2020 Books in review....

In 2020 I had an excellent reading year with 97 books read. By far and away my best ever. I'm putting it down to COVID which means I was home more and did more jigsaws (84)! So a quick breakdown: Non-fiction - 7 (mainly about rural stuff) Teen - 32 (So many good teen spy series - hooked) Rural Fiction/Romance - 37 (way less than normal) Crime - 14 (so many great Aussies authors - loving them) General Fiction - 7 (a few randoms - bookclub/scratchable poster) I did manage a few Bookclub books - but not many... Incredibly I listened to 62 audiobooks - generally while driving or re-finding my love of jigsaw puzzles. So 2021 is here and I will aim again for 52 books - fingers crossed I get there - just so many other competing demands :)

Book: Conspiracy 365 - May

Summary: Callum wakes up in a bare room, with stabbing pains in his neck. He comes to the horrifying discovery that his identity has been stolen and that he has been locked up in a psychiatric institution. What's even worse - he has lost his backpack! All the clues he needs to solve the mystery surrounding his family have disappeared at a stroke. Where the hell is he? Contact with the outside world is impossible. And nobody believes who he really is ... What I Thought: Another great read – ripper Aussie series.

Book: Cross My Heart

Summary: Tessa De Santis's child-free marriage in inner-city Sydney is ordered and comfortable, and she likes it that way. When tragedy strikes and her childhood friend Skye Whittaker dies, Tess is bound to honour a promise to become foster-mother to Skye's ten-year-old daughter, Grace, throwing her life upside down. Leaving her husband and work-driven life behind, Tess travels to an isolated property where the realities of her friend's life - and death - hit hard. The idyllic landscape and an unexpected form of therapy ease her fears, and her relationship with Grace begins to blossom. But a secret from her earlier life with Skye refuses to remain hidden, and Tess is forced into a decision that will either right the wrongs of the past, or completely destroy her future. What I Thought: This was a good read. Definitely a little deeper than most stuff I’ve read lately.

Book: Theodore Boone - The Scandal

Summary: Theodore Boone, courtroom hero and the only kid lawyer in town, is facing a tough week at school with his exams. But things take a turn for the worse when a huge scandal is revealed - by none other than his best friend, April. And when April makes a decision that Theodore advises against, the scandal suddenly blows up and is all over the news. Their futures are on the line and April's running scared. Can Theodore find a way to reverse the damage and save several lives from ruin? What I Thought: I enjoy these books. Less Theo action here than normal though but I did enjoy still.

Book: Red Dust Dreaming

Summary: Elizabeth Langtree’s has her life in order – safe, organised, planned. Sure, she has her troubles, but they are nothing she can’t handle. Then everything is turned upside down when her family send her to Australia to collect her orphaned nephew. It all seemed so simple in New York, but Australia is nothing like she expected, and she soon falls under the spell of the Outback – the station, the lifestyle, and the seriously sexy owner who has been caring for Luke since the death of his mother. Elizabeth soon discovers that what seemed simple a world away is anything but, and her duty is at odds with the dictates of her heart. She must choose, knowing that a mistake will not only cost her everything, but destroy the future of a devastated little boy. What I Thought: I liked this – new author. Easy read.

Book: Jenna

Summary: Jenna Matthews is a city girl, no question. Despite a childhood spent in the Outback, she's committed to her fast-paced life and the competitive world of corporate law. When her best friend asks her to be bridesmaid, Jenna finds herself in Wirralong and wildly attracted to the best man. A fling? Why not? Dangerously sexy Sam Twist runs his vast family sheep property and is as keen as Jenna to keep their relationship at fling status. Then the authorities turn up on his door step and Jenna jumps in to help despite Sam’s protests. She soon learns that after years of drought, there are others in the district who need her skills. Her dilemma? Spending too much time around Sam is perilous. He could rob a girl of her heart. What I Thought: A nice quick rural read – thoroughly enjoyed.

Book: Fledgling (Jason Steed)

Summary: Jason Steed is looking for a place to call home. He finds what he's looking for in the Sea Cadets—an elite group of British youngsters being groomed for lifelong service in the military. But when a routine training exercise goes awry, Jason finds himself in the middle of a secret mission. The future of the world hangs in the balance...and Jason might be the only one who can save it. What I Thought: Absolutely loved this. Another teen spy series to add to my list!

