Our latest reviews
Madame Brussels: The Life and Times of Melbourne’s Most Notorious Woman by Barbara Minchinton with Philip Bentley
This is the story of Marvellous Melbourne and an age-old profession. It is also a tale of one woman’s pure tenacity. Many of us know about Melbourne’s legendary brothel keeper and businesswoman Madame Brussels, but little is known about Caroline…
All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
By the second paragraph of this book, you will think you know what happened to young Patch Macauley. (Spoiler alert: You don’t.) By the second page, you will need to know what happened to Patch Macauley. By the 22nd page…
The Kellerby Code by Jonny Sweet
This novel has a jaunty cover, suggesting a somewhat twee mystery lies within. The author’s surname, Sweet, deceives the reader into thinking this is something that it is not. The byline on the twee-looking cover says, ‘How far would you…
Murder in Punch Lane by Jane Sullivan
Jane Sullivan, a literary columnist and supporter of Australian writing, has always promoted the work of others. What an extra joy it is to support her latest novel, Murder in Punch Lane, by encouraging you to read it. And for…
Storm Child by Michael Robotham
2023 felt weird for many reasons, but mainly, for me anyway, because Michael Robotham didn’t release a new book! Thankfully, that wait is over, and now we can all get our hands on Cyrus and Evie #4. Like all…
Middle of the Night by Riley Sager
Set in the affluent neighbourhood of Hemlock Circle, New Jersey, a group of families surround each other in a cul-de-sac, closely bound together like a ribcage. Every Friday for the summer, best friends Ethan and Billy camp out in Ethan’s…
Hard Copy by Fien Veldman & Hester Velmans (trans.)
The workplace novel is having a quiet moment, and it’s hard to resist the set-up of this example of the genre, in which its narrator, a lowly administrator at a start-up, develops an obsession with her only ally and confidante…
Anyone’s Ghost by August Thompson
Words feel paltry, inadequate to synthesise the essence of Anyone’s Ghost. Doomed romance is spelled out from the start; the prelude is a bitter omen of the inevitability of the end and how the people we love and hate…
Spontaneous Acts by Yoko Tawada & Susan Bernofsky (trans.)
Patrik lives in Berlin as a literary researcher with an appetite for opera, the poetry of Paul Celan, and coffee that must be served with milk. While the city is just coming back to life after lockdown, Patrik finds it…
Misrecognition by Madison Newbound
Elsa has a problem with obsessions. She’s failing to recover from the abrupt breakup with the polyamorous couple she was dating. Then, after watching a romantic queer film set in Italy, Elsa falls in love with the lead actor, with…
Browse our reviews by category
