Literary Brooding

The Tea Ladies Amanda Hampson 384 pages, Penguin Books first published 2023  The Tea Ladies is set in Sydney, NSW in 1965 and centres on a group of women who see all, hear all and are pretty much ignored by most.  Hazel Bates on her way to work, briefly sees a young woman in distress peering out the window of an abandoned building, which later burns down. For Hazel, along with Irene and Betty decide to try and solve the mystery but things take a turn for the worse when they discover a dead body and the danger levels increase. What follows is the Tea Ladies using their contacts and nous to solve a crime the police cannot.  Hampson has crafted a world which rings true, with characters that are quite believable and come fully formed. They have detailed back histories that is slowly revealed through the story.  Hazel who the central character is complex and apparent from solving a crime has to deal with personal issues that just may derail everything. Hazel, is not perfect but there is lit

Orlam  PJ Harvey  301 pages, Hardcover, First published January 1, 2022   Orlam, is a poetic story told over thirteen months of nine-year-old Ira-Abel Rawles, who lives on Hook Farm in the village of UNDERWHELEM.   There are two poems in the book, on the left hand side is the English version and on the right hand side the Dorset version. Now I have no comprehension of the Dorset dialect, so I did some research and was able to somewhat get the gift of the gab. I read both versions out loud, the Dorset version first, as I wanted to try and capture rhythm of the text and then I would read the English translation. It really did help me to appreciate the words, the imagery and the story.   The words are beautiful, the imagery of farm life and the people is stark and raw, with mythology and supernatural elements mixed in, in a way, explaining the brutality and the beauty. There are moments of humour and lightness. Harvey explains at the bottom of the poems, the significance and meaning of th

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder C.L. Miller 304 pages, Paperback, February 6, 2024 by Simon & Schuster Freya Lockwood having a crisis of sorts, her daughter has flown the nest to study in the US, her ex-husband wants to sell the family home asap, her former mentor Arthur Crockleford has died and left her with a mystery to solve.  Freya arrives on the page fully formed, in her 40s, divorced, empty nester, full of self-doubt and without a purpose. In her youth Freya had teamed up with Arthur and learnt everything about antiques. An incident in Cairo had Freya turning her back on the career and taking a different route in life. From the outset, Freya is conflicted about going back and revisiting what she is highly skilled to do. Her Aunt Carole, prods, cajoles and encourages Freya into taking up the challenge. This was an easy, enjoyable read set in the murky world of antique dealing. There is a few twists and turns, the characters are well developed and there is plenty of hu

  Tales from the Café  Toshikazu Kawaguchi Geoffrey Trousselot (Translator) Pan Macmillan, 192 pges, paperback, published March 14 2017 I read the first book in the series last year, no idea of the world I was walking into and ever so glad I did. The second book in the series is deftly created with people coming to the café to seek resolution with their past. The rules to visit the past remain the same and they are simple but effective. That you can not leave the chair is perhaps the hardest one, as the person they wish to visit must be in the café at just the right time. There are four stories and I really do not want to provide any spoilers at all. As though the stories do focus on a couple of individuals they intertwine with the overarching narrative.  It is just a delight to read and be drawn completely in. In such bleak times these stories are affirming and provide hope.

The Mystery of the Screaming Clock Alfred Hitchcock & the Three Investigators Mystery Series number 9 Armada Published 1971, 192 pages So I found this novel at a street library and though I had ready the likes of the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden, I could not recall reading Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators. I figured why not give it a go. The book starts off with a bang 'The Clock Screamed. It was the scream of a woman in mortal terror." From there the book is off and racing as our three investigators Jupiter, Pete and Bob try to figure why a clock has been set up to scream. As they try to figure out a bigger mystery comes to the fore. There is danger, there is puzzles, there is humour and there is a resolution. It was a great short read, that was a nice distraction.