Book: Where the Dead Go

Summary: A fifteen-year-old girl has gone missing after a party in the middle of the night. The following morning her boyfriend is found brutally murdered in his home. Was the girl responsible for the murder, or is she also a victim of the killer? But who would want two teenagers dead? The aftermath of a personal tragedy finds police detective Gemma Woodstock in the coastal town of Fairhaven with her son Ben in tow. She has begged to be part of a murder investigation so she can bury herself in work rather than taking the time to grieve and figure out how to handle the next stage of her life - she now has serious family responsibilities she can no longer avoid. But Gemma also has ghosts she must lay to rest. Gemma searches for answers, while navigating her son's grief and trying to overcome the hostility of her new colleagues. As the mystery deepens and old tensions and secrets come to light, Gemma is increasingly haunted by a similar missing persons case she worked on not long before. A case that ended in tragedy and made her question her instincts as a cop. Can she trust herself again? What I Thought: Enjoyed this – not quite as good as the first few in the series but still a great read.

Book: This Farming Life

Summary: Farmer Tim Saunders manages to incorporate some writing into his days, and here he describes his life through the seasons: Summer, shearing, slaughter, crop harvest, conservation; Autumn, floods, trading stock, drenching, dagging; Winter, maize harvest, lambing; and Spring, docking, pet sheep, weaning. It's a tough life and through his writing Tim tells of his connection to the land, why he loves farming, how he's also conflicted by it and what it is that keeps him tethered to that place. What I Thought: An interesting read. Quite enjoyable.

Bookgroup: Bad Behaviour - A Memoir of Bullying and Boarding School

Summary: Fourteen-year-old Rebecca Starford spent a year at this school in the bush. In her boarding house sixteen girls were left largely unsupervised, a combination of the worst behaved students and some of the most socially vulnerable. As everyone tried to fit in and cope with their feelings of isolation and homesickness, Rebecca found herself joining ranks with the powerful girls, becoming both a participant--and later a victim-- of various forms of bullying and aggression. Bad Behaviour tells the story of that year, a time of friendship and joy, but also of shame and fear. It explores how those crucial experiences affected Rebecca as an adult and shaped her future relationships, and asks courageous questions about the nature of female friendship. What I Thought: Really fascinating read as basically the author is the same age as me. Gosh women can be nasty.

Book: Men At work

Summary: In Men at Work, Annabel Crabb deploys political observation, workplace research and her characteristic humour and intelligence to argue that gender equity cannot be achieved until men are as free to leave the workplace (when their lives demand it) as women are to enter it. What I Thought: A riveting essay – so very true! I just love Annabel Crabb

Book: Catch Your Death

Summary: Books 3 in series… This time, tigers are roaming the streets of Twinford, and it looks like someone has deliberately released some very rare and very dangerous animals. Things are going to get wild – and Ruby is going to get badly lost in the wilderness. The question is: will she ever make it out alive? Well, as always, you wouldn't want to bet against her… What I Thought: This was ok. Not as good as the first couple.

Book: The Six Rules of Christmas

Summary: Picking up the reins of her father's law practice, Ariella Blake has made a place for herself in small-town Warrandale. But when stand-in farrier Jack Adamson blows in for the holidays, with his good looks and infuriating evasiveness, he challenges her to embrace the rules of Christmas. Step by step, will Christmas - and Jack - get under her skin? What I Thought: A sweet little country town romance. Enjoyed this one.

Book: The Good Turn

Summary: Police corruption, an investigation that ends in tragedy and the mystery of a little girl's silence - three unconnected events that will prove to be linked by one small town. While Detective Cormac Reilly faces enemies at work and trouble in his personal life, Garda Peter Fisher is relocated out of Galway with the threat of prosecution hanging over his head. But even that is not as terrible as having to work for his overbearing father, the local copper for the pretty seaside town of Roundstone. For some, like Anna and her young daughter Tilly, Roundstone is a refuge from trauma. But even this village on the edge of the sea isn't far enough to escape from the shadows of evil men. What I Thought: Wow – this series just keeps getting better. Ripper read.

