Catch Us the Foxes by Nicola West

Released: 7 July 2021

Published by: Simon and Schuster Australia

Genre: Crime thriller

Pages: 384

Booktopia | QBD | Goodreads

The hotly contested novel about a small town's killer cult secret by a debut author destined to become Australia's next thriller-writing superstar. Ambitious young journalist Marlowe ‘Lo’ Robertson would do anything to escape the suffocating confines of her small home town. While begrudgingly covering the annual show for the local paper, Lo is horrified to discover the mutilated corpse of Lily Williams, the reigning showgirl and Lo’s best friend. Seven strange symbols have been carved into Lily’s back. But when Lo reports her grisly find to the town’s police chief, he makes her promise not to tell anyone about the symbols. Lo obliges, though it’s not like she has much of a choice – after all, he is also her father. When Lily’s murder makes headlines around the country, Lo seizes the opportunity to track down the killer and make a name for herself by breaking the biggest story of her life. What Lo uncovers is that her sleepy home town has been harbouring a deadly secret, one so shocking that it will captivate the entire nation. Lo’s story will change the course of her life forever, but in a way she could never have dreamed of.

An Aussie-small-town-thriller with grit and shocking twists, Nicola West has made her debut with an electrifying plot. 

Author Interview with Nicola West

Firstly, congratulations on publishing your first book! What were the best and most challenging aspects of writing Catch Us The Foxes?

Thank you! The most challenging part for me was actually the six months prior to starting Catch Us the Foxes when I was struggling to write a memoir about my experience of having to fight for my right to receive a medically necessary hysterectomy as a teenager.

The second I allowed myself to work on what I was actually passionate about (a twisty psychological thriller set in my hometown), the writing process completely transformed and went from something akin to pulling teeth to something that felt effortless. Every single sentence of Catch Us the Foxes was an absolute joy to write.

Was there a particular 'this is what I'm going to write about moment!' that came to you before penning your debut?

Stuck back in the tiny coastal town I grew up in after my Sydney apartment flooded, one of my only forms of escape was the phenomenal third season of my favourite TV show – Twin Peaks. Revisiting both the fictional town and my own former hometown made me realise what a perfect setting the latter would make for a crime novel. I immediately began Twin Peaks-ifying Kiama and went searching for my own Laura Palmer. As an Australian, she couldn’t be a prom queen, but she could definitely be a showgirl. That single character (and her death) became the catalyst for the entire book.

The 'small town' setting definitely makes this book all the more suspenseful as secrets become uncovered, what were some of your influences in making the action take place this way?

Twin Peaks was definitely the biggest influence on the setting (along with my own small-town upbringing). However, I also wanted to incorporate a cult element into the book as they are something I’ve always been fascinated with (ever since my mum told me I would join one as a child). The original Wicker Man undeniably does ‘small-town cult’ best, but I also really loved the way the first season of True Detective created such strong iconography for its own cult. Combining the two left me with mysterious symbols carved in flesh, people in animal masks, flower crowns, and ritual sacrifice.

Without giving too much away, is there a particular moment in the story or character that was especially meaningful to you as you wrote this book?

Exploring Marlowe’s detachment (particularly when it comes to relationships) was something that was significant to me as it not only reflected my own experiences growing up but is also something that is seldom portrayed in fiction. It was interesting to be able to capture Marlowe from the perspective of the male gaze while simultaneously granting her the agency to be open about her feelings (or lack thereof). To this day, reading the scenes with Owen makes my skin crawl.

If there's one piece of advice you'd give to other aspiring authors out there, what would it be?

It sounds incredibly cheesy, but you really have to find what makes your heart sing. I took a non-fiction writing course when I was writing my memoir and a guest author said that the writing process had to feel like a compulsion – like something you couldn’t live without. I remember being frustrated by that comment because it was so contrary to my own experience. But when I finally ditched the memoir and switched to the novel, I suddenly understood what she meant. Don’t be afraid to change things up and experiment with genres/styles until you find the one that resonates with you most.

After an impressive first novel, could you give us a hint at what you may want to work on next?

I’m severely immunocompromised and have only left my apartment complex twice in the past sixteen months (to get both vaccine shots). So, until Australia gets its act together and a larger proportion of the country is fully vaccinated, I foresee a lot more time spent in these same four walls.

 

Thankfully, I was able to take advantage of my newfound free time and completed two new novels during the pandemic – the sequel to Catch Us the Foxes and a new standalone thriller. I’m also looking forward to a bevy of Zoom events over the coming months. So please come and say ‘hi’ – I really need the human interaction!

