Divergent Paths

Florence Knapp's debut novel The Names (2025) has been a stunning success - a bestseller, translated in over thirty languages, with endorsements from many authors I admire. I purchased a copy early this year, hoping to hear Knapp speak at the 2026 Sydney Writers' Festival, but when she was unable to attend I put book aside and have only just read it. But it was absolutely worth the wait... The Names is an unforgettable novel.

The story begins with Cora and Gordon, a couple living in the UK with their daughter Maia and their infant son. Cora has to go to the registry office to register their son's name. Her husband insists he has to be named Gordon, as all men in the family are named. Cora fears that in inheriting this name, her wee son will also receive her domineering husband's abusive traits. She wants to name him Julian to give him a name of his own which is softer and not burdened by the legacy of his forebears. Nine year old Maia thinks her brother should be called Bear - soft and cuddly but also strong and brave. 

In a 'sliding doors' style narrative, we are told the life story this boy and his family in each version of his life - as Bear, Julian and Gordon - in alternate chapters in seven year intervals. From his birth in 1987, primary school days in 1994, high school in 2001, young adulthood in 2008, late 20s in 2015, to mid-30s in 2022 during the pandemic. At each point in time we see how this boy's life, and his family's, is shaped by the choice of his name.

This fascinating concept has been executed to perfection by Knapp. In each iteration, Cora's son is a fully formed character impacted by the name he has been given. Each journey offers readers something different, and it is easy to become invested in their stories. Will Cora escape her brutal husband? Will Maia find love? Will Bear/Julian/Gordon be fulfilled? As much as I wanted to race ahead and find out what happened, I also did not want the story to end. 

The Names will stay with me for a long time. I highly recommend this novel and reckon it would be great for book clubs as there is plenty to talk about. 

Payback Packages

Dervla McTiernan is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. Her Cormac Reilly crime series showcased her ability to craft an atmospheric crime drama with depth, heart and realistic characters. So any book she writes is an automatic pre-order as I know it is going to be really good. 

Her latest novel is Three Reasons for Revenge (2026) - her first set in Australia - and I hope it is the beginning of a new series. The main character is Detective Sergeant Judith Lee, a savvy Melbourne based police officer, with a complex past. The story starts with a young woman coming into the police station and asking for Judith. She tells Judith that she has been assaulted by a psychologist, Robert Walker. Judith recalls an almost identical allegation against Walker a decade earlier, but there was insufficient evidence at that time to actively pursue the matter. Then a package arrives at the Walker home from an anonymous sender which sets in motion a series of events which will end in murder. As more packages arrive for seemingly unconnected recipients, Judith has to race against time to figure out the links and capture the sender before more people get hurt. 

Judith Lee is a wonderful character. She is tough, smart and willing to take risks, often circumventing police procedure to get a result. Her friendship with Katy and her relationship with her boss and mentor Rocky is well formed. There is also a compelling back story and a subplot of police corruption which adds to the narrative.

McTiernan is an expert at pacing and plotting, building layers of the story to keep the reader engaged and guessing to the end. I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a gripping crime thriller. 

I had the pleasure of hearing McTiernan speak about this book, and her career, at the 2026 Sydney Writers' Festival. She spoke lovingly about Judith and I get the feeling she isn't finished with this character! McTiernan was so approachable, kind and delightful. It was lovely to meet her, have a copy of Three Reasons for Revenge signed, and grab a photo with her. I still have one more book of hers to read (What Happened to Nina?) and look forward to reading it and whatever McTiernan comes up with next. 

My reviews of other novels by Dervla McTiernan are available on this blog:

• The Ruin (2018)
• The Scholar (2019)
• The Good Turn (2020)
•  The Unquiet Grave (2025)

The NYT 50 Best Thrillers of the 21st Century

The New York Times has just released a list of the best thrillers of the 21st century, compiled by ballots sent to writers, librarians, critics, editors and influencers. From this ballot they have compiled the top fifty. As a lover of thrillers and a lover of lists, this is right up my alley. Let's check it out and see whether it resonates. 

Bold = read. Linked = reviewed on this blog.

• 50. Lisa Jewell - None of This is True (2023)
• 49. Anthony Horowitz - Magpie Murders (2017)
  
• 48. Chris Whitaker - All the Colors of the Dark (2024)
• 47. Ashley Audrain - The Push (2021)
• 46. S J Watson - Before I Go to Sleep (2011)
• 45. Silvia Moreno-Garcia - Mexican Gothic (2020)
• 44. Jennifer Hillier - Jar of Hearts (2018)
• 43. Richard Price - Lush Life (2008)
• 42. Caroline Kepnes - You (2014)
• 41. Harlan Coben - Tell No One (2001)
  
• 40. Blake Crouch - Dark Matter (2016)
• 39. Sarah Waters - Fingersmith (2002)
• 38. Terry Hayes - I Am Pilgrim (2014)
• 37. Steph Cha - Your House Will Pay (2019)
  
