a tendency to make rash decisions leaving Grasby with the task of finding a solution. Grasby is well aware that Superintendent Juggers will claim the credit for any success made in the investigation.

The Christmas Stocking Murders by Denzil Meyrick a sequel to Murder at Holly House.  There is plenty of action, an array of eccentric characters and lots of humour as the two policeman attempt to solve the crime against the odds.

The Lost Book of Magic

Another year of sharing and enjoying the reading of books with my grandson is almost over. During 2024 we finished reading Runt by Craig Silvey. This was followed by going on adventures with The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien. Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell took us on our next fantastical adventure. The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff provided an introduction to historical fiction. Then Aiden read me Scar Town by Tristan Banks - he became so involved with the book that I was not allowed to participate in reading any of the text. Our final book for the year was The Lost Book of Magic by Amelia Mellor which he also enjoyed.

The Lost Book of Magic is the third and final book in the series of books that began with The Grandest Bookshop in the World. Once again Vally, Pearl and Ivy Cole find themselves battling against the Obscurosmith and the Wraith in order to save Coles Book Arcade before their parents return from Sydney. They  are assisted in their endeavours by Mr Pyke (Billy Pyke) and Miss Kwon (Kezia Nobody) who we previously met when they were children in The Booksellers' Apprentice. The Obscurosmith once again sets puzzles for the children to solve but this time they also have to contend with the Wraith who does not want them to succeed.

This trilogy of books is not just an excursion into a world of fantasy but also introduces the reader to places and events in the history of Melbourne during the latter part of the nineteenth century. My grandson and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the books in this series.

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret

Once again Ernest Cunningham narrates his involvement in solving his third murder mystery after he receives a message from his former wife requesting his help when she is arrested for murdering her new partner - a crime she is sure that she did not commit.

This time most of the suspects are connected to the theatre including a magician, the magician's assistant, a theatre manager, a hypnotist and her twin sister, a counsellor and a stagehand. During a stage performance next day, a second murder occurs.

As in the previous two crime novels involving cases solved by Ernest Cunningham, Benjamin Stevenson has his narrator explain the clues as they appear including any red herrings and encourages the reader to help him solve the puzzle. 

As the plot of Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret occurs immediately before Christmas each chapter has the date of a day in an advent calendar. Ernest is also interested in the parcels left under a Christmas tree for a theatre staff Kris Kringle. Naturally there is a need to solve the case so those not directly involved can enjoy their Christmas.

Rockin' Around the Chickadee

Christmas is fast approaching so what better to relax than to read another cosy crime Christmas book by Donna Andrews. In Rockin' Around the Chickadee a legal conference regarding wrongful criminal convictions is being held in Caerphilly and, not surprising, members of Meg Langslow's family are organising the conference and involved in presentations. Meg attends to offer support.

All goes well until one of the attendees at the conference constantly verbally attacks the speakers and other attendees. After he is finally evicted from attending the conference a body is discovered near the barn on Meg's property. The investigation is then on to discover the murderer.

As usual Donna Andrews has written a light-hearted crime novel with Meg and her circle of family and friends assisting the police in attempting to solve the crime. On this occasion I worked out who the murderer was quite early in the piece but this knowledge did not distract from entertainment of reading the novel.

Rockin' Around the Chickadee is the thirty-sixth book in the Meg Langslow series and is the ninth book with a Christmas theme.

The Grey Wolf

When Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his team discover a plot to poison the Quebec water supply they realise that they must act quickly with their investigation but also not tell anyone in order to avoid panic in the community.

The investigation leads to the monastery of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups (Saint Gilbert Between the Wolves). During the visit Armand explains to Jean-Guy the story behind the name. An Indian tribe had the story that a Chief felt that he had two rival wolves inside him. The grey wolf wanted him to be strong and compassionate and forgiving while the black wolf wanted him to be vengeful, to be cruel and cunning and to attack first. When asked which wolf would win the Chief replied, "The one that I feed". Armand and Jean-Guy knew that they had to find both 'wolves' quickly to avoid disaster. However they also realise that they do not know who they can trust.

In The Grey Wolf Louise Penny describes the frantic investigations undertaken by Armand, Jean-Guy and Isabelle Lacoste as they strive to discover who is involved in the plot and prevent the deaths of possibly thousands of innocent people.

In this nineteenth book in the Armand Gamache series, the inhabitants of Three Pines do not feature to the extent that they do in the other books but they are there in the background providing support to Armand Gamache and his family. The mystery in The Grey Wolf will be continued in the The Black Wolf to be published in 2025.

The Life Impossible

Recently I read Susie Dent's novel, Guilty by Definition, which reveals the plot through the examination of language and the solving of puzzles. In The Life Impossible by Matt Haig, mathematical concepts frequently appear throughout the novel as former mathematics teacher, Grace Winters, tells her story.

When Grace received an email from a former student who was going through a difficult time she replied by sending him a story about her recent challenges as she attempted to come to terms with perceived mistakes in her life.

When Grace received a letter saying she had received an inheritance of a cottage in Ibiza she decided to take a one-way ticket to the island. A letter from Christina provided suggestions of things she should do including visiting Albert at Atlantis Scuba at Cala d'Hort. Albert suggests that if she really wants to discover what happened to Christina she should go on his boat with him to explore part of the sea at midnight. While swimming she encounters a blue light in the water and her life changes.

As Grace endeavours to learn how to use her new power she also has to come to terms with the grief and guilt she is still suffering after the death of her son and later her husband. In time Grace realises that she needs to work with Marta and Albert to carry out Christina's goals of protecting the wildlife on the island and saving the island from further development.

Matt Haig has written another thought provoking novel taking the reader into another world.

