Sarah’s Comments (group member since Jul 18, 2019)

Sarah’s comments from the Aussie Readers group.

Books 81-90

High Wire by Candice Fox AA (14/8) 5*
Whisky Valley by Joan Sauers AA (18/8) 4*
The Favourites by Layne Fargo (25/8) 5*
Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn (10/9) 4.5*
Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger (13/9) 4*
An Ethical Guide To Murder by Jenny Morris (14/9) 3*
Fire on the Fens by Joy Ellis (17/9) 5*
Bony and the Mouse: Journey to the Hangman by Arthur W. Upfield AA (20/9) 4*
Asylum by Jack Adams AA (25/9) 4*
The Four Queens of Crime by Rosanne Limoncelli (29/9) 5*

Readathon? I'm in!

Unfortunately it's a busy weekend for me, with my daughter's 16th birthday and classical ballet exams (OMG! OMG!). But I'll do my best!

Phrynne wrote: "I think it would be wasted on me. I enjoy walking at my own pace and listening to an audiobook without interruptions from people who want to talk. I would very much enjoy the coffee shop and chat a..."

I'm with you, Phrynne!

Sign me up please, Phrynne! I've actually got an Elizabeth Strout title on my TBR, so this is perfect!

September Featured Author - Elizabeth Strout
Duration: 1/9/25 - 30/9/25
Level: Medium
Progress: 7/7 AA: 2/2 (min 2)

Part 2: SPELL-IT-OUT

A: Bony and the Mouse: Journey to the Hangman by Arthur W. Upfield AA (20/9) 4* (Author's Name)
M: An Ethical Guide To Murder by Jenny Morris (14/9) 3* (Author's Name)
E: Fire on the Fens by Joy Ellis (17/9) 5* (Author's Name)
R: Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn (10/9) 4.5* (Author's Name)
I: Strip Jack by Ian Rankin (3/10) 4* (Author's Name)
C: Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger (13/9) 4* (Title)
A: Asylum by Jack Adams AA (25/9) 4* (Title / Author's Name)

Ooooh... I'm in please, Brenda!

**Spring Challenge - Read a Rainbow**
Duration: 1/9/25 - 30/11/25
Level: Hard
Progress: 13/13 AA: 4/4 (min 4)

Part A: Read a Rainbow - It's the colour on the cover that counts!

1. Red Spider's Web by Agatha Christie and Charles Osborne (10/10) 4*
2. Orange Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett (9/11) 4*
3. Yellow A Particularly Nasty Case by Adam Kay (15/10) 4*
4. Green On a Bright Hillside in Paradise by Annette Higgs AA (16/10) 4.5*
5. Blue Three Days in June by Anne Tyler (26/10) 4*
6. Indigo The Great Divide by L.J.M. Owen AA (24/10) 4*
7. Violet Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung (30/11) 4*



Part B: Tasks

7. Title: Read a book that has any of these spring themed words in the title; Spring/Blossom/New/Birds/Flowers
Spring by Ali Smith (22/10) 4.5*

8. Title: Read a book where the title begins with a letter in SPRING
Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent (1/10) 4.5*

9. Author: Read a book where both the author's initials fit into RAINBOW
The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North (13/10) 4.5*

10. Cover: Read a book which depicts SPRING on the cover (show cover)
Murder on a Country Walk by Katie Gayle (15/11) 4*

11. Winter is over!: Read a book which makes you happy - a favourite author, or one you've been waiting for to be released!
Legacy by Chris Hammer AA (13/11) 4.5*

12. Reader's Choice: Read any book of your choice.
The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis AA (14/10) 5*

Phrynne wrote: "Well done Sarah!"

Thanks Phrynne - you're up early!

I'm all finished! Thanks for another great challenge, Phrynne.

July Featured Author - Harlan Coben
Duration: 1/7/25 - 31/7/25
Level: Hard
Progress: 10/10 AA: 4/4

Part 1: TASKS

1. Harlan Coben was born in Newark, New Jersey, USA
Read a book where both the author's initials can be found in NEW JERSEY USA.
Dead Again by Sandi Wallace AA (26/7) 5*

2. Coben's first job was in travel and at the same time he started writing. His debut novel was a romantic suspense thriller called Play Dead
Read a book which involves travel
The Sirens by Emilia Hart AA (20/7) 4.5*

3. Coben writes thrillers, mysteries and suspense. He has written a long series about Myron Bolitar, ex FBI and now sports agent alongside his partner Win.
Read a book from a series
Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan (13/7) 5* (Kat & Lock #2)

4. Coben's books have been published in at least 40 different languages and are number one best sellers in many countries. He has received many awards and 11 of his books are being made into Netflix shows.
Read a book written by a best selling author
Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister (20/7) 5*

Part 2: SPELL IT OUT

S: Seven Sisters by Katherine Kovacic AA (8/7) 5* (Title)
E: Buried on the Fens by Joy Ellis (13/7) 5* (Author's Name)
R: The Bad Bridesmaid by Rachael Johns AA (31/7) 4* (Author's Name)
I: Hide and Seek by Ian Rankin (15/7) 4* (Author's Name)
E: James by Percival Everett (28/7) 5* (Author's Name)
S: Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto (28/7) 5* (Author's Name)

Happy birthday, Kylie!

On the up side, ChatGPT created me a lovely book cover for the Aussie Lovers of Crime/Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Winter Challenge!

Brenda wrote: "Welcome to the challenge Kylie and Sarah :)"

Thanks Brenda - looking forward to it!

If anyone's looking for a good book in which the characters play golf for Task #3, I can confirm that two of my recent reads would satisfy the prompt:
Death Comes to the Costa del Sol by M.H. Eccleston
The Bad Bridesmaid by Rachael Johns (assuming mini golf fits!)

