NOVEMBER, 2019 -- VARIOUS TITLES BY PETER TEMPLE

PETER TEMPLE was an Australian crime fiction writer, mainly know for his Jack Irish novel series.  He has won many awards.  He was born in South Africa in 1946. He left South Africa because of Apartheid. He moved to Sydney, Australia in 1980 and in 1982 to Melbourne to become the founding editor of Australian Society magazine.  He turned to fiction writing in 1990. He wrote the Jack Irish series and three stand alone novels, An Iron Rose, Shooting Star and In the Evil Day, as well as Broken Shore and it's semi sequel Truth.
It was a very lively and interesting discussion today.

 BAD DEBTS

JUDY J:   This is the first book in the Jack Irish series.  Judy felt it helped to have seen the television series.  The story is set in Melbourne.  It is very Victorian with AFL references and Fitzroy references.  It's a complicated story with lots of things happening.  I probably wouldn't read another one.

ED: She found it quite OK and enjoyed reading this book. 

PRUE:  Once she got into the story, Prue could not put it down. It moved quite seamlessly from one part to the other. It painted Melbourne very well.  It was a bit dark, violent and corrupt but it was how it was at the time.  There were bits of subtle humour.  It was typically Australian.

BLACK TIDE

CLAURENE:  This is the second book in the Jack Irish series. It was interesting.  It gives you information about lots of different things.  The author introduces characters with a few words.  Claurene enjoyed the way he writes.

CHARIS:  She couldn't understand and follow the dialogue and the way he portrayed Melburnians.  When Charis got further in to it she decided to give up.  She didn't enjoy Peter Temple. 

JUDY D:  Judy felt the same as Charis.  She couldn't understand a lot of it but said it was OK.  She normally likes crime thrillers.

DEAD POINT

LESLEY:  This is the third book in the Jack Irish series.  Jack has a messy life and he is unlucky in love.  There are good descriptions of the Melbourne weather and the cafe life.  This story is about a missing person.  It's written in the first person and Lesley found it  hard to follow.  The sentences were complicated.  There are a lot of peripheral characters and Lesley found it confusing and unsatisfactory.

WHITE DOG

ROSEMARY:  She tried but couldn't get into it.

BEV:  Bev said it took a long time to work out who was who.  Half way through a woman got killed in an explosion.  She finished reading it but had no desire to read anymore Peter Temple.

SHEILA:  She loathed it and only read one chapter.

COLLEEN:  She tried a couple of times to get into it but didn't like the the story.

KRIS:  It took a while to get into the story but I had watched a few episodes of Jack Irish and enjoyed it.  The pace was good although some parts were confusing.  I quite enjoyed it until about page 289 when Jack got further into trying to uncover information about two deaths and cover ups and more characters were introduced.  I got fed up with the constant really bad language and I found the exploitation of teenage girls was too depressing so I didn't read anymore.
 

THE BROKEN SHORE (2005)

CONNIE:  Connie said she persevered and read it all.  She thought it would be different.  If there was not so much bad language the book wouldn't have been half as long.  It was set on the south coast of Victoria.  The descriptions were good but she did not like this book.

JOAN:  Joe Cashin, a homicide detective is haunted by his last case.  He has fled Melbourne for the south coast of Victoria while his wounds heal.   In a little country town, a local man is brutally murdered.   Joe has decided to live in this little country town and you get the story of the local man being part of a paedophilia ring.  Joan had nightmares from the story.

JUDY A:  Joe  Cashin's partner was killed in a car accident.  Judy liked the book and said she really likes Peter Temple's writing.

DIANN:  Diann said she really liked it and understood why the detective wanted a new life.  This novel is a whodunit.  It brings in race relations and politics.  It shows a relationship between a man and his dog.  It is an easy flow story. 

TRUTH (2009)
JO:  There were too many different plots and the language was shocking.  The language spoiled it for Jo. She doesn't want to read anymore of Peter Temple books.

PAMELA:   This is the sequel to Broken Shore.  There are unresolved problems in Truth that would have been resolved in the next book.  The setting is Melbourne with a bushfire raging.   The story is about trying to get justice and how difficult it can be and also the elusiveness of trying to find the truth of things. The main character, Steve is a Police Inspector  and a good man who unwittingly gets compromised in a murder and taking money.  It is a difficult book.  There are large groups of people.  The writing is exact, no padding, spare and there is a lot of humour.  Pamela thinks it is a brilliant book but it requires very careful reading.

ANNE:  Inspector Steve Villani is the head of Homicide.  The setting is the Black Saturday Fires in 2009.  Steve has three main cases.  One is a murdered young woman in a penthouse apartment, three men savagely murdered and tortured and a drug dealer corrupting his daughter.  The writing is really good and Anne described it as taut.  There is a lot of sardonic humour.  It is one of her favourite books.

 IRON ROSE

 WENDY:  The story is about an ex Federal cop in a regional community.  Wendy really enjoyed it.  She said it was really well paced with short and pared down dialogue.  It has dry humour. and the author has a sharp eye for detail.  It kept you reading.