Where I End by Sophie White  232 pages, expected publication 24 September 2024, Erewhon Books  Living on an island is meant to be idyllic, a safe harbour away from the mainland where dangers lurk everywhere. For Aoileann her island home is the danger, she is shunned by the local women and children, abused by the men, treated as a house slave by her grandmother and ignored by her father. Her days revolve around the caring of the thing, her mother who has been confined to bed after an incident many years ago. It is an existence of serving the needs of others and her only release is to swim in the sea. It is here that Aoileann meets Rachel and her newborn son Seamus. For the first time Aoileann can see hope but is it possible for her to escape what the island has made her into.   The story is told from Aoileann’s point of view, she is a very unreliable narrator and as you become more in tune with her world you understand why. With the brutality of her grandmother, the indifference of her

Under the Whispering Door T J Klune Published 21 September 2021, Kindle edition 432 pages.  Wallace Price has oodles of money, the best of everything in life and is a bastard of a boss. While he believes he is revered and respected at work, his unwavering commitment and high expectations meant that he is universally loathed. A fact that only becomes apparent when Wallace having died of a heart attack, attends his own funeral as a ghost. Expecting a cast of thousand to attend and bemoan his loss, he is aggrieved to find a handful of mourners who are there out of duty, not respect. At his funeral Wallace encounters Reaper Mei, who promises to take Wallace to the Ferryman Hugo who will be able to assist in his journey to the afterlife. The journey that Klune takes you on this novel is of realising that materialism, power, and status are all worthless when death comes calling. That time is always ticking towards death. That the life you lead, the love you encounter, and give is of a greate

The Treasure Hunters Club: A Mystery Tom Ryan 384 pages, expected publication October 24, 2024 For hundreds of years people have been coming to Maple Bay, Novia Scotia to search for the long-lost obelisk pirate treasure. The arrival of two newcomers sets off a train of events that take things to a new deadly level in discovering what happened to the treasure.   There is a lot to unpack in this novel as Ryan has an extensive cast of characters who are all important to the overall story and you switch between four distinct points of view.   You have the present day of Peter, Cassie and Dandy and each have a point of view. There is the middle time which is the treasure hunter club with Mirabel, Bill etc. and they important to development of the story.  The last point of view is told through journal entries of Henry Bellwood who tells of the five boys who started the whole saga.  Now, the thing is, stick with it, as all the buildup as all these characters are required to for a conclusion t

The Silence Factory  Bridget Collins  Kindle Edition, Expected Publication Date: 9 May 2024, Harper Collins    From the outset, as you read the first diary entry, you know this story is going to take you down dark holes of the human psyche and that redemption may never occur. Collins has reached deep to bring to the page a gothic novel, that is full of twists, turns, ambiguities and a cast of characters that are complex, flawed and whose morals are cryptic.   There are two threads to the story, the letters composed by Sophia Ashmore-Percy in the 1820s. She writes about her experiences on a Greek Island, her husband James fixation on a scientific discovery with spiders and her interaction with the locals. The second thread is that of Henry Latimer, grieving the loss of his wife, he works with his father-in-law who owns a shop that provides hearing aids, and his life is not going anywhere. Until Sir Edward Ashmore-Percy walks into the shop seeking assistance for his deaf daughter. Sir Ed

Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass Lana Del Rey 128 pages, Hardcover Published September 29, 2020 by Simon & Schuster I am going to be honest, I love poetry but I am crap understanding those deeper meanings that many are able to articulate. I read and allow myself to be emerged into the words and imagery. In Lana Del Rey’s book ‘Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass’ you not only have a collection of poems but some wonderful images that accompany the text. I found Del Rey’s photographs really captivating, I love the street scenes as it really compliments the text. I have been dipping in and out of the book for over six months, even though under 200 pages, I have taken my time to absorb and mull over what Del Rey has allowed onto the page. Again I can not profess to have the necessary attributes to tell you what the poems are about, only what I feel. ‘Thanks to the Locals’ – it flows, it packs a punch, there is vulnerability and toughness. The dilemma, the angst is very real on the

