What do you think?
Rate this book
Bloodwood Creek
‘There’s a killer roaming the roads and you're out here on your own, picking up strangers …’
When Emily’s beautiful cousin Aspen goes missing somewhere in the Outback, no one seems to take it seriously, not even the police. After all, Aspen has a history of drug use and a string of broken relationships to her name. Emily knows that her disappearance is totally out of character, even for the family’s wild child, so she books a flight to the Northern Territory to find her.
Emily’s search takes her south of Darwin to every road stop and tourist trap she can find, but the only person who turns up is the last person she expected to see, her ex-husband Ben. But there is a violent killer on the loose, a man the media have dubbed ‘The Outback Killer’ – and after two brazen attempts on Emily’s life, it soon becomes clear that someone wants Emily gone too, someone who is willing to do anything to stop her following Aspen’s tracks.
Set in the bustling streets of Darwin and in an alternative-lifestyle commune outside of Tennant Creek, and told with McGinnis’s trademark colourful and poetic style, this is a gripping tale of the danger and lawlessness of Australia’s wild and remote places.
When Emily’s beautiful cousin Aspen goes missing somewhere in the Outback, no one seems to take it seriously, not even the police. After all, Aspen has a history of drug use and a string of broken relationships to her name. Emily knows that her disappearance is totally out of character, even for the family’s wild child, so she books a flight to the Northern Territory to find her.
Emily’s search takes her south of Darwin to every road stop and tourist trap she can find, but the only person who turns up is the last person she expected to see, her ex-husband Ben. But there is a violent killer on the loose, a man the media have dubbed ‘The Outback Killer’ – and after two brazen attempts on Emily’s life, it soon becomes clear that someone wants Emily gone too, someone who is willing to do anything to stop her following Aspen’s tracks.
Set in the bustling streets of Darwin and in an alternative-lifestyle commune outside of Tennant Creek, and told with McGinnis’s trademark colourful and poetic style, this is a gripping tale of the danger and lawlessness of Australia’s wild and remote places.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 4, 2023
13 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Kerry McGinnis
22 books78 followersKerry McGinnis was born in Adelaide and, at the age of twelve, took up a life of droving with her father and three siblings. The family travelled extensively across the Northern Territory and Queensland before settling on a station in the Gulf Country. Kerry has worked as a shepherd, droving hand, gardener, stock-camp and station cook, eventually running a property at Bowthorn, near Mount Isa. She is the author of two volumes of memoir and now lives in Bundaberg.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
February 1, 2024
When Emily took two weeks off from her job as a vet at an Armidale, NSW, practice, she didn't expect what was ahead. Searching for her missing cousin, Aspen, after Emily's dying aunt, Aspen's mother, had asked her to find her as no one had seen her in around four months, seemed a quick and easy job for Emily - but it was the opposite. Emily landed in Darwin, hired a car, then began asking questions. She reported her missing at the police station, but they didn't seem interested. So Emily headed south, stopping at tourist places, and anywhere else she might have been, showing Aspen's photo around.
Arriving at Bloodwood Creek and booking into the local pub, Emily wasn't sure where to begin with her search of the area. And she was shocked when her ex-husband Ben arrived at the pub after talking to her father, determined to either take her home, or help her in the hunt for Aspen. But attempts on Emily's life made them both aware that they were getting close and someone didn't want them to find her. They couldn't come up with a "why" though, so continued on with the search. Would they find Emily's cousin? And could they discover why someone was after Em?
Bloodwood Creek is another exceptional read by Aussie author Kerry McGinnis which I devoured. Beautifully written, the verbal descriptions of an area I haven't been to, made me feel like I was there. Kerry McGinnis writes the perfect Australian outback experience, and this one was no exception. She was awarded the Order of the Outback in 2022 for her work in promoting the bush. Highly recommended.
Arriving at Bloodwood Creek and booking into the local pub, Emily wasn't sure where to begin with her search of the area. And she was shocked when her ex-husband Ben arrived at the pub after talking to her father, determined to either take her home, or help her in the hunt for Aspen. But attempts on Emily's life made them both aware that they were getting close and someone didn't want them to find her. They couldn't come up with a "why" though, so continued on with the search. Would they find Emily's cousin? And could they discover why someone was after Em?
Bloodwood Creek is another exceptional read by Aussie author Kerry McGinnis which I devoured. Beautifully written, the verbal descriptions of an area I haven't been to, made me feel like I was there. Kerry McGinnis writes the perfect Australian outback experience, and this one was no exception. She was awarded the Order of the Outback in 2022 for her work in promoting the bush. Highly recommended.
January 17, 2024
3.5★
When Emily finds out her cousin has gone missing she sets off on the first available flight to the Northern Territory hoping she will find her. Shortly after Emily arrives she discovers there is a killer on the loose in the Outback Darwin dubbed The Outback Killer.
Trying to find her cousin in a remote area is proving to be more difficult than, Emily first thought would be. Then suddenly things take a turn for the worse and Emily finds her life is in danger and she begins to fear for her life. Will Emily find her missing cousin whilst trying to keep herself safe at the same time?
Bloodwood Creek by Aussie author Kerry McGinnis was an enjoyable read.
When Emily finds out her cousin has gone missing she sets off on the first available flight to the Northern Territory hoping she will find her. Shortly after Emily arrives she discovers there is a killer on the loose in the Outback Darwin dubbed The Outback Killer.
Trying to find her cousin in a remote area is proving to be more difficult than, Emily first thought would be. Then suddenly things take a turn for the worse and Emily finds her life is in danger and she begins to fear for her life. Will Emily find her missing cousin whilst trying to keep herself safe at the same time?
Bloodwood Creek by Aussie author Kerry McGinnis was an enjoyable read.
April 24, 2025
*https://www.instagram.com/mrsb_book_r...
🩸Bloodwood Creek is a 2023 published title that I received for a review via Penguin Books Australia. In her fourteenth novel, Kerry McGinnis presents a tale of the risks involved when you open yourself up to the wilds landscape of Australia’s top end, with a killer at large. Unforgiving, lawless and intense, Bloodwood Creek was a solid read from the start to finish.
🩸I read Bloodwood Creek by Kerry McGinnis as a buddy read with one of my faves @bmichie. This one took both of us to some dark areas of our country’s north, providing a gripping read for almost the entire duration. Compared to some of McGinnis’s earlier works which I have had the pleasure of reading, this one features more crime and suspense elements and I enjoyed that shift in tone.
🩸Set in Darwin and the Top End, the book paints a vivid picture of the land depicting the true and untamed beauty of the region. McGinnis brings our nation’s unique setting to life with her generous descriptions of the native flora, fauna and the unforgiving environment. This helped to compound the pressure of the events of this tale.
🩸The strongest aspect of this tale was Emily's relentless search for her missing cousin Aspen. Emily’s compassionate journey is filled with unpredictability and tension. While I did find the middle of the book does dip and lag a little, the overall experience makes it worth persisting. The conclusion is satisfying and wraps things up in a way that feels very natural and expected.
🩸There are an array of themes that are integrated within this novel. Bloodwood creek’s narrative touches on estrangement, fractured family relationships, trauma, abuse (both emotional and substance-related), and isolation. There is also a strong presence of alternative lifestyles, off-grid living, and the dangers that come with lawlessness and remote communities. Opportunities to explore your wilder side, disappearances and killers on the run add a sinister undercurrent to McGinnis’ novel.
Bloodwood Creek was definitely one of the more compelling and darker entries from Kerry McGinnis and I really appreciated the edgier approach. 4 stars 🌟 🌟🌟🌟
🙏A big thank you to @bmichie for reading this one with me as a part of a buddy read. I didn’t know where this one was headed, so it was good to have Brooke on call to discuss this book.
Opportunities to explore your wilder side, disappearances and killers on the run add a sinister undercurrent to McGinnis’ novel.
🩸Bloodwood Creek is a 2023 published title that I received for a review via Penguin Books Australia. In her fourteenth novel, Kerry McGinnis presents a tale of the risks involved when you open yourself up to the wilds landscape of Australia’s top end, with a killer at large. Unforgiving, lawless and intense, Bloodwood Creek was a solid read from the start to finish.
