The Circle of Days

Once again Ken Follett tackles a family saga set in ancient times. This time it is the rebuilding of part of Stonehenge [the Monument] in 2500 BCE. Several communities live close to each other in the valley, plains and nearby woods. A group of priestesses operates at the monument, conducting services which allow for the understanding of the seasons and time in general. Few people can count but the priestesses have devised a system for recording the weeks, months and seasons as the sun rises and set throughout the year. The biggest festival is midsummer.

The monument where the services are held is partly stone with an inner circle made of wood. When some of the locals wreck the wooden structure, it is suggested that the large stones from the quarry should be transported to the monument to replace the wooden structure. It is many years before this plan can be eventually undertaken, especially as some of the male members of local communities do not like the priestesses taking a key role in the endeavour.

The Circle of Stones by Ken Follett Provides an insight into what life may have been like living in the farming, herder, wood-lander and mining communities of the time. Life is made more difficult during years of drought and other natural disasters. For some of the leaders force is the only way to gain ascendancy over other groups and this can lead to tragic results. Meanwhile Joia and her followers are determined to complete their mission.

Pix: the magazine that told Australia's story

In the 1950s and 1960s I can remember my father sometimes bringing home copies of the magazine Pix. I often enjoyed flipping through the pages to look at the wide variety of photographs. I therefore borrowed a copy of this book from the library as soon as the book was published.

Pix: the magazine that told Australia's story is a large book containing full scale photographs as they would have appeared in the magazine. The State Library of New South Wales has digitised many of the images (available on Trove) and recently held an exhibition showing a selection of the photos that portray everyday Australia in the past.

The first edition of Pix was  published in January 1938 and publication of the magazine continued until 1972. The book contains short essays on the publication of the magazine and making the exhibition but it is the images themselves that are the main feature of the book. Exploring the large sample of black and white images in this book is a great way of exploring life in part of the twentieth century.

Wild Dark Shore

The Salt family are caretakers of a small island, Shearwater, near Antarctica. Everyone else has left. The island is particularly important as it houses the world's largest seed bank. A ship is due shortly to remove the seeds from the island to deposit safely at another location. However a severe storm is threatening to destroy the island and only a selection of the seeds can be saved in time. Then a woman's body washes up on the beach. She is still alive but the Salt family wonder why she has come to this island in the middle of nowhere.

It is obvious that something sinister has happened on the island and secrets are being kept, but the new arrival has secrets of her own. As the storm makes life on the island more dangerous the island occupants must decide if they can trust each other. Is it possible for them to make changes in their lives?

However the fate of the environment is the main theme of the book as the effects of global warming impact severely on the island.

Wild Dark Shores  by Charlotte McConaghy is a tension driven novel as the extent of the danger to the island inhabitants becomes apparent and the island occupants must determine their future plans.

Wild Dark Shore won the 2025 Dymocks Book of The Year.

Last One Out

A new novel by Australian author, Jane Harper, is always something to look forward to. Last One Out is set in a New South Wales town that is rapidly being destroyed by a nearby coal mine. Many of the residents have sold their properties to the mining company and have moved elsewhere. But some are determined to remain. There is resentment from some of the remaining residents to those who have left the town. There is also resentment to the constant noise of the mining machinery and the dust that settles everywhere.

Each year Ro Crowley returns to the town to commemorate with family and friends the memory of her son, Sam, who disappeared on his twenty-first birthday, five years previously.  There are some clues to where he went prior to his disappearance but no-one appears to know where or why he is gone. Sam's father, Griff, still lives in the town but he is about to lose his job and has to decide what to do next. Sam's sister, Della also comes to the town to support her parents. A friend of Griff had committed suicide several years before Sam's disappearance. This therefore is not a happy time for the family or for the community.

However Ro feels that this year she may finally learn the answers regarding the disappearance of her son.

Last One Out is primarily a novel about family and community relationships that develop over time in an outback town. Like Jane Harper's other novels the environment is important. This novel is a study of how people cope with challenges in an outback community under threat. It is also a study of how people cope in times of difficulty plus the determination to discover the truth.

 As Ro investigates, a former friend of Sam makes this statement when talking to community members - 'When Sam asked me why I was still here, it was a bloody good question, and it's one maybe we could all do with making ourselves. ... And to honest about it. Because there's no prize for being the last one out.' (p 308).

King and Outlaw: the real Robert the Bruce

In the 1950s a cousin of my grandmother had a genealogist in the UK investigate the story that our family, like thousands of others, had a direct link to Robert the Bruce. The story was confirmed. Many years later I decided to check the theory for myself and discovered not only family links to Scottish royalty but also to English royalty in our family tree. These discoveries make reading British history more interesting.

In King and Outlaw the author, Chris Brown, has set out to provide an account as to who Robert the Bruce - King Robert I of Scotland - really was as a person, a leader and outlaw. The main chapters are A Man Who would be King, King Robert's War and King Robert's Scotland. There is also a useful list of the people who appear in the book, a timeline, a glossary and maps of Bannockburn.