The Death of Dora Black

After writing a PhD on the life of Katie Cocks, South Australia's first policewoman to be paid the same wage as a policeman, Lainie Anderson wrote the crime novel, The Death of Dora Black, as a work of historical crime fiction with Kate Cocks as the main character.

When Dora Black's body is found in the water off the pier at Glenelg beach, Kate Cocks and Constable Ethel Bromley who were employed as the Women's Police Branch in the South Australian Police Force, were told it was not their place to investigate. They had their own work to do in preventative crime, especially in regard to women. Then a friend of Dora Black also disappears so the two women are determined to investigate.

The Death of Dora Black is set in Adelaide in 1917. Many men were serving in the armed forces overseas during World War One while some had returned home injured. Then there were those who would never return. This crime novel provides background information of life in Adelaide during the war years plus  issues faced by the growing city. 

It is the first book in A Petticoat Police Mystery series.

Kate Cocks: South Australia's first policewoman. - State Library of South Australia  

Hidden women of history: Kate Cocks - The Conversation

The real Kate Cocks - Lainie Anderson  

Fanny Kate Cocks - Australian Dictionary of Biography

The Ledge

In February 1999 sixteen year old Justin Smith kept a diary on his computer where he describes the relationships between four friends and how they react when one of the boys goes missing. Text from the records for Thursday 4 February to Monday 8 February make up alternate chapters in this novel by Australian author, Christian White. Twenty-four years later a body is found and the reaction of the former friends and the local community to this news is explored in alternate chapters to the diary entries.

The Ledge is a coming of age story set in the isolated mountains in western Victoria. It is also a psychological thriller with a twist that I definitely did not see coming. The Ledge by Christian White is definitely a book that should be read when the reader has plenty of time as you will want to continue reading to the end.

Guilty by Defintion

Susie Dent is well known as the language expert on Countdown in Britain. Letters and Numbers was the Australian version of the show. Susie Dent also appears in Eight Out Of Ten Cats Does Countdown which can be seen on Australian television. She has written a number of books about words in the English language.

Guilty by Definition is Susie Dent's first novel and, not surprisingly, the meaning of words feature strongly in this crime novel. After ten years in Germany, Martha Thornhill has returned to Oxford to work as senior editor of the Clarendon English Dictionary. One morning, Martha and her team receive a letter written in code which they eventually work out refers to the disappearance of Martha's sister, Charlie, in 2010. The letter is followed by other letters and a series of postcards referring to past events in the lives of the recipients. Martha, Alex, Safi and Simon unravel the clues concealed in the messages and investigate leads that may reveal what happened to Charlie.

The reader also becomes involved in attempting to decode the messages and is introduced to a variety of words they may not have previously encountered. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

Now or Never

For a light entertaining read, Janet Evanovich in her Stephanie Plum series rarely lets the reader down. In this thirty-first book in the series, Stephanie, Lula and Connie continue to locate those who have broken their bond conditions so that they can be rebonded and a new trial date set.

As usual, things do not always go to plan as Stephanie and Lula pursue their targets - Eugene Fleck, Bruno Jug and Zoran (also known as The Vampire). During the investigations Herbert, who used to go to school with Stephanie, insists on helping her refurnish her apartment after it was fire-bombed and also tags along for part of the investigations.

But Stephanie has an additional problem. She is engaged to both of the special men in her life - Ranger and Morelli - and it is time that she made a decision as to to who she really wants to marry.

Now or Never is another fun read in the Stephanie Plum series.

City of Light

City of Light is the first crime novel written by Dave Warner. Snowy Lane investigates a number of crimes over the years, initially as a young constable and then as a private investigator. The novel is written in three sections - 1979, 1986 and 1988. When the novel begins there have been a number of murders of young women by a killer named by the police and the press as Mr Gruesome. Eventually the police identify and arrest the killer and Perth breaths a sigh of relief. During the investigation Snowy begins to learn of the network of corruption occurring in business, politics and the police force in Perth.

As a private investigator Snowy works on a variety of cases over the years but his mind keeps taking him back to the Mr Gruesome case and the feeling that something was missed in the investigation. He also continues to discover examples of corruption in high places. When a colleague is killed he is determined more than ever to discover the truth. Then the murders begin again.

There were times when I felt that this novel was too long and began to lose interest, but at the end when  parts of the story are unravelled and explained I became more involved in the story line. There are also many descriptions of sexual encounters but most of them end up being relevant to the story and the characters involved.

City of Life is often referred to as number one in the Dan Clements series but Dan Clements does not appear as a character in the book. However in Clear to the Horizon both Snowy Lane and Dan Clements work on a case. City of Life is therefore the first of Dave Warner's series of crime novels set in Western Australia containing the characters of Snowy Lane or Dan Clements or both.

Before It Breaks

Detective Inspector Dan Clement has returned to Broome. His marriage to Marilyn has ended but he needs to be in the area to have occasional contact with his daughter, Phoebe. Having worked much of his career investigating murders he is struggling to settle into the routine of 'normal' police work.

Then a body is found in the bush and Dan Clement is in charge of the investigation team. When another man is found murdered - probably by the same weapon - plus an associate of first murdered man is kidnapped, the police have to call in help from police in Perth - especially as a large cyclone is about to hit the area in the next day or two.

There is a race against time to solve this crime which may have links to a police investigation in Germany in 1979. The bush settings and the threat of the impending storm add to the threat of danger and atmosphere as the police try to solve this spate of recent crimes in their region.

Before It Breaks is the second book in the Dan Clement series by Dave Warner.

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: true stories of the magic of reading

American author James Patterson has collected stories from booksellers and librarians, throughout North America, describing why they enjoy providing books for people to read. Finding the right book for someone to read is a challenge enjoyed by most librarians and booksellers. However recommending books to read is not a one way street. When I worked in libraries library patrons would often also recommend authors or titles to me. Reading can and should be a shared experience. 