• 36. Alex Michaelides - The Silent Patient (2019)
• 35. S A Cosby - All the Sinners Bleed (2023)
• 34. Tana French - The Likeness (2008)
• 33. Tana French - The Witch Elm (2018)
• 32. Danya Kukafa - Notes on an Execution (2022)
• 31. William Landay - Defending Jacob (2012)
• 30. Việt Thanh Nguyễn - The Sympathizer (2015)
• 29. Jean Hangg Korelitz - The Plot (2021)
• 28. Leila Slimani - The Perfect Nanny (2018)
• 27. Liane Moriarty – Big Little Lies (2014)
• 26. Dan Brown – The Da Vinci Code (2003)
• 25. Daniel Woodrell – Winter’s Bone (2006)
• 
  24. Jane Harper – The Dry (2017)
• 23. Donna Tartt – The Goldfinch (2013)
• 22. John Le Carre – The Constant Gardener (2001)
• 21. Emma Donoghue – Room (2010)
  
• 20. Tana French – Broken Harbor (2012)
• 19. Gillian Flynn – Sharp Objects (2006)
• 18. Stephen King – 11/22/63 (2011)
• 17. Dennis Lehane – Shutter Island (2003)
• 16. Michael Connelly – The Lincoln Lawyer (2005)
• 15. Megan Abbott – Dare Me (2012)
• 14. Lionel Shriver – We Need to Talk About Kevin (2003)
• 13. Kate Atkinson – Case Histories (2004)
• 
  12. Paula Hawkins – The Girl on the Train (2015)
• 11. S A Cosby – Blacktop Wasteland (2020)
• 10. Attica Locke – Bluebird, Bluebird (2017)
• 9. Mick Herron – Slow Horses (2010)
• 8. S A Cosby – Razorblade Tears (2021)
• 7. Liz Moore – The God of the Woods (2024)
• 6. Oyinkan Braithwaite – My Sister, The Serial Killer (2018)
• 5. Cormac McCarthy – No Country for Old Men (2005)
• 4. Steig Larsson – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2008)
• 3. Tana French – In the Woods (2007)
• 2. Dennis Lehane – Mystic River (2001)
• 1. Gillian Flynn – Gone Girl (2012)

This is a fascinating list. I have read 15 of the titles and have many more in my personal library. There are lots of novels on this list that I have seen the film/TV adaptations for (Crouch, Moriarty, Donoghue, Lehane, Connelly) and several novels that I have not heard of (Slimani, Kukafa, Audrian, Hillier).  I had thought we would see novels by Karin Slaughter, Freida McFadden, Lee Child, Robert Harris, Louise Penny, Ruth Ware and other writers who routinely land on bestseller lists.

I was a bit surprised that Tana French is listed so many times. She is a brilliant author (I loved her Searcher, Hunter, Keeper series) and I have the novels listed here (the Dublin Murder series) ready to read. So this is a timely reminder to start that series.

I am delighted to see SA Cosby listed three times for his amazing thrillers. I have only read one (All the Sinners Bleed) but I have the others so will get on to those when I can.

If I were to add to this list, I would include some of my favourites of the genre:

• Graeme Macrae Burnet - His Bloody Project (2015) 
  
• Eleanor Catton - Birnam Wood (2023)
• Garry Disher - Bitter Wash Road (2013)
• Percival Everett - The Trees (2021)
• Robert Galbraith - The Cuckoo's Calling (2013)
• Chris Hammer - Scrublands (2018)
• Robert Harris - Conclave (2016)
• Emily Maguire - An Isolated Incident (2016)
• Charlotte McConaghy - Wild Dark Shore (2025)
• Ian McGuire - The North Water (2016)
• Dervla McTiernan - The Ruin (2018)
• Matthew Spencer - Dark River (2022)

This list got me thinking about thrillers as a genre. So often crime or mystery novels (which I read a lot of) are put together as 'crime thrillers'. Some crime novels are slow burns which are more focussed on solving a mystery - something has happened and police/detectives have to figure out why. Thrillers in my mind are more action packed page-turners but do not necessarily involve a crime. There is a tension as something is coming and there is a sense of threat, danger or dread. Harris' Conclave is a good example of this - high stakes action, lots of suspense - a political/religious thriller. Likewise, Catton's Birnam Wood is an eco-thriller. I often read thrillers as a palate cleanser between heavier works of fiction.

Miles Franklin Award Winner 2026

The winner of the 2026 Miles Franklin Literary Award, Australia's most prestigious literary award, was announced on 5 August 2026. This year the award and its $60,000 prize went to Omar Musa for his novel Fierceland.

Fierceland follows two siblings - Roz and Harun - as they journey to Borneo for their father Yusef's funeral. Yusef was a wealthy businessman, who made his money from the palm-oil trade. The siblings seek to make amendments for the deforestation and exploitation of their forebears. 

Roz is a struggling Sydney-based artist, while Harun is a tech entrepreneur living in Los Angeles. Together they have to come to terms with colonialism, family secrets and the legacy of power and corruption.

The judges said, 

“Omar Musa's Fierceland is a tour de force set against the backdrop of the destruction of Borneo's rainforests. Cleared to make way for palm oil plantations, this pulsing forest world is the moral centre of Fierceland and Musa’s rhythmic prose hums its defiance. In the human drama, siblings Harun and Rozana gradually realise that even in Sydney and Los Angeles, they cannot outrun the fraught legacy of their father, a palm-oil baron in Sabah. As it charts a journey of personal and planetary redemption, Fierceland refashions the venerable, vernacular hikayat traditions of Malay storytelling into new Australian idioms.”

