Illustrated by Adelina Lirius. Magic Cat Publishing, 2020. ISBN:
9781916180529.
(Age: 8-13) Highly recommended. Old enough to save the planet
by Loll Kirby is a thoughtfully presented non-fiction book which
clearly gives an easy and understandable insight into many aspects
that are contributing to climate change. Each of the twelve child
activists have chosen a different facet of climate change to focus
on and through their efforts encourage other children and adults to
be aware of pressing issues which can be addressed in very simple
and worthwhile ways. Three of the activists include Himangi from
India who is a campaigner for reducing the effects of traffic
pollution outside her school, Eunita from Kenya who is the founder
of a community garden that promotes the natural process of
pollination, as well as Shalise from Australia who protects the ocean
by cleaning up human pollution from the shore.
Each activist has a double page spread which gives a brief
introduction to the issue and how they are working to help solve the
problem. The detailed and beautifully drawn illustrations by
Adelina Lirius are interspersed with relevant and interesting facts.
In the final pages of the book is information about how you can help
to save the planet as well as ten things you can do to make your
voice heard.
This is an important book that may inspire more children to follow
in the footsteps of these young climate change activists. A great
resource for teachers with the opportunity to do further research on
this very significant and serious topic. Themes: Child activists,
Climate change, Environmental issues, Conservation, Sustainability,
Working together.
Kathryn Beilby
Between two evils by Eva Dolan
Zigic & Ferreira. Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781408886441.
(Age: Senior secondary, Adult) Highly recommended. Between two evils
is the parallel stories of abuse. One takes place within the locked
precincts of a female immigration detention centre, the other
evolves from the overturning of a case of rape due to DNA evidence
being brought into question. DS Ferreire and DI Zigic are tested
ethically and morally as this team from Peterborough sort through a
maze of secretive bureaucracy and downright manipulation to get at
the truth and a conviction.
The murder of Dr. Joshua Ainsworth in his home just outside the
detention centre where he works in the medical clinic is brutal, and
it seems connected with his job. Ainsworth is an enigma. Some speak
highly of him, as a caring, ethical doctor working in a difficult
situation. Others, like the demonstrators outside the centre, see him
as part of an evil and repressive government regime. The privately
run Long Fleet detention centre was not exactly forthcoming with
information, putting a wall of data protection and privacy
legislation as excuses.
The other blow to the investigative team came when news broke that
Lee Walton a serial rapist and murderer had been released due to
problems with the examination of DNA evidence. It had been a long
and difficult case which now seemed all for nothing. But Walton then
begins to threaten Ferreire to reestablish his contacts with his
wife and son who had been moved away for their own protection.
It seems the only way to put Walton away is to reopen an old case. A
case which on the surface was watertight being finalised with a
confession. A confession that was given after a series of
interrogations by their current superior. A clandestine
investigation carried out without knowledge of most of the team and
always with the threat of it blowing up in their faces.
With the background of racism, bigotry and politics this is a story
of the present not just applicable to the United Kingdom and
Australia, but universally where conservatism and misplaced
nationalism are on the rise.
This is the first of Dolan's Ferreira and Zigic novels I have read.
There four others in the series; Long way home, Tell no
tales, After you die and Watch her disappear.
It may be helpful to have read others in giving a background to the
protagonists, which coming in cold did assume prior knowledge.
However Dolan's writing hauls you into the narrative and the 468
pages seem to fly by. Themes: Crime fiction, Detention centres,
Rape, DNA.
Mark Knight
Lola Dutch I love you so much by Kenneth Wright and Sarah Jane Wright
Bloomsbury, ISBN: 9781547601172.
(Age: 4-6) Kenneth and Sarah Jane Wright's third picture book Lola
Dutch
I love you so much is another delightful, creative story based
on the five love languages.
Lola's friends aren't having a very good day. Gator is feeling cold
and cranky, while Crane's favourite picture book is lost, and Pig is
just positively peevish. Lola always brims with positivity and
creativity; she knows the perfect solution for their problems. Using
resources from around their house she sews a bold yellow stripe
outfit for Gator, tidies up books scattered everywhere and creates a
special book nook for Crane. Pig feels a little left out until Lola
packs up a picnic and they all set off for the park. What about
friend Bear? Of course, there is something special for her friend.
Lola too, is not forgotten and all her friends show their love with
a special party.
