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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