Omar Musa is a Malaysian-Australian rapper and poet from Queanbeyan. Prior to this novel, he was best known for Here Come the Dogs (2014) which was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Award in 2015.Musa has already been recognised for Fierceland as it also won the 2026 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Fiction. 

I have not read this novel, but I am intrigued as I do not believe I have ever encountered a novel set in Borneo

Booker Prize Longlist 2026

 This week the Longlist was announced for the 2026 Booker Prize. 

A few weeks ago I released my predictions of who might make the list and I managed to correctly guess only two of the titles (marked with an asterix) and two more were on my extended list (marked with double asterix). But most of these were not on my radar. Clearly I am terrible at guessing this list! 

So let's take a look at the longlisters:

Chloe Aridjis - The Shadow of the Object  (Mexican-British)

Flora is in hospital in Mexico where she meets Wilhelmina, an elderly German woman with pneumonia. The two have a series of conversations where Wilhelmina shared her life's wisdom and her life with her late husband, and her son Max. Flora learns that Wilhelmina collected pre-cinema toys like magic lanterns and shadow puppets. Flora is tasked with taking these things to Max in London. The judges said "We were charmed by the novel’s meditation on friendship and grief, and its suggestion that the most meaningful truths can be found in the shadows." Chloe Aridjis is also the author of three earlier novels Book of Clouds, Asunder and Sea Monsters.

Emma Cline - Switzy  (American)

David, a retired business executive, borrows his former employer's private plane to fly to Europe. On the way he stops in London to visit his daughter, makes a side trip to the home of an estranged friend, and remembers his childhood with greater clarity than his adulthood. Suffering from cognitive decline, David grasps for his memories and seeks to resolve his past failings before his ability fades. American author Emma Cline is best known for her debut The Girls (2016)  and the novel The Guest (2023). The judges said of Switzy: "We live in a time ruled by overpowered and undersocialised wealthy boy kings; Emma Cline’s mordant novel considers what, if anything, remains at the end of one such luxurious yet lonely life."

Makenna Goodman - Helen of Nowhere  (American)

A disgraced professor is shown around a house in the countryside. The realtor points put the house's qualities but also shares information about Helen, the previous owner of the home. Helen tended the land on her own and essentially lived off-grid. The man suddenly sees that the house can be more than a home; it is an opportunity to reinvent himself. The judges said ‘A spellbinding novel or a play with just four characters? In groundbreaking form, Helen of Nowhere blends both to challenge us with a seemingly simple question: How much are we truly willing to change ourselves in order to get back to nature?’ Goodman is an American author who has previously published The Shame (2020).  I have heard good things about this novel and am intrigued.

M John Harrison  - The End of Everything  (British) 
Set in post-apocalyptic Kent, beachcomber Philip finds items on the shore and sells them on the black market. His elderly aunt Marnie paints and protects her home against the lawless roaming predators. Philip finds an artefact that has the potential to change their lives forever. The judges said ‘The sky is glitching, and something strange, formless and growing is soon to come out of the sea, to imitate our speech, forms, and customs. Our left-behind inhabitants scavenge where and what they can, provisional alliances are made and broken, shocking violence occurs, and no one can agree on exactly what has happened. A book not just about everything but about now. Shimmering and oblique, it holds the reader to the surface of something very grave and deep.’ Harrison is an author of speculative fiction and fantasy, and this is his thirteenth novel. 

**Marlon James  - The Disappearers  (Jamaican)

In Kingston, Jamaica in 1988 eight men rehearse a play. They do not really know each other but they share one thing - they are all gay. One night they are attacked in an act of violent hate crime which kills one of the men. The seven survivors have to reckon with what happened and while some want to hide away, others want retribution.  The judges said: ‘The Disappearers is among Marlon James’s most ambitious and history-making works, a novel that examines territory Caribbean literature has rarely dared to occupy..... His dialogue is sharp and propulsive, his phrasing is poetic, visceral and capable of moving from the painful to the darkly hilarious within a single exchange.’ James won the Booker Prize in 2014 for A Brief History of Seven Killings. I had the good fortune of meeting him at the Sydney Writers' Festival in 2016. While I haven't read much of his previous work, I am intrigued by this novel and will seek it out once published in Australia.

Luke Kennard  - Black Bag  (British)

A broke actor is hired by university professor Dr Blend to participate in a psychological experiment. Blend wants to see how his students will react to someone showing up at lectures zipped inside a black bag. The actor takes on this role and soon realises there are unexpected consequences. The judges said ‘Luke Kennard’s of-the-moment satire considers anonymity and disgust, the online rackets of cryptocurrency and energy drinks, and what it means to find love in our unstable times. There’ll be a lot of discussion about what the novel has to say about the state of modern masculinity (fractious; confused) – we also admired its sharply crafted sentences, memorable sex scenes, and humour.’ Kennard is an award winning poet and novelist. 

Kenan Orhan - The Renovation  (Turkish-American)

Dilara's father has dementia. She decides that he should move into her home and organises for a renovation to her apartment in anticipation. Unfortunately the contractors have not built the bathroom she wanted, and instead installed a Turkish prison cell through which she can see the guards and hear prisoners. The judges called this novel ‘a hilarious fantasy which had some of the judges laughing out loud. But it’s more than that. It poses questions about political activism, about where you really belong, and about the different forms that ‘imprisonment’ can take (from dementia to exile).’ The Renovation is his debut novel.

