David Menon's Blog

Girls Who Lie by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I loved the plot of his book and there's a terrific twist towards the end that I didn't see coming but which made perfect sense. That marks out Eva Bjorg's skill as a mystery writer. It's all about what some are prepared to cover up and lie about in order to save their own self, even when there are murderous or suicidal consequences. A terrific piece of Icelandic noir and I'll certainly be reading more by Eva Bjorg Egisdottir.







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This Way Out by Tufayel Ahmed

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This Way Out
I absolutely loved this book - the story of a British man of Bangladeshi heritage coming out to his family as gay was an enticing premise and the writing was so good. Although it's fiction, I'm sure there are young men out there in the position of the main character, Amar, who wants to be true to who he is but finds it hard to reconcile that with the traditional values of his family and his Muslim faith. It's also about the clash of cultures between Amar and his white very English boyfriend Joshua who he is intent on marrying. I won't say how it concludes but throughout this book I laughed, I cried, I got annoyed, I smiled with pleasure. The characters are instantly relatable, the clash of cultures very realistic, and overall I'd read it again and again. Can't wait for his next one. This was the kind of novel that breaks moulds and sets new standards. Superb.



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This Way Out

The Stoning by Peter Papathanasiou

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Stoning

This was a great crime fiction debut from Peter with a great mixture of old and new prejudices that tell a very entertaining story. Some really interesting characters and I liked the detective, Manolis, although he didn't stand up for himself as much as I think he should've done sometimes. The conclusion was a little protracted and confusing in places, but that didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the novel. I'll certainly be reading the next in the series.



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The Stoning

The Wreckage by Robin Morgan-Bentley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was the kind of novel that carries enough suspense and psychological intrigue for several more. The writer was clever in the way he built the plot because I didn't realise until quite some way in just how the character of Ben would play out, but what I will also say is that it was very refreshing to read a story where the emotional instability of the main male character takes centre stage. Usually it's the main female character's story that's told but this was a real departure in that it exposed the vulnerability and emotional confusion that men experience. I would highly recommend it.



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The Wreckage

Tank Water by Michael Burge

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is essentially the story of James Brandt and the difficult relationship he has with his father. It is also about the lengths young men will go to in order to hide their homosexuality whilst growing up in a small countryside town in Australia in the 1980s. When James' cousin Tony dies in mysterious circumstances and leaves him the family farm, the lid begins to lift on police cover-ups of homophobic murders in the town. What makes it even more difficult for James is that his father was the town cop throughouTank Watert the period in question. James, who by this time is a renowned Sydney journalist, is determined to get to the truth of what happened to at least three individuals, but will this put him in even more conflict with his father? The story ends in 2005 and I would've loved it to end in the present day but no matter. It's still a good read.



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The Dragon Man by Garry Disher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I greatly enjoyed this book - set in the Mornington Peninsula south of Melbourne which is an area that I really took to when I went there - with a lead detective in Hal Challis who is engaging and plausible and not the usual detective type who can't communicate effectively with anyone but it's never explained why. Garry Disher paints a multi-coloured landscape, so much so that I must admit I got a little bit lost in the middle - but his style of writing and attention to detail are first class. I shall be spending a lot of time in 2022 reading more of Garry's books. A great introduction that has left me wanting more.



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The Dragon Man

This was my first Sarah Bailey book and it certainly won't be my last. The characters were well drawn and the initial message of the murder of a homeless person suddenly becoming unimportant when a famous person is murdered on a film set, is probably very realistic. I greatly enjoyed the delving into the dark side of Melbourne life and my only misgiving is that the main character, detective Gemma Woodstock, seemed to fall into self-pity a little too much, especially when she seemed to have brought a lot of her problems on herself, especially where her son Ben was concerned, and I didn't always understand why she maintained her antagonism towards her colleague Fleet. But I'm a Sarah fan now and will be reading the rest of her stuff.Into the Night

My Policeman by Bethan Roberts

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A beautifully written book showing just how possible it is for one man to be in love with two people at the same time, each of them offering him something different. A little close to home for me because I was in a three-way relationship myself for many years so there was a lot of emotional resonance as I was reading it and it was set in one of my favourite cities in the UK, Brighton, where I've spent many a happy hour or two. Looking forward to the film adaptation which I believe will be out early next year.



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Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I can't imagine what it must've been like to grow up gay in the totalitarian state that was Poland in the 1970s. The author captures the chill of that situation very well and there were one or two moments when I was right in there fearing the shadows around me. It was also a very interesting juxtaposition of one character, Ludwig, supporting revolution and his lover Janusz supporting the 'system'. That said I did find that the author laboured some of the points and went into way too much description. I also doubted Ludwig's motivations at the end of the story. But all of that is just my view - I'd still recommend it as being a unique take on the gay experience and a good story.



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Bloody January by Alan Parks

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is the first book by Alan that I've read and I'll certainly be back for more. I was totally immersed into the criminal world of 1970s Glasgow where the 'polis' are largely as corrupt as they can be. That makes the hero of the piece, Detective Harry McCoy stand out as he treads a thin line, and sometimes very thin line, between what's acceptable and what really isn't. The violence is a little excessive at times and there's such an array of characters that the plot is sometimes a little hard to follow, but overall I loved this book and I'm looking forward to reading the second in the series.



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