 THE RED HAND

PAT B:  This is a book of short stories.  Pat didn't really enjoy his writing but found it interesting that he didn't start writing until he was 50 years old.



Our book for December is the best book we have read this year, excluding any from this year's Bookclub list.

Our book for January will be one we have read over the festive season.

 
 Don't forget our Bookclub meeting will be on the 12th December.  Please bring a wrapped gift of a book you don't want anymore.
Also, please bring your own morning tea as we will be having our celebratory lunch after the meeting at Cornerstone Cafe.
It's your chance to wear something festive.



 Kris






 

OCTOBER ~ Books with the theme of Seafaring

Pamela: The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor by Gabriel García Márquez

In 1955 a destroyer left Alabama (USA) heading for Cartagena (Columbia). During a storm 8 sailors were washed overboard. Only 1 survived by floating on a small raft, but without food and water, and eventually swimming 2 km to shore. It was an amazing story of survival, but clouded in controversy regarding the purpose of the ship’s journey, and whether there really was a storm.

Judy De La: Odessa Sea by Clive Cussler

While looking for the wreck of a lost Ottoman Empire ship, Dirk Pitt finds himself in many other emergencies and incidents and dangerous situations.

Described by Judy as a good adventure story, a typical Clive Cussler book.

Jo: The Scavengers by Bill Knox (Webb Carrick Murder Mystery)

When the body of a missing diver is found caught up in fishing nets, The Scottish Coast Guard is called in. Complications occur when his death is linked to the local nuclear power station.

A good story, in fact Jo has read the whole series!

Claurene: Sharks, the Sea and Me by Rodney Fox

This was a terrific book. In the summer of 1963, Rodney Fox survived a brutal shark attack off the coast of South Australia. He was not expected to live.

He returned to the sea making a living as an abalone fisherman, he built the first shark cage, and became involved in films including Jaws.

Claurene really enjoyed the book, there were so many stories!

Connie: Moby Dick by Herman Melville

Connie read a modern edition of the story as she hadn’t read it before.

Written in 1851, it is the story of Ahab, who is now captain of the whaling ship Pequod. He is seeking revenge on the giant white sperm whale named Moby Dick, that on a previous voyage had bitten his leg off. There are storms, fights and plenty of exciting adventures.

Joan: The Catalpa Rescue by Peter FitzSimmons

Joan described this as a fabulous and true story of a daring plan, in 1869, to free six Irish political prisoners from the Fremantle Prison in Western Australia. It not only told of the escape of the prisoners on a boat disguised as a whaler, but included much information about Irish struggles and the back stories of those involved in the rescue. A great story, Joan loved the topic.

Judy J: The Batavia by Peter FitzSimmons

The Batavia was the flag ship of the Dutch East Indies Company built to trade in the very lucrative spice trade. In 1629 on its maiden voyage it ran aground on a reef off the coast of Western Australia.

While the captain and a number of crew set out in the longboat seeking help, the survivors were left on nearby islands with no enough supplies for all of them survive. A reign of terror began, murder, rape, mayhem and mutiny, and mixed in with incredible tales of survival and bravery.

He is a great story teller!

Val I: Lands Beyond the Sea by Tamara McKinley (Ocean Trilogy #1)

The book tells the story of of the early days of the first settlement. Those who survived the dreadful conditions on the boats were then faced with the harsh reality and rough conditions of life in the colonies. Val found it spell-binding and couldn’t put it down. The descriptions of the development of Parramatta and the Hawkesbury were of particular interest.

Colleen: Titanic

On April 14^th 1912, after 4 days at sea, the Titanic sank having hit an iceberg drifting in the south Atlantic. There were lifeboats for less than half the passengers and crew, and no ship responded to their distress signals. Eventually at 7am the next morning the first rescue boats arrived. 705 people survived, while 1523 were lost making it the greatest maritime disaster.

Pat B: Under Full Sail by Rob Mundle

This book tells the story of how the majestic clipper ships shaped Australia by bringing thousands of migrants to our shores. Pat described these stories as fascinating, quirky and very interesting.

Judy A: In the Kingdom of the Ice by Hampton Sides

At the end of the 18^th century, people were obsessed with getting to the North Pole. Some believed there could be a passage through the Pacific and into the Barring Straits. A journey was financed by the wealthy owner of the New York Herald. Two years into the voyage the ship was trapped in ice and eventually sank. The men found themselves a thousand miles north of Siberia with only the barest supplies

Judy described it as a really engrossing read.

Charis: Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brien (20 novels in the Aubrey-Maturin series)

Jack Aubrey takes control of a ship as the new master. He not only has to deal with the battles in the Napoleonic Wars but his relationship with others on board.

Claris enjoyed the great descriptions of life on board; it was an engaging book but the detail was overwhelming at times.

Wendy also read it, loved it and couldn’t put it down. She thought the characters were very well drawn. “Jane Austen on a warship.”

She also read The Secret Life of James Cook by Graham Ley. This she found very dry in comparison.

Diann: Captain Courageous by Rudyard Kipling

Published in 1897, it is the story of a spoilt young boy, who having been kicked out of school is taken to America by his father. When he falls overboard and is picked up by the crew of a fishing boat, his many adventures teach him what life is really about.

