The Reckoning

By: Vikki Petraitis ISBN: 9781761823855 Simon & Schuster (2026) This is the third novel in the Antigone Pollard series, and like the others it packs a wallop. It’s a solid, exciting crime novel which also contains some strong commentary about misogyny and sexual crimes. In the earlier two novels, a string of sexual assaults led … Continue reading The Reckoning →

A Disorganised Death

By: Simon Brett ISBN: 9781448314690 Severn House (2026) This is an excellent novel – a cleverly plotted crime, strong characters, and a light touch which makes it easy to read. Brett’s novels tend towards the cosy end – that is, there’s not a lot of gore or violence. However, he generally exhibits more insight into … Continue reading A Disorganised Death →

Cold River

By: Margaret Hickey ISBN: 9781761351136 Penguin Random House Australia (2026) This is another great crime novel from Margaret Hickey. It’s a twisty crime novel with thrilling action and a surprisingly big emotional kick. The novel sees the return of Constable Sally White, whom readers first met in The Creeper. If you haven’t read that novel, … Continue reading Cold River →

Redbelly Crossing

By: Candice Fox ISBN: 9798892425650 Crooked Lane Books (2026) This is a thriller where both characters and plot have equal weight. For most readers, it’ll be the characters who are particularly memorable. This was one of those really compulsive reads where it was really hard to take a break – I kept wanting to know … Continue reading Redbelly Crossing →

A Pen to Change the World

By: Solomon Schmidt ISBN: 9781648210983 Skyhorse Publishing (2026) This book is badly written, badly structured, and largely unenlightening. I found it boring for the most part, despite the potentially interesting subject matter. I can’t recommend it to anyone. This is an unauthorised biography of JK Rowling, famous for writing the Harry Potter novels. As you’d … Continue reading A Pen to Change the World →