Book: Something to Talk About

Summary: Dairy farmer Tabitha Cooper-Jones has a heart of gold, yet she’s the eternal bridesmaid. Everyone’s best mate. Despite facing some serious challenges over the years, she’s built a successful ice-cream business and cafe, she’s adored by her family and is an integral part of her hometown – there’s just one thing missing from her life. But the last thing Tab wants is a man – or worse, love – to stop her achieving her dream. In town for a temporary teaching contract, Fergus McWilliams thinks the small community of Walsh will be the perfect place to stay under the radar but he couldn’t be more wrong. Suddenly, the kids’ cricket team coached by Ferg is inundated with female supporters – single female supporters – and that’s only the beginning. The only woman who doesn’t seem to have her sights set on Ferg is Tabitha. Despite a disastrous first meeting and a visit from a past love, circumstances keep throwing them together. Neither can deny the sparks between them, but can friendship even be possible for these two strong-willed people? What I Thought: A lovely read. Love all her books.

Book: Small Mercies

Summary: After enduring months of extreme drought on their modest freehold, farming couple Dimple and Ruthie face uncertain times on more than one front. Ruthie receives the news every woman dreads. Meanwhile, a wealthy landowner, Wally Oliver, appears on the local radio station, warning small farmers like Dimple and Ruthie that they are doomed, that the sooner they leave the land to large operators like him, the better. Bracing for a fight on all fronts, the couple decide to take a road trip to confront Oliver. Along the way, not only is their resolve tested, but their relationship as well. Desperate not to dwell on the past but to face up to the future, Dimple and Ruthie make a crucial decision they soon regret. And when the storm clouds finally roll in across the land they love, there’s more than the rain to contend with. What I Thought: Hmmm. This was odd and quirky and sad. Still grappling with how it left me feeling. Not sure if I loved it or hated it…

Book: Take Your Last Breath

Summary: Everyone’s favorite girl detective is back for a second mind-blowing installment, packed with all the off-the-wall humor, action, and friendship of the first book. This time, though, it’s an adventure on the wide-open ocean, and Ruby is all at sea. . . . Can she crack the case of the Twinford pirates while evading the clutches of a vile sea monster as well as the evil Count von Viscount? Well, you wouldn’t want to bet against her. What I Thought: Another great little read in the series. Lots of humour in these books.

Book: Mallee Sky

Summary: Kate Gilmore hasn't been home in years, but with her marriage over and her job in jeopardy she doesn't know where else to turn. Desperate for comfort, Kate retreats to the Mallee, a place crawling with dark secrets and lingering childhood memories. When she's offered a carer's job on the isolated Rosebud Farm, Kate soon meets old Harry Quickly, an intriguing young boy called Maxie, and a handsome harvest contractor who's not shy about making his intentions known. Under the endless Mallee skies, Kate discovers that she might just have a future in the place that has haunted her past. But are some family secrets better left in the grave or can new friendships heal old wounds? What I Thought: Another incredible read. Just love this author so much!

Book: Christmas at Brigadier Station

Summary: When Tom Carmody buys a run-down cattle station in outback Queensland he is shocked to discover that the woman living next door is none other than Harriet McGuire, his high school crush – the woman who mysteriously never returned to boarding school after the summer break. In a time when women did as their fathers bid, Harriet agreed to marry the charming Daniel McGuire and move to Brigadier Station. But she soon paid the price for her naivety. Forced to protect her children from her abusive husband, she never forgot Tom’s kindness. More than thirty years after their innocent school flirtation, Harriet and Tom begin to rekindle their friendship only to find the flames of their attraction are stronger than ever. As Christmas approaches, rain storms finally break the decade long outback drought. But can the floods wash away the ghosts of the past? Or will they cause yet another disaster? What I Thought: Really enjoyable read – nice to finish off this series.

Book: Conspiracy 365 - April

Summary: On New Year's Eve, Callum Ormond is chased down the street by a crazed man with a deadly warning: They killed your father. They'll kill you. You must survive the next 365 days! Cops and criminal gangs are all searching for Cal, the psycho kid who's meant to have attacked his uncle and put his sister in a coma. Cal is desperate to clear his name, but he also has less than a year to solve an ancient family mystery: the Ormond Singularity. The stakes are getting higher and the closer he gets to the truth, the more dangerous his life becomes. What I Thought: Loving this little series. Easy read, far fetched but a great page turner nevertheless!