Diann thought it a good mentor story for young people.

Pat: Hell Ship by Michael Veitch

The author is the great-great-grandson of the surgeon on the Ticonderoga, a clipper ship which sailed for Australia from Liverpool in 1852. The conditions on board were hellish, with poor ventilation and overcrowding.

By the time the ship reached Port Philip, a quarter of the passengers were dead, many more were ill and the ship was placed in quarantine because a deadly typhus had broken out.

Pat described it as interesting, but not a good read.

Val: Treasure Island by Robert L Stevenson

The book evolved from a treasure map the author had drawn for his son. It has all the ingredients of a good book for boys: a boy hero, pirates, and one incident after another.

She thoroughly enjoyed it.

Tam: The Jason Voyage by Tim Severin

According to Greek mythology, in the 13^th century Jason and his Argonauts set out to find the golden fleece.

In 1985 the author and a specially picked crew set out to row the route and prove that it was possible to do it. While it wasn’t an easy read, following the map was very good and interesting.

Bev: The Devil Flotilla by Edwyn Gray (Nick Hamilton series #2)

During World War 2, the submarine captain is chosen to take on a very dangerous rescue of allied soldiers from the beaches.

He continues on many more of these missions with great success.

Lesley: Adrift: A True Story of Love, Loss and Survival at Sea by Tami Oldham Ashcraft

A young couple are sailing a luxury yacht from Tahiti to San Diego. Two weeks into the voyage they are unable to avoid a huge hurricane. When it finally passes, the woman finds herself alone on the boat and in a terrible circumstance. It takes her 41 days to sail back to Hawaii, alone on the boat and with no motor or mast.

The inner strength she showed was quite remarkable. A true story!

Rosemary: Bailey Boat Cat

Bailey lives on board a yacht and observes how humans do what they should do on board. Very amusing.

Kris: A Voyage for Madmen by Peter Nichols

In 1968, nine sailors set off in a race to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe, non-stop. This had never been done before.

Ten months later, only one man would cross the finish line and find fame and fortune.

For the others, it was death, madness and failure.

Kris described the book as riveting: the characters were so interesting, a combination of braveness and madness. But they all had one thing in common, the need to win. It was a great read!

Julia: Robinson Crusoe by Daniel DeFoe

It was an amazing story, especially when you remember that is a true story and the characters are real.

DECEMBER ~ The best book you've read this year (but not from Book Club)

SEPTEMBER: BIOGRAPHIES AND AUTOBIOGRAPHIES

ROSEMARY: Cadence, Travels with Music: - A memoir by Emma Ayres

Emma has told her story of growing up in a broken home in London, and her developing love of music. In 2000 she cycled from England to Hong Kong with her viola, Aurelia strapped to her back. She structures her memoir around musical keys, and writes of her own musical adventures and loves. She meets an amazing range of people, she avoids danger in many risky situations, and she gives impromptu concerts along the roadway to a variety of individuals.

Rosemary found it a very interesting book, although she thought some of the musical references to be too complicated and tedious. She is looking forward to reading the follow-up book.

BEV: Open by Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi is today recognized as a very successful tennis player, winning 4 Grand Slams. But he says he hated tennis and describes his career as like 30 years in prison.

His father was determined that he would succeed, and was brutal in his training and expectations. As a teenager, Andre would rebel, fighting, drinking and way-out clothes and hair.

He is now married to former tennis player, Stephi Graff and they both devote much of their time to helping underprivileged children.

An interesting story, but it did get bogged down in results of matches and statistics.

CLAURENE: Able: Gold Medals, Grand Slams and Smashing Glass Ceilings by Dylan Alcott

Dylan is an amazing young man who is currently known as a Wheelchair Tennis Champ. But he previously represented Australia in the Para Olympics in Wheelchair Basketball. He now has great exposure on TV, is a motivational speaker and the recipient of many awards.

JULIA: Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: And Other Lessons in Life by Michael Caine

The title comes from one of his best known movies, The Italian Job. The book is full of quotes, anecdotes about meeting interesting and famous people.

Julia loved it and thought it great fun to read.

JUDY J: Jack Charles: A Born Again Blakfella by Jack Charles

Jack Charles has worn many hats throughout his life – actor, cat burglar, musician, heroin addict, drunk, Indigenous activist, potter, a gay man, Senior Victorian of the Year and most proudly, Aboriginal Elder. Much of this is the huge price he paid for being part of the Stolen Generation.

His book tells many of these sad, amusing, embarrassing, and shameful moments of his life and were elaborated on in his recent visit to the Hawkesbury Library.

JUDY De la T: Breaking Bad: How I Worried Myself Sick by Georgie Dent

The author was a top law student who began her career at a prestigious law firm. Within a year she had suffered a crippling nervous breakdown. Judy didn’t find the story uplifting and her impression of the author was as a ‘pampered princess"

VAL A: Unbreakable by Jelena Dokic

The story of another tennis player who was abused mentally and physically by their father. The family had emigrated from Serbia, and it is unbelievable how Jelena’s father treated her. In the book she seems bitter that people knew what was going on (bruises etc) but did nothing about it.

