100 books
—
18 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Madigan Mine” as Want to Read:
Madigan Mine
by
Alex doesn't know what he wants to do, how to connect with people or what's good for him. He drifts his way through dead-end jobs and fumbled relationships, unable to find a way out of the rut his life has become. Then he runs into Madigan Sargood and everything changes.
A ray of light shining from an almost-forgotten past, Madigan is beautiful and impulsive, enigmatic and ...more
A ray of light shining from an almost-forgotten past, Madigan is beautiful and impulsive, enigmatic and ...more
Get A Copy
Paperback, 303 pages
Published
July 1st 2010
by Picador (Pan Macmillan Australia)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Madigan Mine,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Madigan Mine
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Madigan Mine

When Madigan Mine came out it was nominated for a number of awards, and received a great deal of critical acclaim. When you read it, you will see why. Madigan Mine works on a number of levels, and I was able to enjoy it immensely both as a reader and a writer.
A gripping tale of psychological disintegration, Madigan Mine deals with grief, obsession and how love can be used against someone. It’s not for the faint hearted; visceral and confronting, it pulls no punches as we see exactly how far some ...more
A gripping tale of psychological disintegration, Madigan Mine deals with grief, obsession and how love can be used against someone. It’s not for the faint hearted; visceral and confronting, it pulls no punches as we see exactly how far some ...more

Once in a while a book comes along that is so beautifully written, so perfectly crafted that it leaves you with a serious case of envy – word envy that is.
Such is the case with Kirstyn McDermott’s “Madigan Mine”. The characters are so rich and believable, the world you are transported into so whole and multi-dimensional and the very mood of the book so tangible that, as a reader, there is never a moment, from start to glorious finish, that you are taken out of the story, reminded that you are s ...more
Such is the case with Kirstyn McDermott’s “Madigan Mine”. The characters are so rich and believable, the world you are transported into so whole and multi-dimensional and the very mood of the book so tangible that, as a reader, there is never a moment, from start to glorious finish, that you are taken out of the story, reminded that you are s ...more

I've been wondering why all the reviews are about love. Sure, there is love and romance in this book. But most importantly, there's Madigan - and within her, a powerful, detailed deconstruction of a manipulative mind. I was amazed at how McDermott managed to show Madigan's workings, her ruthlessness, gaslighting, her own narrative, and still make her a real person, with her own doubts, experiences and sadness. Yet, there's nothing to suggest that Madigan's surroundings shaped her entirely; mostl
...more

I'm not going to say anything about the plot because I went into this book knowing almost nothing about it and that totally increased my enjoyment of all the weird, crazy things that it delivered. Almost anything would have been a spoiler. I thought it was a thriller about some sort of messed up obsessive love gone wrong, and it was, but also so much better than that. This book completely exhausted me, from the intensity and pure hatefulness that is Madigan and my terror that she would triumph i
...more

This review forms part of my contribution to the Australian Women Writers 2012 Reading Challenge. All my AWWC reviews can be found here.
I'm not a big reader of horror, not because of any kind of strong dislike of the genre but I find that horror novels seldom make it to the top of my reading list. Madigan Mine by Kirstyn McDermott makes me think that I'll have to be more active in trying to find good quality horror - I really enjoyed this book.
I hadn't read much about the story before picking up ...more
I'm not a big reader of horror, not because of any kind of strong dislike of the genre but I find that horror novels seldom make it to the top of my reading list. Madigan Mine by Kirstyn McDermott makes me think that I'll have to be more active in trying to find good quality horror - I really enjoyed this book.
I hadn't read much about the story before picking up ...more

Madigan Mine by Kirstyn McDermott is the author's first novel but I have previously reviewed her second (unrelated) novel, Perfections. I think the blurb (on the actual cover, rather than what Goodreads thinks the blurb is) of this one sums it up quite nicely:
When Alex Bishop meets Madigan Sargood again after twelve years apart, everything changes. His childhood sweetheart is beautiful and impulsive, but there is something wrong with her. Something dangerous. Then she commits suicide....more
Now Alex