Rebecca Perry - May We Feed the King  (British)

A curator works in a palace dressing rooms for public viewing. The palace was once home of a King who was a reluctant ruler. This novel uses a historical ruler worried about the future of his kingdom and a present woman wanting to run to the past. The judges said ‘It’s a wonderfully enticing, and eye-opening, combination of themes, woven together with an extraordinary delicacy of touch. You can’t read May We Feed the King without reflecting on the fragile boundary between the present and the past. What’s the difference between historical fiction and historical fact? Can history ever be a safe place we can go to escape the present?’ This is Perry's debut novel.

**Gwendoline Riley - The Palm House  (British)

Laura and Edmund are old friends. But when Edmund's father dies and he gets a new boss, he grows distant. Laura has her own worries but she is determined to bring him back.The judges said ‘A note-perfect portrait not only of certain rarefied London intellectual spaces, but also of the people who actually bring their own bloodstreams, histories, tastes, families, first loves, and lonelinesses to them, to make up that impersonal thing we think of as the Establishment... The Palm House is minimalist, precise, and indelible.’ Riley is the award winning author of My Phantoms, First Love and Cold Water. I have a copy of The Palm House and look forward to reading it.

*Elizabeth Strout  - The Things We Never Say  (American)

I absolutely loved this novel and am so pleased it is on the list! Artie Dam appears to have everything - he is a beloved teacher, he has a long marriage and he has a son. But Artie is so lonely that he wants to die. ut an incident changes his outlook and he learns he has so much to live for. The judges said ‘Strout’s prose is about as far from a rant as you could imagine, brilliantly understated and all the more powerful for that. It’s a devastating look at the dangerous cracks in family life and in the contemporary world at large.’ Strout was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2016 for My Name is Lucy Barton and shortlisted in 2022 for Oh William!  Perhaps third time lucky! My review is available here.

*Douglas Stuart  - John of John  (Scottish)

Set in a remote island community, this novel tells the story of a father and sonny the unbearable weight of expectation. The judges said 'We loved the rich, textural detail of the story, which is set in the 80s and examines young Cal’s fraught relationship with his domineering father. There’s a vivid sense of time and place, as the island becomes the site of bristling tensions between secret lovers, feuding families, and a stand-off between tradition and modernity. This excavation of family, violence, and shame is woven through with beautiful imagistic detail, and – unexpectedly but wonderfully – shades of hope.’ This is one of my favourite novels this year, and Stuart is one of my favourite writers. My review is available here. Stuart won the Booker Prize in 2020 for Shuggie Bain, and I would be quite happy if he won again.

Djamel White  - All Them Dogs  (Irish)

Tony Ward returns to the West Dublin gang scene after five years away to find things have changed. He is keen to reinstate his position, but has complicated feelings for another gang member. The judges said 'All Them Dogs, the debut novel by Djamel White, is a mouthy, ballsy and bracingly unsentimental portrait of West Dublin gangland, set well off the beaten track of the city’s usual literary landmarks. It charts the lives, loyalties and dealings of a semi-organised crime world. Yet, the novel’s real achievement lies in something quieter and more easily overlooked beneath the bullets and bone-breaking dramatics: a subtle, textured humanity woven among the violent hyper-masculine protagonists.’ This novel sounds interesting but it may be too violent for my liking. 

Missouri Williams  - The Vivisectors  (British)

Set on a university campus, a power struggle is waging between the academic elite and militant gardeners intent on plants taking over the city. Agathe is frustrated by the unwieldy foliage and disheartened by the professor she works for. He asks her to befriend Adam, an outspoken student and finds herself pulled into the broader conflict. The judges said "A bracing antidote to the cosy campus and the dark academia novel, The Vivisectors instead imagines higher education as a transparent citadel where human axolotls masquerading as professors and students are bent on drawing and quartering each other with no mercy, as their nameless city is overtaken by relentless vegetable growth. No one is protected, everyone is exposed, it is highly doubtful anyone is learning anything, and on top of all that vines are coming up your legs. Genuinely experimental, relentlessly and rollickingly told – in places truly menacing – The Vivisectors is the rare title that actually earns its name.’ Sounds intriguing....

The Booker Prize Longlist is often a mixed bag of novels, but what I love about the Longlist is that it introduces me to many authors and books I do not know. 

Last year I wasn't too thrilled by the longlist and only ended up reading the winning novel, Flesh by David Szalay. This year, the list is quirky and bold. I have read and loved the novels by Strout and Stuart, and I am about to start the novel by Riley. I am keen to read the novels by James, Williams, Goodman and Orhan when they are available in Australia. 

The Shortlist will be announced on 22 September 2026 and the winner on 9 November 2026. Better get reading!

Scandal in St Loo

 The July selection in the 2026 Read Christie Challenge is The Rose and the Yew Tree (1948) in the category of 'best-kept secret'. Agatha Christie published this novel, and five others, under her pseudonym Mary Westmacott to allow her freedom to write stories that were different from the detective fiction she was best known for. 

The Rose and the Yew Tree is a melodramatic tragedy novel which starts with a terrific intrigue, then flashes back in time to show how the story ended up at this point.