JO: Stationary Ark by Gerald Durrell

Gerald Durrell is the author of many books about animals. This one tells how he set up a zoo on the Isle of Jersey as a model for a more humane way of treating animals. Unfortunately, the book was very dry and did not contain the humour of his previous ones.

PAT: Born to Run by Cathy Freeman

Cathy was born in far north Queensland and grew up to become the fastest 400m runner in the world.

Her stepfather, who was white, was a great influence on her life and always encouraging to achieve her goals.

An interesting read.

KRIS: Lucky Man, A Memoir by Michael J Fox

Michael J Fox was a successful actor in the 1980s, but in 1998 he stunned the world by announcing he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.

The book tells of his childhood and early success as an actor. He also explains that as an actor he had lived a very self indulgent life style. Since his diagnosis he has been forced to change this around to cope with and accept his condition. Hence the title, A Lucky Man.

He now devotes much of his time to raising money for research into the disease.

A very interesting book.

CLAURENE: Ian Frazer: The Man Who Saved a Million Lives by Madonna King

Ian Frazer is a Scottish born immunologist, who along with his co-worker Jian Zou developed and patented the basic technology behind the HPV vaccine against cervical cancer Unfortunately, there was a delay of many years before they could begin producing the vaccine as a claim to its discovery was disputed by American scientists!

JUDY de La T: Carry a Big Stick by Tim Ferguson.

Tim Ferguson was a member of the Doug Anthony All Stars, telling his life story including his diagnosis of MS.

The Unexpected Adventures of Martin Freeman by Neil Daniels

A good actor but a boring book!

PAMELA: BORN TO BE POSTHUMOUS the Eccentric Life and Mysterious Genius of Edward Gorey by Mark Dery

Pamela thought it a stupid title, Gorey was very eccentric but achieved a great many things in life. He wrote over 100 books and was a successful illustrator for authors such as T S Elliot, Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll.

CONNIE: My Life by David Jason

His early childhood during war time was spent playing among the bombed out sites in London. Connie enjoyed this part as she had recollections of this as well.

He always wanted to be an actor, but trained as an electrician. While working at this, he became involved in amateur plays which eventually led to professional work. Ronnie Corbett, his great friend and mentor pushed him all the way.

He’s had a good life: happy marriage and family, a successful career.

VAL: How Shall I Tell the Dog? by Miles Kington

Miles Kington was a humorist, who when dying of caner, wrote letters to his friends proposing absurd ideas for books he might write about his illness. It is not an easy read. Val finished it, but still doesn’t know whether he told the dog.

JUDY A: Eggshells Skulls by Bri Lee

Bri completed a law degree and began working as a judge’s associate in the Brisbane District Circuit Court, hearing endless sexual abuse and assault cases. It’s during this time that Bri’s memories are triggered and she remembers an incidence that occurred when she was only primary school aged. This eventually led to her leaving the law and a two-year battle to bring this person to account. A gripping but moving book.

CHARIS: Walking Free by Munjed Al Muderis

In 1999, Munjed Al Muderis was a young surgeon working in Baghdad at the time of the rule of Saddam Hussein. When military police marched into the operating theatre and ordered the doctors to cut the ears off prisoners, the head of the surgical team refused and was shot. Munjed hid, ran away and eventually fled by boat to Australia. Hoping for freedom, he spent 10 months in Curtin Detention Centre in Western Australia, not being freed until late 2000.

Today he is one of the world's leading osseointegration surgeons, transforming the lives of amputees (including victims in war zones) with a pioneering technique that allows them to walk again,

A poignant read which gives a good account of the lives of refugees and what they had to endure to get to Australia.

WENDY L: Becoming by Michelle Obama

The book has 3 parts – becoming me ~ about her childhood, becoming us ~ about meeting Barak and thirdly, becoming more ~ their political life together.

They are two very different people, she very organized and he more laid back.

She is a very intelligent woman, coming from a family who valued education.

But all the way through the book, was the recurring theme of “am I good enough?”.

CLAURENE also read it. She thought it was a wonderful book and admired Michelle for admitting her faults.

COLLEEN: Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic

Born without arms and legs, this amazing and gutsy man has lived his life by learning to accept what he could not control, only what he can. His zest for life is unbelievably infectious.

DIANN F: This is Gail by Juliette O’Brien

After the death of her husband, the surgeon Chris O’Brien, followed a short time later by the death of their son, Gail returns to work as a physio and later became very involved in the setting up and running of the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse cancer centre.

It is a moving and emotional story about a woman finding her place in life and she is always in the forefront of the book.

TAM: True Spirit by Jessica Watson

In 2009 Jessica became the first girl to complete a southern hemisphere solo circumnavigation at the age of 16. Her family has always been involved in sailing, but she still showed amazing maturity to do what she did.

She tells her story interspersed with entries from her diary giving you insights into her day to day activities.

She is inspiring to all ages to get out and do something.

