Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter Harper Collins Warning: This review contains mentions of sexual violence On 17 April 1982, Emily Vaughn escapes from her house, ignoring her drunken and violent father’s demands that she go to her room. Sneaking out without her shoes, she walks towards her school where the prom is underway, even though […]
The Ghosts of Paris by Tara Moss Harper Collins Publishing Billie Walker is the only female inquiry agent (with the word ‘detective’ reserved for those in the police force) in Sydney in 1947. A former war reporter, she retains her feminist feistiness but the “Sydney newsrooms had not been too keen on women reporters once […]
Saint Narcisse | Dir: Bruce LaBruce | ★ ★ ★ ½ As the title suggests, the main character of this B-Grade film has a fetish for looking at himself, whether it be in a reflection or capturing his image by taking Polaroid photographs. Twenty-two year old Dominic Beauchamp (Felix Antoine Duval) is a fine young man and a […]
The Registrar by Dr Neela Janakiramanan Allen & Unwin Emma Swann is in her first year of a 5 year training program to become a surgeon at the Mount Hospital, and she is carrying the weight of family expectations. Her brother Andy is in his final year of being a general surgery registrar at the […]
When The Camera Stopped Rolling | Dir: Jane Castle | ★ ★ ★ ★ It wasn’t an accident that Jane Castle became a cinematographer. When her mother was pregnant with her, she was filming a wildlife film which was one of the 40 films she directed in her lifetime, at a time when there was little recognition […]
The Guncle by Steven Rowley Simon & Schuster Guncle (gay uncle) Steven Rowley, who resides in Palm Springs with his husband, has dedicated his latest book to his five nieces and nephews, who have no doubt been inspirations for his third novel. At the centre of the tale is Patrick O’Hara, an out of work […]
Navalny | Dir: Daniel Roher | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny made the news all around the world. In August 2020, the outspoken Navalny, who is the only real challenger to Putin, was flying from Siberia back to Moscow when he became violently ill. The plane made a detour to […]
A Place Near Eden by Nell Pierce Allen & Unwin Matilda (Tilly) was eleven when her parents fostered thirteen year old Sem. There were heated arguments between her parents as Tilly’s father was against the addition to the house. “Dad had a special voice that he used when he talked about Sem. It was a […]
Abracadabra by Robert Dessaix Brio Books Currently living in Hobart with Peter Timms, his partner of 40 years who is also a writer, Robert Dessaix is in demand as a guest speaker but sometimes the audiences for his words of wisdom are quite small. While podcasts can attract huge audiences around the globe, Dessaix’s talks […]