About the author

Nicola West is the daughter of a third-generation police officer and grew up in a bucolic coastal town in New South Wales. After moving to Sydney to pursue a career in journalism, she vowed to be as far removed from both her hometown and her father’s profession as possible—that is until she found herself writing a novel about both topics.

Nicola was initially writing a memoir about her decades-long medical journey that saw her undergo 40 surgeries, 71 lumbar punctures and experimental neurosurgery. But, inspired by her love of all things crime, cult, and the local urban legends of her hometown, she pivoted to thriller writing and found it far more therapeutic. Catch Us the Foxes is her first novel.

Twitter | Author website

Review: The Godmother by Hannelore Cayre - a snappy piece of French noir

The Godmother by Hannelore Cayre

Released: 3rd September 2019

Published by: Black Inc Books

Genre: Crime Fiction

Source: Publisher

Pages: 197

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads | QBD | Booktopia

The French bestseller La Daronne 
Now a major film starring Isabelle Huppert 

Meet Patience Portefeux, fifty-three, an underpaid French-Arabic translator who specialises in police phone taps. Widowed after the sudden death of her husband, Patience is wedged between the costs of raising her daughters and the nursing home fees for her ageing mother. She’s laboured for twenty-five years to keep everyone’s heads above water. Happening upon an especially revealing set of wiretaps ahead of all other authorities, Patience makes a life-altering decision that sees her intervening in – and infiltrating – the machinations of a massive drug deal. She thus embarks on an entirely new career path: Patience becomes ‘the Godmother’.

With a gallery of traffickers, dealers, police officers and politicians more real than life itself, and an unforgettable woman at its centre, Hannelore Cayre’s bestselling novel shines a torchlight on a European criminal underworld that has rarely been seen, casting a piercing and darkly humorous gaze on everyday survival in contemporary France.

Thank you to Black Inc Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

It's not too often that a crime novel like The Godmother comes along. Coming in at just shy of 200 pages, you may at first think that in such a short span it would be impossible to create a plausible and meaty plot-line with the right balance of action, mystery and character development that this genre demands. But therein lies Cayre's genius - the whip-smart narration from our protagonist Patience Portefeux and her scheming in playing both sides of the law provides just the right atmosphere for a piece of French noir that is entirely compelling.

Dark humour, as the blurb suggests, is rife here - alongside the corruption within the ranks of the justice system and shady line between who has the upper hand in world of organised crime. Patience, once a straight-laced court translator turned trafficker, provides a sardonic insight into her career and the many faces of the drug trade. The writing style and character development is where The Godmother shines - as while the content itself is serious, dealing with large-scale money laundering, the experiences of immigrants assimilating in Europe and all the while trying to find some moral ground, the narrative voice cuts through all of this with a sharply pragmatic tone. 

...Frankly, you could devise a better system, couldn't you, in terms of incorruptibility. Well, I find it pretty disturbing, And I have been corrupted. At first I thought it was funny, then one day I wasn't laughing any more. 

In one instance it's almost surreal to have a scene depicting an armed robbery with shocking results relayed with a sense of detached calm; the mania of the entire situation construed through a completely unemotional lens. It's this writing style that I'll remember most from The Godmother, and draws the readers focus towards the greater themes at play about how the main character justifies her actions - both within her own mind and in the dialogue she has with the reader themselves throughout. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

While there is no shortage of crime fiction to choose from, The Godmother comfortably holds its own. The most memorable books are often those with a distinct voice and a main character facing some sort of moral dilemma. This one executes both exceptionally well.

Review: Force of Nature by Jane Harper - Australian crime fiction at its finest

Force of Nature by Jane Harper

Released: 26th September 2017

Published by: Pan Macmillan Australia

Genre: Crime/Mystery

Source: Publisher

Pages: 384

My Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Goodreads | QBD | Booktopia

Five women reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking along the muddy track. Only four come out the other side.

The hike through the rugged Giralang Ranges is meant to take the office colleagues out of their air-conditioned comfort zone and teach resilience and team building. At least that is what the corporate retreat website advertises. Federal Police Agent Aaron Falk has a particularly keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing bushwalker.

Alice Russell is the whistleblower in his latest case - in just a matter of days she was to provide the documents that will bring down the company she works for.

Falk discovers that far from the hike encouraging teamwork, the women tell a tale of suspicion, violence and disintegrating trust. But does it include murder?

The Dry was hailed as the book of the year at the 2017 Australian Book Industry Awards, so any follow-up was bound to come under scrutiny to see how it compares. I'm happy to say that Force of Nature is addictive and atmospheric; suspenseful in a way that you simply have to experience for yourself.