JUDY de LA T: Jennifer Saunders

The best biography she’s read!

OCTOBER BOOK CLUB ~ Seafaring

Choose your own titles and come along!

 

AUGUST, 2019 -- VARIOUS TITLES IN THE SHETLAND SERIES BY ANNE CLEAVES

Anne Cleeves is an English crime writer.  In 2006 she won the inaugural Duncan Lawrie Dagger, the richest crime writing prize in the world, for her novel Raven Black.  She was born in Herefordshire.  She studied English at University of Sussex but dropped out and took various jobs, including a probation officer.  The television series Shetland and Vera are based on her book series of the same name.

DEAD WATER:

 Prue:
This is the fifth book in the Shetland series.  It's very long.  Prue enjoyed it very much even though she is not so keen on the Shetland television series.  She found the characters were very much like the television series.  Perez, the inspector was portrayed well and the bouts of depression he suffered.  Some of the local terminology was a bit difficult.  The descriptions of Shetland were beautiful.   The geography and the culture of the people was well described.  The story flowed well and there were no flat spots.  The culprit wasn't revealed until the end.  Prue enjoyed it and would read more.

 Anne:
She enjoyed it but didn't find it as exciting.

 Diane:
She had never heard of Anne Cleeves before but she really enjoyed this book.  It was a pleasure to read, a real "whodunit".  She didn't pick the killer.  It was a "can't put down book".  Diane felt that female crime writers go more into the characters as well as the crime.

Connie: 
She didn't really enjoy the television series but she enjoyed this book.  It was realistic.  It had a map  so she knew where all the places were.  Connie enjoys maps in a book.  It made Shetland more real for her. 

Sheila:
She really likes Anne Cleeve's books but cannot bear the cold and damp weather.  She agrees with what everyone else has said.  It was a good book and she thinks Anne Cleeves is a reasonable writer.

Pat:
She half read it.  She agrees with everyone else about the book and would read more as she really enjoyed it.  She also agreed that female writers seem to get you more involved in the characters.

COLD EARTH:

Judy J:
Anne Cleeves was only going to write one book about the Shetlands.  She had made a few trips to Shetland.  Raven Black did so well that the publisher wanted more. She wrote four in each of the seasons and four about different elements, 9 in total in the Shetland series. Cold Earth is the 7th book and begins in mid winter.  Torrential rain causes a landslide.  The magistrate is being buried.  A female body is found after the landslide and a murder investigation begins.  Judy enjoyed it and has read quite a few of her books.

Lesley:
She agrees with what everyone has said.  The weather plays a huge part in the story as well as the murder.  There is a scar caused by the landslide.  The people of the island live with this dreadful weather. You can almost feel the weather.  Lesley enjoys the community feel. When there is a murder it involves everyone.  Jimmy Perez, the inspector, feels human. She would read more of her books.

Pamela:
She really enjoyed it until near the end.  Pamela felt she was a dishonest writer as the author wasn't honest about revealing information.  Two murders occur  in the book. There is a woman found first and a man later.  She found it annoying as a detective story and very badly written. You are not given the information until right near the end  She found the reasons for the murder unconvincing.

WHITE NIGHTS

Diann:
This is the second book  in the Shetland series."Who dunit" is a good description.  Who killed the man with the clown mask at the art gallery?  Jimmy Perez is visiting the island with Fran who is exhibiting at the art gallery.  It is their first date.  There is also another artist, Bella Sinclair.  The writing draws you into the book.  Diann felt the author was astute.  There were good descriptions of the surroundings and you could visualize the scenery. Diann is not normally a crime reader.

Bev:
She is a fan of Ann Cleeves.  This story is set in the summertime.  Bev didn't think Fran played too important a part.  It was realised that a missing person was actually dead.  The killer was  a surprise.
It was a good story and Bev enjoyed it.

Colleen:
She enjoyed White Knights.  She had not seen the Shetland television series.

THIN AIR

Rosemarie:
This is the 6th book in the Shetland series. There were two murders.  Four university friends from London were on the island for a wedding and one of them disappeared. There were common factors throughout the book. Rosemarie got a map to look at the different places.  She enjoyed the story and would read more.

Jo:
She didn't like it as much as one of the other books.  She liked the atmosphere and going from one island to the other.  She said it was good and she thought Anne Cleeves was a good author.  She loved Jimmy Perez, the inspector.

WILD FIRE

Kris:
This is the 8th and last book in the Shetland series.  Jimmy Perez is the detective inspector.  An English family move to the island to make a better life for their autistic son.  The islanders are suspicious and resentful of the newcomers. The previous owner of their house had hanged himself in the barn and now the body of a young woman is found hanging in the barn by their son, Christopher.  Rumours spread like wild fire.  The author paints a wonderful picture of the lonely and wild Shetland islands and how interconnected people are in such small communities.  Her characters are well developed. Loved it and couldn't put it down.

Judy De La T:
She agreed with all that was said. She also loved this book and couldn't put it down.

Julia:
She really enjoyed this book and hadn't read any of the Shetland series before.  It was a really good read and hard to pick the murderer. She likes her writing. Julia wanted to know if Jimmy Perez ended up with Willow.  She said it was easy to read and would read more.

