Twisted River by James Dunbar kicks off in a muted but intriguing way with Cate and Rory, a married couple travelling overseas when they realise their credit cards have been cancelled and they're unable to access their emails. They figure they'll sort it out when they get home, but Rory - for reasons not yet clear - is a little unsettled by the events.

I missed getting The Long Night by Christian White for review, but had time to kill at an airport recently so splurged on a copy as I enjoy his mind-boggling thrillers and his latest is another with a whiplash-like twist, reminiscent of his 2019 book (my favourite of his so far), The Wife and the Widow. Our hosts here are Em, a young wannabe screenwriter with a penchant for horror movies; and middle-aged Jodie, a successful artist.

Finders Keepers by Natalie Barelli kicks off as an interesting but occasionally frustrating read. Rose is finishing work for the day and walks past a bookshop and sees a book with a title that's familiar. We learn that Rose kept an online journal when at school. It reflected a 13yr old's thinking most specifically a crush (though she thought it was real love) for one of her teachers.

The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens is the latest novel by the Canadian author, who was one of the first authors I started to follow on social media as I loved her debut release Still Missing. And I think I've read all but one of her books. As for this book - OMFG what a ride!!! Literally... It opens in 1976 and I read so many dual timeline books I was waiting to switch to the present (and the aftermath of whatever happens in 1976) but we stay there in fact...

The Last Encore by Rebecca Heath features the gathering of surviving members of a once-popular band on a remote island to play one last concert with the daughter of the lead singer replacing her father (the aptly-named Jonny Rake) who died tragically 18 years before. Heath offers us an interesting group of rather unlikeable characters including three remaining band members who seemingly do not get on at all and their manager who grates on everyone's nerves.

Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath is the third in the 'Kill your....' series featuring DS Kiara Lui. I jokingly tried to guess what the next one would be in my review of Kill Your Husbands... one of my guesses was 'colleagues'. I was close but no banana. Though many will relate to this as I'm fairly sure most of us have had a horrendous boss at some point in their life.

Sadly I missed getting Gravity Let Me Go by Trent Dalton for review though eventually bought a copy at an airport returning from a short break (during a 3.5hr stopover enroute home). I LOVED Boy Swallows Universe and Lola in the Mirror and the former is still one of the most read reviews on my site (along with Frederik Backman's…

We Were Never Friends by Kaira Rouda unfolds from several points of view but it feels like Beth is the natural lead character. Perhaps because we meet her first. In the most bizarre of coincidences her daughter is engaged to the son of one of Beth's sorority 'sisters' from her college days and for reasons not entirely sane, Roxy decides to invite Beth and another of their 'sisters' to her Palm Springs holiday home (a passion project of Roxy's husband Ryan) in honour of their kids' recent engagement.

Last One Out by Jane Harper is the popular Aussie author's latest release. It's a standalone and beautifully balances the suspense / mystery element with some complex topics and deeper issues worthy of discussion. I loved the commentary Harper provides on regional and rural communities, particularly those impacted by fluctuating industries. In my day job with government I'm privy to A LOT of conversations about the impact that mining (not to mention gas and renewables—wind and solar farms)—has on landowners and communities.

The Worst Thing I've Ever Done by Clare Stephens is a little outside of my crime fiction/thriller genre and I'm unsure if I requested the review copy but I've received so few (print / real) books lately I was keen to turn the pages of something tangible during my evening baths. And this, by the former Mama Mia editor-in-chief is certainly well-written, offering an insightful commentary on the online world today.

A Disappearing Act by Jo Dixon is one of those novels in which - secrets from the past - are revisited in the present... and of course it's far too late to do anything about past actions or behaviour. I read a lot of crime fiction and thrillers that are similarly themed, and almost always those involved have lived with regret and fear in the intervening years.

I very much enjoyed most of The Widow by John Grisham. We're introduced to likeable lawyer, Simon who gambles more than he should, sleeps in his office pending separation and divorce from his wife, and seemingly just scrapes by. He first assumes that drafting the will of 85 year old widow Eleanor will net him his usual $250 fee - and something that his assistant will (in fact) do on his behalf.

The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah is the latest release in the reimagined world of Hercule Poirot - made famous of course by Agatha Christie... who killed him off in Curtain: Poirot's Last Case. As a result these are set earlier in his career and here he's partnering with Inspector Edward Catchpool. Incidentally I did wonder if Hannah has to scour Christie's novels to make sure Dame Agatha hadn't already had Poirot on a case on NYE 1932/22 or in another location that would preclude him being on a Greek Island as 1933 dawned.

