Jeff Popple reviews three good reads for a winter’s evening. More of Jeff’s reviews can be found on his blog: murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
Paperbark Hill by Maya Linnell
Allen & Unwin, $29.99
Maya Linnell’s charming rural romances are always a good alternative to dreary winter television watching, and her latest is another engaging tale. Paperbark Hill is the final instalment in her series about the McIntyre sisters, and this time follows Diana McIntyre as she copes with raising four boys and trying to start up a flower farm. Things are further complicated by the temporary return to her local town of pharmacist and single father Ned Gardiner. As usual, Linnell, who lives in rural Victoria herself, brings plenty of rural authenticity, poignancy, and pleasant humour to her ‘feel good’ story. Warmly recommended.
Do No Harm by Jack Jordan
Simon & Schuster, $29.99
Far grittier in tone is Jack Jordan’s Do No Harm. Respected heart surgeon, and soon to be divorced mother, Anna Jones, returns home to find her neighbour murdered and her son missing. The men inside her home give her a very simple instruction: kill controversial politician Ahmed Shabiron on her operating table in two days’ time or her son will die. Skilfully shifting the viewpoint between Anna and two other women caught up in the plot, Jordan steadily ramps up the suspense as the book twists its way through some good surprises to a taut climax. A very entertaining thriller.
Airside by James Swallow
Welbeck, $32.99
Beleaguered British businessman Kevin Tyler is having a very bad day. After spending months setting up a major project in Northern Germany, his partners renege on the agreement, leaving him high and dry and facing bankruptcy. Adding insult to injury, an overbooked flight sees him bumped off the last plane home, stranding him overnight in a regional airport. His luck changes, however, when he stumbles upon a bag of illegal money. The only problem is that the crooks want it back. James Swallow’s Airside is an enjoyable read that will have you eagerly turning the pages all the way to the explosive finale.
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