by NRB | 23 Jun 2016 | Fiction |
An unimaginable loss leads to unimaginable suffering in this debut novel. Heather and Dave have bought a house on a hill by the sea; a house with unusual rooms, a rambling back yard and a bull-nosed verandah. They are expecting their first child and have sold their...
by NRB | 22 Jun 2016 | Giveaways |
It’s winter, we’ve just had the shortest day, so you must need more books to keep the cold at bay. This winter solstice we have not one but TWO terrific bundles of books to give away to two lucky winners. To enter, email your name and address to...
by NRB | 21 Jun 2016 | Non-fiction |
The Waves Turn provides a valuable lens though which to explore the intertwined histories of folk music, Irish heritage, and political activism. Poet Colleen Z Burke writes in her Prologue that her autobiography offers readers a glimpse into: … the elusive,...
by NRB | 17 Jun 2016 | The Godfather: Peter Corris |
Recently I spent a day in hospital for a minor procedure to correct an irregular heart rhythm. As a hospital experience, of which I’ve had several over the years, it had its ups and down. Check-in was at the fairly brutal hour of 7 am, which involved getting up an...
by NRB | 16 Jun 2016 | Fiction |
Sophisticated narrative layering and emotional insight make Wuthering Heights an extraordinary novel. I believe Wuthering Heights to be one of the best (if not the best) English novels of the 19th century, possibly ever. I’ve read it perhaps 20 times, taught it in...
by NRB | 14 Jun 2016 | Crime Scene |
A new femme fatale is born in Maestra, an addictive erotic thriller set against the glamorous backdrop of the European art world. Meet Judith Rashleigh: sexy, educated, poised. By day she is employed as a junior art expert at British Pictures, one of London’s best art...
by NRB | 10 Jun 2016 | The Godfather: Peter Corris |
When I was doing English II at Melbourne University in 1960 we had to sit one exam for the poetry component and another on the prose works. Swot that I was, I memorised reams of poetry (we had to identify excerpts), tackled all the novels before the year even started...
by NRB | 9 Jun 2016 | Fiction |
Ghosts Like Us is a poetic, ambiguous and subversive exploration of the nature of history and remembering. ‘the air of the present moment here’ … This puzzling opening line embodies the essence of a fine literary work: a little obscure for some, fresh air for...
by NRB | 7 Jun 2016 | Fiction |
Emily Maguire combines a page-turner with a provocative reflection on violence against women. Emily Maguire’s latest novel tells the story of the aftermath of the murder of a young woman, aged-care worker Bella Michaels, in the little town of Strathdee, somewhere...
by NRB | 3 Jun 2016 | The Godfather: Peter Corris |
It has been said that moving house can be a stressful event, not far behind a marriage breakup or a death in the family. Having moved so many times in three states and the ACT, Jean and I have no fears of such an impact; however, after being in our present house for...
by NRB | 2 Jun 2016 | Crime Scene |
The groundbreaking Women Writers and Detectives is a jam-packed rethink of the history of crime/mystery/detective fiction. Melbourne-based Lucy Sussex has won awards for her own crime and sci-fi stories, and for the neo-Victorian ‘puzzle novel’ The Scarlet Rider. Her...
by NRB | 31 May 2016 | Non-fiction |
On Being a Minister is an ideal primer for the political class. We’re in election mode and it’s a long campaign. Plenty of politicians (aspiring and actual) are waiting to be either elected or re-elected. I think of one of my all-time favourite political quotes from...
CHER The Memoir Part 1. Reviewed by Naomi Manuell16 January 2025Cher is a genuine superstar who has had an extraordinary career across music, [ … ]
PETER GODWIN Exit Wounds. Reviewed by Ann Skea15 January 2025Peter Godwin’s memoir charts a life of exile, ranging from the horror of civil [ … ]
MARK SMITH Three Boys Gone. Reviewed by Michael Jongen14 January 2025Mark Smith’s first novel for adults is both a psychological thriller and an [ … ]
NRB readers’ favourite reviews of 202419 December 2024Welcome to our most popular reviews of the year. Is your favourite among them? [ … ]