The author has used the limited available resources from medieval times to provide this historical account of troubled times within Scotland as well as between Scotland and England. At the back of the book Chris Brown dispels some of the myths about Robert the Bruce. The chapter on King Robert's Scotland provides useful information as to how most Scottish people lived their lives while instability was occurring around them.

King and Outlaw is a readable account of this important period in Scottish history as well as an account of the life of a man who was determined to claim the throne that had belonged to his ancestors.

Five Found Dead

Agatha Christie wrote her crime novel, Murder on the Orient Express in 1934. The book has become a classic and the story has been made into films and television shows. Many authors have also used ideas from the book as a basis for their work. One recent example is Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Australian author Benjamin Stevenson. Another Australian author, Sulari Gentill has written a new book, Five Found Dead, which involves a journey on the famous train, the Orient Express.

Joe Penvale and his sister, Meredith, board the Orient Express in Paris for a well earned holiday. Joe, an author of crime fiction, also hopes that the trip will provide inspiration for his second novel. Little do they realise the drama about to unfold.

The first evening is spent meeting some of their fellow travellers but next day they discover that the cabin next to their cabin has become a crime scene. Shortly afterwards COVID cases are discovered in one of the carriages and part of the train is in lockdown. The passengers are not allowed to leave the train and there is a killer on board.

Several of the passengers have been involved with law enforcement and the manager of the train calls them together to try and solve who is behind the mounting deaths occurring on the train. But can all of these experts also be trusted? 

Sulari Gentill has written a humorous who-done-it with a large collection of suspects and many people trying to solve the case. Meanwhile Joe accumulates much source material for his next book. Five Found Dead is an entertaining crime fiction book with plenty of puzzles to solve.

A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was first published in London on 19 December 1843. It has become a classic as a book and has also been produced as a play performed before Christmas. There have also been films based on the novel, including The Muppet Christmas Carol and television productions. Other authors have also based books on Dickens' work.

In A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by Marley's Ghost who warns Scrooge that he will be visited by The Ghost of Christmas Past, The Ghost of Christmas Present and The Ghost of Christmas Future. When each ghost appears Scrooge is taken to view events from his past, the present and the possible future if he does not change his miserly ways. Through these visits Scrooge learns not only the true message of the Christmas season but how life should be lived.

This novella of eighty-five pages includes a mixture of humor and compassion as Scrooge realises that he has to change his ways in order to live a good life. Two of my grandchildren have shared the reading of this book with me as part of their year seven reading.

The Frozen River

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon is a work of historical fiction set in Maine, USA. It is based on the life of Martha Ballard, a midwife in the settlement of Hallowell. The story occurs from November 1789 to April 1790, covering a long, cold winter when the river is frozen solid. At the end of each section there is a flashback to events that occurred earlier in Martha's life. The story is primarily told from Martha's viewpoint.

The story begins when a group of men try to navigate the river on a raft before the river finally freezes over. When one of the men falls into the river he discovers a body frozen in the ice. The men manage to get their companion out of the water and safely to shore but then questions arise as to who the man in the frozen river is and how and why he came to be there.

As one of the local midwives in the region Martha is called upon not just to assist women who are pregnant and to deliver their babies safely, but she also assists with other medical emergencies as required. Much of the book concerns the role and treatment of women in a male driven community. One challenge faced is the arrival of a young Harvard trained doctor who is reluctant to accept the knowledge collected by women over time. The courts also provide harsher sentences for women than for men and Martha spends much of her time trying to assist local women in a variety of ways.

When the body is removed from the river, Martha is the first to examine it and comes to the conclusion that the victim was hanged before he entered the river. The new doctor also investigates the body and concludes that the man died from injuries after he entered the river. Several court cases follow and Martha is also involved in defending the honour of a woman who accuses two men of raping her. Martha keeps a day-book recording events in the community and this provides important evidence used in the trials. 

 The Frozen River is the Monash University Alumni Book Club book for january-February 2026. 

 Reviews:

The Frozen River - Portobello Book Blog

The Frozen River - Marmalade and Mustardseed 

Information about Martha Ballard:

Martha Ballard 'Delivered' - marthaballard.com 

Who was Martha Ballard - DoHistory 

Martha Ballard - Historic Hallowell

Other novels about midwives:

Lisa Lee. Lady Tan's Circle of Women

Lauren Chater. Gulliver's Wife

Philippa Gregory. Tidelands 

Murder on North Terrace

Murder on the North Terrace is the sequel to the Death of Dora Black by Lainie Anderson. This novel is set in Adelaide in September 1917. Kate Cocks and Ethel Bromley continue to work in the Women's Police Branch of the South Australian Police Force. Their main role is to ensure the protection and well-being of local women but from time to time they also assist with general police enquiries. However when the body of a board governor of the Art Gallery is found beneath a controversial painting hanging in the gallery, Ethel Bromley is seconded to the Detective Branch as members of her family have connections to the gallery. This leaves Kate Cocks with the task of managing Women's Police Branch on her own. 