Book: The English Oak

Summary: Bronte Miller and her young daughter Madeline leave England and the only home they had ever known when they venture to Australia in search of a new life. A job as Governess on Tullagulla Station in the Queensland outback seems like a good place to start, however the heat, flies and long days of work bring unexpected challenges. As Bronte and Madeline settle into life on Tullagulla, the property is threatened by an unexpected rural crime wave and its residents band together to assist the stock squad. Then, just as a new relationship develops between Bronte and the local vet, a shocking secret is revealed and her life is once again turned upside down. What I Thought: Loved book 2 in this series. Nice easy light reading. Very enjoyable.

Book: Conspiracy 365 - March

Summary: On New Year's Eve, Callum Ormond is chased down the street by a crazed man with a deadly warning: They killed your father. They'll kill you. You must survive the next 365 days! Cops and criminal gangs are all searching for Cal, the psycho kid who's meant to have attacked his uncle and put his sister in a coma. Cal is desperate to clear his name, but he also has less than a year to solve an ancient family mystery: the Ormond Singularity. The stakes are getting higher and the closer he gets to the truth, the more dangerous his life becomes. What I Thought: Loving this little series. Easy tread, far fetched but a great page turner nevertheless!

Book: The Scholar

Summary: When Detective Cormac Reilly's girlfriend Emma stumbles across the victim of a hit and run early one morning, he is first on the scene of a murder that would never have been assigned to him. The investigation promises to be high profile and high pressure: the dead girl is carrying an ID, that of Carline Darcy, heir apparent to Ireland's most successful pharmaceutical company. Darcy Therapeutics has a finger in every pie, including the laboratory where Emma works. As Cormac investigates, evidence mounts that the death is linked to the lab and, increasingly, to Emma herself. Cormac is sure she couldn't be involved, but how well does he really know her? After all, this isn't the first time Emma's been accused of murder . . . What I Thought: Wow – brilliant. Better than the first book. Loved it.

Book: Any Ordinary Day

Summary: As a journalist, Leigh Sales often encounters people experiencing the worst moments of their lives in the full glare of the media. But one particular string of bad news stories – and a terrifying brush with her own mortality – sent her looking for answers about how vulnerable each of us is to a life-changing event. What are our chances of actually experiencing one? What do we fear most and why? And when the worst does happen, what comes next? Warm, candid and empathetic, this book is about what happens when ordinary people, on ordinary days, are forced to suddenly find the resilience most of us don’t know we have. What I Thought: Wow! Such a powerful book. Absolutely loved this and highly recommend reading. I sobbed and laughed and was just in awe of the people.

Book: Dead Man's Track

Summary: A tragic accident, a terrible crime, an unknown threat ... Scarred by a recent tragedy on Federation Peak, Tess Atherton is reluctant to guide a group of young hikers in the wild Tasmanian winter, but it seems safer than remaining amid the violence that threatens them in Hobart. Little does she know that she has brought the danger with her ... Detective Senior Sergeant Jared Denham is closing in on a serial killer, but someone doesn't want him getting to the truth and the case is becoming personal. He already owes Tess his life, and wants to return the favour - but when it comes to enemies, Jared may be looking in the wrong direction. Time is running out, and death is stalking them both ... What I Thought: A ripping read (just don’t listen to the audiobook version when bushwalking)!

Book: The Life She Deserves

Summary: Growing up in the small Australian country town of Granite Springs, Jo and Col have been lifelong friends. Following Jo's divorce and the death of Col's wife, the pair find comfort in their common grief. But as they tentatively explore their new relationship, they have little idea of the challenges that lie ahead. What they haven't bargained for is Jo's interfering ex, along with their three children, all of whom have their own agendas. Can Jo ride out the storm? Will she be granted the life she deserves? What I Thought: I really enjoyed this book. Nice to read about older couples. Off to find book 2!

Book: Double or Die

Summary: Before the name became a legend. Before the boy became a man. Kidnap. Violence. Explosions. Murder. In a north London cemetery a professor is kidnapped at gunpoint. A suspicious letter crammed with cryptic clues arrives at Eton. To decipher the deadly mystery, James Bond must take a series of dangerous gambles. Once the code is cracked, he has just 48 hours to save the professor from the dark forces that threaten to destroy them both. And, if the professor can't escape, it's not only his future under threat. It's the rest of the world's . . . What I Thought: Loved this one. Sucked in from the start.

