“Title”

By Author

Rating:
Genre:

Review

“Beyond the best Dressed

By Esther Zuckerman

Rating: ****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Fashion

An interesting look at the phenomena that is fashion at the Academy (and other awards). Great illustrations and interesting examination of fashion and style.

“Crook Manifesto

By Colson Whitehead

Rating: *****
Genre: Fiction: Crime

A trilogy of connected stories describing life, politics and nefarious activities in Harlem during the early 70s. An entertaining read. I really enjoy this author’s writing style.

“The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies”

By Alison Goodman

Rating: ****
Genre: Fiction: Cosy Mystery

“Days at the Morisaki Bookshop”

By Satoshi Yagisawa

Rating: ****
Genre: Fiction: General

When I started the book I wasn’t sure that I was going to like it. It seemed very YA and a little stiff. But by the time I finished it I was turned around – charming, honest, emotional and delightful!

“Hiroshima Peace Memorial Exhibition Guide”

By Hiroshima Museum

Rating: *****
Genre: Non-Fiction: History

A moving description of the events leading up to and post the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Incredible collection of images,

“Sight: The Delta Girls Book One”

By Juliet Madison

Rating: ****
Genre: Fiction: YA, Supernatural

A fun and fascinating book suitable for young adults (and everyone else) about five sisters as they navigate teenage life with new-found psychic abilities. A great read.

“The Death Mask Murders”

By Laraine Stephens

Rating: ****
Genre: Fiction: Cosy Mystery

When a series of death masks are discovered in a Brighton basement, Reggie de Costa is on the case, hoping to solve the mystery and publish an award wining article, while winning the heart of an attractive heiress. This is the first of the Reggie de Costa series, offering the reader a glimpse of the intrepid reporter’s style and traits. A great read.

“The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective”

By Sara Lodge

Rating: ****
Genre: Non -Fiction: Writing/Crime

An interesting and thoughtful examination of the role of women in both real life and fictional detective work in Victorian England. Well researched and informative.

“Tales from the Cafe”

By Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Rating: ****
Genre: Fiction: General/Contemporary

Another delightful set of four stories about the coffee shop where you can travel either into the past or future. Charming, simple and an easy to read book.

“”The Dictionary People: The unsung heroes who created the Oxford English Dictionary”

By Sarah Ogilvie

Rating: ****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Writing History

An entertaining and informative description of the individuals how contributed to the development of the Oxford English Dictionary. Plenty of amusing tales and fascinating anecdotes.

“Second Act at Appleton Green”

By Kate Forster

Rating: *****
Genre: Fiction: Contemporary Women’s Fiction

After a failed audition for a West End show, Lily retreats yo her grandmother’s cottage in Appleton Green to review her life and desires. A wonderful voyage of discovery. Great fun with a touch of romance.

“The White Feather Murders”

By Laraine Stephens

Rating: *****
Genre: Fiction: Cosy Mystery

Everyone’s favourite Crime reporter, Reggie Da Costa is back on the case. This time he and his trusty sidekick, Dusty Rhodes, are looking into a series of mysterious deaths, linked by the presence of a white feather, and an appearance of the victim in ‘poison pen’ style articles printed in competing newspaper, The Truth (of which there is little).

“The White Feather Murders” is the 5th book in the Reggie Da Costa series. It read well independently of its predecessors, but do yourself a favour and read them all. You won’t be disappointed.

“The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want”

By Emily M Bender & Alex Hanna

Rating: ****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Social History

A thoughtful and well-researched look into the hype about AI technology, its potential uses and potential issues. An interesting read.

“August Reunion”

By Juliet Madison

Rating: ****
Genre: Fiction: Romance/Rural

Another delightful outing in the Tarrin Bay series. Katy is coming up to the one year anniversary of her divorce and is ready to start dating again. But her plans change when her troubled brother moves back home, and their old school friend returns to town. A lovely story about friendship, family and romance.

“Melaleuca”

By Angie Faye Martin

Rating: *****
Genre: Fiction: Crime – Rural Noir

Unable to secure in-home support for her aging mother, Renee Taylor takes a temporary demotion to Constable in order to move back to her hometown of Goorungah. Her return brings with it memories of her experiences as a child, being a half-aboriginal daughter of a single, white mother. 

Renee is disappointed by the ineffectiveness of the small rural police department, when the body of a young indigenous woman is found by the creek. She convinces her sergeant to reinstate her as a detective and allow her to take on the case. Renee reviews the station files in search of similar cases and comes across a 30-year-old cold case. The links are undeniable.

“How to Seal Your Own Fate”

By Kristen Perrin

Rating: ****
Genre: Fiction: Cosy Mystery

This is a tale of mystery and intrigue, blending past and present, logic and mysticism, love and betrayal. There are loads of country estate moments, chocolate box village tropes, colourful local characters and even a ruby-studded dagger and matching ring.  How to Seal your Own Fate is the second instalment in the series. If you enjoy cosy mysteries and tv shows like Midsommer Murders, then you will love How to Seal your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin.

“Miss Caroline Bingley Private Detective”

By Kelly Gardiner & Sharmini Kumar

Rating: *****
Genre: Fiction: Cosy Mystery

Miss Caroline Bingley, whilst visiting her brother Charles and new wife Jane (formerly Bennet – yes, those Bennets) discovers that her friend, Georgiana Darcy, has left for London without her family’s knowledge, in pursuit of her maid, Jade, who has left her service without explanation. Caroline, covering for friend’s impulsivity, follows her to London to assist in the search, and in turn solve the murder of the maid’s brother. Whether you enjoy cosy mysteries or just like Regency/Austin style dramas, you will love this book.

“Murder in Retrograde”

By Greg Hickey

Rating: *****
Genre: Fiction: Sci Fi/Noir

“Murder in Retrograde” by Greg Hickey is a non-stop rollercoaster of edge-of-your-seat suspense, surprise twists, red herrings and a dash of humour, set against the backdrop of a futuristic LA (complete with on-going bush fires).

While investigating what he assumes is a standard environmental legislative breach, former Police detective turned private investigator, Marcus Carver, stumbles into a full-blown murder investigation.

“Trouble Is What I Do”

By Walter Mosley

Rating: ****
Genre: Fiction: Crime

Mosley never disappoints and this modern Noir novella is action packed from start to finish. A great read.

“Where The Guava Tree Stands”

By Leah T. Williams

Rating: *****
Genre: Fiction: Poetry/Junior Fiction

An absolutely delightful read. “Where the Guava Tree Stands” follows the early life of Mina, a young girl whose family has immigrated to the United States from St Kitts (an Island in the Caribbean). Told through a series of poems, Mina relays her fears about leaving her home, fitting in to a new culture, making friends, and her family’s fears about attitudes to migrants (even though they have green cards). A must read.

“Every Cowboy Knows How To Tame His Anger”

By Ostap Vyhovski

Rating: *****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Children, Educational

A delightful children’s book designed to help boys (and girls) understand the importance of managing one’s temper. It would make a great supplementary item to other forms of therapy/instruction/treatment for difficult children (but is a good read for all). The artwork is fantastic and the prose easy to understand.

“Groomed: A memoir about abuse, the search for justice and how we fail to keep our children safe”

By Sonia Orchard

Rating: *****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Memoir

While in therapy, Orchard, reflected on her life, choices and relationships. When she brought up her first “boyfriend”, it became obvious that her relationship with the ‘groovy ‘musician had been exploitative and unsafe. She was 15 and he was 26. When she finds her teenage diaries, her fears that she is a victim of crime are confirmed, and she lodges a complaint with the Police. The memoir follows Orchard’s attempts to put together what had occurred, how she dealt with responses from friends and family, and the processes of the justice system. If you think that you can manage it, read it. It is worthy of attention.

 I received a free copy of this book through Sisters in Crime – Australia, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

“The Wisteria Crescent Chronicles”

By Kate Forster

Rating: ****
Genre: Fiction: Romance/Contemporary Women’s Fiction

A delightful story about 3 women who share a lovely house in Bath. All are dealing with change and finding their true selves. Marion, a window in her 70s is dealing with the loss of her husband and financial security, Lana a thirty-something going through an unpleasant divorce, and Felicity a woman in her twenties trying to break free from a difficult family and their expectations. A charming and enjoyable read.

“Dark City: True stories of crimes. cock-ups, crooks & cops”

By John Silvester

Rating: ****
Genre: Non-Fiction: True Crime

An interesting set of articles and recollections about major crimes, police procedures, criminal activity and the justice system. Quick and easy reads.

“Tokyo Jazz Joints”

By Philip Arneill

Rating: ****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Photo Journal/Music

Lovely photo journal of some of the jazz cafes and venues in Tokyo. Beautiful coffee table book.

“The Lottery and Other Stories”

By Shirley Jackson

Rating: *****
Genre: Fiction: Mystery/Horror

A brilliant mix of short stories, all featuring interesting and somewhat progressive women. Some stories are thought-provoking, some quirky, and others spooky, but all are brilliant. A must-read.

“The Death of Dora Black: A Petticoat Police Mystery”

By Lainie Anderson

Rating: *****
Genre: Fiction: Crime

Based loosely on the first female police office in South Australia (and she got paid the same wage as her male counterparts), the story follows the work of Setective Katie Cocks and her Constable Ethel. A wonderful read, and I am glad to discover a new series to get into.