Diana wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Diana wrote: "Trying to remember a recent Aussie crime novel (last twelve months) about a police officer who returns to her hometown after a bad experience policing in the city (I thi..."

Great! Glad to have helped. Vikki Petraitis has a new book, The Stolen, also featuring Antigone Pollard, due out on 2 September 2025.

Books 71-80

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister (20/7) 5*
The Sirens by Emilia Hart AA (20/7) 4.5*
Dead Again by Sandi Wallace AA (26/7) 5*
Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto (28/7) 5*
James by Percival Everett (28/7) 5*
The Bad Bridesmaid by Rachael Johns AA (31/7) 4*
A Good Hanging and Other Stories by Ian Rankin (31/7) 4*
Thieves on the Fens by Joy Ellis (3/8) 5*
The Wedding Party by Rebecca Heath AA (7/8) 4*
Hickory Dickory Dock by Agatha Christie (10/8) (re-read) 4*

Diana wrote: "Trying to remember a recent Aussie crime novel (last twelve months) about a police officer who returns to her hometown after a bad experience policing in the city (I think). Of course she gets caug..."

There are a few that match that description. Body of Lies by Sarah Bailey springs to mind. I'll add more to this comment as I think of them.

The Hitwoman's Guide to Reducing Household Debt by Mark Mupotsa-Russell and The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis both fit the basic plot, but in the former the central character is a retired assassin, and the latter is now 3 years post-publication.

Sign me up, please Brenda!

August Featured Author - Christian White
Duration: 1/8/25 - 31/8/25
Level: Easy
Progress: 4/4 AA: 1/4

Part 1: TASKS

1. Christian was born and raised on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria
Read a book set in Australia
Whisky Valley by Joan Sauers> AA (18/8) 4*

2. His debut novel, The Nowhere Child, published in 2018, won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript.
Read an author's debut novel OR
An Ethical Guide To Murder by Jenny Morris (14/9) 3* (author has previously published non-fiction titles)

3. Christian had an eclectic range of ‘day jobs’ before he was able to write full-time, including food-cart driver on a golf course and video editor for an adult film company.
Read a book where the first letter of each title word fits into ADULT FILM COMPANY (minimum 2 word title)
The Favourites by Layne Fargo (25/8) 5*

4. He has a passion for true crime podcasts, Stephen King and anything to do with Bigfoot.
Read a mystery/thriller/horror novel
Hickory Dickory Dock by Agatha Christie (10/8) (re-read) 4*

Three books in which women get revenge on nasty men - Woo-hoo! All great reads, too...

Seven Sisters by Katherine Kovacic AA
review here

Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan
review here

The Sirens by Emilia Hart AA
review here

Happy Birthday Rowan - hope you're having a great day!

June author complete - I am on schedule!

**Winter Reading Challenge**
Duration: 1/6/25 - 31/8/25
Level: Hard
Progress: 11/11 AA: 3/3

June: Chris Hammer
C: Lyrebird by Jane Caro AA (7/6) 5* (Author's Name)
H: Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson (14/6) 4.5* (Author's Name)
R: Chasing Shadows by Robert Bryndza (30/6) 5* (Author's Name)
I: Cold Query by Ivanka Fear (15/6) 4* (Author's Name)
S: Tell Me Why by Sandi Wallace AA (6/6) 4* (Author's Name)

H: The Hunter by Tana French (19/6) 4.5* (Title)
A: A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay (27/6) 3.5* (Author's Name)
M: The Maid’s Secret by Nita Prose (30/6) 4* (Title)
M: Broke Road by Matthew Spencer AA (28/6) 5* (Author's Name)
E: Captive on the Fens by Joy Ellis (14/6) 4.5* (Author's Name)
R: Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (18/6) 4.5* (Author's Name)

I'm all done, with about half an hour to spare on the last day of the month. A good month for Aussie Authors for me in June! Thanks Brenda and Phrynne for another great challenge.

June Featured Author - Tea Cooper
Duration: 1/6/25 - 30/6/25
Level: Hard
Progress: 11/11 AA: 4/4

PART 1: TASKS

1. Tea Cooper was born in the United Kingdom.
Read a book which is set in the UK Chasing Shadows by Robert Bryndza (30/6) 5*

2. Prior to beginning her writing career, Tea was a teacher, journalist and farmer, where she cared for a herd of alpacas.
Read a book which has a character who is a teacher or journalist OR
Read a book where the first letter of each title word fits into HERD OF ALPACAS (2 word minimum)
The Writing Class by Esther Campion AA (24/6) 4.5* (fulfills both sides of prompt!)

3. Tea's debut novel was The Horse Thief which was published in November 2015
Read a book by an Australian author
Broke Road by Matthew Spencer AA (28/6) 5*

4. Tea's great love is writing and researching historical fiction; she haunts museums & indulges her passion for storytelling. Her twisty historical mysteries mix fact with fiction.
Read a mystery
Just Murdered by Katherine Kovacic AA (30/6) 5*

PART 2: SPELL-IT-OUT

T: The Maid’s Secret by Nita Prose (30/6) 4* (Title)
E: Death Comes to the Costa del Sol by M.H. Eccleston (8/6) 4* (Author's Name)
A: A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay (27/6) 3.5* (Title / Author's Name)
C: Lyrebird by Jane Caro AA (7/6) 5* (Author's Name)
H: Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson (14/6) 4.5* (Author's Name)
E: Captive on the Fens by Joy Ellis (14/6) 4.5* (Author's Name)
R: Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (18/6) 4.5*

Just watching the news. I hope all members who live in Sydney and the NSW coastal regions are safe, dry and warm. xx

Phrynne wrote: "🏀🏀🏀 Welcome to the challenge Sarah🏀🏀🏀"

Thanks Phrynne!