🩸I read Bloodwood Creek by Kerry McGinnis as a buddy read with one of my faves @bmichie. This one took both of us to some dark areas of our country’s north, providing a gripping read for almost the entire duration. Compared to some of McGinnis’s earlier works which I have had the pleasure of reading, this one features more crime and suspense elements and I enjoyed that shift in tone.
🩸Set in Darwin and the Top End, the book paints a vivid picture of the land depicting the true and untamed beauty of the region. McGinnis brings our nation’s unique setting to life with her generous descriptions of the native flora, fauna and the unforgiving environment. This helped to compound the pressure of the events of this tale.
🩸The strongest aspect of this tale was Emily's relentless search for her missing cousin Aspen. Emily’s compassionate journey is filled with unpredictability and tension. While I did find the middle of the book does dip and lag a little, the overall experience makes it worth persisting. The conclusion is satisfying and wraps things up in a way that feels very natural and expected.
🩸There are an array of themes that are integrated within this novel. Bloodwood creek’s narrative touches on estrangement, fractured family relationships, trauma, abuse (both emotional and substance-related), and isolation. There is also a strong presence of alternative lifestyles, off-grid living, and the dangers that come with lawlessness and remote communities. Opportunities to explore your wilder side, disappearances and killers on the run add a sinister undercurrent to McGinnis’ novel.
Bloodwood Creek was definitely one of the more compelling and darker entries from Kerry McGinnis and I really appreciated the edgier approach. 4 stars 🌟 🌟🌟🌟
🙏A big thank you to @bmichie for reading this one with me as a part of a buddy read. I didn’t know where this one was headed, so it was good to have Brooke on call to discuss this book.
Opportunities to explore your wilder side, disappearances and killers on the run add a sinister undercurrent to McGinnis’ novel.
July 7, 2023
Thank you Penguin Australia for sending me a copy of this book for review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book set in Northern Territory . You can picture the landscape. One of my favourite tropes is missing people. This book revolves around one. Told by the POV of Emily who is searching for her missing cousin Aspen.
I would call this one a mixed bag with a bit of everything in it, such as:
* Serial Killer
* Attempted Murder
* Psychic Predictions
* Second Chance Romance
* Arson
This book ended superbly and I cant wait to read the other 14 books she has written.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book set in Northern Territory . You can picture the landscape. One of my favourite tropes is missing people. This book revolves around one. Told by the POV of Emily who is searching for her missing cousin Aspen.
I would call this one a mixed bag with a bit of everything in it, such as:
* Serial Killer
* Attempted Murder
* Psychic Predictions
* Second Chance Romance
* Arson
This book ended superbly and I cant wait to read the other 14 books she has written.
August 14, 2023
1.5 stars. Absolutely ridiculous. I ended up skimming the 2nd half and it somehow became dumber and dumber until . 🤮
December 7, 2025
“Bloodwood Creek” is a spectacular mess of a novel. Utter crap, start to finish. The kind of book that has you muttering “oh, for fuck's sake” every five pages as it trips over its own logic. I’ve read shopping lists with more narrative coherence.
The prose is a crime scene. Every sentence is swollen with adjectives like a poisonous toad ready to pop. It’s massively overwritten, an absolute orgy of pointless description, as if McGinnis were haunted by the fear that readers might not understand how very red the red dirt is. No-one talks like this. Not in Darwin, not anywhere.
I’m not going to mince words. This book is trite, geographically confused, and dead boring. A total failure disguised as a mystery. It reads like the rough draft of a bodice-ripper churned out by someone who has never set foot in the Northern Territory, possibly never left their lounge, and definitely never met a functioning adult human. If the book had a smell, it would be hot milk left out on a windowsill. Vaguely familiar, slightly curdled, absolutely unwanted.
The sad thing is the premise could have worked. A vet searching for her missing, almost absurdly beautiful cousin in the outback? Sure, why not. Except McGinnis drops the ball so hard it goes straight through the Earth’s crust. The only thing keeping this book upright is the simple fact she managed to finish it. Given the quality, that must have taken monastic discipline or supernatural stubbornness. And yes, credit to me for finishing this pile of shit. I deserve a medal, or at least a stiff drink.
The so-called mystery? Forget it. It disintegrates instantly into a bad romance. A truly nauseating, saccharine, Mills & Boon-style reunion with Emily’s estranged husband, Ben. It’s a colossal bait-and-switch. One minute we’re meant to fear a killer in the scrub, the next we’re neck-deep in emotional slop so thick you could mortar bricks with it. Aspen might be missing, maybe dead, but who cares, Ben has turned up with a soulful look and a tragic backstory. Spare me.
Emily herself is an immediate write-off. She lands in the NT as an independent vet and then instantly transforms into a submissive, dithering puddle of neediness. Her detective skills are a joke. She spends the entire book drinking coffee, flashing Aspen’s photo at randoms, and searching in places she knows her cousin wouldn’t have gone. It’s investigative work so lazy it borders on performance art. I hit page 115 and realised she had made zero progress. Not slow burn. Absolute stagnation.
And the research? Christ on a bicycle. It’s painfully sloppy. Basic geography is wrong. Timeline is wrong. Simple facts are wrong. I was physically wincing, like someone had stabbed me with a compass point dipped in bullshit. The anachronisms are so bizarre they take on a kind of eldritch quality, as if the book exists in a parallel universe where nothing works properly.
Then there’s Aspen, the “beautiful cousin,” whose only personality trait is being so stunning she might cause aircraft to crash. The book treats her beauty with such reverence it becomes grotesque, a talisman waved around to justify Emily’s leap to the “white slavers” theory. Yes, white slavers. My soul left my body at that point.
And the serial killer subplot? Utterly infuriating. A red herring so undercooked it’s basically sushi.
“There’s a serial killer.”
“They haven’t caught him.”
“He was seen buying Twisties at a servo somewhere.”
Then at the end: “Oh, never mind, they caught him. Nothing to do with anything.”
This isn’t plotting. This is someone mumbling through a story they barely remember.
As for Rick’s relationship with Maria or Aspen or whatever tangled nonsense the book wants us to accept, it’s gross. Full stop. The kind of slimy, toxic dynamic the narrative tries to wave away like a fart in an elevator.
By the final chapters, I was running on spite alone. “Bloodwood Creek” is a catastrophic misfire. A failure of research, characterisation, pacing, logic, and taste. It genuinely made me question how this thing got published. Then it gave me hope, because if this can make it to print, we’re all in with a fighting chance.
One and a half stars. Only because it didn’t actively burst into flames while I was reading it.
The prose is a crime scene. Every sentence is swollen with adjectives like a poisonous toad ready to pop. It’s massively overwritten, an absolute orgy of pointless description, as if McGinnis were haunted by the fear that readers might not understand how very red the red dirt is. No-one talks like this. Not in Darwin, not anywhere.
I’m not going to mince words. This book is trite, geographically confused, and dead boring. A total failure disguised as a mystery. It reads like the rough draft of a bodice-ripper churned out by someone who has never set foot in the Northern Territory, possibly never left their lounge, and definitely never met a functioning adult human. If the book had a smell, it would be hot milk left out on a windowsill. Vaguely familiar, slightly curdled, absolutely unwanted.
The sad thing is the premise could have worked. A vet searching for her missing, almost absurdly beautiful cousin in the outback? Sure, why not. Except McGinnis drops the ball so hard it goes straight through the Earth’s crust. The only thing keeping this book upright is the simple fact she managed to finish it. Given the quality, that must have taken monastic discipline or supernatural stubbornness. And yes, credit to me for finishing this pile of shit. I deserve a medal, or at least a stiff drink.
The so-called mystery? Forget it. It disintegrates instantly into a bad romance. A truly nauseating, saccharine, Mills & Boon-style reunion with Emily’s estranged husband, Ben. It’s a colossal bait-and-switch. One minute we’re meant to fear a killer in the scrub, the next we’re neck-deep in emotional slop so thick you could mortar bricks with it. Aspen might be missing, maybe dead, but who cares, Ben has turned up with a soulful look and a tragic backstory. Spare me.