The book is divided into five sections:

• To be a bookseller, you have to play detective
• I could talk about books forever
• I can't imagine what people do without books in their lives
• It doesn't matter what you like to read, as long as you love to read
•  Just one more chapter, please, just one more chapter
  

Stories in the book include a number of discussions on choosing books for people of different ages, interests and needs at a particular time. Promoting collections is also an important part of running a bookshop or working in a library and a range of promotional and outreach projects are described as well as arranging author talks. COVID-19 provided challenges for those operating bookshops and libraries. Censorship of collections and campaigns to ban books is also discussed. Libraries and bookshops (especially independent bookshops) are increasingly becoming community hubs. Research indicates that readers continue to enjoy reading physical books.

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians is a book that the reader can dip into at leisure to enjoy reading the observations of people who love books and reading. 

As an aside, some of the accounts refer in passing to books by Patterson while there is a long list of books he has written or co-written at the end of the book.

Glorious Exploits

Glorious Exploits is the first novel by Irish author, Ferdia Lennon. The story is set in Syracuse in 412 BC during the Peloponnesian War - the conflict between Athens and Sparta that lasted from 431 until 404 BC. While attempting to invade Syracuse in Sicily the Athenians were defeated with many soldiers being captured and left to die in a quarry outside the town. Occasionally citizens from the town would visit the quarry to view the starving prisoners in their chains.

Gelon and Lampo are two unemployed potters who occasionally visit the quarry, taking small amounts of food and drink for some of the prisoners. Gelon, a fan of the plays of Euripides, decides to give food to those prisoners able to recite lines from plays, particularly Medea. Lampo agrees to help and the two men decide to become directors of a production to be staged in the quarry. As well as Medea they plan to stage another play by Euripides, The Trojan Women.

There are many challenges to be overcome before the performance but the two men push on enlisting assistance in obtaining finance, costumes, scenery, music and, of course, choosing the actors to perform the play. The play also needs to be promoted to ensure an audience for the performance. It is not smooth sailing but eventually it all comes together. Despite some initial hesitation, the plays appear to have made a good impression on the audience. Then disaster occurs.

There are many wonderful characters portrayed in this novel with its universal themes of friendship, loyalty, the horrors of war, compassion, love and loss, grief and how an appreciation of art and literature can be a unifying force for all people despite other differences.

The story is told by Lampo using Irish dialect. I found it took a while to work out what was going but after a few chapters I became thoroughly involved with the characters and story being told. Although the setting is more than two thousand years ago, unfortunately the message of the story is still valid today.

Glorious Exploits is the book read by the Monash Alumni Book Club in February 2025.

The Battle of the Generals

Australian author, Roland Perry, has written a readable account of the battle of egos between MacArthur and Blamey during the second World War in his latest book, The battle of the generals: MacArthur, Blamey and the defence of Australia in World War II.

The Americans, led by General Douglas MacArthur, arrived in Australia in 1942 after the Japanese army captured the Philippines. MacArthur was determined to return to the Philippines as soon as possible to retake the islands but the attempted invasion of Papua New Guinea by the Japanese slowed down his plans. 

General Blamey was in charge of the Australian forces but MacArthur ensured that he was in charge of military proceedings even though the Australian soldiers were far more experienced than their American counterparts as they had experience fighting overseas before returning to Australia to defend their country.

The Australian forces did most of the fighting in Papua New Guinea although some American units were involved towards the end of the campaign. MacArthur's publicity campaign, however, made it look as if he was responsible for allied victories. When the campaign to retake the Philippines began, MacArthur was determined that Australian troops should not be involved as they might be shown to be superior to American forces. There was also tension between the American navy and other military forces.

When the Japanese began attacking the Australian coastline the Australian government tried to obtain additional aeroplanes and ships from the UK and the USA but MacArthur indicated to the Americans that Australia was well supplied. This did not improve the relationship between Blamey and MacArthur. Winston Churchill had made it clear that his emphasis was on Europe though some equipment was sent towards the end of the war.

Both the generals had character flaws that impeded relationships with troops and other military and political leaders from time to time. However, reading this book, I felt more sympathetic towards General Blamey who had extensive previous military experience in both the First and Second World Wars compared with his American counterpart who had his eyes set on political aspirations once the war was over.

Fire and Bones

Temperance Brennan's plans for a holiday with Andrew Ryan are destroyed when she is asked to travel to Washington DC to investigate a fire at a house at Foggy Bottom. It is believed that there may have been four people in the house at the time of the fire but then a fifth body is discovered in the sub-basement. Investigations suggest that the fifth body may have been in the house since the 1940s and Tempe is determined to discover more about this mystery as well as uncovering the identity of the recent deaths. 

Then there is another fire in the neighbourhood. Both houses were owned by the same company. When the son of one of the company owners is also shot there is obviously a vendetta against the company and Tempe naturally wants to help in the investigation.

Fire and Bones by Kathy Reichs, the twenty-third novel in the Temperance Brennan series, is a fast paced crime novel that does not disappoint.

After the Flood

After the Flood opens with an account of the collapse of a dam wall in Brazil, resulting in many deaths including the partner and unborn child of an Australian working in the country for a multinational company. 

Back in Broome, Detective Inspector Dan Clement misses his teenage daughter who lives with her mother in Perth. Meanwhile the police in the region are busy with a number of cases including dealing with animal rights protestors at the local abattoir, where cars had been torched weeks earlier, a break-in at the Early Childhood Centre resulting in drugs being destroyed, and a break-in at a small mining company in Halls Creek where explosives and a booster were stolen. 

Then the police learn of a brutal murder at a large cattle property off the Gibb River Road. The body had been staked out on the ground as if crucified and then run over repeatedly. Who is this man? What was he doing in such a remote location? And why would be be killed in such a brutal way?

