CANBERRA WEEKLY 19 AUGUST 2021: Australian Fiction

This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed three new Australian novels, including two crime novels by Robert Gott and Simon Rowell.

First up is the latest historical murder mystery by Robert Gott.

Gott is an unsung stalwart of Australian crime writing. His 1940s crime novels are always an enjoyable addition to the reading year and offer good plots and plenty of interesting historical detail. His latest, The Orchard Murders (Scribe), is no exception and is an entertaining journey back to 1944.

In the Canberra Weekly I said:

Robert Gott’s The Orchard Murders is set in Melbourne during the dark days of World War II.  In the outer suburb of Nunawading, a triple murder signals the return of a long forgotten cult headed up by a messianic leader.  Inspector Lambert of the Melbourne Homicide Unit fears that the murders are just the beginning, and sets out to stop the cult, and its leader, before more deaths occur.  As with Gott’s earlier novels, The Orchard Murders bristles with interesting detail and a convincing wartime backdrop. The characters and the plot are well-crafted, and the story builds to a tense finale. Recommended.

Sophie Green’s charming novels have covered a range of different locations and time periods from the New South Wales coast in 1982 to the Northern Territory in 1978 to Northern Queensland in 1993 in her latest novel, Thursdays at Orange Blossom House (Hachette).

In the Canberra Weekly I said:

Sophie Green has established herself as a leading writer of warm-hearted tales about female friendship and second chances.  In her latest novel, Thursdays At Orange Blossom House, she shifts her focus from outback and suburban Australia to Far North Queensland in 1993. Three very different women gather each Thursday at the lushly located Orange Blossom House to learn yoga and find peace.  Together they overcome their varied backgrounds and embark on a journey of discovery and reconnection.  An enjoyable and moving tale about life, family, and the chances taken and missed, all set against a vividly described location and period of time.

Simon Rowell’s The Long Game (Text) is one of my favourite Australian crime novels so far this year. A well written, easy flowing police novel it keeps you engaged and interested from beginning to end.

In the Canberra Weekly I said:

Simon Rowell’s second novel, The Long Game, is an assured and enjoyable police mystery with an engaging central character. After a traumatic incident, Detective Zoe Meyer returns to duty to find herself in charge of the investigation into the stabbing of a surfer near Portsea Beach.  An obvious suspect is soon identified and arrested, but Zoe has her doubts and sets out to find who the real killer is.  This is a very entertaining crime novel that is elevated above much of the competition by its easy flowing style, nicely limned characters, vivid descriptions of Melbourne’s beachside suburbs and strong sense of credibility. A terrific read.

I also did a longer review of The Long Game a few weeks ago: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/the-long-game-by-simon-rowell-text-august-2021/

So some good lockdown reading! Thanks to the publishers and the Canberra Weekly for the books.

This review and many others can also be seen on the informative Canberra Weekly site: https://canberraweekly.com.au/category/entertainment/books/