Emily herself is an immediate write-off. She lands in the NT as an independent vet and then instantly transforms into a submissive, dithering puddle of neediness. Her detective skills are a joke. She spends the entire book drinking coffee, flashing Aspen’s photo at randoms, and searching in places she knows her cousin wouldn’t have gone. It’s investigative work so lazy it borders on performance art. I hit page 115 and realised she had made zero progress. Not slow burn. Absolute stagnation.
And the research? Christ on a bicycle. It’s painfully sloppy. Basic geography is wrong. Timeline is wrong. Simple facts are wrong. I was physically wincing, like someone had stabbed me with a compass point dipped in bullshit. The anachronisms are so bizarre they take on a kind of eldritch quality, as if the book exists in a parallel universe where nothing works properly.
Then there’s Aspen, the “beautiful cousin,” whose only personality trait is being so stunning she might cause aircraft to crash. The book treats her beauty with such reverence it becomes grotesque, a talisman waved around to justify Emily’s leap to the “white slavers” theory. Yes, white slavers. My soul left my body at that point.
And the serial killer subplot? Utterly infuriating. A red herring so undercooked it’s basically sushi.
“There’s a serial killer.”
“They haven’t caught him.”
“He was seen buying Twisties at a servo somewhere.”
Then at the end: “Oh, never mind, they caught him. Nothing to do with anything.”
This isn’t plotting. This is someone mumbling through a story they barely remember.
As for Rick’s relationship with Maria or Aspen or whatever tangled nonsense the book wants us to accept, it’s gross. Full stop. The kind of slimy, toxic dynamic the narrative tries to wave away like a fart in an elevator.
By the final chapters, I was running on spite alone. “Bloodwood Creek” is a catastrophic misfire. A failure of research, characterisation, pacing, logic, and taste. It genuinely made me question how this thing got published. Then it gave me hope, because if this can make it to print, we’re all in with a fighting chance.
One and a half stars. Only because it didn’t actively burst into flames while I was reading it.
September 8, 2023
Thank you Penguin for sending us a copy to read and review.
An exciting and different location, The Northern Territory, is a big, wild and dangerous land.
A place where people can disappear without trace.
The latest by steadfast author Kerry McGinnis has crime at its heart and a location in its soul.
Aspen is on the slightly deviant side of humanity, her disappearance initially not a shock, mixed up with the wrong crowd and she’ll be back was the attitude.
Her cousin Emily is the only one who thinks something untoward has occurred.
The frantic search covers the city of Darwin and the more remote areas.
A violent killer is on a rampage in the region, escalating the fear.
Will they find Aspen?
I have been a fan of this author for sometime and have experienced a range from very good to average in the catalogue.
This was a little beige and has been done before.
The location added interest and this kept my engagement.
It is well written and has a good mystery at its core for the reading sleuths to work out.
An exciting and different location, The Northern Territory, is a big, wild and dangerous land.
A place where people can disappear without trace.
The latest by steadfast author Kerry McGinnis has crime at its heart and a location in its soul.
Aspen is on the slightly deviant side of humanity, her disappearance initially not a shock, mixed up with the wrong crowd and she’ll be back was the attitude.
Her cousin Emily is the only one who thinks something untoward has occurred.
The frantic search covers the city of Darwin and the more remote areas.
A violent killer is on a rampage in the region, escalating the fear.
Will they find Aspen?
I have been a fan of this author for sometime and have experienced a range from very good to average in the catalogue.
This was a little beige and has been done before.
The location added interest and this kept my engagement.
It is well written and has a good mystery at its core for the reading sleuths to work out.
October 20, 2023
Another great Aussie crime thriller
October 19, 2024
Bloodwood Creek is an excellent mystery by Kerry McGinnis set in the beautiful centre of the Northern Territory. Emily promises her aunty that before she dies, she will find her daughter Aspen, who disappeared three months before. Emily takes time off work to keep her promises and starts her road trip in Darwin. On arrival at Tennant Creek, Emily finds her ex-husband, Ben, a person she never thought she would see again. With the murder on the loose media calling "The Outback Killer", Ben and Emily joined forces to find Aspen. However, they soon realise that someone did not want Emily to find Aspen. The readers of Bloodwood Creek will continue to follow Emily and Ben to discover what happens.
