John's September Staff Picks

Two big guns of the Australian crime writing scene are set to publish new books into the business end of the year. For Michael Robotham this will be his twentieth novel and his most personal, Tell Me Something True. For Chris Hammer, who crashed onto the scene in 2018 with Scrublands and has since been a reliable book a year machine, it will be the standalone financial thriller Full Circle. I've read both and you will want to, too.

Also included in this month's reviews are literary novels Switzy, longlisted for the Booker and Life of M, the literary novel that has become the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.

My favourite of the month though... John Boyne's The Weight of Angels.

The Weight of Angels is a brilliant novel built on the question, what would Oscar Wilde’s life have been like if he had not prosecuted the Marquess of Queensberry for slander. A decision that led to Wilde’s own imprisonment and early death. With walk-on roles from Winston Churchill, Katherine Hepburn, Virginia Woolf and a five year old future King Charles, this novel explores the slow liberalisation of society and celebrates an artist whose life was cut off too soon.

Life of M is about Natalie Portman regardless of denials from all quarters. Doesn’t matter what I say about it, if you’re a Cusk fan or just Cusk curious, you will buy and read it. Cusk is usually better than this, so if it’s your first, don't make it your last. Explore her backlist.

I am reading the Booker Longlisted Switzy now. Successful businessman David has Alzheimer’s and is making his way to Switzerland to end his life. He has a few important stops on the way though, and a lifetime of memories to deal with. So far it is excellent.

The opening eighty pages of Full Circle are worth the price of admission. What follows is a masterclass in ratcheting up tension and raising stakes. This standalone thriller from master Chris Hammer is a gem.

I was lucky enough to interview Michael Robotham about Tell Me Something True, the first novel he ever wrote and his twentieth published. This is his most personal book and his first set here in Australia. It packs an emotional punch, be sure to have a box of tissues handy.