Nesting

Ciara Fay, a young mother with two daughters, decides that she must leave her family home to escape from her abusive husband. Since her marriage she has been under her husband's control, has had no access to money except to purchase specific items, is not allowed contact with friends or family and has been prevented from returning to work. Her  husband does not help with the children's care or housework. Ryan has never hit Ciara or the children but he is verbally abusive, controlling and intimidates her psychologically and sexually. She also later discovers that he has placed an app on her phone so he always knows where she is.

Ciara has left home with the children before but was forced by Ryan to return. She is determined not to allow this to happen again. Finding suitable accommodation that she can afford is not easy and she spends nine months in housing accommodation where she needs to sign in each night to keep her room. However she does begin to make friends who help her and she finds temporary employment. However Ryan will not leave her alone and is determined to regain control.

In Nesting Irish author, Roisin O'Donnell has written a moving account of the difficulties faced by women if their marriage breaks down. She also writes about the difficulties of the homeless in finding accommodation and employment in Ireland.

Taken

Kate Miles has returned to work in the police force after recovering from a gunshot wound and the birth of her second child. Her husband is not convinced about her returning to work full-time so soon after their daughter's birth, however he is out of work and they need her salary. Then reports appear of the corrupt business dealings of a former parliamentarian with links to her father. Kate therefore has to cope with family pressures as well as the pressures of returning to work where she has the feeling that some of her colleagues are just waiting for her to fail.

Added to these pressures Kate's first case is investigating the disappearance of a baby from her home. The baby's father was away at a conference but when it becomes obvious that there are contradictions in his story he becomes a prime suspect as does the mother's former partner who is renowned for his acts of violence, particularly against women. As the investigation proceeds more is revealed about the lives and relationships of the main characters.

This is a character driven crime novel which focuses on family relationships and family violence as well as attitudes in Kate's work environment regarding the ability of women to lead, particularly women who are not white. Police corruption also features in the book. In Taken, Dinuka McKenzie has written another novel enabling the reader to become immersed in the story and its characters and just want to keep reading. The third book in this series has recently been published.

Lola in the Mirror

A teenage girl and her mother spend their lives moving from one part of Australia to another to escape the past. At each location they change their names. The girl often asks her mother who she really is but her mother says that she will reveal the girl's identity when she turns eighteen. However the mother drowns in the river trying to save another mother's baby and the girl is left to discover her true identity on her own.

The young girl is an artist and regularly sketches images of the challenges she faces as she seeks to discover her true identity. She does have friends among many of the houseless (not homeless) who live in Brisbane and also frequents a welfare agency where some support is available. However there is constant danger, especially from Flo and her cohorts who sell drugs and exert violence on those in debt to her. The young girl seeks solace and advice from the image that sometimes appears in a broken mirror as she attempts to sort out her life.

In Lola in the Mirror Trent Dalton has created a story that is often dark and violent but is also a story of love and compassion and the fight for survival and contains moments of humour. Life is not easy for the young artist, however she is determined to fight the obstacles placed in front of her and discover her own path in life.

At the beginning of each chapter Paul Heppell has created one of the girl's sketches complimenting the theme of the chapter. A premise running through the book is that one day the girl's artwork will appear in the art gallery in New York when she becomes a famous artist.

Trent Dalton has written a compelling study of life in parts of Australia not seen or understood by most people. However throughout the novel there is a belief that eventually the girl should be able to determine her own future. This confronting story with a thread of hope is definitely one of the best books that I have read this year.