Calculated in Death by J. D. Robb

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Genre - Mystery

LT Eve Dallas LAPD’s top homicide cop in the bitterly cold winter of New York looks into a supposed mugging gone wrong. The setting is in the future with vintage cars ala 2060 models and very interesting lifestyle of police and public. Drones do sweeps of crime scenes, forensics are far more advanced, and holocaust programming comes into all walks of life, including vending machines with drinks in the form of chew bars etc.

Eve’s side kick Detective Peabody who always is outlandishly dressed with quirks and all. A powerful read, not too gruesome and extremely interesting to find yourself in a futuristic reading mode. Unlike Robb’s last book, which was not for the feint hearted, this book is one worth reading and certainly a book you could read again.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths

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Genre - Mystery

In the pretty cold scenic Norfolk area, a group of archaeologists investigating coastal erosion unearth six bodies buried at the foot of a cliff. Ruth Galloway just back from maternity leave (archaeologist) and seconded to the Police as an expert in forensic tests, finds out that the bodies have been buried for over 60 years.

A fascinating world into archaeology and forensic science combines a gripping story with more than just buried bodies, and lives at stake.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Promise by Tony Cavanaugh

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Genre - Mystery, Australian fiction

As critiqued by Graeme Blundell - not for the faint-hearted.  Not a pretty ending, but as an Australian the book makes you plough through in light of knowing our countryside and its areas. A very good crime story, complex and quite a shocker as to what is involved with these types of killers.

The storyline is written around Noosa and Trewantin in the Sunshine Coast of Queensland.  Darian Richards, after sixteen years as the head of Victoria’s Homicide Squad, has had enough and retired to Noosa hoping this would drive away his nightmares of homicide cases he endured.

A deranged serial killer is stalking the Sunshine Coast and young girls have vanished, all blonde and pretty.  The killer knows how to stay under the radar, how to hide in plain sight and how to hurt and kill.  Darian gets involved during his own personal time to try and catch the killer.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville

Tunnel Vision by Sara Paretsky

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Genre - Mystery

Vic Warshawski  is a private investigator who is always struggling to make ends meet. She is also an advocate for the homeless, particularly women and children whom she has a great empathy with.  The story is a bit of a slow start, when she finds a destitute family in her basement.  However, the storyline gets very involved and whilst only 1 party is murdered, Vic finds herself in plenty of hot water from the police force, government hierarchy and the not so nice people out to end her demise.

A good read, and one that eventually you can’t put down.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Settled Blood by Mari Hannah

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Genre - Mystery

A young girl is found dead at the base of the infamous Hadrian’s Wall and DCI Kate Daniels realizes her death was no ordinary homicide. Two more girls of similar likeness go missing which puts the police into a very heavy investigation leading deeper into half truths of the upper class and the fact that a terrified girl is running out of time. Good reading and quite gripping until the end dramatic result.

---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Freelance Death by Andrew Taylor

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Genre - Mystery

A true British ‘who done it’ with plenty of complications along the way.  Rod Lorton wants revenge when he discovers truth about his deceased wife being involved with her former employer, PR chief Ivor Newley.  Newley’s business also involves clients within the coin industry which also incorporate one of his top staff members Celia.  Celia’s friend who is romantically involved is also up to her neck in the wrong side of the law.

A very small book for a quick read and none too gruesome.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Fatal Frost by James Henry

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Genre - Mystery

The inimitable and ‘maverick’ DI Frost at his best.  Frost has more than one man can take as far as his share of responsibilities goes.  His department is landed with the first black policeman in Denton, with not all of the squad accepting this, as the local community of Denton and its surrounds are predominantly white.  Frost is a shock to his compatriot from London, with his lack of personal hygiene and work ethics, on top of which his commanding officer is always on his back.

A young girl’s body is found in suspicious circumstances, on top of that the usual robberies take place, together with attacks from a group of young kids on bikes. More bodies turn up, with Frost having to deal with an elusive wife who disappears and ends up at her mother’s, who has no liking to Frost and thinks her family is beneath him.