There is general unrest in the city as wounded soldiers return from overseas. Meanwhile there is a recruitment drive to find another 150 soldiers to serve overseas.  Hotels are popular locations for soldiers to congregate and, especially near closing time, many drunk soldiers can be found on the streets. This can result in increased danger to young girls passing by.

One of the cases that Kate Cocks encounters is a fifteen year old girl who has been raped by a soldier and left in the bush. Kate is determined to find the perpetrator, especially when the girl attempts to commit suicide. Another case involving the time of Kate Cocks is a man who is attempting to turn his life around after struggling with injuries he received during the Boer War. 

The attempt to solve the many crimes occurring at this time is set against the background of life in Adelaide during the First World War. This is a work of historical fiction but many of the people mentioned did exist and some of the events did occur. At the end of the book, the author provides an explanation of how she came to write the novel. I really enjoyed reading this crime novel set in an Australian historical setting with the emphasis on the role of women at the time.

Gravity Let Me Go

Noah Cork has spent his life as a crime journalist. Then one day he found a message in his letterbox which led him to discovering a murder in his neighbourhood. Although the killer was still unknown, Noah wrote a true crime book about how the body was discovered. The book is a best seller but he did not anticipate the aftermath when the book was published.

Set in a Brisbane suburb, Gravity Let Me Go by Trent Dalton is an account of the chaos that occurs in Noah's life after the publication of the book. For the six months spent writing his book Noah had neglected his family and now fears that his marriage is disintegrating. But although he vows that he will no longer investigate the subject of his book, Noah still has to follow up loose ends and new clues.

This book is a complex study of relationships and misunderstandings as well as the resolution of crimes committed in a supposedly quiet suburban neighbourhood. Writing his book has disturbed memories of Noah's past as well as the need to come to terms with what is really important in his life.

Gravity Let Me Go - ABC

Free Falling: love, murder and mayhem in the suburbs - Indaily Queensland 

Everyone in this Bank is a Thief

Once again Ernest Cunningham finds himself investigating a mystery. This time Ernest and Juliette are at the bank trying to obtain a loan for Ernest's detective agency. They did not imagine that they would find themselves among a group of ten hostages as one man attempts to rob a bank. They also learn that the brother of the bank manager is missing. This is not an ordinary day.

As you would expect Ernest is determined to discover what is going on and why, especially as the bank robber does not appear to be in a hurry to leave the bank. He is also not interested in the money in the till but just demands one dollar from the vault. 

Ernest provides the reader with a detailed account of his observations as to what is occurring in the bank, including alerting the reader to possible clues as he attempts to solve the mystery. Ernest also provides us with an account of different types of theft, not just cash. As we learn about the characters, many have reasons to want money urgently. But who would also resort to murder to obtain what they want.

 Once again this easy to read, often amusing, crime novel keeps the reader guessing as to what is really going on.

The Governor, His Wife and His Mistress

In The Governor, His Wife and His Mistress, Sue Williams has written another work of historical fiction set in the early days of the new Colony of New South Wales. Philip Gidley King initially sailed with the First Fleet to the new colony at Sydney Harbour but was then sent with a small party of convicts to establish another settlement at Norfolk Island.

This novel deals with his relationship with Ann Inett, one of the female convicts also sent to Norfolk Island. Ann becomes Gidley King's housekeeper and eventually his mistress. They have two sons. Then Gidley King returns to England to provide a report about the new colony to officials. Before returning to New South Wales, with a promotion, he marries Anna Josepha Coombe who returns to the colony with him. 

The Governor, His Wife and His Mistress describes the relationship that develops between the two women and their families and their life in the colony. It is an account of the early years of colonial life in New South Wales, especially the tensions developing between the Governor and his supporters and the Military. 

ABC Top 100 Books of the 21st Century 71-100

Last weekend ABC Radio National announced the top 100 books enjoyed so far by readers in the 21st century.

Of the books that rated from 71-80, I have read five of the titles. My order (number 1 to 5) for the books listed in the top 71-80 would be:

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society 

by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray 

The Happiest Refugee by Anh Do 

The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku 

Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox (excellent children's picture book)

Of the books that rated from 81-90, I have read two of the titles. My order (number 1 to 2) for the books listed in the top 81-90 would be:

 Chai Time at the Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandren

Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood 

Of the books that rated from 81-90, I have read three of the titles. My order (number 1 to 3) for the books listed in the top 81-90 would be:

The Bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams

 True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 

I have read thirty-seven titles from this list of 100 titles. Some of the books in the list I read before I started this blog and I will eventually add posts for these titles.

This has been an interesting exercise looking at the titles that respondents to the survey voted for. There are many other titles that I would have included in such as list but we all have different tastes in reading. The list, however has provided some interesting titles for my To Be Read list.