 

In Paris, Captain Hugh Norreys is visited by a woman he does not know. This woman insists he immediately comes with her as a Mr Gabriel is on his deathbed and wishes to see him. Norreys cannot imagine why he has been summoned as he has not seen nor heard from John Gabriel for many years. Norreys does not want to visit Gabriel and is delighted to hear that he is dying. He proceeds to tell the woman that Gabriel can 'rot in Hell' as he is an odious man. The woman is shocked and proceeds to speak of Gabriel 'as one speaks of the Messiah' and reveals that Gabriel, the former MP for St Loo, best known as an alcoholic womaniser, is now Father Clement, a devout man of the cloth. Curiosity gets the better of Norreys, and he follows the woman to visit Gabriel in his dying hours. In this opening passage, peppered with hints and intrigues, is the end of the story. The novel which follows has Norreys narrating his history with Gabriel.

We are taken back to 1945 when Norreys is on a train from Penzance where he sits opposite a crying woman, Jennifer. He comforts her and they form an attachment. Shortly thereafter, Norreys is in a car accident on the Harrow Road which renders him a 'maimed, broken wreck with nothing to live for' so he breaks off his relationship with Jennifer. This early vignette shows how Norreys gathers information about people, the assumptions he makes and how he can be blinded by his misconceptions. 

His sister-in-law Theresa moves Norreys into her house in St Loo Cornwall to recuperate, Theresa is campaigning for the Conservative Party and refuses to let Norreys dwell on his infirmity. She has him folding leaflets and conversing with the ladies who volunteer for the cause - Lady St Loo, her sister Lady Tressillian, her sister-in-law Mrs Bingham Charteris, and her granddaughter Isabella - women he refers to as the Three Witches and the Enchanted Maiden. As an invalid, Norreys spends a great deal of time listening to the woes and secrets of others.

Into this mix comes John Gabriel, a suave charlatan who becomes the Conservative candidate in the upcoming election. He is an opportunist and a swindler, a charmer who can persuade all around him to his cause. But when he is seen having coffee with a married woman, then later seen walking along a path with her, rumours swell of potential scandal. But Gabriel has something more in mind and secretly woos a woman away from her betrothed, ruining his political career, and shocking St Loo. Years later Norreys happens to run into Gabriel in Europe but their reunion is cut short by a tragic incident after which they part in anger. Which then brings the story back to the beginning to Gabriel's death bed confession. 

This was a strange, intriguing novel. I really liked Christie's witty turns of phrase which I long to adopt in my own vernacular ('Fine words butter no parsnips'), and her biting political and class satire. The first person narration was also good, with sharp dialogue and a blunt observations. What I struggled with was the pacing as after the vibrant intro I felt the story lulled in parts. However the ending brought the story together, with depth and meaning. 

Christie wrote six novels under her Mary Westmacott alias. While I missed the detective angle, I will definitely being reading more by Christie's alter ego. 

Inhale, Exhale

Australian cartoonist Lee Lai won the 2026 Stella Prize for their remarkable graphic novel Cannon (2025). It was also longlisted for the 2026 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction.

Set in Montreal, Cannon tells the story of Lucy, a queer Chinese-Canadian woman who is trying to keep calm while carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. She works as a chef in a busy restaurant, juggling the demands of customers and her loathsome boss. Her elderly grandfather is ill and she feels responsible for caring for him, despite his unpleasantness. Her best friend Trish, is self-involved and never there when Lucy needs her. While outwardly projecting a calmness and self-restraint, Lucy feels as though she is ready to explode. She jogs and listens to self-help podcasts trying to keep her emotions in check. But as the pressure mounts, and she feels let down by everyone around her, Lucy is on the verge of a breakdown.

Cannon is a wonderful graphic novel - a poignant story of friendship and love, drawn in a compelling minimalism. Lai's monochromatic panels change to cinematic red as Lucy's emotions flare. Hitchcockian magpies gather, seen only by Lucy, like a portent of what is to come. 

At the heart of the novel is Lucy's friendship with Trish. The two women have a realistic bond and their relationship is so well depicted by Lai - with overlapping speech bubbles showing how Trish dominates conversations. They hang out watching horror films, eating, and listening to Trish talk about herself. Lucy is used to being in the background, adopting the role of the stoic colleague, the dutiful daughter, the responsible friend. Unable to express her own needs and desires, Lucy takes care of everyone except herself. Trish is the opposite - giving in to whatever she feels, caring only for her self. But despite their differences, the two women need each other.

I really enjoyed Cannon and am now keen to track down Lai's earlier work Strange Fruit.  I recommend this incredible book for fans of graphic novels, tales of friendship, and those interested in seeing a truely compelling visual artist at work.

Father and Son

Scottish writer Douglas Stuart, author of the Booker Prize winning Shuggie Bain (2020) and Young Mungo (2022), has once again showcased his gifts as a novelist in John of John (2026).

Twenty-two year old John-Calum McLeod, known as Cal, is struggling to find his way after finishing his art school studies in Scotland. His father, John McLeod, tells him he should come home to Falabay, on the isle of Harris, because his grandmother Ella is unwell. Cal loves Ella and has nothing keeping him on the mainland, so he journeys back to his hometown. 