Bloodwood Creek, another masterful creation by Kerry McGinnis, is a mystery that grips you from the first page. Once again, Kerry McGinnis weaves a tale that draws you in, making it impossible to put the book down. I love Kerry McGinnis's portrayal of her characters and how they intertwine throughout this book. Bloodwood Creek is well-written and researched. I like Kerry McGinnis's description of her settings, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of Bloodwood Creek will learn about the beautiful North territory countryside. Also, the readers of Bloodwood Creek will learn about the problem law enforcement faces in finding killers loose in rural North Territory countryside.
I recommend this book.
Bloodwood Creek, another masterful creation by Kerry McGinnis, is a mystery that grips you from the first page. Once again, Kerry McGinnis weaves a tale that draws you in, making it impossible to put the book down. I love Kerry McGinnis's portrayal of her characters and how they intertwine throughout this book. Bloodwood Creek is well-written and researched. I like Kerry McGinnis's description of her settings, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of Bloodwood Creek will learn about the beautiful North territory countryside. Also, the readers of Bloodwood Creek will learn about the problem law enforcement faces in finding killers loose in rural North Territory countryside.
I recommend this book.
August 14, 2023
Bloodwood Creek is about Emily's search for her missing cousin. Aspen hasn't been in contact with any of her family for over four months, and Emily promised Aspen's dying mother that she'd try to find her in the Northern Territory.
When I first finished this book, my thoughts were largely "meh, okay but nothing special". But the more I thought about it, the more things started to annoy me.
Firstly, the tag line on the cover: "There's an outback killer on the loose..." This had almost nothing to do with the story. It was a complete aside. While Emily was driving around the NT in search of her cousin, there was talk of a serial killer being on the loose. But Emily never encountered him, and it all got resolved without any impact on the main storyline.
Secondly, when Emily started asking people at hotels, rest stops, etc, if they'd seen Aspen, someone started trying to kill her. Three failed attempts. This made no sense whatsoever. It turned out that the person trying to kill Emily was also trying to find Aspen, and killing Emily wouldn't have helped him do that.
Then there was the most bungled police sting operation ever and the fact that the first 50% of the book was just driving around the outbank trying to find someone. Like that was ever going to be successful. Except it was! In the end, Aspen was found by accident!!
There are so many good Australian crime/thrillers. I can't give this one more than 2 stars.
When I first finished this book, my thoughts were largely "meh, okay but nothing special". But the more I thought about it, the more things started to annoy me.
Firstly, the tag line on the cover: "There's an outback killer on the loose..." This had almost nothing to do with the story. It was a complete aside. While Emily was driving around the NT in search of her cousin, there was talk of a serial killer being on the loose. But Emily never encountered him, and it all got resolved without any impact on the main storyline.
Secondly, when Emily started asking people at hotels, rest stops, etc, if they'd seen Aspen, someone started trying to kill her. Three failed attempts. This made no sense whatsoever. It turned out that the person trying to kill Emily was also trying to find Aspen, and killing Emily wouldn't have helped him do that.
Then there was the most bungled police sting operation ever and the fact that the first 50% of the book was just driving around the outbank trying to find someone. Like that was ever going to be successful. Except it was! In the end, Aspen was found by accident!!
There are so many good Australian crime/thrillers. I can't give this one more than 2 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2025
Emily, in a letter from her deceased aunt, is tasked with finding her cousin Aspen, who has been missing for four months.
After losing Aspen's trail in Alice Springs Emily heads to Darwin, files a Missing Persons report and after a lacklustre response from the NT Police, decides to search for her cousin on her own.
But as she heads south, questioning people & flashing Aspen's photo, Emily discovers that she's not the only one interested in finding Aspen. And whoever else is looking for her is more than happy to hurt Emily in their search.
There's always a chance that reading a book set somewhere you are familiar with can go terribly wrong. And unfortunately that was the case with Bloodwood Creek for me. Within the first few pages of the book, Kerry lost me as she mentions a 7-Eleven, blokes drinking Fourex and an Hyundai Getz.