The police gradually realise that the series of crimes could be related and may be connected to a larger crime.

As the plot is revealed we learn about the lives and concerns of the characters - the police and their families as well as those involved in expressing their views, often through illegal means. The terrain of the Kimberley region is also an important factor in the novel.

Dave Warner has written another fast paced crime novel in the Dan Clement series - book four.

The Valley

Another great book by Chris Hammer. The Valley combines events occurring in 1988, then in the 1990s with an investigation in 2024. The story is revealed using a variety of voices as well as a general narrator.

Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucic travel to The Valley near Saltwood in southern New South Wales to investigate a murder. This leads to the unravelling of a series of crimes, including murder, that had occurred in The Valley. For Nell, this investigation becomes personal when DNA tests reveal that she is related to the victim of the latest murder. She also learns more about the life of her mother.

There are many characters to follow in this sometimes complex plot but the author's creation of the small community in The Valley living near a forest, shear escarpments and a lake, surrounded by a national park, is an important feature of the book. The old goldmine is a focal point. Will reopening the mine provide a life-line for the local community? Who is behind the murders that have occurred over the years and why? As Nell and Ivan become increasingly aware of political corruption, who can be trusted?

Chris Hammer has written another Australian crime novel that is difficult to put down until the end of the book is reached.

Stone Yard Devotional

A woman returns to the area where she grew up after thirty-five years. The first place that she visits is the cemetery containing the graves of her parents. She then travels to the nearby monastic retreat where a group of nuns live but other people can stay for a short time. We do not know the name of this woman or what caused her to make the visit at this time. She is not a religious person but enjoys the quietness and structure of the life at the monastery. She stays for five days. Later she returns for good.

As the narrator records her story about her life at the monastery we learn about her relationship with her mother, who she deeply misses. We also learn a little about her early life at school, especially when a a fellow student from the school stays at the community for a time. There is also mention of a husband, but that is in passing. 

Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood is not a life story but provides reflections on life as they relate to events in the present. At the monastery they are contending with a mouse plague. At first just a few, but then swarms of mice in the building and grounds. Then they learn that the body of a former sister at the monastery has been located overseas and will be returned. This is during COVID-19 so many obstacles occur before a final resting place for this sister can be arranged. Accompanying her is Helen Parry who for a variety of reasons is returning to the area where she grew up for a short time.

This novel explores long-term grief for the loss of a loved one. People are complex creatures and the novel also explores long-term feelings held by the woman and regret for past events. What is forgiveness and can a person truly forgive the actions of  others? Respect for the environment is another theme of the novel.

Australian author, Charlotte Wood, shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize

Scar Town

Scar Town by Tristan Bancks is the winner of the 2024 Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year for Younger Readers. I borrowed a copy from the library and left it for my twelve year old grandson to find when we had our next reading session. As soon as he saw it his eyes lit up as he told me that they had been discussing this book at school. I then purchased a copy from Dymocks. 

Normally in our reading sessions my grandson and I share the reading - I often read the descriptive sections while he reads (and acts) the conversations or we might read alternate pages or paragraphs depending on the book. But this time my grandson picked up the book and started reading enthusiastically. I have not been allowed to read a word. Part way through the book he announced that this was the best book that he had ever read. But what is the book about?

Scarborough is a small town which has been drowned by a lake but during a drought some of the buildings appear again out of the water. Three children, Will, Dar and Juno (J), ride their bikes to the lake and swim to one of the houses. They break in and make a dramatic discovery. Will wants to inform the police but J asks him to wait for twenty-four hours while they attempt to discover information about what they have found.

This is a fast paced junior crime novel which keeps the reader guessing about what might have happened in the past. My grandson reads lots of books on his own as well as the books we enjoy reading together but, having observed his reaction to Scar Town, all I can say is thank you Tristan Bancks for writing a book that has captured my grandson's attention to such an extent. He has now investigated the school library for other books by this author.

Tristan Bancks sharing his inspiration for Scar Town - video.

Scar Town - CBCA

When it Rains

The wet season is about to break in northern Western Australia and then the reports of crime begin. Detective Inspector Dan Clement and his team investigate. Detective Sergeant Shepherd is attacked in a hotel carpark. A young woman is found badly injured at a local motel. Then the remains of a woman tied to a post are found in a river. She had been attacked by a crocodile. At first it is thought that the same person was responsible for these crimes, however further investigation reveals otherwise.

Dan had just met Lena but he needs to leave her at his home in Broome while the investigations take him to various locations in The Kimberley including Derby and Kununarra.  

When It Rains by Dave Warner is an action-packed novel which moves at a fast pace. As the story unfolds the reader experiences the landscape and climate of north-west Australia as well as a partial glimpse of life in outback communities. Another great addition to the ever growing collection of Aussie Noir. Number 5 in the Dan Clement series.

How to be Remembered

Tommy Llewellyn turned one and no one, including his parents, remembered him. His presence was still there but no one remembered who he was. This happened every year. Tommy was taken to a foster home where he was looked after by Miss Michelle until he turned eighteen, though he had to reintroduce himself to her every year on the day after his birthday.

As he grew older Tommy was determined to find a way of defeating this jinx that was affecting his life. Each year he would experiment to try and find out what would prevent this annual event from occurring. When in the foster home, Tommy met Carey but she, of course forgot him. When he left the home Tommy was determined to find Carey and re-establish their relationship.

Eventually Tommy decides that his life will always be different but is determined to work out how to still create a life with a new family even though there will always be parts of his life that he leaves behind each year.