What a charming story to share with youngsters; Lola Dutch is a
caring friend, thinking of others and always wanting to make her
friends happy. This is based on the Wright's own family as they
share the message of thinking about others, being creative and using
home resources to cheer others up. Sarah Jane Wright's soft
watercolour scenes add to the charm and joie de vivre expressed in
the easy to read text. The jacket cover includes a cute party scene,
two puppets and special note to share, with additional resources
available online. Themes: Love, Friendship, Creativity.
Rhyllis Bignell
B is for baby by Atinuke
Illus. by Angela Brooksbank. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406390872.
40pp.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. With the letter B as its main spring,
this seductively charming tale of a baby in a West African community
sings with the sights and sounds of life in the village. The baby
climbs into a basket of bananas, hiding from her brother as he gets
onto his bicycle, en route to see his grandfather, Baba. The bumpy
ride takes him past a baobab tree as he sees a number of things
beginning with B: a butterfly, bird, bus and bridge amongst the
sights. On reaching Baba, he reaches into the basket to get a banana
and finds the baby!
All great fun as the baby and her brother are given biscuits by Baba
and over the next two pages the B words are reiterated.
This is a wonderful read aloud: children will marvel at the words
beginning with B in the village, and see the world in which the baby
and her brother live. The African background is there for all to
see: from the beads used to plait the baby's hair, the basket woven
by Mum, the bananas picked from the garden, the baobab tree,
baboons, bougainvillea, banana palms and Grandfather's bungalow.
Brooksbank is inspired by the playful spirit and energy of children
and these characteristics are replicated in her illustrations in
this book and her previous book, Baby goes to market (2017)
her first picture book with Atunike. The colourful, lively
illustrations portray life in the village as a vibrant, closely
knit, family centred life, full of humour. Themes: Africa, Baby,
Family, Alphabet, Humour.
Fran Knight
Wayside School: Beneath the cloud of doom by Louis Sachar
Illus. by Tim Heitz. Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526623423.
(Age: 7-10 years). Recommended. Louis Sachar has written the fourth
book in his popular series, Wayside School after a
twenty-five year hiatus. Beneath the Cloud of Doom is
complete with familiar characters, both teachers and students, as
well as an impending Cloud of Doom hovering above Wayside School.
Wayside School is 30 storeys high with one class on each floor. All
sorts of unusual sounding bells ring every day with different
meanings to keep both teachers and students on their toes.
Throughout the short chapters the characters on the thirtieth floor
and their idiosyncrasies are reintroduced in a humorous and
entertaining way. Their teacher is Mrs Jewls who has a DISCIPLINE
board in her classroom where students must write their names if they
do something wrong. There is Kathy who has a bad case of oppositosis
and always appears to be rude. After she visits the on-site school
medico Dr Pickle, changes occur in her manner. Terence who counts up
the number of things he can kick during the day. Dana who can make
funny faces but one goes mysteriously wrong with unusual
consequences. Mrs Surlaw is the Librarian who organises both fiction
and nonfiction books into the number of pages collection. Jason has
chosen one with 999 pages as he tries to outdo another student. All
of the students must face the Ultimate Test which has some amazing
events such as upside down singing, blindfold smelling plus Jump
Rope Arithmetic and Stairway Quiz. Added to the general day-to-day
goings on in the busy school is a huge black cloud suspended over
the school which causes anxiety and major complications for
everyone. Louis Sachar himself features prominently in the book as
the PE teacher who helps support the Principal and the students.
Students in the middle primary years will enjoy the humour and fast
paced storyline. Clever illustrations by Tim Heitz are spaced
throughout the book and add to the overall appeal of this easy and
entertaining read. Themes: Humour, School, Teachers, Classmates,
Mysterious happenings.
Kathryn Beilby
Run, rebel by Manjeet Mann
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241411421.
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. Written in short verses on each page,
this novel thrums with the beat of spoken poetry that captures the
intense feelings of a young girl, Amber, who loves to run, but whose
dreams of being an athlete look like they will never be realised.
She is bound by the built in fears of family and community - fear of
a father who is most often drunk and violent, and fear of the
punishment meted to those who offend the family honour, like the
girl who died at the hands of her father just across the street.
It's an oppression carried through generations. Amber's parents are
illiterate, her mother was beaten and taught submission, Amber's
sister Ruby was married off young, and Amber knows that she also has
to obey.
Mann's choice of verse form gives her the ability to go straight to
the heart of the matter, to express intense feelings with minimal
words. We live Amber's thoughts and fears. We feel the fear build
up, the anxiety about being seen in the street with a boy after
school, the violence that erupts when her father comes home drunk
and angry. And we also see how her own anger turns her into a bully
at school.
Amber actually asks herself the question of whether she is the same
as her father - angry and violent. It is a question also explored in
Rafi Mittlefehldt's What
makes us (2019) - do genetic inheritance and
environment combine to make children inevitably repeat the patterns
of their parents? For Amber, as with Eran, in Mittlefehldt's novel,
it is a teacher who makes the difference, as well as the loyalty of
good friends. Amber has a teacher who encourages her athletic
aspirations, and a history teacher who with his enthusiasm opens her
eyes to ways to make change. The principles of revolution become the
phases that she goes through toward self-assertion and independence.
The way this book is written, with its headings, succinct verses and
highlighted words makes it very accessible to the generation who
enjoys slam/rap poetry and the short burst interaction of social
media. It is very powerful, raw and honest, and no doubt its
immediacy and the themes it illuminates will resonate with young
adult readers.
Themes: Domestic violence, Cultural expectations, Identity,
Bullying, Anger.
Helen Eddy
Viper's Daughter by Michelle Paver
Wolf Brother series, book 7. Zephyr, 2020. ISBN:
9781838933357.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Set in the period following the Ice-Age,
this adventure involves the Forest characters Renn, a mage with
links to the Ravens, and her mate Torak - a wolf-brother. While Renn
feels compelled to leave Torak in order to combat the influence of
her evil mother and protect him,Torak takes pursuit with his wolf
pack wolf-brother close behind him in order to bring her back.
Heading north into the even wider vastness of isolation and yet with
people groups to connect with along the way, this is a tale of love
against the backdrop of traditional cultural beliefs and the demon
world. The drama that enfolds reveals ancient culture and survival
techniques in a harsh world, but also a tale of the power of love
and the influence of ancient understanding on life. Written in a way
that reminded me of a Tolkien quest adventure, this is a powerful
story and a compelling drama that is unique and quite different from
most teenage fiction. At all times there is a sense that the reader
is immersed in the challenges of Stone Age existence, and yet can
see the power of the ingenuity of the people and the connections
with nature (in combination with the fantasy and belief influences
that are woven into the story). With a remnant population of
Mammoths (called Mammut in the text) and the ability to communicate
with animals, this is indeed a story with a difference.
I wish that I had discovered the series before launching into book 7
of the Wolf Brother series! But this is more about missing
the wonder of this series and the characters rather than feeling
like I have stepped into uncertain territory. This book stands on
its own quite comfortably. The use of language is intriguing as
expressions are used that convey different understandings of the
world e.g. the Wolf's language is spare, but genuinely descriptive.
I am certain though that many will enjoy the other books by Michelle
Paver and will enjoy the way she incorporates traditional life from
Eskimo, Inuit and Scandinavian culture and weaves these into a
traditional but fantasy tale. It almost feels like you are drawn
into an ancient (yet fantasy) world in the far northern Scandinavian
or North American wilderness. Themes: Fantasy; Stone Age;
Traditional Life; Adventure; Good vs Evil; Demons and Spirits.
Carolyn Hull
Break the fall by Jennifer Iacopelli
Hodder Children's Books 2020. ISBN: 9781444953244.
(Age: 12+) Gymnast Audrey (Rey) Lee has been on a 14 year journey to
become a top gymnast. At 17 she is able to ignore the pain of the
herniated disc in her back to make the US national team for the
Tokyo Olympics. Her coach, Pauline is like a second mother to her
but the coach for the national team, Coach Gibson exerts total power
over the gymnasts, always watching for signs of weakness. Also on
the team is Emma Shadowsky, Rey's best friend since she was 3,
Chelsea Cameron, the reigning Olympic all round champion, and
Daniela Olivero. All but Emma have a non-white background and
Chelsea comments that 'it can be tough for women of colour in this
sport. We're held to a different standard sometimes.' p.45. To
achieve her goals, Rey not only has to train constantly but adhere
to a strict diet and focus on her performance to the exclusion of
all else. Her back injury is chronic, going back five years and she
is only able to compete by having regular cortisone injections in
her spine. The injury means she will have to retire after the Tokyo
Olympics and even then will have issues for the rest of her life,
'But gymnastics is worth it. The Olympics is worth it.'p.65.
Training for the Olympics even takes priority over Leo Adams,
champion snowboarder and son of one of the gymnastic coaches. They
link up after years of following each other online but while the
relationship blossoms, he has to stay a discreet distance and not be
a distraction. What is a distraction is that Daniela is suspended
from the team for allegedly failing a drug test and she then makes
an accusation against Coach Gibson for sexual assault. The fallout
for the team is that they are interviewed by the FBI, they lose
their coaches, are sent to train at another facility and even have
to repeat the selection trials in front of independent judges. They
all suffer but manage, through the discipline of their training and
real teamwork, to rescue their dreams. The detailed descriptions of
the gymnastic routines are the main element in this sports novel and
the sexual abuse, grooming and victim blaming are handled with care,
demonstrating the girls' strengths and endurance, empowering them in
the most difficult of situations. A rare teen novel celebrating
athletic ability in girls with an extra twist about resilience, it
will appeal to middle school students.
Themes: sports, friendship, sexual assault, Olympics.
Sue Speck
How to be a pirate by Isaac Fitzgerald
Illus. by Brigette Barrager. Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781681197784.
40pp.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. When CeCe wants to join the
neighbourhood gang and be a pirate like them, she is rebuffed and
told she cannot be a pirate, so she swings her sword over her
shoulder and marches off to see her grandfather who with all his
tattoos, must know a little about being a pirate. And she is right.
Grandfather trawls through his gallery of tattoos, each with a story
and each reminding CeCe of the tenacity needed to be a pirate. The
first tattoo is of a ship and he tells her that a pirate is brave,
overcoming obstacles and forging ahead. Next is a panther and to be
a pirate she must be quick to escape danger at any moment. A dancing
senorita shows her that she must also have fun, and an eagle
reflects a pirate's need to be independent. All of these attributes
are necessary to being a pirate, but Grandfather warns, there is one
that shines out over them all and it is this one that sees CeCe
rushing back to the tree house and joining the boys.
The imaginative use of Grandfather's tattoos underscores the humour
in this book. An older man's tattoos are usually hidden by clothing,
so to see them standing out proudly will cause a lot of laughter
amongst the readers, and to see how he uses each one to tell a story
and enthuse CeCe with the skills needed to be a pirate, is simply
charming.
Each tattoo creates a new adventure for CeCe to explore, and readers
will quickly fill out the story behind each of the the wonderful
illustrations. Vibrant and full of movement, readers will be in no
doubt about the exploits of a pirate, poring over the drawings to
see what pirates do and how brave, adventurous, quick and
independent they are. Pirates, Humour, Grandparents, Bravery.
Fran Knight
Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valour by Ally Carter
Lothian Children's Book, 2020. ISBN: 9780734419163. 256pp.
(Ages 8-12) Highly recommended. April was left by her mother with a
note saying she would be back to collect April as soon as she could,
and April has been waiting patiently in foster care for 10 years.
April's mother also gave her a mysterious key that April always
wears around her neck.
While on excursion in a museum April notices the key matches the
crest of the infamous Winterborne family. So, when April accidently
sets fire to the exhibit it sets in motion a series of events that
sees her living in their mansion called Winterborne House with 4
other orphans. She is desperate to know what her key unlocks and
starts a quest to search the house from top to bottom. In her search
she unearths the secret of the missing (and presumed dead)
billionaire, Gabriel Winterborne, who was the sole survivor of a
family tragedy which killed his entire family. She finds the
billionaire living below the house and now she is determined to get
him to help her solve the mystery of her key and reclaim his
inheritance before nasty Uncle Evert makes sure he is dead and
claims the fortune for himself.
This is the first book in a series, and this is made obvious as we
only get sketchy details of each character in this first story. Each
orphan in the book has a special talent that April uses to help her
solve her mystery and bring about a positive result for the very
uncooperative billionaire. The mansion is peopled with the usual
trusty butler, a caring Ms Nelson who runs the Winterborne House and
has a long association with the family and a shadowy super-hero who
may or may not be an urban legend.
Some threads of the story were left hanging in the end. The
disappearance of Ms Nelson at the end of the book is puzzling. Also,
the key around April's neck was dealt with in the story and we get
to know what it opens, but we are left with no idea why April wore
it or why her mother had it in the first place.
It was quite a fast-paced story that moved along well most of the
time and I am sure it will leave middle primary readers waiting for
the next installment. Themes: Orphans and orphanages, Foster care,
Missing persons, Revenge, Mysteries, Friendship.
Gabrielle Anderson
Mars by Shauna Edson and Giles Sparrow
Illus. by Mark Ruffle. Dorling Kindersley, 2020. ISBN:
9780241409589. 80pp.
(Age: 9+) Recommended for Science-interested readers. Mars is always
interesting. As our closet planetary neighbour, it is worth knowing
a little more. This book covers all the important detail about the
planet and human exploration of this part of our Solar System. With
a section about what we now know as the result of relatively recent
visits to Mars, and also detail about what visiting Mars might be
like in the future, this is a comprehensive look at the Red Planet.
Because this is a Dorling Kindersley book, it can be relied on for
presenting the information in language for young readers that is
easily comprehensible. The illustrations include photographs and
modern graphic representations in clear formatting that is visually
appealing. STEM and astronomy interested young readers will enjoy
this journey beyond our own planet. Themes: Mars; Space travel;
Astronomy.
Carolyn Hull
The gravity of us by Phil Stamper
Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526619945.
Seventeen year old Cal is certain of his path in life, he wants to
be a journalist and makes regular online video journals from his
Brooklyn home via the 'FlashFame' app. He has gained a
substantial following after reporting on elections and has been
offered an internship at BuzzFeed News. Home life is often disrupted
by his parent's tense relationship and his mother's anxiety so he is
shocked when his pilot father announces he has won a place on
Orpheus Project, training astronauts for a mission to Mars. The
family is required to immediately relocate to Clear Lake Texas and
live in a retro styled estate nostalgically modelled on the early
Sixties astronaut village. As soon as they arrive they are filmed
for the reality show 'Shooting Stars', conceived of to raise
awareness about the Orpheus program with the American public to
ensure continued funding for the project. Cal retrieves something
from the disruption by continuing to post video updates for his half
a million followers, interviewing scientists and providing an
insight into the background workings of the project rather than
seeking out the sensational personal conflicts of the reality show
footage. Another plus is that he falls headlong in love with Leon,
the son of one of the other astronauts. When a tragedy occurs in the
Orpheus project, the 'Shooting Stars' producers try to
capitalise on the ensuing grief and suffering, prompting Cal to
expose them, highlighting the show's intrusion into their lives.
Working through all the various challenges thrust upon him Cal
learns about himself and others, he acknowledges his obsessiveness
and need to "fix" things. He learns respect for difference in his
relationship with Leon and to try not to depend on others to be
happy or sad. He also develops respect for his parents,
acknowledging their special skills and abilities. In his personal
journey Cal realises his strength in communicating real information
honestly to his followers and his continuing success suggests that
it is a need felt strongly in today's world.
The first person narration feels authentic as do the social media
references. The relationship between the two boys is sensitively
portrayed and the brave and intelligent way Cal faces multiple
challenges will appeal to senior secondary students. Themes: Mental
health, Space, Love, Social media.
Sue Speck
Peter Rabbit 2 movie novelisation
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241415290. 152pp.
(Age: 8-12) Peter Rabbit 2 is a novelisation of the film Peter
Rabbit 2. The adventure is set in contemporary countryside
England and is loosely based on the famous Beatrix Potter
characters. The animals cannot talk to humans but all understand
them and the story is mainly from their point of view. Peter Rabbit
has been sidelined from author/illustrator Bea's life when she
marries Thomas McGregor. Thomas clashes with Peter, who he finds
mischievous and annoying. Peter is unable to convince Thomas that he
is well intentioned. When Peter meets a roguish friend of his late
deceased father, he leaves home for a life of naughtiness. Peter
involves his friends and family in a crazy operation to steal food
from the town's market and unwittingly puts his animal friends in
peril. At the same time Bea is being encouraged by her publisher to
make her stories about the animals more saleable, with scenarios
involving hoodies, surfing and space travel. She is enticed by the
wealth and glamour that big sales may bring but Thomas disagrees
with her new direction.
The film is packed full of slap stick, non-stop action and some
quite adult jokes, as many children's films are. This doesn't always
transfer well into the written word and I wonder if children will be
engaged in the story if they haven't seen the film. This perfunctory
retelling has occasions where the author has forgotten the child
audience. Will they understand phrases like "conflate reality"?
