CANBERRA WEEKLY 19 JUNE 2025: NEW BOOKS BY A. A. DHAND, ANGIE FAYE MARTIN AND ALEX NORTH
This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed two very good new crime novels by veteran authors Alex North and A. A. Dhand, and an exciting rural crime debut by Australian author Angie Faye Martin.
Melaleuca, (HQ, 30 May 2025), by Angie Faye Martin is shaping up as being one of the major Australian crime debuts of 2025. Set in a small Queensland outback town in 2000, it follows Indigenous policewoman Renee Taylor as she tries to solve two mysteries while struggling with prejudice in her hometown.
In the Canberra Weekly I said:
“One of the major Australian crime novels of the year is Angie Faye Martin’s Melaleuca. Set in a small Queensland country town it follows the efforts of Indigenous policewoman Renee Taylor as she investigates the murder of a woman found down by the local creek. A crime which strangely seems to be connected to the disappearance of two young aboriginal women thirty years before.
This is an evocative and moving crime novel that deals with major themes around racism and poverty, while also delivering the suspense and surprises expected of a crime novel. A fresh and provocative mystery that will leave you thinking.”
Melaleuca is a very impressive novel and is a must read for fans of outback noir and good crime stories.
I did a longer review a few weeks back: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/downunder-crime-update-june-2025-news-reviews-and-previews/
A. A. Dhand is best known for his highly praised Harry Virdee series, which has recently made its way to television screens. His latest novel, The Chemist (HQ, 22 May 2025), draws upon Dhand’s professional experience as a pharmacist and is a gripping stand-alone addition to his criminal canon.
In the Canberra Weekly I said:
“Set a long way from outback Queensland is A. A. Dhand’s exciting new book The Chemist. Idris Khan is a pharmacist working in a deprived area in Leeds, doling out methadone to addicts and trying to make ends meet. A trusted member of the community, Idris is also in debt to a local gang leader. When the woman he loves gets caught up in a murder, Idris becomes trapped in a criminal turf war and has to use his deadly professional skills to keep those he loves safe.
This is a gritty, fast paced tale, with plenty of good twists and turns. Recommended.”
I really enjoyed Dhand’s The Chemist, it has a good pace to it and, like Melaleuca, it benefits from a fresh perspective and an interesting central protagonist.
I did a longer review a few weeks back: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/new-british-crime-june-2025-mark-billingham-mark-ellis-and-a-a-dhand/
Dark crime author Alex North (who also writes as Steve Mosby) is in good form with his fourth book, The Man Made Of Smoke, (Michael Joseph, 8 May 2025).
In the Canberra Weekly I said:
“Also very dark in tone is Alex North’s The Man Made Of Smoke.
As a boy, Dan witnessed a crime involving a notorious serial killer, known as ‘The Pied Piper’, and has been haunted his entire life by that day. His father, who was a police officer at the time, has also spent many years fruitlessly looking into the case, to the point of obsession. When Dan is informed that his father has died under suspicious circumstances, he returns home and finds that the past is still alive and dangerous. Skilfully interweaving multiple timelines and various characters, North gradually builds the tension to a powerful climax.”
The pacing lags on occasion, but overall this is a good, grim crime novel that delivers a tense and exciting climax. It also has some typically quirky touches by North, which helps it to stand out from the bulk of British crime thrillers.
So three good crime novels that offer something a little different from the usual criminal output.
Thanks to the publishers and the Canberra Weekly for the review copies of the books. The above reviews, and others, can also be found on the Canberra Weekly/Daily website: https://canberradaily.com.au/