History for Tomorrow: inspiration from the past for the future of humanity

Roman Krznaric has written this book about challenges faced by society today and explains how society dealt with challenges in the past. His Book, History for Tomorrow, is divided into 10 challenges - Breaking the Fossil Fuel Addiction, Nurturing Tolerance, Kicking the Consumer Habit, Taming Social Media, Securing Water for All, Reviving Faith in Democracy, Managing the Genetic Revolution, Bridging the Inequality Gap, Keeping the machines under Control and Averting Civilisational Breakdown.

Roman Krznaric is a social philosopher. In each of the ten chapters he presents a current or future problem before recounting how challenges in the past were faced and how techniques used might be useful when considering how members of society might work together to deal with challenges today. The chapters where he describes groups working together to make decisions instead of the reliance on the hierarchical government occurring in most societies today are worth considering - though getting agreement on such changes is unlikely. Time is running out due to society's over use of fossil fuels and often blatant disregard of the environment.

As the author writes - History is not simply a means of understanding the past but a way of reimagining our relationship with the future and Humanity needs to look backwards in order to move forwards.

At the end of the book are extensive endnotes, bibliography plus an index.

The Black Loch

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the three books in the Lewis Trilogy by Peter May - The Black House, The Lewis Man and The Chess Men. The Black Loch is a sequel to the Lewis Trilogy (or number 4 in the series).

Fin MacLeod and his wife, Marsaili, arrive back on the island of Lewis after they are informed that their son, Fionnlagh, is under arrest for the murder of an eighteen year old girl, Caitlin Black. Fin cannot believe that his son is guilty and sets out to establish what really happened. Having grown up on Lewis he encounters a number of people he went to school with. Most are not pleased to associate with someone whose son might be a murderer. Fin no longer works as a policeman but he is able to use his detective skills to help him determine the truth.

Much of The Black Loch by Peter May deals with environmental issues including large-scale salmon farming and the occasional mass beaching of pods of whales. Descriptions of the island are an important part of the book as are the present and past interactions of the characters with with Fin. At the end of the book Fin and Marsaili decided to move back to Lewis from Glasgow to live. Perhaps there may be another book in this series in the future.

The Chilling

 

In the days before television I remember listening to part of a radio serial set in Antarctica where there was the danger of falling down a crevasse - very scary. Reading the debut novel, The Chilling, by Australian author, Riley James, caused part of that long ago memory to resurface.

Kit Bitterfield has the opportunity to spend a winter in Antarctica assisting her friend, Sally, in a project involving Wendell seals. On the journey to Macpherson Station they learn that another ship, The Petrel,  has become stuck in the ice. While waiting for orders to attempt to rescue the passengers they then learn that the ship is on fire. By training Kit is a dentist though she now works primarily on research projects so, because of her medical training, she is involved in the search for the passengers of the stricken vessel. They only locate one passenger who they take back to their ship. Where are the remaining passengers? What caused them to leave the ship? How did the fire start?

Being in Antarctica was a very different experience for Kit. Early on it was explained to her about the mood swings suffered by some of those spending a winter in Antarctica. If a boiling point is when people cannot contain their anger, the chilling point is when they cannot suppress their hostility or lack of sympathy. (p 45) All is well initially at MacPherson Station, apart from the concern about the missing people from the other ship, but then a malaise begins to afflict many of the staff. What has happened to cause this?

Nick, the geologist rescued from the other ship, has lost his memory though his general health rapidly improves. Kit hopes that Nick will recover his memory and be able to explain some of their concerns. Meanwhile the search for the passengers of The Petrel and their general scientific investigations continues while the the survivors of The Petrel disaster attempt to make their way across the ice to Macpherson Station - provided that they do not starve or freeze to death. In The Chilling Riley James has written a tension filled thriller of survival in an extreme climate and terrain.

We Solve Murders

A new series of books by Richard Osman is definitely something to look forward to. We Solve Murders introduces readers to a new group of characters, Amy Wheeler who works as a private security officer, her father-in-law, Steve, who is a retired policeman enjoying his retirement and Rosie D'Antonio, an author who Amy has been hired to protect.

Amy and Rosie are residing on an isolated island when they learn of a series of deaths of influencers not far from where Amy has been recently. She begins to suspect that she is being framed for the deaths. There is only one person that she trusts so she contacts Steve requesting his help in finding out who is really responsible.

Steve is reluctant to leave the seclusion of his home, his well established routine and friends in England but he agrees to travel across the world in Rosie's private plane to assist his daughter-in-law. Then the fun begins. As well as avoiding being killed, Steve, Amy and Rosie endeavour to work out the true identity of who is really behind the deaths and why they are being targeted.

We Solve Murders is another enjoyable cosy crime novel with a range of zany characters working together to solve a crime as they attempt to live their normal lives. Richard Osman is currently working on the next installment in the The Thursday Murder Club series before working on the next We Solve Murders book. I look forward to reading further books in both these series.

Dervla McTiernan unofficial book club book for October 2024.

Between a Flock and a Hard Place

One of the fun aspects when reading this series of crime novels by Donna Andrews is when will the birds referred to in the title first make an appearance. In this thirty-fifth book in the series, a flock of wild turkeys make their presence felt right from the start. How and why did they all arrive in the one location in the town and who was responsible? Needless to say these questions are added to Meg's ever expanding to-do list.

In Between a Flock and a Hard Place, Meg sets out to inspect a home site which is being renovated as part of a television show. The locals are not impressed by the intrusion of the television crew in their lives but they are even less impressed when a flock of wild turkeys arrives in the middle of the night. Who brought the turkeys into their neighbourhood?

Meg and Randall Shiffley are even more concerned when they discover the state the house is in. As a number of the major supports have been removed Randall shuts down the site until repairs can be made. Meg, of course, offers to relocate those affected by the building project to rooms in her own house until it is safe for them to return home. Plans are made to capture the turkeys but as proceedings are about to begin a body is located in the house. Another project to be solved.