In this book we get to know more about Agent Aaron Falk, a member of the financial crime division of the federal police. Like its predecessor, Force of Nature is at its core a 'police procedural' novel. But far from the constraints of the suburbs where a murder or missing person case can be solved with the aid of CCTV footage, or even the gossip from those in a rural town, out here in the fictional Giralang Ranges it becomes clear that the mystery behind Alice's disappearance will be more difficult to uncover. It's this added complexity of the rugged setting where the group of women begrudgingly set out on a company team-building expedition that brings the drama to the fore.

Later, the four remaining women could fully agree on only two things. One: No-one saw the bushland swallow up Alice Russel. And two: Alice had a mean streak so sharp it could cut you.

Once again Jane Harper has excelled in conveying the essence of a sense of place. In the Australian bush she brings out the ghostly whispers of the trees and unsettling sounds of the wildlife with vivid clarity. Just as the women struggle to orient themselves in an unfamiliar environment which all begins to look the same, us readers are also led on a twisted path to the truth. Harper skilfully leaves crumbs along the way which ramp up the suspense and enormity of the situation where survival becomes paramount - from the discovery of a meagre pool of water to what could be the abandoned cabin of an infamous killer. What is only a few days of the doomed expedition stretches the entire length of the story thanks to the alternating perspective on the current investigation at hand. Each chapter ends on a 'mini-cliffhanger', a device which achieves exactly what it set out to do - make this a book you Can't. Put. Down.

There was a movement outside her sleeping bag and Beth stiffened. She couldn't tell what had made it - woman or wildlife. She lay still and by the time it disappeared, the word she'd been searching for had formed on the tip of her tongue, so real she could almost taste its residue. Feral. 

The characters are equally well-developed, where human nature is examined as people are pushed to the brink. The boiling pot of personalities, from Alice the self-assured narcissist to Bree and Beth who are sisters that could not be more different, morphs into a powder keg ready to explode. These tensions make the plot all the more compelling, brought together with taut prose that is matter-of-fact yet descriptive. When there's no telling if help is ever going to arrive, ethics are questioned as company politics transcend the office, becoming a different beast altogether. It would be easy for a story like this to turn into a merely pragmatic play-by-play of the events as they unfolded, but I liked how there was more heart to the investigation. Falk's connection to his father who also used to hike the trails in the ranges was an interesting touch, bringing some humanity back to a plot which  otherwise highlights its vices through characters that are teetering over the edge.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you've enjoyed The Dry, you will LOVE Force of Nature. Nonetheless, this book should be recognised for its own well-deserved merits. Jane Harper isn't just an author to watch, she's one whose work has to be read - do that and you won't look back. 

Mini Reviews: The Dry Husband's Secrets with My Sister Rosa and The Couple Next Door

My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier
Released: 27th January 2016
Published by: Allen and Unwin
Genre: YA Contemporary/Thriller
Source: Publisher
Pages: 448
My Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
RRP: $19.99
Goodreads | QBD | Booktopia

What if the most terrifying person you'd ever met was your ten-year old sister? A spine-chilling psychological thriller from one of Australia's finest YA authors.

 'I promise,' said Rosa. 'I won't kill and I won't make anyone else kill.' I can't see the loophole. Since the guinea pig there's been nothing. Months now without Rosa killing as much as a mosquito. As far as I know.

 Che Taylor has four items on his list: 1. He wants to spar, not just train in the boxing gym. 2. He wants a girlfriend. 3. He wants to go home. 4. He wants to keep Rosa under control. Che's little sister Rosa is smart, talented, pretty, and so good at deception that Che's convinced she must be a psychopath. She hasn't hurt anyone yet, but he's certain it's just a matter of time. And when their parents move them to New York City, Che longs to return to Sydney and his three best friends.

But his first duty is to his sister Rosa, who is playing increasingly complex and disturbing games. Can he protect Rosa from the world - and the world from Rosa? My Sister Rosa will have you on the edge of your seat from the very first page to the last.

Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This book just goes to show that nobody is as they seem - even a seemingly harmless and adorable ten year old girl. I have to say, My Sister Rosa is a #LoveOzYA novel that ticks a lot of boxes - it has a diverse set of characters, unique premise and enough twists to keep you guessing. Though I didn't find this novel quite as enthralling as Larbelestier's previous release Razorhurst, it certainly packed a punch in its own way. Rosa is just plain creepy - hiding her extremely manipulative nature under the guise of a cloying sweetness which melts almost everyone's heart, she's definitely a force to be reckoned with which Che can only hope to control before it's too late. With parents who don't want to accept the truth of what she's capable of, it's definitely a tough road. There's more to this story than that though - it's also about a budding romance, new friends who may just bring Che out of his comfort zone, and uncovering the truth behind a twisted mastermind in ways you won't see coming.