Letters from a Stoic Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4 BC-AD 65) 254 pages, Penguin Classics, first published January 1, 65 What does my head in, is that here am I in 2024 reading letters that were penned some 2000 years ago. Not only that the issues being discussed we are still ruminating over today. Letters from a Stoic, is a collection of Seneca’s work and read like observations of daily life. It those parts I enjoyed the most as Seneca describes the seemingly mundane but these snippets give the most insight. It is easy to go through and tab/highlight slabs of text as there are some absolute corkers in there.  Like all works of philosophy, you will find what is relevant to you and what you think is absolute rubbish. However, 2000 years on Seneca remains relevant as you question and think about what he has put on the page.

The Dark Heir  C.S. Pacat 496 pages, Allen & Unwin paperback, first published November 14, 2023 Dark Rise set the reader up for a terrific ride and Dark Heir continues that journey. Will and his friends find themselves trying to stave off a disaster that is coming through the unleashing of an unholy force. That is all you need to know as anything more is giving away all the twists, turns, chaos, betrayals and sparks of romance that in the novel.  Pacat has again created an array of characters that all have their primary motivations questioned or misrepresented by others. Will knows who and what he is, whether he chooses to accept that mantle is unclear. He knows that what he feels for James is real but their history makes it unsure whether they are together for the right reasons now, or whether it is the past that brings them together. The other characters really sing off the page and each one faces a test of who or what they believe.  As a reader, you can trust Pacat to not overwh

The Early Stories of Truman Capote.   Audio Book 2015 - Narrators Scott Brick, Nancy Linari, Sarah Scott .  This a collection of 14 short stories written when Capote was a young man and it's wonderful.   Each story has delightfully created characters, situations that are believable and capture the essence of the times.   It is exciting to hear Capote's voice at such an early age and it is not all perfect. That is okay as you can hear the development of many of his writing traits.  I listened to the audiobook and the characterisations by each of the readers really breathe life into the stories. It allowed me to be just carried away into the descriptions, the anguish, the vindictiveness, the kindness, the humour, the desperation, the hope, all wash over you. I really enjoyed this audio book, and I will purchase the paper back so I can revel in the words in greater detail. 

  The Library Thief - Kuchenga Shenjé  368 pages, Hardcover, Expected publication May 7, 2024  Florence arrives on the doorstop of Lord Belfield's home, claiming to have been sent by her father to perform duties as a bookbinder. Through persuasion Florence able to secure employment. As Florence begins the task of repairing the books, she discovers a mystery surrounding the death of Lord Belfield’s wife Persephone. A mystery that Florence is compelled to solve no matter the personal cost.  The main character is Florence, as she goes on her journey, we are allowed to see the influences good and bad that have shaped her past and influence her future. Florence soon realises as a woman she has limited autonomy, an insecure financial outlook and that having a mind of your own can be a dangerous thing. Florence is book-smart she is not very life-smart and some of the issues she comes across are completely new to her. As Florence is exposed more to the personal circumstances those around h

Lux the Poet - Martin Millar  208 pages, paperback, published January 1, 1988 by Soft Skull Publishing In the middle of the Brixton riots, Lux is looking for the love of his life Pearl. Pearl is trying to find and protect her lover, Nicky. Nicky is traumatised as she killed her computer, stole some genetic code and has the Happy Science Computer Company secret police after her. Kahlia is trying to do a million good deeds and be readmitted to heaven but after several thousand years on Earth she is tired of trying. All these people come together, move apart and come together again. Trust me, it is incredibly hard to categorise this novel as it is completely insane and that is what makes it work so well.  The main character is Lux, who is many things, they are attractive, they are a liar, they are thief, they are self-absorbed, and they are not a very good poet. Lux is an infuriating character but so dedicated to their desires. Lux knows they are desired by both sexes and is quite happy t