A good read and certainly one that has a lot of drama and can be aligned with the Frost series seen on television, with its typical British way of life and enjoyable reading.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

The Bat by Jo Nesbo

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Genre - Mystery

The main character DI Harry Hole is seconded from Norway to Sydney to investigate the death of a young Norwegian girl in the Kings Cross area.  Hole investigates with the assistance of his counterpart, named Kensington who is of aboriginal ancestry.  The story is fascinating as Kensington lives in the current ‘white culture’ and also his own culture with many fascinating stories of the aboriginal ‘dream time’ and how some of these tales relates to the present.

In its own quirky way, the writer definitely brings you into the seamy side of Kings Cross whilst at the same time makes you feel that you are living in that environment and come to understand some of the wonders of the different life-styles of the locals.

This is the first book published in English by Nesbo and well worth reading.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Evil for Evil by Aline Templeton

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Genre - Mystery

The book is not as heavy as the title.  Set on a small island off the west coast of Scotland with stoic locals to boot.  Mystery surrounds the discovery of a skeleton in a cave, bringing to light a murder from the past.  Meanwhile in the tiny village of Innellan, certain unexplained events occur and Matt Lovatt, the owner of one of the farms, finds himself at the centre of an escalating hate campaign to oust him from his property. 

This is one story which involves you in the small township isolated from the mainland, with its quirky history and very mistrusting locals of newcomers.  Local constabulary are brought into the investigation, and gives the reader insight to the lack of expertise available to their city counterparts.  Keep reading for good entertainment into the British country constabulary at its best.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

The Windermere Witness by Rebecca Tope

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Genre - Mystery

Persimmon (Simmy) Brown moved to the beautiful area of the Lakes District in the Cotswolds closer to her parents who run a B&B and of who are rather eccentric more in line with ‘flower people’, but very loving in their own way.

Simmy Brown opens a florist shop and takes on her best task to date for the forthcoming nuptials of one of the richest families around.  However, the Bride’s brother is murdered before the service, albeit the bride was not informed and her wedding went on as planned.  The bride who is 25 years younger than her husband, having a very cold-hearted mother as well as all the trimmings of society.  Simmy tends to investigate and use her own iniative to find the killer, and in the meantime the father of the bride is also murdered.

Quite a good read with the complexities of the upper and lower class inter-twined with two murders affecting the outcome of the locals being a tight-knitted community who do not take kindly to murders in their territory.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Shifting Sands by Anthea Fraser

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Genre - Mystery

Anna’s family hopes that the safari holiday in South Africa will help her to get over her beloved husband’s death. Critiqued as “told from multiple viewpoints and rich with the details of Rona’s family and their lives… another solid entry in an entertaining series from a genre veteran.”

This is a very light murder mystery read and one that rambles on with family traumas and hard to keep the reader interested as you can work out the murderer well before it is written, once you get through the absolute dramas involved every day family life.

---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Bones are Forever by Kathy Reichs

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Genre - Mystery, Suspense

Dr Temperance Brennan a well renowned forensic anthropologist to the province of Quebec is brought to investigate the shocking discovery of dead babies. The trail leads to Yellowknife, a vast, cold and once known mining town on the edge of the Arctic Circle. More dead bodies are found and risks taken to unravel the connection to the remains of the babies found in more than one State. A good read and certainly if you are a Reichs fan, a must to finish.

---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville

Watching the Dark by Peter Robinson

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Genre - Mystery

Based in UK, Detective Bill Quinn is killed by a cross bow in the grounds of a police rehabilitation centre and compromising photos are found in his room. DCI Banks is brought in to investigate and has to contend with Joanna Passero, an Inspector from Professional Standards. It also involves Annie Cabbot who is back at work in the force having being seriously injured and ready to assist. Banks finds himself involved in a 6 year old mystery of a missing girl of which the dead policeman was investigating. This leads Banks to Estonia and evidence unfolds into a more wide-spread case involving more missing young girls.