Book: Just One Wish

Summary: Alice has always been a trailblazer as a scientist, activist and mother. She knew her choices would involve sacrifices, but now, on the eve of her eightieth birthday, she's beginning to wonder if she's sacrificed too much. Alice's daughter, Sappho, rebelled against her unconventional upbringing, choosing to marry young and embrace life as a homemaker, but her status as a domestic goddess has recently taken a surprising turn. Ged has always been the peacemaker between her grandmother and mother. A tenacious journalist, she knows what she wants in life and love, yet when everything in her world starts falling apart, she begins to question whether she really knows anyone at all. At a crossroads in each of their lives, Alice, Sappho and Ged embark on a celebratory trip together, but instead of bringing them closer, the holiday sparks life-changing consequences and lifts the lid on a fifty-year-old secret. Can Ged rescue her family if their story is built on a betrayal? What I Thought: Wow – what a ripper read. Highly recommend this book.

Book: The Good Woman of Renmark

Summary: 1895, Renmark, South Australia. Maggie O'Rourke has always had a hard head. No man was going to tie her down to a life of babies and domestic slavery, even if that man was as good (and as annoyingly attractive) as Sam Taylor. Maggie is happily earning her own way as a maid in a house on the Murray River when disaster strikes. Forced to defend herself and a friend from assault by an evil man, she flees downriver on a paddle steamer. With death at her heels, Maggie begins to realise that a man like Sam might be just who she wants in her hour of need. As for Sam, well, Maggie has always been what he wants. The further Maggie runs, the more she discovers there are some things she cannot escape... What I Thought: Really enjoyable. Love the Murray River. Love fierce independent women too.

Book: The Ruin

Summary: Galway 1993 - Young Garda Cormac Reilly is called to a scene he will never forget. Two silent, neglected children - fifteen-year-old Maude and five-year-old Jack - are waiting for him at a crumbling country house. Upstairs, their mother lies dead. Twenty years later, a body surfaces in the icy black waters of the River Corrib. At first it looks like an open-and-shut case, but then doubt is cast on the investigation's findings - and the integrity of the police. Cormac is thrown back into the cold case that has haunted him his entire career - what links the two deaths, two decades apart? As he navigates his way through police politics and the ghosts of the past, Detective Reilly uncovers shocking secrets and finds himself questioning who among his colleagues he can trust. What really did happen in that house where he first met Maude and Jack? The Ruin draws us deep into the dark heart of Ireland and asks who will protect you when the authorities can't - or won't. What I Thought: Loved this! Great flawed characters. Ripping read. Bring on book 2.

Book: The Roadhouse

Summary: When aspiring actress Charlie Carver learns that her cousin Annabelle has died, she immediately leaves Melbourne to fly home to the remote family roadhouse east of Alice Springs. It has been years since her last visit and her relationship with her mother, Molly, is strained but Charlie is determined to patch up their differences. The reunion, however, is interrupted when Molly suffers a heart attack. With her mother airlifted out for life-saving surgery, Charlie is left to take the reins of the struggling family business, alongside friends old and new, including the captivating local stockman Mike. The authorities declare Annabelle to have taken her own life, but when a woman’s body turns up at an abandoned mine site, Charlie begins to wonder what else is being covered up, and why. Beginning a search for the truth, a perilous bush chase unfolds that threatens her own life, causing Charlie to wonder whether she ever knew Annabelle at all… What I Thought: Another fab McGinnis book. Just loving her books.

Book: The Ultimate Truth (Travis Delaney Investigates)

Summary: When Travis Delaney's parents die in a car crash, Travis is devastated. In a bid to pull himself out of his grief, he starts to look into the last case they were investigating at the private investigation agency they ran. What starts as a minor distraction soon becomes a sinister, unbelievable mystery - and Travis is determined to solve it. Why were his parents looking for a missing boy when the boy's family says he isn't missing? Where is the boy himself? And why would a man who is in surveillance photos taken by Travis's parents turn up at their funeral? As Travis searches for answers, he starts to have the chilling realization that the question he should be asking is the one he most wants to avoid: Was the accident that killed his parents really what it seemed? What I Thought: Really enjoyed this – new series added to the list!

Book: Ruthless (Special Forces Cadets)

Summary: The ghettos of Colombia are crawling with street kids. They have nothing, and are forced into lives of crime in order to get enough to eat. Their life expectancies are short, not least because the Colombian authorities allow paramilitaries to shoot them like rats. But it's with the street kids of Colombia that the cadets must become embedded. Some of these kids have been recruited by the Colombian cartels. The cartels are causing untold misery, both in Colombia and on the streets of the UK. The cadets must befriend the cartel kids in the hope that they will lead them into the heart of the drug lords' empire. But when you head into the lion's den, you must expect to be bitten. The cartel chiefs are the most ruthless people in the world, and they do not take kindly to the infiltration of their secret, violent world . . . What I Thought: Another great book in the series. Enjoying these.

Book: Pearl in a Cage

Summary: On a balmy midsummer's evening in 1923, a young woman - foreign, dishevelled and heavily pregnant - is found unconscious just off the railway tracks in the tiny logging community of Woody Creek. The town midwife, Gertrude Foote, is roused from her bed when the woman is brought to her door. Try as she might, Gertrude is unable to save her - but the baby lives. When no relatives come forth to claim the infant, Gertrude's daughter Amber - who has recently lost a son in childbirth - and her husband Norman take the child in. In the ensuing weeks, Norman becomes convinced that God has sent the baby to their door, and in an act of reckless compassion, he names the baby Jennifer and registers her in place of his son. Loved by some but scorned by more - including her stepmother and stepsister who resent the interloper - Jenny survives her childhood and grows into an exquisite and talented young woman. But who were her parents? Why does she so strongly resemble an old photograph of Gertrude's philandering husband? And will she one day fulfil her potential? What I Thought: Brilliant. A few too many characters and a bit long winded but gosh Dettman does the dark side of small town life well.

Book: Lacey

Summary: Nine months later... Lacey Jerome had always fought her attraction to sexy police officer Cameron James, but one crazy night, she let her hair down and fell into bed with him. Their night together turned more passionate, more soul-scorching than she'd imagined it could be, but mixed messages from Cameron had her fleeing the scene. Now, she's back in Wirralong with the memories of their one-night stand etched into her mind and a mission to reconnect with the man who made her lose her head in the most delicious manner. Cameron never forgot Lacey -- and not for lack of trying. He has his own restrictive code, but somehow his thoughts always manage to wander to the newly returned beauty. He has questions and Lacey knows all the answers. What I Thought: Easy read. Felt a bit disjointed but still enjoyed.

Book: Conspiracy 365 - February

Summary: Cal’s old life ended as soon as the deadly 365-day countdown began. So far he’s been attacked by sharks, blamed for a vicious assault on his family, kidnapped by two criminal gangs, and left to drown in a fast-filling oil tank. He’s a hunted fugitive who’ll do anything to survive. But is Cal desperate enough to befriend a traitor with killer connections? Or risk returning to the scene of his attempted murder? Should he meet with a mysterious informant, when it could be a set-up? What I Thought: Enjoyed this – binged in a night. Shame book 3 never arrived at the Library in time for lockdown so now I have to wait.

Book: The Farm at Peppertree Crossing

Summary: An unexpected inheritance, a traumatic past and a family whose secrets are kept by the town. After a fractured childhood spent in foster homes, city-girl Roni has convinced herself that she has no need of anyone - other than her not-as-tough-as-he-looks rescued street cat, Scritches, and her unborn baby, who she's determined will feel all the love she's been denied. Despite facing a bleak future, Roni distrusts the news of a bequest from an unknown aunt, Marian Nelson. But, out of options, she and Scritches leave Sydney behind, bound for the 800-acre property on the edge of the wheat fields of South Australia. However, this is no simple inheritance: Marian seeks to control her legacy from beyond the grave by setting tasks that Roni must complete before she can claim the property and a life that could change her future. With everything at stake, Roni must learn to trust in the truth of Marian's most important lesson: everyone deserves love. What I Thought: Absolutely loved this book. Sucked in from the start. I think it would have been good to delve a bit deeper on some of the issues the characters had faced in their past but overall loved it. New author added to the list.

Book: Blood Fever (Young Bond)

Summary: James Bond has discovered danger. Now it’s come looking for him. An Eton boy’s family disappears at sea. James uncovers a shadowy society operating in a hidden corner of the school. And far from England, in the bandit-infested interior of Sardinia, a sinister Italian count has built himself a mountain fortress. Is there a connection? Young James Bond is about to find out – and face a lethal group of villains beneath the burning Mediterranean sun.

