Cruel Nest

by Gary Crew

Oh sure, the name Cygnet might sound cute, but this place was no downy swan's nest. The town was more like a hornet's nest. A swarm of buzzing, busy-bodying gossips whose sting was not in their tail, but in their vicious tongues.

Jayd was beautiful but she had a bad reputation. She was on her third foster home and her fifth town, and in this town everybody hated her. Everybody except Madeleine, the daughter of Jayd's new foster parents. And when Jayd disappeared Maddy refused to believe that she had simply shot through to the big city. Especially when she found the unmistakable bright green hairs from her missing friend's skull woven into a wagtail's nest.

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Dr Gary Crew, author of novels, short stories and picture books for older children and young adults, began his writing career in 1985, when he was a high school teacher. His books are challenging and intriguing, often based on non-fiction. As well as writing fiction, Gary is a Associate Professor in Creative Writing, Children's and Adult Literature, at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland and editor of the After Dark series.

He lives with his wife Christine on several acres in the cool, high mountains of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland in Queensland, Australia in a house called 'Green Mansions' which is shaded by over 200 Australian rainforest palms he has cultivated. He enjoys gardening, reading, and playing with his dogs Ferris, Beulah, and Miss Wendy. In his spare time he has created an Australian Rainforest Garden around his home, filled with Australian palms. Gary loves to visit antique shops looking for curios and beautiful objects.

Gary Crew has been awarded the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the year four times: twice for Book of the Year for Young Adult Older Readers (Strange Objects in 1991 and Angel’s Gate in 1993) and twice for Picture Book of the Year with First Light in 1993 (illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe) and The Watertower (illustrated by Steven Woolman) in 1994. Gary’s illustrated book, Memorial (with Shaun Tan) was awarded the Children’s Book Council of Australia Honour Book in 2000 and short listed for the Queensland Premier’s Awards. He has also won the Wilderness Society Award, the Whitley Award and the Aurealis Award for Speculative Fiction.

In the USA he has been twice short listed for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Mystery Fiction Award for Youth and the Hungry Minds Review American Children’s Book of distinction. In Europe he has twice been and twice the prestigious White Raven Award for his illustrated books. Among his many Australian awards is the Ned Kelly Prize for Crime Fiction, the New South Wales Premier’s Award and the Victorian Premier’s Award. He has been short listed for both the Queensland Premier’s and the Western Australian Premier’s awards for Fiction.

Reviews

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars (but because this site doesn't do fraction ratings, it's rounded off to 3 stars)

Was originally gonna be 2.5 but I'm giving it that extra .25 because I liked the way they discovered the body in the end, and while the twist threw me in for a loop, there was enough sprinkled in during the first chapters that made it somewhat feasible.

But the whole "I'm so much better than this provincial town with this provincial life" attitude of Madeleine and the town in general irritated me so much. Madeleine's a pick me girl in the making, and the rest of the town felt like they listen to Manosphere podcasts. Jayd deserved better, and I'm pretty sure that even the Hammer boy deserved better. Like honestly what was his crime? Smoking, skipping class, and wearing skinny jeans?

Don't get me started on the police there.

[Calvin Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

An accessible short novella about small-town judgements and the vexed position of outsiders, for a YA audience. It moves at a quick pace but features appropriate character development through the perspective of the narrator. It moves at a relatively quick pace, although the story never really feels rushed or forced. The concerns of the main characters are relatable for the target audience and the language is uncomplicated but appropriate. The sensitive subject matter is handled carefully without overly salacious or explicit exposition, but clearly implied meanings.