One of the best things about blogging are the wonderful suggestions you pick up from fellow crime fiction reviewers. We can all get stuck in a rut in our reading if we’re not careful, particularly when it can be so enjoyable to read old crime fiction favourites. In October, on the recommendation of Fair Dinkum Crime, I read Katherine Howell’s Cold Justice, a well plotted crime novel set in Sydney. Then this month I read and reviewed Peter Temple’s White Dog and I now a have a serious taste for Australian crime fiction. Realistically, given that I read a lot of crime fiction I thought that I could fit in a challenge around Aussie authors for 2012. This week Fair Dinkum posted about two challenges that are being hosted to promote Australian fiction. Both sounded interesting, but I decided to go for the 2012 Australian Women Writers Challenge simply because I would also like to read more women writers.
One of the challenges, of course, will be getting hold of the books in the first place. There isn’t a huge amount of Australian crime published in the UK and narrowing the field to women restricts this even more. However, nothing ventured nothing gained and I going for the ‘Miles’ level (read 6 books and review 3) and have settled on the following so far:
1. Katherine Howell – The Darkest Hour (Aready in my TBR pile)
2. Kathryn Fox – Skin and Bone (Again in my TBR pile)
3. Carolyn Morwood – Death and the Spanish Lady (reviewed at Fair Dinkum and sounds interesting)
4. Kirsten Tranter – The Legacy (published by Quercus in the UK and again sounds good)
5. P D Martin – Kiss of Death (not available in the UK or on Kindle but I fancy reading it)
6. ?
My sixth book I will add over the coming year when something grabs my fancy. So six books and nothing too strenuous. I’m looking forward to getting started in the new year.
Sarah – It sounds as though you’ve got a great reading plan! I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you think of what you read. And I couldn’t agree with you more about the value of the crime fiction community in introducing us to different authors and novels :-).
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Thanks Margot – and I intend to read your books too next year.
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The two you have read are very good examples of Australian crime fiction in my book! One of my very favourite authors is Adrian Hyland, who has written two books, Diamond Dove and Gunshot Road, featuring half-Aboriginal detective Emily Tempest. These books are marvellously well-written, in the Peter Temple sense, but have their own voice. They are published in the UK also by Quercus.
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Adrian Hyland sounds interesting. I will keep an eye out for him thanks Maxine.
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Sorry, Sarah, I forget this was a women authors’ challenge! Adrian Hyland is v good, though, even though he’s the wrong sex 😉
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No problem Maxine – he is now on my reading list as he sounds interesting. Just not part of the women’s challenge!
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Sarah I’m happy to send you my copy of the Carolyn Morwood book – I’ll use surface mail which takes about 3 months but let me know if you’d like me to (I have done this for others – consider it my little bit for spreading the word of Aussie book promotion). If i can find it I’ll add Kiss of Death to the package (I’m packing stuff up in preparation for a move and I’ve only got the recently read and TBR stuff easily accessible). If you’d like these send me an emal at bsquaredinoz at gmail dotto com and let me know a mailing address. The best Aussie crime fiction book I have read this year is Y A Erskine’s THE BROTHERHOOD – YA = Yvette so would suit your challenge but I’m afraid I have already promised my copy of that one to someone else.
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Thanks for the generous offer Bernadette. I will drop you an e-mail now. I’ve recently moved house myself so I know how you feel, although it gave me a chance to rearrange my bookshelves!
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Another possible is M L Stedman’s The Light Between Oceans, a debut, out in April.
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Thanks Karen – I will look out for it. I’m glad you’ve mentioned ML Steadman is a woman – I always have to double check with initials.
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I haven’t read her myself, but several people have recommended Kerry Greenwood’s books to me. She may be print on demand in the UK, but there do seem to be some second hand copies available on Amazon.
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I had a quick look at Kerry Greenwood but as you say she is difficult to pick up over here. If I do an Abe books order sometime soon I will look for her. Thanks Fleur
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