Charis:
It was a good read.  Charis hadn't read any of the series before.  There was a lot of focus on the adults and the way she brought the teenagers in as well.  She would have liked more emphasis on the teenagers as well.

BLUE LIGHTNING

Joan:
 This book is the 4th book in the Shetland series and was published in 2010.  Joan is late to the television series Shetland.  She followed it and really liked it.  Sandy and Perez from the television series are in the book but not Tosh.  Perez is taking Fran to Fair Isle where he grew up and to meet his mother and father.  On day one there is a murder.  Fran has to be sidekick as they are on holidays.  There are a lot of birdwatchers are on the island including a horrible female PHD in her thirties. All the men are attracted to her. There were investigations and then a bit of a lull and then another murder.  It was complex.  The environment was harsh and desolate.

HIDDEN DEPTHS

Pat (2):
She loved the Shetland series but this book is from the Vera series. It's Pat's first Vera book and she loved the characterization of Vera, the dowdy and difficult detective. She also found the Northumberland accent interesting. She would recommend the Vera series.

Kris

We would like to welcome two new members to our
Bookclub:  Val and Colleen


Next month:   Biographies or Autobiographies

October:         Seafaring Books                                         


                                        

July: Michael Connelly

 A former police reporter for the Los Angeles Times, Michael Connelly

is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. Connelly is the bestselling author of thirty-one novels and one work of non-fiction.

Judy J: The Lincoln Lawyer (Bk 1 Mickey Haller series)

Mickey Haller is a moderately successful criminal defense attorney who operates at various courts in L.A. County, working out of a Lincoln Town Car (hence the title), driven by a former client working off fees he is unable to pay.

A major fee paying case comes his way, and it seems to be going well until his client is not what he seems to be.

The book is written in the first person, moves along at a good and even pace before coming to a highly satisfactory ending but improbable in real life police work.

A very readable book, a good film and happy to read more books by the author.

 

Wendy L:

Mickey Haller is a cynical, cunning, flawed and off beat character who is haunted by a mishandled case in his earlier career. He believes that defence is not just about justice but about negotiation and manipulation. Other characters are drawn with enough back-story and detail to make them interesting.

Not her normal type of book but Wendy thought it a very good one.

Sheila: Echo Park (2006)

Sheila found the content to be too violent and so didn’t continue with the book.

Judy De la T: Nine Dragons (2009)

A very cleverly written book, with many twists and turns as Detective Bosch investigates the Triads and the kidnapping of his daughter. Could they be linked? Judy really enjoyed it.

Blood Work (1998)

This book features a different detective, Terry McCaleb who has been out of the force for sometime, for medical reasons. He investigates a number of murders where the victims all had the same blood group, but also the same as his.

Another good read.

Tam: The Wrong Side of Goodbye (2016)

This is another Harry Bosch book which Tam enjoyed and described as a good holiday read. His assignment is to find a missing Mexican girl for an elderly, wealthy man who had had a relationship with her in his younger days. Tam thought it was a good story, with enough suspense to keep you interested, and a happy ending.

Jo: The Black Box (2012)

Another Harry Bosch novel set Los Angeles. At the time of the riots in 1992, police resources were so stretched that many murders were not investigated fully. So 20 years later Bosch reopens a cold case, the murder of a twenty-year-old girl. The National Guard and soldiers from the Iraq War seem to be involved. Jo found it very interesting, and likes this kind of book!

 

Pat: The Late Show (2017)

Pat has been a Connelly fan for many years, having read most of the Harry Bosch books.

The Late Show features a woman detective, Reneé Ballard who is demoted to the late shift for filing a sexual harassment case against a supervisor. She is a brilliant detective who can’t help poking her nose into things. A really good read.

The Drop (2011)

Harry Bosch has been testing samples from long ago. When the DNA turns out to belong to an 8-year-old boy the story becomes very complicated.

Val: The Overlook (2007)

Val commented that Michael Connelly’s books are always well written. He was a crime reporter for many years before becoming a successful author, winning many awards.

A typical theme of his books is conflict with ex-partners and his family in danger.

In this book a scientist with access to a radio-active substance is found dead in his car. When the substance goes missing, Bosch becomes involved but the FBI want to take over as they claim it is a national security matter.

Val enjoys his books and finds them difficult to put down once she has started them.

Diane: The Scarecrow (2009)

Jack McEvoy is a crime reporter chasing a criminal known as “The Scarecrow”. This is his last chance as cut backs at the paper means he will soon be out of a job and his replacement is a young lady who is very au fait with modern technology.

The book is so fast passed, Diane sometimes found it necessary to reread some parts!

The book sadly shows the demise of the daily newspaper – a daily afterthought.

Connie: The City of Bones

When bones found by a dog are identified as belonging to a 12-year-old boy, Harry Bosch is called in to solve this 25-year mystery.

Connie thought the story was a little long winded, and didn’t like the character of Bosch. He always seemed to be getting himself into trouble, he was dark, sad and lonely.

Julia really enjoyed the book!