There's no 7-Eleven in Darwin now and there certainly wasn't in 1995, XXXX is never written out nor was it the beer of choice in the NT at the time and the Hyundai Getz didn't exist. Add to that the two MC drink coffee like it's going out of fashion, Emily is a vet and she mentions skunks and bears, the use of the word ranch for a station; there are just too many mistakes.
Then there's the non-event serial killer and the fact that the 300kms between Darwin and Katherine is not the Outback and what could have been a cracking story falls very short.
After losing Aspen's trail in Alice Springs Emily heads to Darwin, files a Missing Persons report and after a lacklustre response from the NT Police, decides to search for her cousin on her own.
But as she heads south, questioning people & flashing Aspen's photo, Emily discovers that she's not the only one interested in finding Aspen. And whoever else is looking for her is more than happy to hurt Emily in their search.
There's always a chance that reading a book set somewhere you are familiar with can go terribly wrong. And unfortunately that was the case with Bloodwood Creek for me. Within the first few pages of the book, Kerry lost me as she mentions a 7-Eleven, blokes drinking Fourex and an Hyundai Getz.
There's no 7-Eleven in Darwin now and there certainly wasn't in 1995, XXXX is never written out nor was it the beer of choice in the NT at the time and the Hyundai Getz didn't exist. Add to that the two MC drink coffee like it's going out of fashion, Emily is a vet and she mentions skunks and bears, the use of the word ranch for a station; there are just too many mistakes.
Then there's the non-event serial killer and the fact that the 300kms between Darwin and Katherine is not the Outback and what could have been a cracking story falls very short.
March 20, 2024
More of a trite romance than mystery, how many times do these characters get coffee? Lots if searching for Aspin .. showing her photo but no one has seen her. This happens for most of the book…. Boring … goes nowhere. Don’t bother… how did this get published?.
August 15, 2023
I found this book very 'beige'.
Certainly not as good as some her others but 'it is what it is '!!!
Certainly not as good as some her others but 'it is what it is '!!!
May 14, 2024
DNF’d this one at the 50% mark, unfortunately.
Our main character Emily Fisher is looking for her missing cousin, Aspen. As the story is set in 1995, we can't just use the magic of the internet to find her. Emily has no idea where to start looking for her cousin, other than she heard she’d gone to the Northern Territory. “When I was fairly certain she was making for Alice Springs, I took a fortnight off and flew there myself. Then I got a list of every place offering accommodation and set out to visit them all.” (p37) Even in 1995 wouldn’t you call first?
The amount of times Aspen was referred to as beautiful, actually made me physically flinch. It was essentially her only description and Emily just cannot believe that a person as beautiful as her cousin, could go missing without being noticed. On account of she is SO BEAUTIFUL.
The Northern Territory is such a big place to search & Emily seems to focus on places that Aspen would never step foot in (from her seemingly limited knowledge). “I still couldn’t see any of that interesting Aspen, but I would need to check it out.” (p15). Why?? She has no idea if Aspen was in a current relationship, what car she drives, or what might motivate her to go off-grid. “I couldn’t think of a place less likely to appeal to Aspen – but it was all I could come up with just then.” (p44).
By page 41 Emily is already assuming that Aspen has been taken by the white slavers – “I mean, she’s so beautiful, so blonde. Aren’t the men in some countries supposed to have a thing about blondes?” (p41)
My dislike and disbelief for the main character was cemented on page 53 when she chose the fish over the roast dinner just to spite her ex-husband who is there for no reason. They’d been separated with no contact for 7 years, and Ben turns up in the NT because he’s been keeping tabs on her through her family. Ew. Emily immediately goes from being her own person to a submissive fawning mess. Gross. He’s bossy and controlling and I think this is meant to come across as protective and sweet. He’s “changed” – who cares. Get in the bin, Ben.
At one point Emily gets stabbed at a market (p104) while asking around after Aspen. I have no idea who’d care enough at this point to want to stab her, or ‘put her off the scent’ as she has made zero progress or discoveries, still looking for Aspen in places she’d never go on page 115. Apparently they find some luck here though and the reception woman remembers her from Febuary.
