The mother fault by Kate Mildenhall

Set in a dystopian near future where the climate is ravaged, everyone is microchipped, and people can be removed from their families and locked away in BestLife facilities. Mim’s husband Ben works in Indonesia, and she is at home with their two children when she hears that he is missing. As she realises how very wrong the situation is, she and the kids set off to try and find Ben. It’s a tense thriller, with a believable setting, and high adventure over land and sea. Thought provoking in expected ways about the direction of our world in terms of climate, government, and business, but also a deep meditation on motherhood; the weight of it, expectations, the physical and emotional toll, and impact on one’s sense of identity.

The chase by Candice Fox

What a wild plot. Staff at a correctional facility are made to release all of the prisoners. Celine, a prison guard on death row, pursues Kradle who she believes has killed his family and wants him back behind bars. To help her she teams up with an escapee. Throw into the mix U.S Marshall Trinity Parker who is in charge of the recovery of the inmates who has a strange way of dealing with things. The plot sounded great but the characterization and relationships let the story down. It may of worked better as a Hollywood blockbuster.

In the clearing by J.P. Pomare

This story was both disturbing and compelling. The issue of life in a cult (including child abuse) was at times hard to read, but the story held the tension throughout and made me want to keep reading. The ending was unexpected and chilling. Will definitely read more from this author.

Trust by Chris Hammer

Martin Scarsden, journalist turned true crime writer, is drawn into another mystery with corruption, power, organised crime, and violence, involving his partner, Mandalay Blonde. It is another fast paced, gritty, tense thriller, set in Sydney this time. There are a couple more over the top names, which I look forward to, and plenty of twists, action, and a satisfying conclusion. I listened to the audio version, which is well done, female voices were subtle, and only the toddler’s voice was unbearable (he is in the story very little, thankfully).

The river by Peter Heller

We meet Jack and Wynn on their outdoor adventure. They realise a forest fire is burning towards them. To add to the tension a man approaches them claiming his wife is missing. So not only do they have to deal with outrunning a fire, there are added complications. There is a steady tension throughout the story, but was not as big of a thriller as I hoped it might be. It is a story with a strong sense of place and descriptions of canoeing and wilderness.

The searcher by Tana French

I wasn’t sick of the murder squad, or of Dublin, but I’ll follow Tana French wherever she wants to go. Cal Hooper leaves the Chicago police, and buys a farmhouse in need of renovation in a tiny Irish village. A local kid disturbs his solitude, and sends him on a quest that digs up trouble in the village. As always, the characters are so full (with accents you can hear), the landscape alive, and the atmosphere tense. The experience of reading a Tana French novel is intense; immersive, suspenseful, and moving.

Flight risk by Michael McGuire

Ted works for a secret Australian government organisation and is called in to investigate a passenger plane that has disappeared whilst in flight. The action then takes off (sorry for the pun) and it then does not take very long to finish the story. It was a believable scenario with plenty of action.

Early riser by Jasper Fforde

Set in Wales, in an alternate history where humans hibernate through the intense winters, Early Riser is a satirical, dystopian thriller, and very funny. Charlie Worthing is a young person with few prospects, when he lands a job as a Winter Consul, staying up while the world sleeps, keeping the peace and investigating viral dreams. It’s a mystery filled with eccentric characters, hilarious details, social commentary, and a lot of heart. Jasper Fforde’s humour appeals to me very much, and while I found it a little slow to begin with, the delightful Charlie kept me going until the story enthralled me. I listened to the audiobook, and very much enjoyed the Welsh accent.

The family upstairs by Lisa Jewell

Libby inherits a house. She was found there when she was a baby, alone with three dead bodies who died in an apparent suicide pact. Of course, Libby then decides to find out what has happened in the house. Slowly we find out. Tension is held throughout making you want to continue reading, but is’nt as twisty as I expected, the reveals playing out without a lot of fanfare.

Find in Library

The nowhere child by Christian White

Kim Leamy teaches photography in Melbourne, when she is approached by an American man convinced that she is his sister, who disappeared from their home in 1990. What follows is a fast-paced, psychological thriller, told in the present, and 1990. There is plenty of intrigue, red herrings galore, and a satisfying conclusion.

Find in Library