“The Deadly Dispute”

By Amanda Hampson

Rating: *****
Genre: Fiction: Cosy Mystery

Hazel and her fellow tea ladies are on the case again. After being replaced by a CafeBar at her last job, Hazel has taken up a position on the Docks. She is caught up in criminal underworld goings-on while attempting to help a woman find her son. There is a lot of fun, fashion, and high stakes.

“Return to Center: 52 Weekly Strategies for Peace, Strength, and Joy”

By Juliet Madison

Rating: *****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Self Improvement

An excellent guide to restoring peace and harmony to your life when you need to get it together, organise and not lose your cool when it all gets on top of you. The book contains 52 exercises to help you return to centre. You can read the book cover to cover, or a section a week, whatever suits. It is a book to keep handy for when it all becomes too much.

“Retro Melbourne”

By Fred Mitchell

Rating: *****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Photo Journal/Social History

A rather lovely photo journal of images from the 1950s and 60s of Melbourne (and the rest of Victoria). An interesting trip down memory lane.

“The Eerie Book”

By Kirsty Logan (Ed)

Rating: *****
Genre: Fiction: Horror/Suspense

A great collection of short stories from the masters of horror. I was pleased to come across a few I hadn’t read before.

“How to be Parisian wherever you are”

By Anne Berest, Caroline de Maigret. Audrey Davis & Sophie Mae

Rating: ****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Fashion, Humour

An entertaining, sometimes cheeky, sometimes prudent advice from four friends on how to be Parisian. Good fun.

“We have always lived in the castle”

By Shirley Jackson

Rating: ****
Genre: Fiction: Suspense

It is a creepy story concerning the mass murder of the bulk of the Blackwood family and their strained relationships with the local villagers. The story is told from the point of view of the surviving teenage daughter. The reader starts feeling uneasy right from the first chapter.

“Why do people queue for brunch?”

By Felicity Lewis (Ed)

Rating: *** 1/2
Genre: Non-Fiction: Social Science

An interesting set of essays explaining various social, natural and scientific phenomena.

“The Haunting of Hill House”

By Shirley Jackson

Rating: *****
Genre: Fiction: Horror/Thriller

Despite having seen both film versions and the TV series adaptation (very good), I have never read the book. It is a fantastic example of the horror genre and Shirley Jackson’s descriptions are spine-chillingly detailed with a sense of beauty and magic. I will read more of her works.

“Hitler’s Third Reich in 100 Objects”

By Roger Moorhouse

Rating: ****
Genre: Non-Fiction: History

This fascinating book examines the items of propaganda (physical, audio and visual) which aided the rise of fascism in Germany. Among the 100 objects are weaponry and armaments, symbols, books, films and images of locations. It is an important reminder to take note of what seems to be small changes and consider potential misuse and outcomes.

“The Midwich Cuckoos”

By John Wyndham

Rating: *****
Genre: Fiction: Science Fiction

Another fascinating – and a little scary – Sci-Fi offering from Wyndham. I had seen two film versions of the book and having now read it, appreciate how true to the book those interpretations were. A must-read!

“Book Curses”

By Eleanor Baker

Rating: ****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Writing

I can just imagine the author’s delight when she discovered these fabulous curses in the various books and buildings examined as part of her research. Delightful and amusing.

“The Complete Term-Thomas”

By Robert Ross

Rating: ****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Cinematic Arts

A comprehensive account of the acting career of Terry-Thomas including his CV of film and media roles. Interesting read.

“Gone with the Windsors”

By Laurie Graham

Rating: ****
Genre: Fiction: General

A very amusing and sometimes horrifying fictional account of the relationship between Wallace Simpson and Edward Windsor. Written in diary format this faux historical account confirms everything you thought about the 1930s cafe society set.

“Faking It: Artificial Intelligence in A Human World”

By Toby Walsh

Rating: ****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Social History

An interesting examination of the history of AI and its present incarnation.

“Melbourne Ghost Signs”

By Sean Reynolds

Rating: *****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Photo Journal/History

A fascinating photo journal of old advertising signage still visible on various Melbourne buildings.

“Is Your Cat A Psychopath?”

By Stephen Wildish

Rating: ****
Genre: Non-Fiction: Humour

Cute gift book about dodgy cat behaviour. A bit of a laugh and an easy read.

Uday Mukerji

Dead Man Dreaming

Leanne Margaret

Multidimensional Meditation

Katie Rose Guest Pryal

Fallout Girl

Robert Eggleton

Rarity from the Hollow

Jim Nesbitt

Right Wrong Number

Sarah Key

The Butterfly Wind

Uday Mukerji

Love, Life and Logic

Carl Schmidt

Dead Down East

Peter Davidson

Trumped: Beyond Politically Correct

Sarah Jackson

Pete & The Persian Bottle

Katie Rose Guest Pryal

Chasing Chaos

Jim Nesbitt

Last Second Chance