I don't read a lot of Fantasy - Dark or not, but luckily I've been steered in the right direction when I have picked up one of these books - and MADIGAN MINE is no exception. What was even more startling is that this is a first book, yet it's very assured, cleverly paced and quite engaging.
This book is the story of Alex Bishop who meets up with his childhood friend Madigan Sargood after many years apart. A very intense love affair follows, with tensions over friendships, time spent together and ...more
This book is the story of Alex Bishop who meets up with his childhood friend Madigan Sargood after many years apart. A very intense love affair follows, with tensions over friendships, time spent together and ...more

Madigan Mine is Kirstyn McDermott’s first novel[1]. It’s won an Aurealis and a Chronos award and has been nominated for an Australian Shadows award and a Ditmar. Frankly, that’s because it deserves it.
I think if a writer can take you from thinking the main character is an annoying, whiney, pain in the backside, that needs to, as Chopper [2] would say “Harden the @!?! up”, to rooting for him - then they have a rare talent.
The Story
Now I am not going to elaborate on the story, spoilers will kill t ...more
I think if a writer can take you from thinking the main character is an annoying, whiney, pain in the backside, that needs to, as Chopper [2] would say “Harden the @!?! up”, to rooting for him - then they have a rare talent.
The Story
Now I am not going to elaborate on the story, spoilers will kill t ...more

Alex and Madigan were childhood friends since kindergarten – until Madigan’s family suddenly moved away. Alex is thrilled to bump into Madigan again years later when they’re both in their twenties. They renew their relationship, but this time it’s become a dark and warped romance. After a violent argument, Madigan leaves a relieved Alex. But when he learns of Madigan’s suicide he becomes more involved with Madigan than he ever thought possible.
I chose this book because of its description. The s ...more
I chose this book because of its description. The s ...more

This book begins with a suicide, or rather the immediate aftermath of one, and it doesn't get happier from there. It's a book about grief, obsession, and horror. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, or for those who want a typical ghost story.
The story follows Alex Bishop, a Melbourne 20-something who struggles to cope with the loss of childhood friend and adulthood flame, Madigan Sargood. Alex is a terrific character, real and distinct. While I found him unlikable at the beginning of th ...more
The story follows Alex Bishop, a Melbourne 20-something who struggles to cope with the loss of childhood friend and adulthood flame, Madigan Sargood. Alex is a terrific character, real and distinct. While I found him unlikable at the beginning of th ...more

Alex Bishop has had his heart broken and his life twisted up in knots by Madigan Sargood. Childhood friends, adult lovers, Madigan’s reappearance in Alex’s life causes havoc, throwing him into chaos and causing him to question his own values and beliefs. Then Madigan commits suicide and Alex doesn’t know how he’s supposed to feel, or why he is driven to find out the reason why. And why he can’t get Madigan out of his head. Literally.
I didn’t know what to expect from this book. Kirstyn McDermott ...more
I didn’t know what to expect from this book. Kirstyn McDermott ...more

I've tagged this as horror, because that seems to be how it's marketed, but that's not really how I thought of it - it's a dark story, definitely, a disturbing story in parts, but horror? I don't know. I'm not exactly a horror reader, so I'm not sure what the markers of a horror story would be. I picked it up because I love listening to Kirstyn on the
Writer and the Critic
podcast - and I have a fairly good track record with progressing from thinking an author seems interesting to enjoying t
...more

I want to rate this 3 & half stars. Madigan Mine is a page turner, although I think I don't scare as easily as some of the other reviewers because it didn't worry me to read it late at night. It's a fast-paced read, but the author doesn't overwhelm with too much action at once and is skilled at giving the reader a breather every now and then, which is important in a psychological thriller.
The flashbacks were handled really well, and I liked the dream/memory sequences where Alex, the main charact ...more
The flashbacks were handled really well, and I liked the dream/memory sequences where Alex, the main charact ...more