Once again a good read by Robinson but if you haven't read some of his previous books, then the history of Banks and Cabbot is easier to follow in this particular story.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Long Lost by Harlan Coben

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Genre - Mystery, Suspense


Myron Bolitar receives a phone call from Terese Collins, whom he has not heard from for 10 years after a very torrid affair and her disappearance left him shattered. Despite spending two years to trace her, he fails. Terese contacts Myron because she is a suspect in the killing of her ex-husband in Paris and also the possibility that her daughter may still be alive. Not the case, very involved but a great read particularly for Coben fans.

---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Cold Wind by C. J. Box

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Genre - Mystery


Good mystery set in a little outback town in Wyoming involving Joe Picket local Ranger covering a huge area of Wyoming. Joe’s father-in-law(Earl Alden) is missing and later found dead in horrific circumstances, and his mother-in-law is arrested for his murder. Earl Alden and his wife Missy owned a very large ranch and part of which was sold to build wind power machines dotting the beautiful countryside. Joe’s wife wants him to find out what is behind the arrest even though Joe does not get along nor lie his mother-in-law. A good read with plenty of the old western habits and appreciation of the hard life some of the settlers have.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville

The Age of Doubt by Andrea Camilleri

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Genre - Mystery

This is a quaint little book, not in the least bit like a murder mystery and is very sensitively written. The author who is also known for one of his previous books, ‘The Potters Field’, is an Italian and the book has been translated into many languages. However, the main character Inspector Montalbano seems to be a middle-aged bumbling person and at times unsure of circumstances that eventuate. This is not the case, but he argues with his mind and soul and in a very Italian way, which in English is a roundabout way of beating around the bush and not getting to the point. With his flourishment, and those that serve under him in their broken English it has a lot of humour which I think is not intended. Overall a delightful read from an Italian’s point of view.



---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Luther the Calling by Neil Cross

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Genre - Mystery

DC John Luther has an extraordinary clearance rate. None of his colleagues have ever had a bad word against him. And yet there are rumours that Luther is bad – not corrupt, but tormented. This story takes you into the mind of Luther that tore his personal and professional relationships apart and propelled him over the precipice. All the way to murder. Good read with a difference for a crime thriller.

---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat

Gone for good by Harlan Coben

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Genre - Mystery


One of his earlier books but if you are a Coben fan then you will enjoy the read. Will Klein lost his brother and the love of his life on the same day eleven years ago. Will’s brother is on the run from being charged with Will’s girlfriend’s murder. Is he guilty? Gripping story, gruesome at times and a twist that is not expected at the end.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville bookchat

Silent Fear by Katherine Howell

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Genre - Mystery


An Australian author (resides in Queensland) with a good storyline around Sydney area.

Paramedic Holly Garland rushes to an emergency to find a man who collapsed with a bullet wound to the neck. Her brother appears on the scene which annoys Holly who has not had contact for 12 years and her animosity towards her brother is not necessarily reciprocated.

A fast moving story with many twists and turns and keeps you in suspense until the end. Not a book you can put down easily.


---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville bookchat

Poodle Springs by Raymond Chandler and Robert B. Parker

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Genre - Mystery

Raymond Chandler died in 1959 and produced a half-finished mystery of which Robert B.Parker discovered and finished the story.

The story of the usual mystery fiction love, murder, hate is anything but. It is set in the 1980’s and a delight to delve into the 80’s with a storyline to match. A good plot and not too gruesome and any sexual connotations are brushed over, as at that time it was not the right thing to do to advertise any extremes of a sexual nature.

A delightful read putting the reader into the era of the 80’s with not only the lifestyle, but every detail from dressing to eating, living accommodation and cars. This makes the story different in its perception of an 80’s era murder mystery.

---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville Bookchat