This week, Jeff Popple reviews three enjoyable novels to start off the year’s reading. More of Jeff’s reviews can be found on his blog: murdermayhemandlongdogs.com

Never Ever Forever by Karina May

Macmillan, $34.99

Fans of charming, romantic comedies with plenty of wit will devour Karina May’s captivating Never Ever Forever.

Rosie Royce, still missing her errant childhood sweetheart, Wes, gives up her high-pressure Sydney marketing career for a laidback radio job in rural Mudgee. It seems like being a nice change, but things do not go smoothly as Rosie has to deal with a handsome, but infuriating, co-host, a school reunion, the return of Wes and a chaotic work trip to India. Full of engaging episodes and plenty of smiles, Never Ever Forever is a slickly written and highly entertaining summer read.

The Search Party by Hannah Richell

Simon & Schuster, $32.99

Destination thrillers, wherein a small group of friends become stranded in a remote location with a deadly killer, are currently one of the hottest trends in crime fiction. Former Australian resident Hannah Richell dives wholeheartedly into the genre with her latest novel, The Search Party.

Five old friends reunite for an idyllic glamping holiday on the rugged Cornwall coast, but tensions soon rise when a storm leaves them stranded and someone goes missing. A clever, well-constructed crime story that uses multiple points of view to seamlessly move between the police investigation, the survivors, and the catastrophic weekend. A good piece of summer escapism.

The Strip by Iain Ryan

Ultimo Press, $34.99

Finally, those who prefer gritty crime fiction will greatly enjoy The Strip by Iain Ryan.

Set on the Gold Coast in 1980, it is a fast-moving tale that evokes the police novels of James Elroy. When a local doctor is brutally murdered, Detective Constable Lana Cohen joins the notorious Strike Force Diablo, which is filled with corrupt and inept cops seemingly incapable of solving a string of murders. Carefully navigating a sea of corruption, Lana teams up with the tarnished Henry Loch as they search for a killer in the Strip’s dark recesses. Aussie crime fiction does not get much better than this!