I'm a career editor living in the place I love most in the world, Australia's federal capital, Canberra. It's a small city encircled by mountains and populated with so many trees it's affectionately known as The Bush Capital. I love reading most genres but contemporary suspense intrigue above all. I know these books generally fall under the larger Thriller genre but I often feel that's a misnomer, and I think that applies to my novels. I love the range of stories this genre encompasses: it can take you anywhere in the world, into any situation, and follow any type of person as they attempt to come to grips with, and usually right, the wrongs of the world.
I wrote...
A Legal Affair
By
Alana Woods
What is my book about?
For some years I worked with the court reporting system in Canberra. I spent many days in the Supreme Court recording criminal trials. During that time what was indelibly imprinted on my brain was the trauma families endured when a loved one was on trial. Not the families of career criminals, they knew what to expect. It was the families of those new to the system. The idea for A Legal Affair grew out of that. It's the story of Elisabeth Sharman, a senior solicitor with Canberra's Legal Aid Office, trying to defend the indefensible: a 19-year-old amnesiac.
How do you defend someone who can't remember the crime they're accused of committing?
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The Books I Picked & Why
Moroccan Traffic: Send a Fax to the Kasbah
By
Dorothy Dunnett
Why this book?
Dorothy Dunnett is my all-time favourite author. In her lifetime she wrote the most amazing historical fiction (two series and one stand-alone novel) but she also wrote a contemporary suspense intrigue series featuring the same hero tackling new situations in each one: The Johnson Johnson series. Why do I love her writing? For several reasons. The stories are convoluted and gripping, requiring 100% of your attention, the language is beautiful and transports you, the research she did was phenomenal and her wit was razor sharp. She has a fanatical global fanbase that I'm part of.
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For Kicks
By
Dick Francis
Why this book?
When I think of Dick Francis, Ernest Hemingway usually comes to mind because the writing style of both has been described as deceptively simple. As Dunnett's stories are convoluted, Francis' are straightforward. There is no ambiguity or second-guessing. A jockey in real life Francis themed all of his novels around the racing world. I've chosen For Kicks for this list because I'm Australian and the protagonist is an Australian horse breeder temporarily conducting an investigation in the UK. When I'm in the mood for a thoroughly entertaining and easy read I turn to Dick Francis.
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Seven Deadly Wonders, 1
By
Matthew Reilly
Why this book?
Reilly, unlike my first two picks, is still alive and producing books. And he's Australian so I'm giving him a plug! On top of that, he's an international bestseller who is now turning his attention to directing films based on his own books. Keep an eye out for Interceptor starring Elsa Pataky in early 2022 on Netflix. Seven Deadly Wonders is the first of a seven-book series following the exploits of hero Jack West Jr. If you like fast-paced then Reilly's stories are for you. He hits the ground at full speed and doesn't slow; you find yourself having to stop reading to catch your breath! Incredibly enjoyable reading.
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The Black Echo
By
Michael Connelly
Why this book?
Connelly's books are grounded in his experience and expertise in the crime oeuvre. A former journalist who worked the crime beat on various newspapers he has won numerous awards for journalism and his fiction. Having spent some years as a court reporter in my hometown of Canberra, and basing my novel A Legal Affair on my experiences, I identify in a very small way with Connelly. I love the detail and authenticity of his writing.
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The Broken Shore
By
Peter Temple
Why this book?
Temple is another internationally renowned and multiple award-winning Australian writer. Several of his novels (The Broken Shore and Jack Irish series) have been turned into telemovies. The Broken Shore protagonist is Joe Cashin, a police detective who moves from the big city to live in the small South Australian town where he grew up but if he thought he'd swapped frenetic for calm he's in for a shock. This is not merely a crime novel, it plumbs life on every level. Temple's not called one of Australia's finest writers for nothing.