What I Thought: This one was a bit slow through the middle but I still enjoyed it. Good little series.

Book: Silver

Summary: For half a lifetime, journalist Martin Scarsden has run from his past. But now there is no escaping. He'd vowed never to return to his hometown, Port Silver, and its traumatic memories. But now his new partner, Mandy Blonde, has inherited an old house in the seaside town and Martin knows their chance of a new life together won't come again. Martin arrives to find his best friend from school days has been brutally murdered, and Mandy is the chief suspect. With the police curiously reluctant to pursue other suspects, Martin goes searching for the killer. And finds the past waiting for him. He's making little progress when a terrible new crime starts to reveal the truth. The media descend on Port Silver, attracted by a story that has it all: sex, drugs, celebrity and religion. Once again, Martin finds himself in the front line of reporting. Yet the demands of deadlines and his desire to clear Mandy are not enough: the past is ever present. What I Thought:Loved this. Different to the first in the series but it still hooked me. Looking forward to book 3 due out soon!

Book: Wedderburn

 

Summary: One fine Wednesday evening in October 2014, 65-year-old Ian Jamieson secured a hunting knife in a sheath to his belt and climbed through the wire fence separating his property from that of his much younger neighbour Greg Holmes. Less than 30 minutes later, Holmes was dead, stabbed more than 25 times. Jamieson returned home and took two shotguns from his gun safe. He walked across the road and shot Holmes' mother, Mary Lockhart, and her husband, Peter, multiple times before calling the police.

In this compelling book, Maryrose Cuskelly gets to the core of this small Australian town and the people within it. Much like the successful podcast S-Town, things aren't always as they seem: Wedderburn begins with an outwardly simple murder but expands to probe the dark secrets that fester within small towns, asking: is murder something that lives next door to us all?

 

What I Thought: This was a ripper read. I'm familiar with Wedderburn having visited and stayed there multiple times. This book gave a great insight into a shocking event and really highlighted a microcosm of society.  

Book: Heartwood Hotel

Summary: In the abandoned railhead town of Tewinga, now almost a ghost town, Lyn and Adam Portman struggle to keep the Heartwood Hotel afloat. Lyn loves her husband and longs to be a mother. But she’s kept busy caring for her elderly father, her community, and Max, the young worker who reminds her of the brother she’s lost and dearly misses.

When he fails to return from a day trip, Lyn’s concern deepens as the length of his absence grows, the more so with rumours of criminal activity at a nearby station. Meanwhile, a chance meeting uncovers a family bombshell that leaves Lyn reeling. The community must pull together as never before, proving that sometimes the smallest towns have the biggest hearts – and hide the darkest secrets.

What I Thought: Really loved this one. Off to get another of her books. I binging them too fast!

Book: Ruby Redfort: Look into my Eyes

Summary: Ruby Redfort is a genius code-cracker, a daring detective, and a gadget-laden special agent who just happens to be a 13-year-old girl. She and her slick side-kick butler, Hitch, foil crimes and get into loads of scrapes with evil villains, but they're always ice-cool in a crisis.

What I Thought:

Book: Maximum Security

Summary: In Maximum Security, 280 child criminals live in the sun-baked desert prison Arizona Max. One of them is the son of a weapons dealer who has been selling U.S. missiles to terrorists. If CHERUB can get the kid, they have a chance to stop his father. Getting into the prison is easy. Breaking out is the hard part.

What I Thought: Really enjoyed this. Bring on book 4!

Book: Stockman's Secret

Summary: In the small town of Little Heart, Juliette Kerr and Joel Hunter are drawn together by their shared experience being targeted by school bullies. But when the bullying takes a drastic turn, Juliette can see no other way to protect Joel from the aftermath than to break his heart and make him leave her behind. Devastated and confused, Joel packs his bags, heading far away in the heart of the outback to jackaroo at Rosalee Station for as long as it takes his heart to heal. A decade later, Joel returns to mend fences with his family and to offer Juliette support. He's no longer the hot-tempered young man who left, but he's never stopped loving her. Is it finally time to make things right between them? Will these two lovers find a way to make peace with the past and regain their future together?