When Cal arrives he finds that Ella is not as infirm as he was led to believe, but perhaps his father wanted him home to help with the weaving and sheep farming on the croft. The relationship between father and son is strained and neither understands the other. John is deeply religious and has strong views about how one should behave. His son is not devout and does not live up to his father's expectations. But both men are more similar than they know - each hiding their true selves and suffering from this repression. 

In this claustrophobic croft, Ella, John and Cal stifle each other. John deliberately speaks Gaelic so that Ella won't understand, while Cal and Ella share in-jokes. The community is full of families like this - burdened by secrets, fearful of shame, desperately lonely, and bound by a deep Calvinist faith and familial love. They hold their kin close, but keep them distant by failing to share their true selves. As Ella says to John, they are 'islands within islands, within islands, within islands'. Their inability to express themselves fully, to even those they purport to be closest to, is a recurrent theme.

John of John is a fascinating and empathetic character study - the people in Falabay are complex, flawed, nuanced and wholly believable. Stuart is such a gifted writer that he can take challenging themes - closeted homosexuality, infidelity, addiction, desire, violence, repression and shame - and reveal them sensitively and without judgement. 

Likewise, the Hebridean landscape is beautifully rendered - bleak, wet, cold and windswept - with a suffocating isolation. I also loved the depictions of weaving and the way in which Cal and John can name the various hues of wool - mauve, ecru, azure, blush - but cannot name their feelings. 

For a story of heartbreak and unspoken queer desire, set in an isolating and rigid community, there was a lightness and hope to this story. I will be thinking about Cal, John, Ella, Innes, Isla and the other characters I have come to love, and wishing them nothing but love and happiness.

The Last Wolf

At the 2026 Sydney Writers' Festival I attended a panel session on crime writing with American author Shawn Andre Cosby. SA Cosby is best known for writing Southern Noir thrillers, set in his home state of Virginia. Reckoning I would enjoy his storytelling, I bought a couple of his novels and after the session I asked Cosby where I should start with his work. After discussing my reading preferences, Cosby recommended All the Sinners Bleed (2023) would be the best place to begin. So I started there, and it has been a perfect introduction to his work.

 

Set in the fictional Charon County Virginia, Titus Crown is the County's first Black sheriff. Titus is a former FBI agent who now leads a team of deputies as they break up bar fights in this small Southern town. The police are called out to a shooting at the local high school where a beloved teacher is killed by a former student. As Titus and his team investigate, tensions flare in the community, and they soon realise that there is serial killer, or killers, in their midst. Between the evangelical church groups, the sons of the confederacy, and the parents in fear for their children, Titus has his hands full as he races to solve this case.

Titus is a wonderful, fully-formed character. He has to delicately balance the expectations of his role, the needs of his family, and the weight of the history in this place where racism is rife and violence is on the precipice. While his work is heavy, Titus has a keen sense of humour which helps to lighten his burden.

Cosby has a descriptive way of writing, heavy on metaphor, with a clever turn of phrase. His creativity is evident in the interspersed short chapters about Charon County itself, the memories it holds from its years as a Civil War battleground, and the ways it was shaped by decades of hate and bloodshed. I appreciate Cosby's nod to Greek mythology in the naming of his county. His intelligent writing elevates the police procedural, subtly layering class and race to produce a deeper, more meaningful story. 

I highly recommend All the Sinners Bleed to fans of gripping crime thrillers. This is a fast-paced story with riveting action. You will be thinking about long after you turn the last page. 

I look forward to reading more of his work as Cosby is well on his way to becoming one of my favourite crime writers. All the Sinners Bleed has also been optioned by Netflix and will be turned into a miniseries. That will definitely be one to watch!

Booker Prize Longlist 2026 Predictions

The Booker Prize Longlist will be announced on 28 July 2026. It has been a wonderful year for books, but always a challenge to predict which novels will be chosen for the longlist as the Booker is known for its surprises. 

To be eligible, the novel has to have been written in English and published in UK/Ireland between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026. While I am not entirely sure when novels were published in UK/Ireland, I am going to take a wild guess at who might appear on the longlist. 

My predictions for the Booker longlist this year are:

1. Virginia Evans - The Correspondent
2. Rozie Kelly - Kingfisher
3. Min Jee Lee - American Hagwon
4. Ben Lerner - Transcription
5. Valerie Luiselli - Beginning Middle End
6. Siang Lu - Ghost Cities
7. Megha Majumdar - A Guardian and a Thief
8. Daniel Mueenuddin - This is Where the Serpent Lives
9. Doireann Ni Ghriofa - Said the Dead
10. Maggie O'Farrell - Land
11. Ann Patchett - Whistler
12. Elizabeth Strout - The Things We Never Say
13. Douglas Stuart - John of John

I had to narrow down my list, so I took off Yann Martel (Son of Nobody), George Saunders (Vigil), Daisy Johnson (Long Wave), Gwendolyn Riley (The Palm House), Marlon James (The Disappearers), Tayari Jones (Kin), Deborah Levy (My Year with Gertrude Stein), Julian Barnes (Departure(s)), Brandon Taylor (Minor Black Figures), Emily St John Mandel (Exit Party) and Barbara Kingsolver (Partita).  It was really hard to whittle my list down to the 'Booker's dozen', and with my luck the ones I have removed will be the ones that make the list. 

