Finished reading Truth, by Peter Temple
I have just finished reading a proof copy of Truth, the latest novel by Peter Temple. The book will be published in the UK by Quercus on 7 January 2010, so my review will appear here in the new year. I'm still reeling from reading this book: a few excerpts might help to show why, and to whet the appetites of any eagerly awaiting readers. Di Palma offered his hand, Villani shook it. Then he shook Orong's treacherous little hand. He left the offices, walked down the cool and self-import

Liking, not liking; dogs, angels and misery memoirs
Crime fiction has featured in the "loving/not loving" readers' column of the Bookseller in the past couple of weeks. In the 20 Nov issue, David Headley of Goldsboro books is loving Acts of Violence by Ryan David Jahn (Macmillan New Writing). He writes: "This is one of the best literary thrillers I have read in 2009......From the very first page this is a shocking and gripping novel and a cinematic tour de force, a terrifying crime novel. I read it in one sitting." It's on my shelf to read. The book he's not loving isn

Thinking beyond the Borders
Much ink and many electrons are being expended in the wake of the confirmation that UK Borders is entering administration, after a day yesterday of announcements and denials. Predictably, many of these articles and comments have gone beyond the fact of the Borders news, predicting all kinds of apocalypse for chains, physical bookshops, print books, authors, you name it. The Book Trade information service sums up articles in

A short review of Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a powerful book which combines a strong story with haunting characters and a crusading message. Mikael Blomkvist, a financial journalist, publisher and co-owner of the independent magazine Millennium, loses a libel case bought by magnate Hans-Erik Wennerstrom, so takes leave of absence to enable the magazine's survival. Mik

Alphabet in crime fiction: Howell
My contribution this week of H is a review of The Darkest Hour by Katherine Howell, her second novel, which  tells two connected, interweaving stories with a cracking pace and confidence. I enjoyed it tremendously, despite not being sure about it at first. The book opens with Lauren Yates, a Sydney paramedic, almost running over an injured young man running across the road late at night. Jumping out of her ambulance to help, the young man and his friend hastily drive away. Lauren investigates the alley where th