ABC Top 100 Books of the 21st Century 41-70

Last weekend ABC Radio National announced the top 100 books enjoyed so far by readers in the 21st century.

Of the books that rated from 41-50, I have read four of the titles. My order (number 1 to 4) for the books listed in the top 41-50 would be:

 The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

All That I Am by Anna Funder 

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling 

Of the books that rated from 51-60, I have read three of the titles. My order (number 1 to 3) for the books listed in the top 51-60 would be:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander MaCall Smith

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion 

 

Of the books that rated from 61-70, I have read only one of the titles. 

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

ABC Top 100 Books of the 21st Century 11-40

Last weekend ABC Radio National announced the top 100 books enjoyed so far by readers in the 21st century.

Of the books that rated from 11-20, I have read five of the titles. My order (number 1 to 5) for the books listed in the top 11-20 would be:

The Secret River by Kate Grenville

Still Life by Sarah Winman

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

 Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 

 

Of the books that rated from 21-30, I have read three of the titles. My order (number 1 to 3) for the books listed in the top 21-30 would be:

The Dry by Jane Harper

Honey Bee by Craig Silvey

Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton 

Of the books that rated from 31-40, I have read five of the titles. My order (number 1 to 5) for the books listed in the top 31-40 would be:

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

Dirt Music by Tim Winton

Breath By Tim Winton

The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas 

I need to write blog posts for Dirt Music and The Slap. 

ABC Top 100 Books of the 21st Century 1-10

Last weekend ABC Radio National announced the top 100 books enjoyed so far by readers in the 21st century.

Of the books that made the top 10, I have read six of the titles and have now placed reservations in the library for three of the remaining four titles. My order (number 1 to 6) for the books listed in the top 10 would be:

The Book Thief By Markus Zusak

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams 

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel 

Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton 

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus 

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 

I will add to the list when I have read the other books listed in this group. 

 

The full list of ABC Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. 

 

My Top 10 books selected from the ABC Top 100 List would be: 

The Book Thief By Markus Zusak

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams 

The Secret River by Kate Grenville

The Dry by Jane Harper

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society 

by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell 

 The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

 Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton 

 Honey Bee by Craig Silvey

Still Life by Sarah Winman 

Legacy

Martin Scarsden is once again the main character in this novel by Chris Hammer. We first met Martin in Scrublands, Silver and Trust. In this latest novel, Legacy, Martin and his family attend the launch of his latest book involving the investigation of a Melbourne crime family when the police evacuate the hall before a bomb explodes. Martin fears for the welfare of his family who are removed to a place of safety. On the advice of Jack Goffing from ASIO, Martin takes on a new identity and then disappears to Paroo in outback New South Wales where he hopes he will not be recognised.

So begins a fast paced thriller with Martin attempting to remain incognito as he tries to discover who has set out not just to kill him but also to totally discredit his reputation. He also discovers a long standing feud between two families - the Carmichaels and the Stantons. He considers this as a possible topic for a new book but his investigations lead to additional danger including an attempt on his life.

There are parallel stories in the book. As well as Martin's story we meet Ecco who has been employed by Clay Carmichael to write the family story. Her investigations lead to the discovery of a mystery that occurred more than one hundred years earlier. She also learns about a murder committed twenty years ago and the disappearance of  Clay's daughter, Chloe. Information from Chloe's diaries provide additional information.

Once again, when the police become involved, we again meet Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchannan from the Homicide Squad who have featured in other Chris Hammer novels. The environment of the outback is a feature of the story, especially the flood waters travelling into New South Wales from northern Queensland, hopefully resulting in the regrowth of pasture for any livestock remaining after a drought.

Legacy is another excellent addition to the genre often referred to a Aussie Noir.

The Impossible Fortune

The Thursday Murder Club members had seen little activity for almost twelve months and then, suddenly, they were in the thick of an investigation once more. When the club members attended a wedding, Elizabeth was approached by a man who feared he was in danger. Elizabeth and the team once again enjoy the opportunity to become involved in an investigation.

The main mystery concerns trying to crack the secret code for a cryptocurrency fortune which appears to be the centre of events, including kidnapping and murder occurring, threatening their normally quiet community. In The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman, the fifth book in the Thursday Murder Club series, the reader once again becomes immersed in the lives of Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim, plus their friends, as they carry out their investigations. Another exciting adventure with a group of older people who demonstrate that they are more than capable of solving crimes.

Braiding Sweetgrass

As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two streams of knowledge together. This title was one of the books considered for possible discussion by the Monash Alumni Book Club in January 2026.

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teaching of plants was published in 2013.  In 2022 another edition, Braiding Sweetgrass for young adults was published. 

An aim of the books is to acknowledge and celebrate our reciprocal relationship with the earth resulting in a wider, more complete understanding of our place and purpose in the land. Although Kimmerer is writing about indigenous people and their relationship with the environment in North America, the philosophy expounded also applies to other countries, particularly Australia.