I look forward to these cosy crime novels published around this time each year. It is a joy to once again catch up with Meg and her family and the weird and usually amusing situations they find themselves in.

The Dark Wives

When a body is found in the grounds of a children's home Vera and her team investigate. Josh Woodburn, a university student, had only worked at Rosebank for six weeks when he died. But Vera and her team are not only investigating Josh's death. A fourteen year old girl - Chloe Spence - has also disappeared. Then a second body is found.

Rosie Bell is a new addition to the team, working with Joe, Charlie and Vera to solve the murders and locate Chloe. Vera greatly misses Holly who had died when working on a previous case. Would Rosie be able to fit in as a successful member of Vera's team? 

The Dark Wives is number 11 in the Vera Stanhope series written by Ann Cleeves. As the detectives work to solve the murders and locate Chloe the reader gets to experience much of the Northumberland scenery plus a glimpse of the history of the former coal mining area. Three large standing stones, the Dark Wives, feature throughout the novel.

Ann Cleeves has written another suspenseful character driven murder mystery which will keep readers involved until the novel's conclusion.

Madame Brussels: the life and times of Melbourne's most notorious woman

Much has been written about life in parts of Melbourne towards the end of the 19th century. One section in Lonsdale Street, near Parliament House, was well known for its brothels. Madame Brussels' establishments were the best known and were often visited by politicians, landowners and some senior police.

In Madame Brussels: the life and times of Melbourne's most notorious woman by Barbara Minchton and Philip Bently, the authors present the findings of their extensive research on the life and times of Madame Brussels.

Caroline Lohmar was born in Prussia. In 1871 she married Studholme George Hodgson in London before they travelled to Melbourne. When Stud joined the police force and relocated to northern Victoria, his wife needed to find a way of supporting herself so she gradually began establishing what were, for a short time, the most impressive brothels in Melbourne.

This study examines the facts known about the rise and fall of Caroline's business until the early 1900s. She gradually came to use the name Madame Brussels which added to the prestige of the operation. Much of the information for the book comes from court documents - she was tried before the court on a number of occasions - and newspaper reports. Especially towards the end of the nineteenth century there was a movement to remove brothels from the city and newspapers, particularly Truth, often produced long stories venting against women such as Madame Brussels and their industry.

An interesting account of an aspect of Melbourne's history.

By Any Other Name

Over the years much has been written about William Shakespeare and the many plays and poems he is credited with having written. Part of the speculation has occurred because little has been documented about the life of William Shakespeare. How did he receive the education to write the plays? How did he achieve the knowledge to write on the variety of topics and places depicted in his plays?  In By Any Other Name Jodie Picoult puts forward the theory that a number of writers wrote the plays that carry Shakespeare's name including a woman, Emilia Bassano.

The story is told in two time frames. In this work of historical fiction the life and writing of Emilia Bassano is portrayed as she attempts to have her writing recognised. Meanwhile in the twenty-first century Melina Green, a descendant of Emilia, is also attempting to have her own work published and performed.

In the novel, when she is thirteen Emilia becomes the mistress of the Lord Chamberlain until she becomes pregnant. She is then dismissed from the Lord Chamberlain's household and forced to marry a cousin who only wants her money. Kit Marlow introduces her to a man names Shakespeare who is prepared to pay her for her plays though she never receives any credit.

Meanwhile Melina Green has written a new play inspired by the life of her ancestor, but when a friend submits it to a competition without her permission, life suddenly becomes difficult for all involved. 

The novel is largely a discussion on the discrepancy of the value of a work of writing or art depending on whether it is produced by a man or a woman or a minority group. We learn much about life of women during Elizabethan England as they struggle to survive in a world largely dictated by men.

Throughout the book quotes from Shakespeare's plays and poems become part of the general text and a listing of these quotations appears at the end of the work. The author also includes information about many of the people who appear in the novel and admits that there is no concrete evidence as to how the plays attributed to Shakespeare were written. The debate continues. Meanwhile Jodi Picoult provides an interesting take on the debate in this work of historical fiction.

Musical - The Dark Lady 

Emilia Lanier (Bassano) - Wikipedia

Shakespeare's Dark Lady of Spitalfields - Spitalfields Life

Emilia Bassano Lanier - Historical Research - City Theatre

Miss Eliza's English Kitchen

Eliza Acton wants to be acknowledged as a poet. Her father arranged for one book of poetry to be published but she hopes this time that her work will be accepted by an established publisher. Instead she is told to write a recipe book. Needless to say she is not impressed with this reaction but when she starts looking at recipes in cookery books she realises that she could write a much better cookery book than those already published.

When her father becomes bankrupt, Eliza's mother sets up a boarding house and Eliza becomes the cook providing her with the opportunity to test recipes.  She needs a scullery maid to help her and Ann Kirby is employed in this role. Ann comes from a poor family where her father is an alcoholic and her mother is placed in an asylum. Ann has wanted to be a cook so this is a great opportunity for her although she feels guilty about not being able to look after her parents, especially her mother.

In the kitchen Eliza and Ann soon establish a strong working relationship as they experiment with recipes and ingredients. Existing recipes frequently did not list the quantities of ingredients to be used. As Eliza collects recipes for the book she plans to write, she makes a list of the required ingredients and the quantity required before writing instructions to prepare the dish. Eliza also continues to read poetry and write poems. 

The plot is revealed in alternate chapters through the voices of Eliza and Ann. The novel is about friendship, the joy of cooking and creativity with food.There is lots of food. It also explores the limited options for spinsters in the nineteenth century, especially if they are to gain some independence. Eliza's mother is not impressed with her daughter's plans and tries to persuade her not to admit that she actually cooks in the kitchen though it is acceptable if people know that she plans the recipes. The novel paints a picture of life for different parts classes of society at this time.