From my longlist, I have read the books by Evans, O'Farrell and Strout, and am working my way through the  Douglas Stuart. I am keen to read the others, so I would be happy if they make the cut. Stuart's John of John is definitely a contender for this award, and at this premature stage is my pick for the win.

The judging panel this year consists of the legendary queen of classics Mary Beard (chair), writer Raymond Antrobus, musician Jarvis Cocker, journalist Rebecca Liu and Booker shortlisted author Patricia Loockwood. I look forward to seeing their selections and how well (or not) I guessed.

The other thing I think is great is that the Booker is going to shift its eligibility dates next year. The new window for publication will shift to be from October to July, which means that regular folk like me can get access to all the titles before the shortlist is revealed. In the past, judges had early access to books that would be published up to the end date, and it meant that readers could not get them during the season. Indeed, some of the haven't been available in Australia until the following year, so this is a good move.

The longlist will be announced on 28 July, followed by the shortlist on 22 September and the winner announcement on 9 November 2026. 

Where the Heart Is

Irish-Scottish author Maggie O'Farrell is one of my favourite writers. She is a gifted storyteller with a spellbinding vocabulary and an ability to immerse readers in the worlds she depicts. She is probably best known for her award winning Hamnet (2020) which was turned into a well-regarded film last year. I have read most of her work, and hotly anticipated the publication of her latest novel Land (2026).

Land takes us to Ireland in 1865. It is a decade after the Great Famine and across the nation there is a tremendous feeling of loss with abandoned homes and brokenhearted survivors. On a cold, wet day Tomas stands in a field with his ten-year old son Liam. The two are working on the colonial Ordinance Survey, mapping the contours of drumlins, documenting settlements, and identifying landholdings for the British Government. Tomas is a talented, though untrained, draftsman who can speak English and the local tongue. Liam has been dragged along to hold the pole and measuring chains in the rain to help his father earn a wage for his mother and siblings back in Dublin. In a woodland, Tomas has an unsettling experience which causes a sudden change in his behaviour, and his relationship with his son is never the same. What follows is the ripple of this event over time, impacting Tomas, his wife and children and the choices they make.

Land is designed to be read slowly and savoured. Readers are invited to observe the whorls of ferns, listen to the susurrations of leaves and long grasses, and feel the chill of the damp hills. It is an immersive experience and O'Farrell's ability to deploy her cinematic storytelling to bring the tale to life is remarkable. The story is full of history and confronts the challenges of colonialism, displacement and hardship (not unlike Heather Rose's A Great Act of Love) and the deep love and longing people feel for their homelands. 

While there was so much I loved about Land, there was something missing for me that kept this story distant in parts. Perhaps it was the recurring heartache for this family, but I think it had more to do with the structure. The four part composition, without chapter breaks, caused the story to flip between characters and offered no break, which does not match my reading temperament. The magical realism elements didn't entirely work for me either. While I found the book slow to start, I found the second half stronger than the first, as the children grew up and find their own way in the world. I wanted to know what happened to these characters and developed a real fondness for them. Ultimately I enjoyed this novel, but didn't feel as strong an attachment to it as I did with O'Farrell's prior novels.  

One more thing... the cover illustration by Holly Ovenden is mesmerisingly beautiful.

My reviews of other books by Maggie O'Farrell are available on this blog:

• Hamnet (2020)
• The Marriage Portrait (2022)
• The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox (2006)  

Miles Franklin Award Shortlist 2026

The Miles Franklin Award Shortlist was announced this week. The following six titles are up for Australia’s most prestigious literary prize:

• Randa Abdel-Fattah - Discipline
• Steve MinOn - First Name Second Name
• Konrad Muller - My Heart at Evening
• Omar Musa - Fierceland
• Josephine Rowe - Little World
• Sean Wilson - You Must Remember This

The judges said of this shortlist:

"This year’s Miles Franklin shortlist showcases the capacity of the Australian novel to grapple with the most vexing and profound questions of our time. Grand and intimate, these novels sing the Australian experience into new shapes.”

I am hoping that Randa Abdel-Fattah wins for Discipline, after all the crap she has had to put up with from the media and haters. All will be revealed when the winner is announced on 5 August 2026. 

In Search of Free Will

Elizabeth Strout's latest novel, The Things We Never Say (2026) is an extraordinary, big-hearted story about an ordinary man.

Artie Dam is in his late fifties. He is a beloved history teacher at the high school in his Massachusetts town. He has been married for over thirty years to his therapist wife Evie. He enjoys sailing solo on the bay where he lives. His only child, Dan, is married and has a good job. Artie knows lots of people, but he is desperately lonely. In fact, he is so lonely, he wants to die. There is a weight of hopelessness bearing down on Artie as his country changes in the lead-up to the 2024 election. He feels an intense sadness that people cannot disagree agreeably and that they have forgotten the lessons of history. He wonders whether people have free will. Artie decides he doesn't want to live anymore in this world. But then an incident happens and a secret is revealed. This changes his perspective, introduces new people into his world, and brings about a deeper connection with his son. Artie has much to live for, and yet he doesn't want to live in the same way as before.

