Assaph Mehr's Blog, page 2

Researching Historical Architecture (and its Embedded Ghosts)

Credit: Shami Stoval, an author whose cartoons have been circulating and entertaining authors in a “it’s-funny-because-it’s-true” way

In writing the Sydney Sandstone novella, the very first DI Jack Finkel case, I ended up doing a lot of procrastination research into the early history of the City of Sydney. In the process, I uncovered some amazing material, which I thought I’d share with you here. This is both about the beautiful historical nuggets you can find online, as well as the way the m...

TWO new DI Jack Finkel stories!

For those who missed them, you can now enjoy two new Detective Inspector Jack Finkel mysteries!

Pixie Dust & Fireworks

Sydney is famous for its New Year’s Eve’s fireworks show. Every year tens of thousands flock around the famous harbour to view them in person, and millions more around the world watch the spectacular welcoming of the new year.

This year, on the last day amidst the hectic preparation, a very unexpected spanner was thrown in the works.

Enter Detective Inspector Jack...

Book Review: Deadman’s Track, by Sarah Barrie

This came up in a list of Tasmanian thrillers to try, and I do love Tasmanian crime/gothic novels for their uncommon settings.

What to Expect

A romantic suspense and crime thriller, set in Tasmania. While the story’s point of views shift between a few characters, the first half is centered around crimes (robberies escalating to murders) in Hobart, while the second is about a hike from hell in Tasmania’s remote South West National Park.

What I liked

Characters are mostly sympathet...

Book Review: Funny Fairy Tales. by Reut Barak

Who doesn’t like a twisty fairytale, and could use a bit of comic relief these days?

What to Expect

Sixteen re-telling of classic stories, from The Frog Prince to Alice and Wonderland. These aren’t your traditional versions, but tongue-in-cheek wild twists, rife with pop-culture references. They are funny with mildly risqué humour, and are sure to bring a chuckle.

Expects twists like Hansel & Gretel being very good at navigation as they try to rescue their brother Charlie (who loves...

Philosophical Discourse about the Nature of Stories, wrapped inside a Book Review

I’ve heard Matt Dicks on a podcast, and since I’m always trying to improve my storytelling craft I dove into his books as well.

What to Expect

Expect a very easy to read book, filled with stories and anecdotes that helps explain Dicks’ take on storytelling. Dicks takes you through recognising moments in your life that could make a good story (and indeed, what makes for a good story), and then how to polish it and deliver it.

What I liked

I loved the tone of the book, very convers...

At the end of the Rainbow is a Sandstone building (a new Jack Finkel mystery!)

Find it on Amazon!

The guys at Purple Toga are happy to announce that we are releasing this month our second anthology: Rainbows Aren’t Just For Leprechauns!

Why is red so crucial for the making of Red Riding Hood? Or, how could emperors distinguish themselves without the color Purple? What would the Discworld be without octarine?

This time we set out to re-imagine the meaning of colours, and boy were we amazed at the submissions we received! From stories centering on your traditional...

Book Reviews: ‘Big Stake’ and ‘The Square Up’, by SJ Brown

I’ve enjoyed the first two in the series before (books one and two), and felt like finishing the year with some good old police work. This review covers the last two books in the DI Mahoney series, but as noted below you can jump right in.

What to Expect

Big Stake: Life’s a Gamble: Expect another murder case set in Hobart for the head of the serious crimes squad to solve. This one revolves around the betting and gambling industry, particularly horse racing. When a body of a jockey that ...

Too good not to share!

Just in time when I could use some positive reinforcement

Adam Gaffen has been kind enough to host me on his blog. But in addition to the usual author interview questions, he has also spent considerable effort in doing a write up of my novels. And his words… well, they make me blush:

If you haven’t read In Victrix yet, or if you have and just look into some insights into the efforts behind the books, head over to his blog and read his full write-up:

Adam Gaffen’s interview with me...

Book Review: Gogmagog, by Jeff Noon and Steve Beard

This book floated past on my feed – I found the cover intriguing (I dug the vibe, don’t judge me), and the attached review was glowing, so I jumped in without much knowledge of what to expect.

What to Expect

Expect a surrealist story, full of wonder and awe and a few nightmares. Set in a complex world that blends mid-20th century-like technology with elements of ‘weird’ supernatural.

Plot-wise, it’s a journey story of an odd collection of characters, along a river that’s also the ki...

History Lessons: Crassus & Caesar

Source: found floating on the web. I don’t recognise the artist’s signature on the bottom.

The above cartoon was floating around the internet during the California wildfires of early 2025. Those fires are a tragedy, as is any loss of human life and natural disasters. Having gone through Australia’s “Black Summer” in early 2020, I feel for all my friends in California and hope they are OK.

That said, the cartoon above is emblematic of a common sentiment these days, railing against late-stag...