Other books by Kimmerer include The Serviceberry: an economy of gifts and environment, Gathering Moss: a natural and cultural history of mosses, How to Love a Forest: the bitter sweet work of tending a changing world and This Book is a Plant: how to grow, learn and radically engage with the natural world.

Mischance Creek

Constable Paul Hirschhausen (Hirsch) runs the one person operated police station in Tiverton, north of Adelaide in South Australia. Part of the work of a country cop is to know the local community well and he starts each day by walking around the town first thing in the morning. But he is also responsible for the welfare of the many properties surrounding Tiverton. The main police station is at Redruth about a thirty minute drive from Tiverton.

Each November Hirsch conducts a firearms audit which involves checking that all weapons in the community are registered and stored securely. This also allows him to do a welfare check on those living in his area of responsibility as well as the opportunity to notice if anything usual or illegal is occurring in the region.

One day he assists the driver of a car which has ended up in a ditch. Initially he surmises that the driver is a tourist but then discovers that Annika is visiting the area to try and discover what happened to her parents when they visited the area several years before Hirsch came to the district. Her father's body had been found in a mine shaft but her mother had simply disappeared. Hirsch becomes interested in this cold case as well as maintaining his daily routine.

When a skeleton is found Hirsch works with the investigation team sent to solve the case. It is not long before links are found to other suspicious activity in the region. He also has to contend with several locals who are 'sovereign citizens' as well as another group who promote conspiracy theories.

Garry Disher has become one of my favourite Australian crime writers. In Mischance Creek the local environment and the range of country characters add an important element in the resolution of the crimes occurring in what should be a quiet country area of South Australia. Mischance Creek is the fifth book in the Hirsch series of novels.

In the Woods

A young girl is found murdered near an archaeological site and Detective Rob Ryan Detective Cassie Maddox investigate. This case poses additional difficulties for Ryan as memories of events that occurred in the nearby woods when he was a child haunt him. As the investigation continues memories of the past gradually resurface.

In the Woods by Tana French is psychological study of manipulation leading people to believe and act in ways they may not have in ordinary circumstances. The reader becomes involved with the revelations of why characters act the way that they do and how their actions affect the lives of others, sometimes with disastrous results.

 This title was the Dervla McTiernan Book club that isn't a book club book selection for September 2025.

Katherine Swynford: the story of John of Gaunt and his scandalous duchess

Katherine de Roet (1350-1403) became the third wife of John of Gaunt (1340-1399), a son of King Edward III and Philippa of Hainault. Initially Katherine had married Sir Hugh Swynford who died in 1371. She became the mistress of John of Gaunt and they had four children. When John of Gaunt's second wife died he married Katherine and insisted that their children should be recognised as part of his family. Alison Weir has proved us with a dramatic account of this period of English history.

 

In her historical study, Katherine Swynford, Alison Weir sets out to provide an account of Katherine's life from the scant records available. The interest in the life of Katherine and John of Gaunt has increased over the years especially since the publication of the novel, Katherine, by Anna Seton which was published in 1954. Detailed notes plus a select bibliography, notes, index and family trees are provided.

 

NB: This book was published in the United States with the title Mistress of the Monarchy: The Life of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster by Alison Weir

 

Katherine Swynford - Alison Weir  

She-Wolves: the women who ruled England before Elizabeth

In 2010 historian, Helen Castor, had published the book, She-Wolves: the women who ruled England before Elizabeth. In 2012 a three part television series with the same name was made. A She-wolf was a derogatory term suggesting that a female leader, by nature, would have to have serious character defects. During the medieval period there were many women who held positions of power but were not allowed to be queens in their own right in England.

The women who are the focus in Helen Castor's study are Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France and Margaret of Anjou. These women lived during a period in history when only men had the official power to govern a country or territory but women were used as a means of increasing that power or gaining more land or riches. In reality these women made an impact on life in England during often difficult times and often were regents when the official ruler was fighting in France or on crusade. This did not necessarily make them popular with some of the barons and church hierarchy who wanted to increase their power.

She-wolves - Historical Association 

Medieval she-wolves (part one) - History - the interesting bits

 Medieval she-wolves (part two) - History - the interesting bits

See How They Fall

The Turner family meet to spend Easter together at the family property, Yallambee, in New South Wales. Sir Campbell Turner, who had created a family business that traded worldwide, had recently died and part of the reason for the family get-together is for his three sons, Jamie, Duncan and Hugo, to discuss the distribution of the family fortune. But before the weekend ends one person will be dead and a six year old girl will be seriously ill in hospital.

Initially See How They Fall by Rachel Parks reads as a mystery novel with the need to discover who committed the crime, but it soon becomes obvious that it is much more than that. The story is narrated by Skye, the wife of Duncan Turner, and Mei O'Connor who is investigating the case. The corruption that has occurred within the Turner family is gradually revealed along with the extent that family members will go to cover up the family's crime activities.

As the novel develops into a psychological thriller it is difficult to stop reading as the reader encounters another twist or turn as the exploits of this dysfunctional family are revealed. The Turner family is used being above the law. Skye and Mei are determined that this time the truth will be revealed.