Elizabeth Strout has pulled back the layers on male depression and loneliness, and with great empathy she reveals Artie's inner life. The novel explores how we restrain ourselves from asking for help, from reaching out, from saying how we feel, and how we lie overtly or by omission. When Artie begins to speak his truth he finds some people are receptive and others are not. He finds that people have become so impolite and impatient, and there is a decency that has been lost as reflected in the state of the nation. 

Unlike other novels in the Strout universe, this novel does not take place in Maine or feature familiar characters, but it does feature a cheeky reference to Olive Kitteridge. This is a terrific standalone novel and a great introduction to Strout's writing. Artie is a fantastic character and in a world full of outrage and toxic masculinity, we need more Arties to balance the scales.  

I absolutely loved this novel. It is short, sweet and uplifting. Beautifully written, tender and full of life. Highly recommend.

My reviews of other Elizabeth Strout novels are available on this blog:

• Amy and Isabelle (1998)
• Abide with Me (2006)
• Olive Kitteridge (2008) 
• Tell Me Everything (2024) 

Black Sheep

Madeline Cash's debut novel Lost Lambs (2026) is a satire centring on a dysfunctional American family. I had heard great things about it, and it sounded like the perfect novel to begin my holiday with. So I downloaded the audiobook, got comfy poolside and became immersed in the story of the Flynn family.

Outwardly the Flynns are a normal American family - Bud and his wife Caroline, raise their three daughters, Abigail (17 ), Louise (15), and Harper (12) in an unremarkable American town. But the Flynn's relationship is falling apart as Caroline has unilaterally declared they are in an open marriage so she can actively pursue their neighbour. But the 'arrangement' is not something Bud wants, and his anger about the situation is impacting his work and his parenting. The children have their own issues. Abigail is dating a former soldier known as 'War Crimes' Wes. Forgettable middle-child Louise has been chatting online with a person who may be leading her to commit terrorist acts. The youngest, Harper, has a penchant for outrageous lies and has been sent off to a reform camp after being suspended from school. Bud's anger and depression is causing him to fail at work, so his boss urges him to seek help. Bud joins the "Lost Lambs" support group at the local church run by Miss Winkle to work through his feelings.

Ever curious, Harper has been messing around in her father's computer and has discovered dodgy dealings by her dad's employer. I won't say more about the plot for fear of spoilers, but suffice it to say the story is delightfully bonkers and laugh out loud funny. Ultimately, it is a story about family and the shared love among those we call our own.

This is Madeline Cash's debut novel and she is a fantastic new voice. There were so many phrases and moments in this book which were brilliantly written. I would have liked to have spent more time with the sisters, as each one had a unique character and point of view. I really enjoyed the characters of Bud and Catherine, how mismatched they are in their desires and artistic temperaments. The Paul Alabaster character and his storyline was not necessary for me, but I can understand why she went in that direction. 

While reading, Lost Lambs reminded me of Kevin Wilson's hilarious Nothing to See Here, as they both share quirky humour and ridiculousness. I highly recommend the audiobook version, wonderfully performed by Christine Lakin.

Revisiting The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

The June selection in the 2026 Read Christie Challenge is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) in the category of 'best to read in one sitting'. So while on holiday in Far North Queensland I sat poolside and read the novel in one go. This was a revisit for me, as I had previously read this novel in the 1990s but had forgotten much of the story. 

The story is narrated in first person by Dr James Sheppard, a general practitioner in the village of King's Abbot. He lives with his spinster sister, Caroline, who is a notorious gossip.  Wealthy landowner, Roger Ackroyd calls Dr Sheppard and asks him to come to Fernly Park for dinner. There he meets Mrs Ackroyd (Roger's widowed sister-in-law), her daughter Flora, Mr Raymond (Roger's secretary) and Major Blunt (Roger's old friend). After dinner the doctor has a private conversation with Roger in his study. Roger advises that he was secretly engaged to a local widow Mrs Ferrars who recently died by suicide. The day before she died, Mrs Ferrars told Roger that she had poisoned her abusive husband and was being blackmailed. She has sent Roger a letter revealing the identity of the blackmailer, so he asks Sheppard to leave so he can privately read it. 

Later that evening, Sheppard receives a call from Parker, Roger's butler, asking him to return to Fernly Park as Roger has been found dead in his study, killed with a ceremonial knife. Police are called and signs point to Roger's stepson, Ralph Paton, as the likely suspect. Flora does not believe Ralph was responsible. She reaches out to a new villager, the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and asks him to investigate. Poirot investigates alongside Sheppard, with the latter performing a similar role to Hastings in other Poirot novels. The story builds with red herrings and subplots, before Poirot brings all the suspects together in a room and declares he knows who committed the crime. 

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is a delicious romp, showcasing Christie at her best. She is an excellent storyteller, crafting wonderful characters like gossipy Caroline. One chapter I particularly loved was where Sheppard and Caroline have friends over to play Mahjong. In between exclamations of 'pung', 'chow' and 'mahjong' and the discussion of rules, there is a gossipy session about the murder. 

I am so pleased to have re-read this novel. It is the only Christie novel to appear on the 1001 novels to read before you die list, and is a great example of her craft for readers new to this author. 

My reviews of other Christie novels are available on this blog: 

The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920)

Murder on the Links (1923)

Murder on the Orient Express (1934)

The Body in the Library (1942) 

The Labours of Hercules (1947)  

Mrs McGinty's Dead (1952) 

A Caribbean Mystery (1964)