Title: Madigan Mine
Series: -
Author: Kirstyn McDermott
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Rating: 3.5 stars
A very intriguing read, and a very nice debut by Kirstyn McDermott.
It's a psychological horror basically put, that shows just how controlling love can be.
The story begins at the aftermath of a suicide, the suicide of Madigan, and it really doesn't get any happier from there. Alex, while struggling through grief, tries to find the answers to why Madigan committed suicide, uncovering a whole he ...more
Series: -
Author: Kirstyn McDermott
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Rating: 3.5 stars
A very intriguing read, and a very nice debut by Kirstyn McDermott.
It's a psychological horror basically put, that shows just how controlling love can be.
The story begins at the aftermath of a suicide, the suicide of Madigan, and it really doesn't get any happier from there. Alex, while struggling through grief, tries to find the answers to why Madigan committed suicide, uncovering a whole he ...more

This is one of those books that you just have to rate 5 stars even though you can't give it a blanket recommendation! The book crosses the line from dark fantasy to horror/psychological thriller and I usually avoid the latter. If I'd known how masterfully creepy it is, I might not have read it. And I did find it really creepy and disturbing. Other reviewers have commented that it's not for the faint at heart, and I completely agree . The problem was that once I began reading it, I couldn't stop.
...more

Madigan Mine is a supernatural thriller. Alex Bishop is reunited with his first love Madigan Sargood and after she commits suicide he is haunted. McDermott creates a tense atmosphere as Alex and Madigan’s love affair is revealed. There is a creeping sense of dread and suspense as McDermott takes the reader through twists and turns. I loved not knowing where it was going and constantly being surprised as I turned each page.
As I was getting ready for bed one night while reading the book I stood in ...more
As I was getting ready for bed one night while reading the book I stood in ...more

A fiercely dark novel of love, possession and jealously. Strong and passionate characters bring this story to vivid realization demonstrating the dangers in an unconditional love that leaves you blind to all flaws. Madigan is impulsive, reckless and unstable and as a character makes for a compelling villain.
Flawlessly written and thoroughly enjoyable, Madigan Mine will hold large appeal for any reader that loves a dark, compulsively readable mystery/thriller with gripping characters and a darin ...more

One of my favourite reads of 2016 so far. Madigan Mine is a creepy, absorbing story of abuse and control, and Madigan herself might be the best antagonist I've read in a long while. Certainly it will be a while before I get her out of my head...
McDermott does an excellent job of raising the stakes bit by bit (or revealling how high the stakes have already become). The Point of No Return (no spoilers!) was very well done, the execution more than making up for the slightly out-of-place naivety of ...more
McDermott does an excellent job of raising the stakes bit by bit (or revealling how high the stakes have already become). The Point of No Return (no spoilers!) was very well done, the execution more than making up for the slightly out-of-place naivety of ...more

Deserving of all its nominations and awards, Madigan Mine is a fabulous book of creeping horror. It begins as a story of two messed up people being self-centred and destructive about being in love. It ends up with the destruction falling like doom upon everyone, the result of a warped and vicious mistaken idea of what love means. Kirstyn McDermott brings a chilling eye to a creepy and abominable love story. I can't wait for her next book!
...more

This is a masterful book, written in crisp, clear prose that captures the possessive relationship of Lexi and Madigan in a chilling and yet, for a supernatural narrative, oh so real way. The characters are beautifully realized as is the love-hate relationship and the creeping awareness that death is not an end... I could not put this down.

Kirstyn McDermott's debut novel is a beautifully crafted, compulsively readable story of obsessive love and possession. Gothic thriller fans will love its spiraling journey from the dark recesses of the human psyche into the realms of the supernatural. I loved its damn fine writing. A pleasure to read. A writer to watch.
...more

It was okay. Could've been better.
...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Kirstyn McDermott is an Australian author of two award-winning novels, Madigan Mine and Perfections, as well as a collection of short fiction, Caution: Contains Small Parts. Until recently, she produced and co-hosted a literary discussion podcast, The Writer and the Critic, and is currently undertaking a creative PhD at Federation University with a research focus on retold fairy tales.
Related Articles
Whether you love the horror genre or just tiptoe into it ahead of Halloween, we have book picks for every level of scared you want to...
440 likes · 283 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »