Sisters in Crime Australia is dedicated to promoting women who write crime. Here are reviews of crime books (fiction and true crime) written by women.
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From the intriguing Echo Lake, Rose McHugh, curious historian-turned-detective, returns to solve her next compelling mystery in the moody Southern Highlands.
A missing violinist. A rising flood. A race against time. Intrigue, music and danger collide in Whisky Valley.
After nearly being murdered last year, Rose McHugh battles anxiety as she uses her investigative skills to find her son’s best friend, a famous violinist who is missing along with his priceless violin.
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.
Once the book hits its rhythm, it gallops along with twists and turns, and an array of fantastic supporting characters. ‘What have they done to Liza McLean?’ is an enjoyable Young Adult read with fresh new characters and voices.
A Slowly Dying Cause is dense, demanding and occasionally unwieldy, but also rich, thoughtful, and emotionally resonant. It reminded me exactly why Elizabeth George has sold so many books, won so many awards, and why the Lynley television series continues to find new life in a current reboot.
The latest novel from Sulari Gentill is a splendid mix of red herrings, skilful twists, with some sly touches of humour added. Classic ‘closed circle’ mystery with everyone confined to the train, as the tension builds.
Children’s novel. The combination of history, magic and adventure makes for a compelling read … And while the adventure is at the forefront of the story, it’s not lost on the reader that the uncertain, dark times of 1895 in many ways mirror our own.
Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth is a guaranteed good read – well suited for a slow Sunday morning, a beach holiday or a long plane trip. The writing style is fresh, upbeat and engaging. The crisp apple green and baby pink colours on the cover, are a subtle acknowledgement to Mabel’s hospital stay as a child where her room was decorated in green and pink. If nothing else, do judge this book by its cover – it’s worth it.
Revelation Beach is one of the most vivid and intense books I have read in a long time. The first few pages make a powerful statement that the rest of the book more than measures up, they also make it personal.