Judy A: Dark Sacred Night (2018)

This is the 2^nd Renée Ballard book and while she is working the night shift she finds an intruder rifling through the files. This turns out to be Harry Bosch. He eventually convinces her to help him investigate the cold case of a murder of a young girl whose mother he had previously known.

Judy recommended Michael Connelly’s podcast called ‘Murder Book’ which gives background to much of his writing and characters.

Joan: The Concrete Blonde (1994)

Harry Bosch had previously shot and killed a suspected killer called the ‘Dollmaker’. But now it seems that a copycat killer has emerged or is the Dollmaker still alive? Joan liked the writing, not too fussy and with realistic partners and other characters. She could easily pick up another of his books.

 

Prue:

Prue has read many of his books before and always enjoyed them.

She found them to be realistic and Bosch an interesting character with his wives and daughter intertwined in his stories. His descriptions are very accurate and his writing keeps a good standard. Procedurally he gets it right.

Charis:

She had not been a crime fiction reader until recently but has now read The Concrete Blonde and Echo Park.

She liked both of them, they held her interest through the book, and she liked the touches of family lives and relationships. It was not overdone.

Rosemary: The Closers (2005)

After 3 years away from the LAPD, Harry Bosch returns to the Cold Case Department and is assigned to investigate a case when a DNA match connects a white supremacist to the 1988 murder of a mixed race 16-year-old girl. Rosemary found it very interesting to see how they go about investigating these cases.

August Book Club

Ann Cleeves

Any book from The Shetland Series

JUNE, 2019 - COMEDY OF OUR OWN CHOICE

Judy D:    SO ANYWAY BY JOHN CLEESE

This is an autobiography.  It mainly focuses on life as a comedian.  He studied as a lawyer before he went into comedy.  Judy enjoyed it.

Tam:    LAND BEFORE AVOCADO BY RICHARD GLOVER

This book is about nostalgia and the feeling that growing up in the 60's and 70's was a better time.  In reality it probably wasn't better.  It is a good book to read when you feel life was better.  There have been a lot of advances today, for women especially.  It made Tam think.  She also found it quite funny.

Jo:    THEY'RE A WEIRD MOB by NINO CULOTTA

 This is a comic novel written by John O'Grady under the pseudonym "Nino Culotta".  It was written in 1957. Nino is an Italian journalist just off the boat from Italy to Australia.  He gets a job as brickie's labourer.  He writes about the Australian way of life.  Jo said it was absolutely hilarious.

Diane:    SMALL MAN IN A BOOK by ROB BRYDON

Di revealed Rob Brydon came from the same town as her and he started on local radio.  She likes him but thought this book wasn't an easy read. There was no characterization.  He was pedantic and she didn't enjoy it.  She also read Inside Little Britain by David Walliams and Matt Lucas.  She really enjoyed this book.


Charis:    RADIANT SHIMMERING LIGHT by SARAH SELECKY

The story is about a woman who is trying to sell pictures of dog's auras.  Her cousin is involved in the marketing of these on the internet.  Charis found it quite amusing.  She also read The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion.  It's about a lecturer who discovers he has Aspergers.  He is eccentric.  His early behaviour is funny but the rest of the book is predictable.  Charis said it was a good book to read.

Joan:    THIS IS GOING TO HURT by ADAM KAYE

 After 6 years of medical training and another 6 years of 97 hour working weeks making life and death decisions, the author resigned.  This book has some very funny stories from diary notes he kept while working in the UK National Health Scheme. Joan enjoyed this book.

Val:    THE CALIPH'S HOUSE, A YEAR IN CASABLANCA by TAHIR SHAH

The author is a British born travel writer from a wealthy literary family.  This is the story of how he and his family went on holidays to Casablanca and survived a year in a house being renovated.  Arabs have an entirely different way to the British when it comes to renovation. The workers use the jinns (invisible spirits) as an excuse for not getting work done.  The Morrocan's were almost perfect workers but have one major fault. They are virtually incapable of ever finishing a job.  Val found it very readable and had a quiet humour.

Ed:    THE TOUR by DENISE SCOTT

This is a memoir.  The story mentions school, boyfriends and parents.  Ed said it wasn't hilariously funny but it was okay.

Connie:    LOVE AMONG THE CHICKENS by P. G. WODEHOUSE

This was published in 1906 and rewritten in 1920 to improve it.  Connie enjoyed it but found it a bit ridiculous.  She also read Jeeves in the Offing by P.G. Wodehouse.  Wodehouse started writing about Jeeves in 1915.  This story was published in 1960.  It is a fictional story about a highly competent valet and a wealthy bumbling young man called Bertie.  The writing is beautiful and it ends happily.  Connie enjoyed it more than the first book she read, although she did find his books sillier than when she read them when she was young.

Diann:   HOW TO KISS A CROCODILE and OTHER SNAPPY STORIES  by MAX WALKER

These are stories from the life of a former Australian cricketer.  It is the third in a set of 3 books.  It's set in the Northern Territory where four mates took out $50,000 in insurance on being eaten by a crocodile.  Diann said it was a very enjoyable book.