Twice by Mitch Albom is a story within a story. It opens with a man (Alfie) being questioned by casino security having done the unthinkable and won at the roulette table three times in a row. His interviewer (Vincent) assumes Alfie's colluded with a casino employee or used magnets or similar, but Alfie continues to maintain his innocence... only requesting that Vincent read a journal he's brought along with him.

I was particularly keen to read Left Behind by Martine Kropkowski as it's set on my doorstep... on K'gari (prev. Fraser Island)*. I've only visited the resort on the eastern side of the island in recent years but my step-grandmother owned a couple of huts at a place called Yidney Rocks on the western side of the island. We went over often when I was young, visiting the island's many landmarks...

The Final Chapter by January Gilchrist was a spontaneous purchase when I went to buy a print copy of Tenderfoot, which I raved about recently and I needed a print copy so my mother could read it. I'd seen The Final Chapter launched and tried to recall if I'd submitted a failed request for it. Nevertheless, it jumped out at me as I appreciated that it was centred around writing and writers and takes place at a writers' retreat in the Blue Mountains.

Murder at 30,000 feet by Susan Walter is yet another excellent thriller from the American author who I discovered two years ago through Lie By The Pool. If you're looking for a new-to-you author with an excellent backlist I highly recommend Walter, who is also a screenwriter and director... which I think is evident in her writing - placing readers firmly in the midst of the novel's events through its narrative or 'the action', rather overly descriptive place-related prose.

Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests by KJ Whittle was a surprising read. Fun. Clever. Perhaps a little unevenly spaced (as opposed to paced) as Whittle skipped past passages of time... though it did help move the book pace-wise as we jumped from 'action' scene to 'action' scene with weeks, months or years passing inbetween. It's perfect for lovers of cosy crime, golden era mysteries or traditional whodunnits.

How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates reminded me a little of Ruth Ware's One Perfect Couple - a reality TV show gone-wrong. Here however, the events border on the macabre... almost taking us into cult-like horror territory. I was unsure if Coates was inspired by any particular TikTok or YouTube star, though got some Elon vibes from festival host and mega-influencer Eton.

Tenderfoot by Toni Jordan was a mind-blowing read for me. As usual Jordan's writing is amazing. I read her debut novel Addition after commencing writing-related courses and it was the first time I became conscious of prose and I marvelled at her genius. I felt the same way years later when I read The Fragments. Tenderfoot (for me) however offered so much more - a very nostalgic and rather emotive trip down memory lane.

Murder in the Mangroves by Joanne Tracey is the second book in the Clementine Carter cosy crime series. I adored One For Sorrow, giving it a pretty rare (for me!) 4.5 stars. I probably didn't enjoy this quite as much but I suspect it's because I was more personally invested in the first one as it focussed on Clem's aunt's death (discovered to be murder).

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman is a delightful read and I notice the some marketing materials tag this as 'a Mrs Blossom Mystery' which means there may be more to come from Muriel Blossom. It must be said though readers will need to suspend their disbelief somewhat as Lippman jumps on every possible cliche she can here - presumably on purpose.

Don't Say His Name by Rachel Givney is a great read that I whipped through in one sitting. (Thank god for air-fryer dinners because my pre-dinner bath/read went longer than expected.) I'm not a fan of supernatural-themed novels but, though this novel is soused in folklore, it's more about it being manipulated which is often the case and more palatable for pragmatic logic-lovers such as moi!

She Didn't Stand a Chance by Stacie Grey is an intriguing read... the title alone enough to worry readers this may not end well for our heroine and I had visions of similar 'dark and doomful' books where the baddies are victors. I won't spoil the ending here obviously, but it meant that I was slightly on edge. Gertie's a likeable lead but tended to jump into situations knowing they may go pear-shaped.

The Neighbours by Emma Babbington is the journalist's debut novel and it's a very good one. As lovers of books we have very similar tastes, so I guess it's not surprising that I would enjoy something she's written. And The Neighbours is a complex thriller with layers of murky moral dilemmas for readers to traverse. It predominantly unfolds from the point of view of Liv - a physical therapist and mother to 19 year old university student Gracie.