Category Archives: Book Review

The Wish Child by Catherine Chidgey – 2016

Posted on May 22, 2017 by alysonebaker

The Wish Child is a beautifully written tale of terrible things.  It tells the story of two children living in Germany from the height of Hitler’s power to his demise and beyond.  Erich lives on a farm near Leipzig, he … Continue reading →

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Marlborough Man by Alan Carter – 2017

Posted on May 20, 2017 by alysonebaker

What makes a great thriller great is nerve-wracking plotting, rich atmospheric settings, and complex characters – Marlborough Man has the lot – and it treats the ‘Top of the South’ as Paul Cleave has been treating Christchurch for years – … Continue reading →

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Lewisville by Alexandra Tidswell – 2016

Posted on May 15, 2017 by alysonebaker

Lewisville follows the life of Martha Masters / Grimm / Lewis from the hard turnip fields of 1815 Warwickshire to a grand house in 1871 Wellington, NZ.  It documents the successes, the lies, the mistakes and the omissions of Martha … Continue reading →

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The Revelations of Carey Ravine by Debra Daley – 2016

Posted on May 15, 2017 by alysonebaker

A woman’s rise from dupedom in the 1770s.  Carey Ravine is a smart and capable woman who has escaped her dismal teenage years by entering the social swirl, cons, and ambitions of her husband, Oliver Nash.  Carey is not giving … Continue reading →

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Stray by James Lang – 2016

Posted on April 29, 2017 by alysonebaker

Stray is a glimpse into the wasteland created by drug culture from a south of the border perspective.   “The dark secret of every American suburb is that every blunt, joint or bowl, line or pill, every Charlie-fed frat party, cranking … Continue reading →

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A Surfeit of Sunsets by Dulcie Castree – 2016

Posted on April 28, 2017 by alysonebaker

What an absolute treat!  Dulcie Castree wrote this novel in 1986 but its publication fell through.  Her grandson digitised the manuscript in 2015 to make some print copies for family members, and then organised a limited published run, which took … Continue reading →

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The Chinese Proverb by Tina Clough – 2016

Posted on April 18, 2017 by alysonebaker

Once I had grasped that The Chinese Proverb is a simple piece of storytelling I started to really enjoy it.  Hunter Grant has nightmares from his time serving in Afghanistan; he lives a semi-solitary life organising security for anyone who … Continue reading →

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The Agency by Ian Austin – 2016

Posted on April 9, 2017 by alysonebaker

Well they just keep coming – The Agency is another excellent Kiwi mystery/thriller.  The murders are part of a canny scheme of revenge and greed, perpetrated by an angry woman with a facility for disguise that would make The Jackal … Continue reading →

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The Plot to Kill Peter Fraser by David McGill – 2016

Posted on April 8, 2017 by alysonebaker

I really liked Dan Delaney in his first outing in McGill’s The Death Ray Debacle, and was thrilled to hear he was back.  And I wasn’t disappointed with The Plot to Kill Peter Fraser.  Not only is Dan back, but … Continue reading →

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A Confidential Agreement by Rita Ann Ryan – 2016

Posted on March 31, 2017 by alysonebaker

Woohoo this is great: Interesting characters, complex plotting, multiple storylines – and hints at future volumes!  Frida Delaney has come home to her family’s small Kawa Bay home for her mother’s funeral.  She is haunted by a traumatic past and … Continue reading →

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