What I Thought: This was ok - not one of her best.

Book: Sure Fire

Summary: For twins Rich and Jade, their lives have just been turned upside down. When their mother is tragically killed in a car crash, their long-lost father, John Chance, appears to collect them at the funeral. He's a bachelor who lives on his own, and it's clear that Rich and Jade aren't welcome. But when Chance suddenly disappears, Rich and Jade uncover the truth: He's a spy. And now, whoever kidnapped their father is after them, too...

What I Thought: Really enjoyable. A new teenage 'spy" type series. Off to get book 2!

Book: The Country Singer

Summary: It's been years since Gemma visited the small country town where she grew up. She probably wouldn't have returned at all if it weren't for her father's passing. Seeing the town's dusty old buildings and her parent's run-down house reminds her of events in her childhood that she's tried to keep in the past, even though they colour her every decision in the present.

Memories of strained silences and reproving looks overwhelm her, as do fragments of things her mother said to her father before she died –  things that have haunted her forever, like 'Why didn't you let me go?'

Discovering a music score as she cleans through her parent's belongings, she learns about a love story so heartbreakingly beautiful that it changes her mind about love.

What I Thought: Enjoyed this one.

Book: Out of Alice

Summary:  When Sara Blake takes up a position as governess on Redhill Station in Central Australia, she isn't expecting to encounter a family in crisis, or to uncover a tragedy of her own. With the owners' son critically ill, Sara is called upon to take care of their young daughter. As the family struggles to make a living from the drought-stricken land, everyone pitches in - and Sara finds herself letting people in to the empty spaces in her heart. But the longer she spends out bush, the more she becomes plagued by elusive visions of her dark and troubled childhood. The fragments of memory lead her deep into the red centre of Australia, where at picturesque Kings Canyon she must confront the horrifying secrets of her past. 


What I Thought: Absolutely loved this one. Probably my fav of hers so far!

Book: Silverfin (Young Bond)

Summary: James Bond will one day become the world’s most famous spy, but at the moment his challenge is to fit in at his new school - making friends, learning the rules and facing up to bullies. Unknown to James though, there is an even tougher challenge awaiting him- something mysterious and deadly lurking in the water. Something called SilverFin.

What I Thought: Loved this. Just brilliant. Bring on book 2!

Book: Wind in the Willows

Summary: This book focuses on four anthropomorphized animals in a pastoral village meant to represent Edwardian England.


What I Thought: Loved it. A fabulous little tale and another book scratched off my poster.  I'm sure this was read to be as a kid - certainly watched it on TV (probably some BBC version)!

Book: Heist

Summary: Left for dead in the desert, framed as the inside man in a bullion robbery at the remote mine site where he works, and fearing that his daughter and ex-wife have been abducted from their home in Perth, Ford must cross a thousand miles of wilderness to find his family.

Ford forms a fragile alliance with Doc and Banjo, a pair of fugitive bikers, and Kavanagh, a cop from the Gold Stealing Detection Unit who's found herself shut out of the case. As this unlikely team sets out across the Outback, they are pursued by cops, mercenaries and bikers, each group with its own agenda for preventing Ford from reaching Perth and uncovering a conspiracy that spreads through the upper strata of Western Australian life.


What I Thought: I enjoyed this - great setting. Bit disjointed in parts but I'll read book 2 still.

Book: Cedar Tree

Summary: In the spring of 1949, Stella O’Riain flees her home – a sheep property on the barren edge of the Strzelecki Desert. She leaves behind the graves of her husband Joe and her baby daughter.

With no money and limited options, Stella accepts her brother-in-law Harry’s offer to live at the O’Riain cane farm in the Richmond Valley. There she hopes to get answers to the questions that plague her about her marriage. However Harry refuses to discuss Joe or the family’s secrets, even forbidding her to speak to the owner of the neighbouring property.

Nearly a century earlier in County Tipperary, Irish cousins Brandon and Sean O’Riain also fled their homes – as wanted criminals. By 1867, they are working as cedar-cutters in New South Wales’s lush green Richmond Valley.

But while Brandon embraces the opportunities this new country offers, Sean refuses to let go of the past. And one cousin is about to make a dangerous choice that will have devastating consequences down the generations . . .




What I Thought: I enjoyed this but not as much as her last few. Just didn't quite hot the mark in some spots.