See How They Fall is a debut novel for New Zealand writer, Rachel Paris. I look forward to reading her next book. 

 This was the Monash University Alumni Book Club book for October 2025. 

Review: See How They Fall - Debbishdotcom  

Review:See How They Fall - Aotearoa New Zealand Review of Books  

People absolutely hate me - The Spinoff  

See  How They Fall - Goodreads 

King John and the road to the Magna Carta

John (1166-1216), the youngest son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, was not expected to become king. When King Henry II divided his lands in Britain and France among his sons, John was very young and not included. This caused him to be given the nickname, Lackland, by family members. For much of his life John lived in the shadow of other family members, especially his brother, Richard the Lionheart.

Shortly after John's brother, Richard became king, King Richard I took part in the Third Crusade (1190-1192). John eventually ruled England, especially when money was needed to pay the ransom after Richard was captured on the way home from the Crusade. Richard returned to England for a few months before spending the rest of his life in Normandy until his death in 1199. John then officially became King John of England and his family's lands in France.

John faced many challenges during his reign especially the opposition he faced from many of the barons, from the Church hierarchy, including the Pope, and from the people who objected to the increased taxes imposed to fund his attempts to win back his French lands lost in France. The French king was also threatening to invade England and there were problems in other territories, especially, Ireland, Wales and with the Scots.

Unfortunately John strongly believed in the tradition of sovereign power which he found impossible to sustain in a time of unrest and demands for change. After losing the French possessions, the subsequent First Barons' War (1215-1217) divided the country and several months later Prince Louis of France arrived on the southern coast of England and with the assistance of some of the barons took over London. Eventually King John and the barons met to create a document that became known as the Magna Carta.  

In  King John and the Road to the Magna Carta, Stephen Church provides a detailed study of the events that led to a change in the power of the monarchy plus the prelude to the eventual creation of a parliament. Detailed notes and bibliography can be found at the end of the book.

The Rip

The Rip is another intense, character driven, book written by Australian author, Mark Brandi. The story is told from the perspective of a young woman who is living on the streets of Melbourne with a friend, Anton. Life is not easy but they are surviving. Then they meet Steve, an acquaintance of Anton from his past. 

Steve offers them a bed at the unit where he lives, telling them that the girl who lives there is spending time in an asylum. Staying in the unit for a time provides them with more security, however it is soon obvious that Steve has plans which involve them. They begin to realise that they were safer living in the gardens than with Steve.

At one stage Anton explains their life to her as it's like walking out into the sea, and  you think everything's fine and the water's warm, but when you turn back you're suddenly miles from shore. ... Like, being caught in a current or something. A rip. The problem is that if this happens, how do you escape?

Throughout the book there is an impending feeling of oncoming doom but towards the end there is hope as the young woman finally accepts that there are people who want to help her escape from the evergrowing predicament in which she finds herself.

The White Crow

Philomena McCarthy is a police officer in London. She is also the daughter of a crime boss in London. Consequently she faces much conflict in her life.

One evening Philomena discovers a five year old girl wandering by the road. Taking the child home she discovers that the child's mother has been murdered. The police soon learn that the family business has also been robbed and police find the husband tied to a chair in the family jewellery store. The police immediately suspect that Philomena's family is involved.

Meanwhile her father's business interests are threatened by someone who wants to take over the firm. Members of her family are in danger and Philomena's father is determined to protect them and his business interests.

In The White Crow Michael Robotham has written another fast paced crime novel with lots of action as well as questions about the importance of family.This is the second book in the Philomena McCarthy series and I suspect that it will not be the last.

Wimmera

Set in a small town in western Victoria, this novel starts by telling of the friendship at primary school between two young boys, Ben and Fab. In their spare time they enjoyed playing cricket and going yabbying but they both were aware that Fab's father was often cruel to his son. Then the young girl who lived next door to Ben committed suicide. When a new neighbour moves into the house next door to Ben the boys keep watch on him and soon realise that this man could be dangerous.

The years pass and Fab is still in the town looking for a stable job. Ben had gone to a different secondary school and the boys had lost touch with each other. Fab was having trouble settling down. He drank too much and would also take drugs from time to time. He had befriended a fellow worker, Afriki, who had plans to go and find a job in Melbourne. Fab had decided to go with him when, one day, a policeman tapped him on the shoulder and wanted to talk to him.

Wimmera by Mark Brandi explores the the dark world of child abuse and the difficulties faced by the victims in trying to lead a 'normal' life when they are unable to tell anyone about what they encountered.

The Correspondent

The Correspondent by Australian journalist, Peter Greste, was originally published in 2017 with the title, The First Casualty. This revised edition was published to coincide with the film, The Correspondent, released in 2024. 

