Gary Disher: Bitter Wash Road, Soho Press, NY, 9781616955397, paperback,

German Edition: Gary Disher: Bitter Wash Road, Unionsverlag, gebunden, 21,95 € , 9783293005006

I came across author Gary Disher reading about nominations for the German „Krimipreis“ in the category „International“, liked the title,  read the blurb, saw that he had won the Ned Kelly Award for previous work, Australia’s award for mysteries/suspense,  and downloaded “Bitter Wash Road” on my e-reader.

Since reading and writing this review I have read other books but “Bitter Wash Road” is still with me, a sure sign for an unusual crime novel. At first I had to get used to Disher’s clipped, reduced sentences creating a very poignant way of telling his story but found the writing perfectly fitting the mood of the novel. Not a word too much just like the main character, demoted detective Paul Hirschhausen. He is a stubborn likeable character reposted as punishment to Tiverton, a bush town in South Australia about as pleasant as tumbleweed.

Hirsch, as he is known, reports to Sergeant Kropp who has surrounded himself with corrupt policemen, turning a blind eye on investigations his mates might be involved in. They are running the show abusing their position for sex and dirty deals, mocking Hirsch and making his professional and private life miserable. As if this were not enough, Hirsch also has the internal investigations bureau breathing down on him trying to get him on obscure grounds for previously spilling the beans on other corrupt cops. When a local girl is found dead dumped along the highway and Hirsch’s neighbor who is married to an abusive farmer goes missing as well, Hirsch has enough and quietly starts digging finding himself quickly surrounded by enemies.

The atmosphere of desolate life in Australian bush towns breathes through the pages of this unusual crime novel, a perfect portray with a great plot.

Donna Leon: Earthly Remains, Grove Atlantic US Edition, 9780802126474, hardback, April 2017, (UK Edition Heinemann, 9781785151354, hardback, April 2017), German edition not announced yet  

When I get my hands on a new Donna Leon, I know I have guaranteed reading joy ahead. Not only will I be immersed in the life of Commissario Brunetti and his family, but I will be in Venice in spirit, reading about mouthwatering food and great sites, Venetian grandezza, corruption & murder.  “Earthly Remains” is no exception, I loved every moment of reading, and I particularly enjoyed this novel set mostly on one of the Venetian islands.

The usually calm and diplomatic Commissario Brunetti loses his cool during an investigation involving the famous Ruggeri family on a hot July day ending in hospital. Diagnosed with exhaustion, sick of dealing with the nastiness of his job, he is given 3 weeks sick leave. Paola Brunetti decides the best place for him to recuperate is in her Aunt Constanza’s house out on Sant’Erasmo Island where Brunetti can enjoy a swim, rowing and reading in perfect solitude. The caretaker of the house, Davide Casati, picks him up and once Brunetti has settled in, the two men find themselves enjoying daily rowing excursions out on the laguna.  Brunetti learns that Casati has beehives placed on many of the smaller islands, something he has found purpose in after his wife’s death. Rowing, being out on the sea and enjoying Davide’s friendship soon restore Brunetti. When Casati goes missing during a bad storm, Brunetti joins the marine search party the islanders and police embark on. His new friend’s death leaves Brunetti badly shaken and he begins asking questions looking into what does not seem like a clear cut cause of death to him.

I will not reveal more as it would spoil your reading fun.  As always I felt really sad when I was finished reading.  Donna Leon – thank you for giving me the pleasure of reading your new book!!! 

Graeme Simsion: The Best of Adam Sharp, 9780718179502, paperback, Penguin Random House UK, available now

When I was still active in the publishing world, “The Rosie Project” by debut author Graeme Simsion became a huge success for Penguin and went on to become a bestseller by S. Fischer in Germany.   I noticed he had written a new novel and when the world looked particularly bleak, grey skies, winter, a dire political world, I downloaded “The Best of Adam Sharpe” hoping for an easy, entertaining read.

I do not read a lot of so called women’s fiction, so I may be a little too critical. The first part of the book I enjoyed but the second part is a little too schmaltzy for my taste. 

The book is told from the perspective of Adam Sharp, a greying, just 50tish IT consultant from Norwich, with a love for music and an accomplished pianist himself. His uneventfully content life with long time partner Claire is suddenly interrupted when an email from the past pops up unexpectedly. Angelina Brown, the love of his life, the woman all his musical choices are connected to, was a very sexy actress starring in an Australian soap when they met. Adam was on an working world trip in his twenties when their path crossed in Melbourne and they fell madly in love despite Angelina being married. What follows is a string of flirty emails and the feelings she still arouses in him make him realize how emotionally stale his current relationship to Claire has become. When Angelina proposes a week’s visit when she and her husband vacation in France, Adam is torn but he knows he has to make a decision.  Does he have a second chance to correct what now feels like a mistake? 

Adams current life, his relationship with Claire and his memories of the three month with Angelina in Australia make up the first part of the book. The second part is set in France where he is spending a very eventful week with her and her husband Charlie which is where Graeme Simsion lost me.

I am sure many readers will find this book highly appealing but for my taste it was a little too simply constructed. The sex parts felt a little like let’s add a dose of “Fifty shades of grey” magic.  Songs and music play a central role in the novel; I thought the reference to the songs in the book made available by the author on Spotify at the end of the book was a clever idea by Simsion. Other than that, make up your own mind whether this is for you or not, reading the book is care free entertainment for sure.