Miss Eliza's English Kitchen by Annabel Abbs is a work of historical fiction so many of the characters are based on real people though others, including Ann, have been created by the author. A selection of recipes is included at the end of the book plus a list of books for further reading and information about some of the real people and places mentioned in the novel. There is also a suggested list of questions for book groups.

The cookery book, Modern Cookery in all its Branches (later published as Modern Cookery for Private Families) was first published in 1845.

Eliza Acton - Modern Cookery in all its Branches - History in the Making

Eliza Acton - Wikipedia

Modern Cookery for Private Families - Wikipedia

Head to the Hills

Set in the peaceful Adelaide Hills, Head for the Hills by Tricia Stringer is the story of a community that is disrupted when it is proposed to build a hotel on the outskirts of the town. Opinion in the town is divided as to whether this proposal will benefit or harm the community.

Margot is definitely against the project and organises meetings and a petition to support the case of those who oppose the new project. Meanwhile her sister, Roslyn, has been given the task of ensuring that the wishes of the previous owner of the land on which the hotel is to be built are carried out. Gunther wanted money from the sale of the property to be used to assist those in need in the community. Then Amber arrived in the town escaping from domestic violence.

The story, told from the viewpoint of the three women, examines how communities and families can be split over an issue. Over time many in the community alter their minds about the issue, while others remain firm in their original decision.

Towards the end of the book Roslyn remarks to Amber that "Sisters can be complicated". Head for the Hills demonstrates that communities and families in general are also complicated and that relationships that appear strong can be fragile. How can community spirit and family cohesion be restored?

Tricia Stringer has written another thought-provoking book examining family relationships and the dynamics that make a community. Many thanks to Better Reading and H Q Fiction for a preview copy of this book.

The Hobbit

In the 1960s I read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien. These joined my list of favourite books. I read The Hobbit to my three sons when they were young and they all later read The Lord of the Rings. When the films were released in the cinema we went to see them as a family group. This year my twelve year old grandson and I read and enjoyed the story of The Hobbit together.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit and like other hobbits he enjoys the quiet life living in his hobbit hole in the hill. Then the wizard Gandalf visits Bilbo and Bilbo's life dramatically changes.A few days later there is a knock on Bilbo's door and a dwarf enters. Bilbo hurriedly organises afternoon tea. Before long his house is filled with dwarves and then Gandalf returns and tells Bilbo about the adventure they are to undertake together.

During the book Bilbo and the dwarves encounter elves, Gollum, spiders and many other characters including Smaug the dragon as they endeavour to retrieve the treasure that once belonged to the dwarves. This is a great magical adventure which can be enjoyed by adults as well as children.

In 2024, The Hobbit was one of the books that my grandson and I enjoyed reading together.

Murder in Punch Lane

Melbourne in 1868 was very different from the Melbourne of today. Jane Sullivan has set her novel, Murder in Punch Lane, around the world of the theatre at that time. This is a work of historical fiction providing a vivid picture of life in Melbourne in the 1860s. Many of the characters lived in Melbourne during the period when the novel is set. 

When Lola Sanchez visits her friend, the actress Marie St Denis, Lola finds Marie unconscious in her room. She appears to have taken an overdose of drugs but when Marie dies, Lola is convinced that her friend was murdered. 

Lola decides to seek the help of journalist, Magnus Scott to discover who killed her friend. Their endeavours often take them into the sleazy sections of society at that time and Lola and Magnus find their livelihood and lives in danger.

Living the Dream: 60 years in cricket & football

Journalist and author, Ken Piesse, has spent most of his life following sport - especially his favourite sports of cricket and Australian Rules Football. As a boy he followed these sports and later had the chance to write about them, meeting some of the main players of the game. He has been an avid cricketer since childhood and is still involved, more recently with the Australian Cricket Society. He has also spent much of his time talking about sport, including on P and O Cruises.

In Living the Dream Ken Piesse writes about many of the cricketers and footballers that he has met and written about as well as demonstrating his love of cricket both as a supporter and a player.

About Ken Piesse - Cricket Books .com

Normal Women: 900 years of making history

Looking at the historical record over the years, history has generally been told via the lives of men. In Normal Women, Philippa Gregory has used a variety of sources to look at the role of women in Britain during 900 years.

The book is divided into historical time-frames - 1066-1348 Doomsday; 1348-1455 Women Rising; 1455-1485 Women at War; 1485-1660 Becoming a Weaker Vessel; 1660-1764 Locked Out and Locked In; 1765-1857 Making a Lady; 1857-1928 Separate Spheres; 1928-1945 Into the World; 1945-1994 A Woman Today.

In each section the author looks at the way women have been treated by family and society including the power held by some women during some time frames. Sexual attitudes to women and their perceived role in the society in which they lived is also provided.

This is an informative, well referenced examination of the role of women in daily life and the life of the nation.

Detailed notes and a select bibliography appear at the end of the book along with the index.

The Estate

Sebastian Pallander, head of the large hedge fund company Pallander Glossop, dies while doing a television interview. When his family gather for the reading of the will some months later, they realise that most of the family fortune is missing. Then another member of the family dies and other family members are threatened.

Inspector Cara Salt, head the Succession, Inheritance and Executory (SIE) for Police Scotland in Glasgow, is surprised when she is asked to investigate but hopes that this investigation may help her to be taken more seriously in Police Scotland. DS Abernethy Blackstock is appointed as her assistant.

In The Estate by Denzil Meyrick the reader is taken on a tense journey as we follow the dangers encountered by family members and the progression of Cara's investigation. We also learn of events from the past in her police career with her former partner, Sorley MacLeod.