Sanctuary - Garry Disher 384pp Text Publishing, publication date: 3 April 2024 ISBN: 9781922790620 Grace is a woman of many names, many pasts and an uncertain future. Bounced around the child welfare system, Grace learns the art of thieving and with the assistance of a corrupt police officer elevates her skills to a whole new level. Working in the shadows comes with a cost of constant vigilance, always on edge, always expecting danger and always alone. After running into a former associate who she needs to avoid, Grace wonders what it would be like to be normal, to have a job and not constantly be looking over your shoulder. That dream looks possible when Grace walks into Mandel Antiques in an Adelaide Hills country town and for the first time hopes she has found sanctuary. Grace soon realises that a life of security is not going to be for her as the dangers of the past and the present collide.  When I read, I like to try and take notes, jot down lines of the book that are descriptive

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Holly Jackson 433 pages, Paperback, Published May 2, 2019 by Electric Monkey Five years ago, everyone decided that Sal Singh murdered his girlfriend, his suicide was the only proof that anyone needed. Not, Pippa Fitz-Amobi, there has been something bothering her about the events of five years ago, it seemed all too neat. Under the guise of doing a school project, Pippa decides to investigate the case and opens up a massive can of worms. From the first couple of pages, you are completely absorbed into Pippa’s world. You know she is an over achiever; you know she is organised, and you know that she has a good support network around her. Jackson is quite clever at bring forth the main and minor characters as giving you enough information to make you wonder about their motives. The crime itself is well hidden but you have enough clues to not be completely blindsided by the eventual outcome. Jackson has folded in the right levels of tension and drama to kee

Tom Lake  Ann Patchett 310 pages Bloomsbury Press 2023 There are times when you need a read that takes you on a journey of discovering how the crossroads of life are navigated. Patchett has crafted a story where the pandemic has brought her three adult daughters back to confines of the farm. To keep the bad news at bay, Lara tells how in her mid-twenties she had a brief affair with an actor who would go on to be famous.  Like all good stories it starts at beginning as Lara over the many days of picking fruit tells the story. From how she found herself falling into the world of acting, how she was presented with an opportunity to make a film, and how performing at Tom Lake she met Peter Duke. Weaved in are a series of characters who influence and shape Lara’s life.  We follow Lara’s journey, almost as the fourth child, as she tries to unravel what was important to her, where did she want to go, what did she want to be and at 57 years of age does she regret any of those decisions?  The b

  The Crime of Shelia McGough Janet Malcolm Vintage Books 1999, 164 pages, non-fiction. "The law's demand that witnesses speak "nothing but the truth" is a demand no witness can fulfill, of course, even with God's help." In 1996 Malcolm receives a letter from Shelia McGough, a lawyer who has been disbarred and claims the crime she was convicted of were bogus. That she was the victim of a campaign to oust her from the legal profession due to her zealous approach to representing her client. Malcolm is naturally intrigued and begins an investigation into not finding the truth per say, but understanding the people, the system and how the truth is derived in the legal system.  Malcolm examines how the law is not about the truth but whether the defense or prosecution can weave the better narrative. It is how the jury can be persuaded that the version of events presented is the correct one, which will lead to acquittal or conviction. Malcolm could become bogged dow

The Refresh is in.   You know how life just grabs you and takes you down directions you never expected? Yeah, that was me. Too much work, not enough doing this. I have missed this outlet. While away, I kept purchasing books. I wrote them all down, ended up being about 15 A4 pages, that makes up my to be read pile. In fact, I don't have a pile or a shelf but three bookcases of books to be read. Yep, many treasures to be explored. Before I dip into the new, I have quite a few books started and not finished, so they are a priority. It is not that I was disinterested in the books but I have really struggled with concentration. The mind just keeps wandering and not staying on the words cleverly placed on the page.  My other reading goals for this year apart from the half finished? Would like to reach 50 books, but I have some large tomes to read, so I am not sure I will make that mark. That is okay as it has to be about the quality. Want to read each of the books from the Adelaide Write