Review - Dark Secrets by Hjorth and Rosenfeldt

This duo of Swedish writers are experienced screen writers and that show in their mastery of character and plot twists in this terrific mystery. A stunning collection of flawed, clever and not-so-clever detectives investigate the disappearance and murder of a teenage boy. Sebastian Bergman, has come to town to sort out his family estate. He is a criminal psychologist and has his own reasons for infiltrating the investigation but finds that it takes him back to his own teenage years at the same high school. Sebastian is very clever, easily bored, and just a bit out of control in his personal life. He can be an embarrassing addition to an interview with witnesses and suspects but his insights help the team. Rumours spread quickly through the small town when first the school bully and then the principal are taken in for questioning. Loved It! Wendy

Review - I Should Be So Lucky by Judy Astley

Competent by the numbers chicklit with a young widow, celebrity stalkers, a handsome guerrilla gardener and a family inheritance mystery. Greg meets Viola who is determined to stay unattached since the death of her philandering second husband and the discovery that her first husband is gay. An interesting secondary story follows Viola's mother caring for one of her friends as she declines into old age. Light and escapist. A pleasant diversion. Wendy

Review - Potboiler by Jesse Kellerman

FicJesse Kellerman expands his soaring range with this hard to classify book which starts with the musings of a failed writer/creative writing teacher wondering if he can afford to go to the funeral of his erstwhile friend from college, a hugely successful thriller writer. I don't think I can tell you much more without revealing the surprising twists and turns in this weirdly satisfying read. Kellerman continues to exceed his early promise. Each of his novels has been unique, each explores characters with depth and interest and he has the gift to bringing to life people with age and life experience different to his own. This even contains a generous slice of post-modern existentialism. Watch out for this man and read everything he publishes. I know I will be. Wendy

Books that changed the world

Did you check out last night's Jennifer Byrne Presents: Books That Changed the World, Volume II, shown on ABC 1?  

Filmed at the Perth Writers festival, a wide and varied list of books was chosen by panelists. Books included Darwin's "On the Origin of Species", "The Odyssey" by Homer and "The Quran", and even the "The Hunger Games"

It was an interesting discussion on the power of the written word, and what makes a book a world changer.


You can catch up on the discussion on the First Tuesday Book Club website


What would you pick as your book that changed the world?

What about a book that changed your life?