On 28 December 2013, Peter Greste and other journalists were arrested in Egypt on charges of being terrorists. He was finally freed from prison on 1 February 2015. Despite there being no evidence that the journalists had any connections to terrorist organisations and were just reporting on the political situation in Egypt, Greste spent 400 days in Egyptian prisons before he was allowed to return to Australia.

The book provides a graphic account of the challenges faced by journalists working in overseas countries, especially where there is political unrest. In alternate chapters the author describes his experiences of working in Afghanistan and the challenges journalists face in countries including Somalia and Syria. 

There is also a chapter on the deterioration of the the concept of Freedom of the Press in the USA. No doubt this chapter would be expanded if rewritten today considering the actions of the current American president in regard to the media. Another chapter examines changes that the author had noticed regarding the press in Australia.

As well as describing challenges facing journalists in reporting news events, especially overseas, The Correspondent provides a commentary on changes affecting how we think and live our lives in the twenty-first century.  

The Correspondent was the book selected for the Dervla McTiernan Book club that isn't a book club book for August 2025.

For Duck's Sake

Meg had retreated to her brother's house as her home had been invaded by people and dogs preparing for the Mutt March Parade to be held in Caerphilly at the weekend. However peace was short lived. When Rob and Delaney had arranged for a duck pond to be constructed in their garden, they did not envisage a skeleton being uncovered while the hole for the pond was being dug. Meg finds herself in the middle of an investigation to discover the identity of someone who had died thirty or forty years previously.

 For Duck's Sake by Donna Andrews is number 37 in the Meg Langslow Series which takes the reader on another often amusing adventure as Meg assists the police in solving the identity of the skeleton and why it was buried in her brother's garden. The family's involvement in the organisation of the Mutt March Parade is another theme in the book as well as the hunt for an elderly neighbour who has disappeared.

Sit back and enjoy another installment in the busy life of Meg Langslow and her family and friends as she investigates yet another mystery.

It Should Have Been You

It all starts with a post on social media. Susan copies the post with her comments and sends the message to her sisters. Except she inadvertently posts the message to the local community WhatsApp group. Then the comments begin!  It Should Have Been You by Irish author, Andrea Mara, is a fast moving account of events that occur in a small community as people react to the content - or part of the content - of Susan's message. 

Susan has a new baby and is slowly adapting to motherhood. The avalanche of events, including death threats, that occur after posting the message cause her to doubt her relationships with family and friends. Her world appears to be collapsing around her especially when a woman with the same street address as her home, but in another town with the same name, is murdered. The story is revealed in two time frames by a variety of characters. It is a story of misunderstandings, betrayal, teenage angst, insecurity of new mothers in their ability to be a good mother as well as family dynamics.

The novel contains a large number of characters involved with the events in the plot or with opinions as to what is happening and who is at fault. It is not long before it is discovered that in this quiet town there are many undercurrents just waiting to erupt.

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman is the sequel to The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies. Continuing the story that began in the first book, Lady Augusta and Lady Julia  endeavour to protect Lady Hester and Miss Grant from the clutches of Lady Hester's brother. They are assisted by a number of friends including Lord Evan, who is a fugitive trying to prove his innocence, and Mr Kent who is a Bow Street Runner.

The ladies encounter much danger as they travel around the country trying to find a place of safety away from Mr Mulholland and his associates as well as from Hester's brother. This is a fast paced adventure with the main characters travelling from one point of danger to another. Along the way they are assisted by George Beau Brummell and Lord Alvanley but there will be a price to pay which will be fully revealed in their next adventure.

This novel is purely fiction but incorporates a number of real characters and events as Gus and Julia continue on their quest to assist ladies who have been ill-treated by men and society in the time of Regency England.

Jane Austen: Writer in the World

Written to commemorate two hundred years since the death of Jane Austen in 1817, Jane Austen: writer in the world edited by Kathryn Sutherland, discusses the status of Jane Austen's writing during that time. The book consists of a series of chapters by different writers who evaluate aspects of Jane Austen's life and work based on artifacts held in special collections and museums.

The first section concerns life in Georgian England and has chapters discussing Jane Austen's early, unpublished work, the importance of music in Georgian society, costume - including a pelisse-coat once owned by Jane Austen, plus the art of letter writing and the importance of correspondence in telling Jane's story. Section two, the Novelist in the World, has chapters on women writing during the time of war (particularly the Napoleonic wars), how Jane Austen wrote her books and a study of novels in 1817. Jane Austen Imagined investigates the few possible portraits of Jane Austen while the last chapter looks at the significance of Jane Austen's legacy after two hundred years, not just in England but throughout the world.

Jane Austen: writer in the world provides interesting background material for those interested in the novels of Jane Austen and life in Regency England. Each chapter contains photographs and illustrations of objects and artwork relating to the content. There area detailed notes for each chapter plus a list of other relevant books and an index.