As with other books by Denzil Meyrick there is plenty of drama with many twists and turns as the author introduces an array of characters as the plot is revealed. There is also humour interspersed with the action. I suspect that we may meet Cara again in future novels.

Either Side of Midnight

Either Side of Midnight by Benjamin Stevenson is a sequel to his first novel, Greenlight. Sam and Harry Midford are twins born either side of midnight. Sam is the host of a television program, Midnight Tonight, which regularly appears on channel 14. Then one night during the opening monologue, Sam reaches for a gun taped under his desk and shoots himself.

When Jack Quick, a former television producer, is released from prison he is hired by Harry Midford to discover how his brother was murdered. As Jack investigates he discovers links to another suicide many years earlier that also have been a murder. He also gradually comes to understand the real relationship between the two brothers.

As the investigation continues Jack concludes that there are many ways to murder someone and also the definition of murder has evolved over the years. Benjamin Stevenson has written a gripping, sometimes dark, novel including a study of grief and and how families cope after the death of a loved one. It is also a study of the growing power of social media to influence people's lives and beliefs.

The Paris Cooking School

Having recently enjoyed reading A Secret Garden in Paris by Sophie Beaumont, I decided to read her previous novel set in Paris, The Paris Cooking School. I was not disappointed.

Sylvie Morel runs the Paris Cooking School where people from overseas countries can spend four weeks experiencing French cuisine. Eight people are in the class that Gabi Picabea and Kate Evans, two Australians, attend. The novel follows their experiences in France as they each endeavour to come to terms with other events in their lives as well as learning how to prepare French food. Sylvie has problems of her own as she discovers that someone is trying to sabotage the cooking school.

The stars of the book are Paris and the French food discussed in the book. As the cooking classes continue Gabi and Kate reassess their lives and how they want to live in the future. This is a book of friendship, love and hope as well as the magic of visiting the city of Paris, not to mention the mouth watering food.

The Creeper

Ten years ago five people died while hiking in the mountains in north-east Victoria. Police officer Sally White has been alerted to increased public interest in the case caused by some of the media wanting interviews and the one survivor of the murdered group who plans to return to record a documentary with members of families of the victims. Her interest in the case increases when the brother of the man accused of the crime tells her he is undertaking his own investigations as he suspects that the police came to the wrong decision about the murderer.

As Sally investigates the cold case, she discovers that the members of the hiking group all had stories that had not been investigated as police at the time were convinced that they had the killer.

In The Creeper, Margaret Hickey has written another Australian crime thriller that, once started, readers will find difficult to put down until they have finished reading the book. As well as the descriptions of the inhabitants of Edenville, the mountains of the Victorian High Country are an important feature of this novel. Another excellent book by Margaret Hickey. 

Rock and Tempest: surviving Cyclone Tracy and its aftermath

In Australia we know that during the wet season cyclones strike northern Australia. Fortunately many cyclones reach land in unpopulated or sparsely populated areas but they can also cause havoc in coastal towns or cities. Cyclone Tracy arrived in Darwin on Christmas Day, 1974.

 In 1974, Patricia Collins was a Wran stationed in Darwin. Staff at the naval base knew that the storm was approaching but exactly where it would cross the land was not known until shortly before its arrival. Many people had left Darwin to celebrate Christmas with families further south, however those left quickly prepared for the arrival of the storm. The devastation was incredible with most of the city flattened by the cyclone. Most women and children left in Darwin were evacuated as soon as possible though the Wrans remained with other navy staff to assist in the cleanup. 

In Rock and Tempest, Patricia Collins recounts her experiences in Darwin at this time. She has also interviewed other people with whom she was working for their memories of that time. Together that paint a picture of the horrors encountered when Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin and the devastation caused by the storm when they were involved in the cleanup afterwards. The exact number of deaths due to the storm has been questioned. Figures for those who died varied from 66 to 71. Some people consider these figures to be low.

Christmas Day 2024 will be the the 50th anniversary of Cyclone Tracy hitting the Australian coast. Rock and Tempest is a book that allows ordinary Australians to better understand what it was like being in Darwin at that time.

A Secret Garden in Paris

Several days exploring Paris, including a number of the large public parks and gardens, in 2011 proved to us that Paris is a special place. A Secret Garden in Paris, by Sophie Beaumont has captured the beauty and significance of the gardens and parks, including some of the smaller, often hidden public and private gardens in the city, as the novel reveals the interweaving stories of three women as they resolve relationship issues. 

Emma Taylor has come to Paris from Sydney to visit her grandmother, Mattie. Emma believes that her mother, Corrine, was going to tell Emma about her father but Corinne died before the story could be revealed. All Emma has is a photograph of her mother in a field which she hopes may lead to the discovery of the identity of her father.

Charlotte Marigny has made the journey to Paris from London where she works as a garden designer. French born Charlotte seeks solace in Paris as she takes time to consider complications that have arisen in her marriage.

Arielle Lunel lives in Paris and enjoys working in the flower market. Her husband died several years earlier and she is now rebuilding her life and looking after her twins. Then her parents-in-law arrive with a proposal to take and educate her children.

As Emma's grandfather's garden had been neglected since his death three years earlier, Emma decides to make this secret garden her project while she is visiting Paris. In the process she meets Charlotte and Arielle who provide assistance and encouragement as she restores the garden. A mutual friendship develops through their love of flowers and also as they help Emma with her family history search.

In A Secret Garden in Paris, Sophie Beaumont has shown gardens not only to be places of beauty and tranquility for all to enjoy but uses them as the setting for the characters to come to terms with problems and situations they are facing. Their involvement with gardens and flowers helps each of the women to find peace and solutions to the challenges of life and also makes it an enjoyable book to read.

Many thanks to Better Reading and Ultimo Press for a preview copy of this book.