Welcome to the September Round up of General Fiction.  69 reviews this month with an impressive variety of titles as well as the new Jane Harper novel The Survivors which was covered by a number of reviewers.  It was eagerly anticipated and has hit Number 1 after only a few days!  I would say Jane is pretty happy about that.

Our first book in the round up is Sarah Barrie’s Deadman Track

This novel has been out for a little while but Sarah is cementing a firm place as a popular contemporary suspense drama writer with her Hunters Ridge series.  Thanks to the review from Readroundoz

“Tasmania is a great setting for this story. The author takes readers into the cold and delivers spectacular ‘views’ for us to imagine. Tassie has a lot of wonderful wilderness and I look forward to (one day) travelling through the areas mentioned in the story.  It is always a pleasure to read a good book. Good ones leave me pensive and pausing before opening the next story. Deadman’s Tracks was one such novel.”

Our next novel is about motherhood and the challenges of experiencing post-natal depression.  Some insight about the novel and the author’s background can be found at Ashe Davenport’s Sad Mum Lady blog

Sad Mum Lady reviewed by Darkmatterszine

Reading a chapter feels like a few minutes with a contemporary, almost like having coffee with a fun friend. A friend who is not sanctimonious about the joys of motherhood but who gets real and tells outrageous stories. I highly recommend Sad Mum Lady, and wish I could have read it when I struggled through the mire of post-natal depression.

 

I personally haven’t come across this author Helen Goltz who wrote The House of Findlater Lane but it sounds quite delightful and a perfect book to enjoy in the Spring sunshine.

Brenda’s Reviews The House on Findlater Lane by Aussie author Helen Goltz was a delightful read – light, entertaining and lots of fun. Holly is a great character and I’d like to think this is the start of a new series, as I think Holly has lots more to do in Findlater Lane. Highly recommended.

 

Louise Guy is an interesting author who has writes children’s books under her name and she also writes romance novels under the name of Silver McKenzie.

mrsbbookreviews said that “Louise Guy is quite the champion in terms of life literature and domestic fiction stories. Rival Sisters is yet another down to earth tale of ordinary sisters trying to overcome general problems many of us have faced in life. I have really appreciated the realism and natural situations Louise Guy takes to her novels and she definitely injects these qualities into her latest round of contemporary fiction.  There is a rich and authentic investigation into relationships, marriage, sibling issues, grief, loss and tragedy. Guy also takes the opportunity to tie in a number of topical scenarios on gambling, addiction, blackmail, debt, financial pressures, adoption and online chat rooms.”

Our next one is the new number 1 on the charts, Jane Harper’s The Survivors.

Carolyn Scott’s review statedIt’s a slow burn of a story rather than a suspense driven thriller with quite a few red herrings present as the tale unfolds. My theory on what happened was completely wrong as I discovered in the dramatic ending. 4.5★”

Brenda’s Reviews “The Survivors by Aussie author Jane Harper is a slow burning psychological thriller which I enjoyed. I found the relationship between Kieran and Mia to be close and the love for their daughter was obvious. There were plenty of suspects along the way, with some well-kept secrets, bitterness and blame, plus loads of guilt which was heavy on shoulders. I can happily recommend The Survivors to fans of the genre.”

Cloggie Downunders view was  “Once again, Harper produces a brilliantly-plotted piece of Australian crime fiction, with red herrings and diversions that will keep the pages turning and the reader guessing right up to the final pages.”

 

Shelleyrae@Bookdout’s opinion wasThe story is undeniably atmospheric, with Harper masterfully conjuring a brooding seaside town during the off-season, perched above deserted cliff-side beaches and dark, echoey caves slowly filling with cold, creeping waves. The sea becomes a pitiless thing, claiming the innocent and guilty alike.  The Survivors is perhaps not as thrilling a mystery as I had expected, but it is involving, evocative and affecting.”

Kim Forrester @Reading Matters review   “It’s a slow burner, the kind of story that unfolds slowly but surely, and is much about guilt, redemption and family loyalty, as it is about trying to solve a murder.  The Survivors is an entertaining read, no more, no less.”

The stunning cover of the new novel by Fiona Higgins’s An unusual boy made an impression on Cloggie Downunder

A totally credible tale, funny, thought-provoking, heart-warming and uplifting, contained within a stunning cover designed by Becky Glibbery: this has to be Fiona Higgins’s best yet!”

 

 

Another novel set in Tasmania is the latest one from Jennifer Scoullar called Wasp Season

Shelleyrae@Bookdout’s thought that “Wasp Season is an interesting and entertaining read with a unique structure and premise.”

 

 

Tricia Stringer has done it again with another terrific page turner The Family Inheritance and JC’s Reviews loved it Jennifer Cameron Smith’s review “Once I picked this novel up, I found it extremely hard to put down. I needed to know how it would end.  I enjoyed this novel, with its well-defined characters and challenging family relationship issues.

And our last review is a heartfelt glowing review of Katherine Tamiko Arguile’s The Things she owned and I have definitely put it on my TBR list, it has received many amazing reviews since its release in April 2020.  The review from mrsbbookreviews shows how much she absolutely loved this novel.

mrsbbookreviews “The Things She Owned is a truly exquisite story that looks at a complex mother and daughter relationship, family lineage, grief, war experiences and intergenerational trauma. Katherine Tamiko Arguile’s debut novel also represents a rich cultural odyssey, revealing a great deal about life in both Tokyo and Okinawa.

Resplendent, elegant, poised and passionate. These are just some of the words that came to mind when I sat down to reflect on and write my review of The Things She Owned by Katherine Tamiko Arguile. I feel a little saddened that I very nearly let this magical book pass me by. I recently tuned in to a Better Reading author event with the very talented debut novelist Katherine Tamiko Arguile and I was soon seduced by the power of this culturally rich tale.

There are just so many wonderful layers to peel back as you make your way through The Things She Owned and I promise you it is worth it. The end was written beautifully, it was incredibly meaningful and it offered closure to the characters. I have no hesitation at all in giving my full recommendation of Katherine Tamiko Arguile’s ornate debut, The Things She Owned. ***** 5 stars”

So on that high note we will finish the round up for this month. Take care everyone and to my fellow Victorians hang in there and thumbs up to all the public libraries across Australia providing “click and collect” services to ensure our avid readers have access to the new titles coming out even when they are still closed.  And a reminder that tomorrow, October 3 is Love your bookshop day so I encourage you to support your local bookstore if you can.

About me : Ever since my year nine English teacher placed My Brilliant Career, Harp in the South, Coonardoo and The Timeless Land in my hand Australian Women Writers who pen historical and contemporary fiction has been my favourite genre.  Managing a rural library service in Northern Victoria I am surrounded by books all day and it is hard to remain on the task-in-hand rather than be amongst the shelves.  But no, librarians do not read all day but I certainly try and make up for it any time I can!