Sisters in Crime Australia is dedicated to promoting women who write crime. Here are reviews of crime books (fiction and true crime) written by women.
If you wish to submit a book for review or be a reviewer, see the Contacts page for information.
The Shark has all the elements of a good psychological thriller, though it also feels like a revenge novel at times. It shows what a slippery slope it can be when people take justice into their own hands. Set in Perth in the summer. The bright sunshine is a sharp contrast with the dark deeds.
Laura McClusky’s second novel, The Cursed Road, is one that lingers because it leans unapologetically into its characters’ flaws and the uneasy spaces between them. It’s s a layered, character-driven novel that rewards readers willing to sit with ambiguity. It’s not about neat resolutions, it’s about the messy, complicated intersections of people, place, and power.
If you enjoy historical fiction in the vein of Phryne Fisher, with a plucky heroine, plenty of glamour, and dark shadows creeping in, then Murder in Paris ticks all the boxes.
Happy Woman is a keen study of love, fear, trust and the social and personal costs of inherited violence – which may or may not be genetic and yet to some degree seems to be catching.
Yes! Jimmy Perez is back, but this time on Orkney, where he now lives. The victim is one of Jimmy’s childhood friends, so the story is particularly poignant. Beautifully written as always, and Orkney is introduced in all its wild beauty.
A debut novel that is full of twists and turns as a psychological thriller. Multiple points of view, different timelines mean you have to keep your wits about you. This is not a casual read!
If you loved The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware and finished that book with a real curiosity as to where the two female protagonists, Laura (Lo) and Carrie, ended up then you’ll probably romp through this one, The Woman in Suite 11.
The Paradise Heights Miniature Railway Bust-up is a lot of fun, but also deals with some of the difficulties of motherhood, community endeavours and group dynamics, and the aftermath of distressing events. References to other sleuths (from Batman to Phryne Fisher) are scattered throughout, and many smaller mysteries are revealed along the way to the denouement. I’m looking forward to seeing what Fleck, Trixie and the rest get up to next!
This is what good crime books do: delve into secrets and human flaws, exposing the things that have shaped us, or show that what the characters once believed to be true are complete lies. That someone is always trying to manipulate things or cover up secrets. It’s what makes this a powerful book, as there is no easy answer to justice. And when it’s a cold case, if the perpetrator is caught, how is justice served after four decades of living free?
I don’t know how to describe how real this story felt to me, and as a result how important I have come to view it. I think the telling of stories such as this in a novelistic form have the power to reach a broader audience because it’s entertaining, but more importantly it may show someone who needs it they are not alone.