CANBERRA WEEKLY 31 OCTOBER 2024: NEW CRIME FICTION BY PIP DRYSDALE AND PATRICIA WOLF
This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed crime novels by two relatively new Australia crime authors, Pip Drysdale and Patricia Wolf.
Sydney based author Pip Drysdale has quickly established herself as a ‘must read’ writer for those who enjoy dark, edgy, first person suspense thrillers with a hot, contemporary feel to them. Her internationally based books, including London, Paris and now Hollywood, feature young, quirky, slightly unreliable female narrators, who mix bad decisions, usually about men, with courage and a willingness to push through. Her latest, The Close-Up (Harper Collins, 30 October 2024), is another enjoyable tale with a great central protagonist, a knock-out ending and a terrific eye-catching cover.
In the Canberra Weekly I said:
“Pip Drysdale is one of our best authors of sexy, psychological suspense novels with an edgy feel. Her latest, The Close-Up, is another snappy, engaging tale with an appealing, if somewhat unreliable narrator. Failed author, come florist, Zoe meets an old flame who is now a famous actor with an entourage and lots of paparazzi. They start dating, but when it becomes public, courtesy of nude pool photos, Zoe finds herself being stalked by an obsessed fan who is recreating the creepy scenes from her failed first novel.
A good contemporary thriller with vivid Hollywood settings, clever twists and modern romance.”
I recently did a longer review here: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/the-close-up-by-pip-drysdale/
Berlin based Patricia Wolf enjoyed good initial success, especially in the United Kingdom, with her first two DS Lucas Walker books, Outback and Paradise, and now has released a third book, Opal (Echo Publishing, 1 October 2024).
In the Canberra Weekly I said:
“Patricia Wolf’s third rural crime novel, Opal, finds her central character, DS Lucas Walker, on leave and escorting his visiting half-sister to his outback Queensland hometown. An urgent phone call sends them on to a tiny mining town, where they become stranded by a flash flood. Rumours of a major opal find, and the discovery of two murdered bodies, complicates things further, and forces Walker to work with the local police to uncover the killer before the waters recede, and the murderer can escape.
Well plotted and nicely paced, this is an enjoyable read by a promising new crime fiction voice.”
Patricia Wolf is certainly an author to look out for, especially by those who like vividly described stories about crimes in the Australian outback. I also did a longer review here: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/crime-round-up-october-2024-new-books-by-chris-hammer-peter-james-and-patricia-wolf/
Finally, for those after something a little different from crime, murder and mayhem, I also reviewed Peter Crowley’s beautifully produced and well researched history book, Townsend Of The Ranges (National Library of Australia).
In the Canberra Weekly I said:
“Peter Crowley’s beautifully produced Townsend Of The Ranges is a fascinating account of the early surveyor Thomas Townsend, who played an important role in mapping the wild Australian Alps. Although a significant historical figure, Townsend is now virtually unknown, and his accomplishments largely forgotten. In a lucid and engaging manner, Crowley provides an interesting biography of Townsend from his early surveying days to his tragic end. It is an absorbing story that also charts the terrible impact of settlement on the local indigenous people.
Well supported by original maps, photos and drawings, this is a lovely book that would make a great Christmas present.”
I read a reasonable amount of history books during the year, and Peter Crowley’s Townsend Of The Ranges is certainly one of the more interesting ones I have across. His excavation of Townsend from the footnotes of Australian history is an impressive achievement that deserves wide readership.
With Christmas just around the corner, all of these books would make for great presents.
The above reviews, and much more, can be found on the Canberra Weekly/Canberra Daily site at: https://canberradaily.com.au/category/entertainment/books/