Eden

Tom Blackburn has been released from prison after serving a nine year sentence. The challenge is now to make a life for himself on the outside. His first stop is to find somewhere to stay while he looks for work. The hostel is not inviting but it provides a roof over his head. There he meets Len who advises Tom on the best way to survive when he decides to leave the hostel. Eventually he finds himself at Melbourne General Cemetery where he meets Cyril who allows him to sleep in the shed and earn a wage for gardening and helping to dig graves. But Tom soon discovers new dangers that threaten his plans and puts his life in danger.

Eden by Mark Brandi is a book about secrets that are gradually revealed as Tom is forced to remember past events in order to learn to live in a new environment where the secrets of others threaten his future. Is there anywhere where he will finally be safe?

Jane Austen's Bookshelf: the women writers who shaped a legend

American rare book dealer, Rebecca Romney, provides an insight into the work of female authors whose books were probably read by Jane Austen (1775-1817). Jane Austen is celebrated as an author of novels set in Regency England but there were a number of other female authors who were respected writers for a time. Why did Jane Austen become even more popular over time while the work of other female authors has largely been forgotten?

 In Jane Austen's Bookshelf, Rebecca Romney looks at the work of female authors who are mentioned in the work of Jane Austen or in Jane Austen's correspondence or who may have written books read by Jane Austen. These authors are Frances Burney (1752-1840), Ann Radcliffe (1764-1823), Charlotte Lennox (c1729-1804), Hannah More (1745-1833), Charlotte Smith (1749-1806), Elizabeth Inchbald (1753-1821), Hester Lynch Thrale Piozzi (1741-1821) and Maria Edgeworth (1768-1849).

This book provides an overview of fiction written by female authors during the eighteenth and early nineteenth century. The author provides an overview of the struggles faced by women to have their work published and read by the general public. Jane Austen was known to be an avid reader and would have read the works of fellow female authors. Careful reading of Jane Austen's work at time shows where she has been influenced by writers of fiction popular at the time.

Rebecca Romney set out to recreate a library of books that Jane Austen would have read. She not only collected fiction titles of the time but also works that discuss individual writers and their works. An appendix contains detailed descriptions of some of the works mentioned in this book. There is also a bibliography and detailed list of notes. There is some repetition in this work but overall  it provides an informative and important insight into the development and influence of the work of female authors.

A Judgement in Stone

Eunice Parchman killed the Coverdale family because she could not read or write. So begins the crime novel, A Judgement in Stone, by English author Ruth Rendell (1930-2015). 

In this character driven crime novel we learn some of Eunice's story and how she came to be working as a housekeeper for the Coverdale family at Lowfield Hall. Eunice had had a hard life in contrast to the privileged life of the Coverdale family. However she was good at her job which she performed to her own exacting standards. When not working, Eunice preferred to be left to her own devices, especially watching television in her room.  Eunice was basically a recluse who did not want people to know that she was illiterate. Then she met Joan Smith at the local store. Joan befriended Eunice and for a time Eunice appreciated having a friend. But Joan was involved with a religious group and was critical of others who did not share her beliefs. 

A Judgement in Stone revolves around the relationship between the two women who are both aliens in their local community. This partnership ends in disaster.

Ruth Rendell is also known for the series of detective stories featuring Inspector Wexford. She also wrote books using the name, Barbara Vine. In her book, Backstage, by Donna Leon, Ruth Rendell is one of the authors Donna Leon refers to as having influenced her writing. 

The Underground Man

One of the crime authors that Donna Leon wrote about in her book, Backstage, was Ross Macdonald (1915-1983) so I decided to borrow one of his books from the library. He was best known for Lew Archer series of books set in California. The Underground Man was published in 1971 and is number sixteen in the series of eighteen books.

Lew Archer is a private detective. One morning he meets a six year old boy, Ronny, who is staying next door and together they feed the birds in the garden. When the boy's father arrives and takes him away in the car, Archer agrees to travel with the boy's mother to make sure that her son is OK. So begins a  story of murder, complicated family relationships with children brought up in unstable families plus danger from a nearby forest fire.

This is an old style, fast moving crime novel set in a time frame where life, for the most part, was lived differently from today.

The Beacon

Jack Harris, the son of a newspaper magnate, has been exiled to Byron Bay to work on the local newspaper, The Beacon. Shortly after his arrival Patrick O'Shaughnessy, the editor of the newspaper, disappears while surfing and first reports are that he was taken by a shark. The local police are prepared to believe this story but Jack becomes convinced that the shark attack was staged and he and Patrick's daughter, Caitlin, join forces to discover the truth.

Byron Bay has more than its fair share of anti-vaxers, opposers to 5G and other conspiracy theorists who had objected to articles opposing their views appearing in the local press. The main window of the newspaper office was regularly smashed with a brick. Caitlin was certain that her father was working on big story that would shock the local community. If they could find the files they may also find who had killed her father.

In The Beacon P. A. Thomas has written a fast moving, often humorous, crime novel involving  an array of often unusual characters. It soon becomes obvious that corruption abounding in the present and the past is the cause of the latest crime. Jack, Caitlin, Zoe and Ricky need to work quickly to solve the case before more innocent people become implicated.