Judy de la T:
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E Butler
Published in 1993, this dystopian novel describes California in the 2020s.
Judy described it as disturbing and revolting.
She also read Australia’s Most Infamous Criminals by Graham Seal. Interesting and gripping stories about heists, clever scams and mysterious murders.
Kellie:
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson
A retired Major and Pakistani shopkeeper form an unlikely friendship in a small English village, but face challenges from society and tradition.
Quirky, easy read with hilarious one liners.
Sheila:
Pilbara by Judy Nunn
While she had enjoyed previous books by Judy Nunn, she found this one was too long and became boring. But she acknowledged that the author’s books were always well researched.
Helen:
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (published in 2022)
A powerful coming of age story about a boy’s struggle for survival and identity in a system designed to fail him, set against the backdrop of a devastating opioid crisis in Appalachia. It draws inspiration from Dicken’s classic tale of poverty and resilience. The novel is a powerful exploration of survival, addiction and redemption. A great epic tale.
Pat:
Tidelands (The Fairmile #1) by Philippa Gregory
Set in 1648 England during a civil war, a poor woman living in the marshy Tidelands helps a mysterious fugitive leading to suspicions of witchcraft among her neighbours. The plot of this historical novel intertwines love, history, religion and much more.
Val:
My Friend Maigret by George Simenon (published in 1942)
A gentle detective story featuring Simenon’s famous policeman, Maigret. The pace is slow and the plot unoriginal. A fisherman with a connection to Maigret is found dead on a small private island. The descriptions of life on the island are just lovely. Maigret watches all the time and gradually pieces things together.
Joan:
Now We Shall be Entirely Free by Andrew Miller ( published in 2018)
Set in 1809 in Somerset, Captain John Lacroix returns home from the British Army’s disastrous campaign against Napoleon’s forces in Spain.
He is damaged but on his recovery is hunted for a war crime he had tried to forget.
Great prose, beautiful writing, suspense and a twist at the end.
Jo and Bev:
Last One Out by Jane Harper
Jo had read others by this author but was disappointed with this story.
Bev: This was different from her other books as it didn’t begin with a murder which was eventually solved.
A family is grieving for their son now missing for five years. This has torn the family apart. Meanwhile the small country town is in decline as a large mine is buying up houses and land, people are moving on. But the mother is determined to find out what happened to her son.
Rosemary W:
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
The story told in this novella is based on the real-life history of the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland in 1985. These were workhouses where Irish girls and women were forced into unpaid labour.
Beautifully written, it exposes the culture of secrecy and the power of the church.
Debra:
Fantasy is a great way to escape from the world.
The Book of Wisdom Trilogy (Tomorrowland) by Rosalia Aguilar Solace
This is a fantasy novel featuring a magical library and the “Book of Wisdom”.
The Shadow Weaver by Ivy Cliffwater
This is an epic romantic fantasy about Caris Ironside, a woman with shadow powers.
Other books read, The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers and The Kookaburra Creek Café by Sandie Docker.
Prue:
Implacable by Jack Campbell (published in 2023)
Prue reread this book to answer a query for herself. It is the last in the Lost Fleet: Outlander series – the latest in the sci-fi military collection of series featuring Blackjack Geary.
They are exciting, enjoyable, interesting and easy to read, with good plots, great characters, problems to solve, aliens to meet and battles to win.
The entire ‘saga’ is highly recommended to sci-fi readers.
Dimity:
Slow Horses by Mick Herron
This espionage novel is the first in the Slough House series and features a team of disgraced MI5 agents seeking redemption. They are asked to investigate a high-stakes case involving a kidnapped man and a live Internet broadcast. Twists and turns at the end, and an enjoyable read.
Margaret:
Speak to Me of Home by Jeanine Cummins
A novel about three generations of a family told through the eyes of the women, Rafaela, Ruth and Daisy. The story moves between Puerto Rico and the USA and explores themes of identity, family bonds and racism against a backdrop of the political landscape and social upheaval in both countries over decades. Storytelling at its finest and really enjoyed by Margaret.
Judy A:
The Proving Ground (Lincoln Lawyer #8) by Michael Connelly
Micky Haller leaves the criminal defence court behind for his first civil lawsuit. But to him, this is still a murder trial. An AI company has created a chat bot with the ability to be an online companion to subscribers.
Mickey is representing the mother of a daughter who was killed by her ex-boyfriend. He is trying to prove that the boyfriend was urged by his AI ‘girlfriend’ chat bot named Wren to commit murder.
Michael Connelly is the absolute master of police procedurals and court room dramas, and this book is very relevant to our world now.
Rosemary S:
The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman
This is the fourth book in the Thursday Murder Club series. The storyline is totally unbelievable, the characters are very familiar and give you a good laugh. A great summer read!
Judy J:
Mischance Creek by Garry Disher
Constable Paul Hirschhausen runs a one-cop station in a small, dusty South Australian town. He used to be in the city until he became a whistleblower.
This is the fourth book featuring ‘Hirsch’ who not only solves crimes in the area, but he also feels responsible for the welfare of his scattered flock of battlers, bluebloods, loners and miscreants.
The story is very current featuring online bullying, claims of a sovereign state, corruption in the Council and treatment of the local aborigines. All this set in a drought that SA is currently experiencing. A reliable author.
Lyn:
The Royal Librarian by Daisy Wood (published in 2024)
Historical fiction set in World War 11.
For their safety, Sophie and her sister are sent from their home in Vienna to live in London. Sophie secures a position as an assistant to the Royal Librarian at Windsor Castle. She was secretly tasked with sending relevant information back to Vienna, to foil a suspected plot against the Royal family. Many twists and turns, a real page turner and very enjoyable.
Kerrie:
The Mushroom Tapes by Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper and Sarah Krasnostein
Unfortunately Kerrie couldn’t come to Book Club because of another commitment but texted in her contribution.
As much about this particularly sensational murder investigation and trial of Erin Patterson, as of our fascination and identification with the human emotions of the people involved, it is a fascinating study of how authors work together to create immersive literature. Neither sensational or melodramatic, it is a way to examine what we know and can never know about the human beings around us.
FEBRUARY: Women’s friendship
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