Readers who are faithful to the original stories may be horrified by
the liberties taken with those dear little animals of Beatrix
Potter's books. Ironically the film/book's message regarding the
need to be faithful to the author's authentic representation of
animals and not sell out to commercialism, is what the film is in
fact doing. Film merchandise makes a lot of money and this book is
one of many products created for the film's release.
Jo Marshall
Amnesty by Aravind Adiga
Picador, 2020. ISBN: 9781509879045.
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. Forever on edge,
scared of being caught, Danny is an illegal immigrant living in
Sydney. Not a boat person seeking refuge, the usual stereotype
Australians associate with the term 'illegal immigrant', Danny is
one of the others - coming from Sri Lanka by plane, on a student
visa, then realising his course was a "ripoff", he dropped out, and
disappeared. So now he is illegal, a man without rights. He lives in
the
storeroom above a shop, paying Tommo, the exploitative shop owner,
half the money he makes cleaning apartments as the Legendary
Cleaner, carrying his vacuum cleaner on his back.
We gradually learn there is a reason Danny fled Sri Lanka - it is to
do with the lump on his arm and the memory of an interrogating
police officer holding a cigarette. The fear of being sent back
keeps him always wary, intent on mastering
Australianness, golden streaks in his hair, and Aussie slang on his
lips. But things start to go horribly wrong when there is a murder
in one of the apartments he cleans and he is the only one with any
idea of who the murderer could be.
Thus he faces a dilemma: should he contact the police and tell them
what he knows about the secret affair between the murdered woman and
the 'Doctor'? But then the police will work out that he is illegal,
and he will get deported, back to the danger that he never wants to
face again.
The events of the book all take place within one day; the clock
ticks as Danny and the murderer draw closer together and Danny
vacillates between making the call or making a run for it.
With little descriptions of people and places, the white people
watching him, the knowing looks that pass between the legal brown
person and the illegal one, the nervous twitch that the cleaner
finds hard to control, the dreams and memories that come into his
mind, and his constant state of tension are all masterfully and
vividly created by the author Adiga. It is a tension that carries
the reader from one moment to the next, and in the process a whole
other world is revealed to us, the underworld of the person with no
identity card, no passport, no rights.
The title Amnesty comes from the knowledge Danny has that
there was once a politician, Malcolm Fraser, who, on Australia Day
1976, offered amnesty to prohibited immigrants who had overstayed
their visa. Maybe there is a chance
that he might be offered amnesty in exchange for dobbing in a
killer? What do you think?
Helen Eddy
Death in a desert land by Andrew Wilson
Simon and Schuster, 2019. ISBN: 9781471173486. 385pp.
(Age: secondary/adult) Recommended. 'Death in a Desert land
is not authorised by Agatha Christie Ltd' is written under the
author's name on the title page, leaving readers in no doubt about
what to expect when the pages of this book are opened. And Christie
fans will not be disappointed; all the tropes are presented here: a
small group of people in a strange but close situation, clues hidden
in plain sight, chance remarks holding clues, an exotic location,
several people with hidden pasts and so on, crowding into these 385
pages. At times I thought 'oh no not another one', but I read to the
end, hooked by the story, its sweep of odd and unlikely characters
and the background at a dig at Ur.
Agatha Christie has been sent by her friend, Davison at the Foreign
Office to sniff out some of the background of the people at the dig,
a rag bag mix of archaeologists, a rich American patron with his
wife and daughter, helpers, a priest, a secretary, a photographer
and now Agatha. The death of archaeologist, Gertrude Bell two years
ago was deemed to be suicide but new evidence has the powers that be
involved and Agatha has joined the party. But of course her
investigations into the background of some of the odd group see her
having a small passion for the photographer only to find that he
like the others is hiding a secret. But another murder has occurred,
and when Davison joins the dig to investigate, things hot up.
A mixing bowl of everything Christie, the woman is exposed as
vulnerable to the charms of the young man after the blow of her
husband's desertion and divorce. Hints are given about her early
life, the infamous weekend that she disappeared, the state of her
married life and her writing career. So for those who love a good
whodunnit, crowded with red herrings, throwaway sentences that
bristle with meaning, a living desert and a dig as a setting, then
this is a wonderfully engrossing read when told to stay indoors.
And like any good crime novel, is one of a series, the first two
emblazoned on the back cover, with a taste of number 4, I saw
him die, given at the conclusion of Death in a desert land.
Themes: Crime, Agatha Christie, Archaeology, Ur, Murder.
Fran Knight
