Sara Hood
“Flashlight is an epic journey that will hold you fascinated every step of the way” says our reviewer. Not a conventional crime novel, it’s more literary fiction, which unfolds like a complex jigsaw puzzle. What happened to her father all those years ago?
Ellie Marney’s first adult fiction novel, and her thirteenth published novel, No One is Safe was high on my list of most anticipated reads for 2026. Highly recommended reading.
Crime fiction is a genre that’s especially suited to offering the reader an armchair tour of a town or country, and for anyone who’s interested in spending time in an exotic location, B.M. Allsopp has written a series of novels set in the tropical islands of Fiji. This is a gentle novel — despite the murder — told at a gentle pace and with a light touch (no heavy descriptions of violence or gore). The reader is left feeling entertained and relaxed, and hopeful that there are still heroes like Joe Horseman in the world.
Kate Horan’s skills create a compelling read and this reviewer says the book is phenomenal. A woman returns to her home town after Something Happened many years ago… and secrets begin to be revealed.
Can you index this as Outback Noir when the setting is a lush tropical island off the coast of Queensland? Why not! Small community, ‘accidental deaths’ and a protagonist who won’t take no for an answer, and ends up uncovering secrets that are long, long buried.
Death at Booroomba is a historical murder mystery set in rural Australia, but also a war story. It’s a tale about the consequences of a split second decision to save a man’s life. Sounds like a good decision? And it was… except… it also wasn’t.
What do you do when you’re stuck in a lift with a stranger? If you’re the main character of Kate Emery’s latest YA mystery, A Murder is going Down, you launch into a retelling of your brother’s possibly accidental, though probably very deliberate, death. A Murder is Going Down is an enjoyable read with just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing and turning the page to uncover all the facts. Recommended for fans of Kate’s earlier work and anyone wanting to read a ‘gentler’ murder mystery.
Second in Fiona Hardy’s Teddy and Alice series and it’s a ripper. The ashes of a celebrity go missing from their husband’s mantlepiece. Teddy and Alice are on the case. Engrossing and flummoxing as the reader has to decide who to believe in a blizzard of truths and half truths.
This is a powerful novel, a complex novel and one that looks at the issues around justice and reality. How does someone get away with murder for decades, get away with abuse, and alter the lives of everyone around them in irreparable ways? I think this is one of Candice’s best books, and it was one that I couldn’t put down, and left me with complex emotions when I turned the final page.
Patricia Wolf is a masterful storyteller. The pacing and tension is masterful, with several ‘ticking clocks’ and multiple characters that are unpredictable enough to make many moments feel like they’re hanging on a knife edge. An absorbing read.