FINAL THOUGHTS


Siblings, psychopaths and disturbing revelations - this is a concoction that works in My Sister Rosa.

The Dry by Jane Harper
Released: 31st May 2016
Published by: Pan Macmillan Australia
Genre: Adult Crime
Source: Borrowed
Pages: 352
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars
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Luke Hadler turns a gun on his wife and child, then himself. The farming community of Kiewarra is facing life and death choices daily. If one of their own broke under the strain, well... When Federal Police investigator Aaron Falk returns to Kiewarra for the funerals, he is loath to confront the people who rejected him twenty years earlier. But when his investigative skills are called on, the facts of the Hadler case start to make him doubt this murder-suicide charge. And as Falk probes deeper into the killings, old wounds start bleeding into fresh ones. For Falk and his childhood friend Luke shared a secret... A secret Falk thought long-buried... A secret which Luke's death starts to bring to the surface...

Jane Harpers debut novel 'The Dry' epitomises Australian crime fiction at its finest. Expertly crafted, this book set in a baking rural town reeling from an unthinkable tragedy is both gritty and effortlessly compelling. Featuring a cast of characters who seem so real, you'll become even more enthralled by this novel the further you read, as bursts of nostalgia and dark secrets come to light. This is a story of a town on the precipice of boiling over with rumours, and the many well-known faces embroiled in both current scandal and from years gone by. Glimpses into the past histories of the characters, with their relationships and tribulations, were tantalisingly woven into the fabric of the present - deepening the mystery further.

Anybody can lie.

Everybody has secrets.

No alibi guarantees innocence.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Read this and be hooked - trust me, it's worth the hype.

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
Released: 1st April 2013
Published by: Pan Macmillan
Genre: Adult Mystery
Source: Borrowed
Pages: 406
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Goodreads | QBD | Booktopia

At the heart of The Husband’s Secret is a letter that’s not meant to be read My darling Cecilia, if you’re reading this, then I’ve died... Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. . . .

Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.

Acclaimed author Liane Moriarty has written a gripping, thought-provoking novel about how well it is really possible to know our spouses—and, ultimately, ourselves.

This is the first novel I've read by renowned Australian author Liane Moriarty, and I can now see why her books have been bestsellers. With a knack for taking the mediocrity of domestic life and injecting it with suspenseful family drama, this book really is a true page-turner. Told through different perspectives and with glimpses into those fateful events of the past, Moriarty has woven a captivating tale exploring the strains of relationships, quests for retribution and ongoing consequences of decisions made long ago. Read this and be drawn in by the quick chapters with mini-cliffhangers that keep your heart racing, shocked by the twists along the way, and satisfied by an ending which you can take a lesson or two away from.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In this story, nobody knows what alternate paths their lives may have taken had other choices been made...but at least for you, deciding to read this book is almost certain to be a chance you won't regret taking.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
Released: 14th July 2016
Published by: Bantam Press
Genre: Adult Thriller
Source: Borrowed
Pages: 304
My Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Goodreads | QBD | Booktopia

Fast-paced and addictive, THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR announces a major new talent in thriller writing. You never know what's happening on the other side of the wall. Your neighbour told you that she didn't want your six-month-old daughter at the dinner party. Nothing personal, she just couldn't stand her crying.

Your husband said it would be fine. After all, you only live next door. You'll have the baby monitor and you'll take it in turns to go back every half hour. Your daughter was sleeping when you checked on her last. But now, as you race up the stairs in your deathly quiet house, your worst fears are realized. She's gone. You've never had to call the police before. But now they're in your home, and who knows what they'll find there.

What would you be capable of, when pushed past your limit?

This is a thriller which is methodical in approach and quite tightly woven to create a glimpse into a situation where one couple's mistake in leaving their baby daughter unattended changes the course of an entire family. The writing style itself is very 'to the point' without any pomp or flowery prose, which may not be to everyone's liking, however it is undeniable that this is a read which you can get through quickly and with relative ease. How well do you really know the people who raised you, or your partner, or - the couple next door? What secrets could they be hiding? What lengths will someone go to in covering their tracks? These are the questions which this book raises well and will keep you turning the pages in the process. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I'd definitely recommend this for fans of Mary Kubica and 'Pretty Baby'.

Over to you - What thrillers have you read recently?