Anne:    THE LAND BEFORE AVOCADO by RICHARD GLOVER

It's set in the late 1960's to 70's.  Glover is looking at it in a nostalgic way but proving it wasn't true and that things weren't necessarily better.  One example is that there were lots of children drowning in backyard pools before pool fences.

Judy A:    A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES by JOHN KENNEDY TOOLE

This novel is set in New Orleans.  The main character is a 30 year old college graduate who thinks he is superior intellectually to everyone else.  He lives with his mother and he has deplorable dress sense.  Judy said it was considered a very funny book when it was written but she stopped at page 101 because it irritated her.

Prue:    I'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER by SOPHIE KINSELLA 

This is a British novel about a young lady engaged to a doctor who is very academic.  She can't follow the conversations.  She loses her engagement ring and then her phone is stolen.  She finds a phone in a trash bin and starts communicating with the person who owns the phone.  It's like a soap opera.  Prue got to page 81 and couldn't read anymore.  She said she couldn't even crack a smile.

Pat:    LEAVE IT TO PSMITH by P.G. WODEHOUSE

 The story takes place in Blanding's Castle, home of  an Earl, a doddering old plant loving character.  He has his whole household turned upside down when he is looking for his glasses.  The sister, husband and son are also living there.  There is a plan by visiting poets to steal a precious diamond necklace.  Pat said it was a silly book but a good light read.  It was witty and she found herself laughing.

Wendy:    THE HAPPIEST REFUGEE by ANH DO


This is the account of Anh Do's background and sad journey coming to Australia from Vietnam.  There are some humorous bits throughout.

Bev:    A GRAND OLD TIME - LIFE BEGINS AT 75 by JUDY LEIGH

This is a funny and heartwarming debut novel, although not laugh out loud.  It's the story of a 75yr old woman whose husband dies and her children think it's a good idea to go into a nursing home.  She decides to run away and doesn't tell anyone.  She has lots of adventures.  There's a romance and a happy ending.

Rosemarie:    THE ROSIE RESULT (BOOK 3) by GRAEME SIMSION

Don, the lecturer from the Rosie Project is now living in New York and learning the protocol about becoming a father.  He comes back to Australia with his wife and son, Hudson.  His son begins to exhibit similar traits to his father, possibly autistic.  The story deals with a sensitive subject.  You can't help but laugh at Don's little idiosyncrasies.

Judy J:    THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES by ROALD DAHL

This is the 1991 collection for adults. Judy presumed it would be funny but it wasn't particularly funny.  The stories were strange with little bits of humour.  One of the stories was The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.  Henry goes to India to find a man who is meant to be able to see without his eyes.

Julia:    THE WOMAN WHO WENT TO BED FOR A YEAR by SUE TOWNSEND

Sue Townsend is an English author who wrote the Adrian Mole series.  It is the story of Eva, Brian, her husband who is an astronomer and 17 year old twins who are gifted.  When the twins leave home to go to university Eva takes to her bed for a year.  She also gets rid of her possessions.  Her  husband is having an affair.  At times it is bizarre and a bit stupid but still a really good read.  Julia also read  So Anyway by John Cleese.  She really enjoyed it and said it was funny.

Kris:    MRS QUEEN TAKES THE TRAIN by WILLIAM KUHN

 The author normally writes biographies but this is a novel about a hypothetical situation.  Queen Elizabeth 11 is in her 80's and is feeling a bit depressed about life.  She remembers things that make her happy and one is Scotland and the Royal Yacht, Brittania, now in Edinburgh.  Her Prime Minister has told her he is going to cancel her private train to Scotland so she decides, on the spur of the moment, to go to Scotland by the normal passenger train.  It was very enjoyable and quite amusing. A good read.

Pamela:    MISTRESS BRANICAN by JULES VERNE

This novel was written in 1891.  Pamela said it was a bit boring but it has it's moments.  It's about a rich American woman who comes to Australia.  It's the story about her journey across Australia.  Her husband is captured by vicious cannibals in the Kimberleys.   40 miles south of Alice Springs they stop for a break.  There is a strange cloud over to the west and a strange noise.  The leader gets them to take shelter. 100,000 sheep are stampeding.  Pamela said there are other very interesting things.

Sheila:    THE MOON IS BLUE by DAVID NIVEN

This is the best selling memoir by British actor, David Niven, published in 1971.  Sheila had read this before and said it was possibly funnier the first time.  She said he writes well.  This is the story of his early life. He had a sad life.  He was on his way to becoming a hooligan.  He was placed in a terrible boarding school run by an ex army person.  There were 40 boys and they had a shoplifting gang.  It is funny from time to time and David Niven admits he is the biggest name dropper around.


Kris

We would like to welcome Pat, our new member, to book club and hope to see her at our July meeting and our Christmas in July lunch.

NEXT MONTH'S BOOK:           Books by Michael Connelly - various titles

 AUGUST:                                     Shetland series by Anne Cleeves
  
As we are having a Christmas in July lunch after our next meeting there will be no morning  tea provided.  Please bring your own.