The author has quite a few other books, and I'm sure there's an audience for this one - but not for me, sadly.
https://fishbirdcentral.com
Our main character Emily Fisher is looking for her missing cousin, Aspen. As the story is set in 1995, we can't just use the magic of the internet to find her. Emily has no idea where to start looking for her cousin, other than she heard she’d gone to the Northern Territory. “When I was fairly certain she was making for Alice Springs, I took a fortnight off and flew there myself. Then I got a list of every place offering accommodation and set out to visit them all.” (p37) Even in 1995 wouldn’t you call first?
The amount of times Aspen was referred to as beautiful, actually made me physically flinch. It was essentially her only description and Emily just cannot believe that a person as beautiful as her cousin, could go missing without being noticed. On account of she is SO BEAUTIFUL.
The Northern Territory is such a big place to search & Emily seems to focus on places that Aspen would never step foot in (from her seemingly limited knowledge). “I still couldn’t see any of that interesting Aspen, but I would need to check it out.” (p15). Why?? She has no idea if Aspen was in a current relationship, what car she drives, or what might motivate her to go off-grid. “I couldn’t think of a place less likely to appeal to Aspen – but it was all I could come up with just then.” (p44).
By page 41 Emily is already assuming that Aspen has been taken by the white slavers – “I mean, she’s so beautiful, so blonde. Aren’t the men in some countries supposed to have a thing about blondes?” (p41)
My dislike and disbelief for the main character was cemented on page 53 when she chose the fish over the roast dinner just to spite her ex-husband who is there for no reason. They’d been separated with no contact for 7 years, and Ben turns up in the NT because he’s been keeping tabs on her through her family. Ew. Emily immediately goes from being her own person to a submissive fawning mess. Gross. He’s bossy and controlling and I think this is meant to come across as protective and sweet. He’s “changed” – who cares. Get in the bin, Ben.
At one point Emily gets stabbed at a market (p104) while asking around after Aspen. I have no idea who’d care enough at this point to want to stab her, or ‘put her off the scent’ as she has made zero progress or discoveries, still looking for Aspen in places she’d never go on page 115. Apparently they find some luck here though and the reception woman remembers her from Febuary.
The author has quite a few other books, and I'm sure there's an audience for this one - but not for me, sadly.
https://fishbirdcentral.com
October 3, 2024
Some parts felt too rushed/condensed, and stretched credulity, but the end was much stronger than the beginning and I liked the remote Australian setting. Good audiobook reader.
Thanks to LibroFM for the review copy.
Thanks to LibroFM for the review copy.
May 20, 2025
Boring. No suspense or surprise. Doesn’t make me want to read her other books.
September 19, 2023
The local Northern Territory colour was nice but the plotting was lazy. Too many worn-out crime fiction tropes - blood diamonds, white slavery, an outback killer, a fortune-teller who sees the truth, a victim with amnesia.... It's a quick holiday read and a bit of fun but nothing special.
I should add that if you set a novel in the 90s, it's important to get the detail right. I'm not the only person who's going to get frustrated by the anachronisms. The Hyundai Getz the main character hires on page three wasn't released until 2002.
I should add that if you set a novel in the 90s, it's important to get the detail right. I'm not the only person who's going to get frustrated by the anachronisms. The Hyundai Getz the main character hires on page three wasn't released until 2002.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2025
Refreshing to read a book from my home country. Being familiar with the locations and country lifestyle added weight to my overall rating. I did find the book had a lot of, what I call page fillers. Not really adding much to the overall storyline. However, the closing chapters certainly bought it all together. I’m interested to read more from Kerry McGinnis.
October 17, 2024
Oh dear. Australian detective fiction meets Mills & Boon. Woman vet hunts for her cousin who has disappeared and her estranged (and now miraculously reformed) husband pops up to help, be manly, save the day and sweep her off her feet. Snort!
October 2, 2023
Could have been good but it all just got a bit silly and confused.
September 20, 2024
Felt like it had been lying in the author’s bottom drawer for twenty years and dug out to make a few bucks. NT parks and wildlife hardly mentioned. Disappointing.
January 9, 2025
I only made it halfway through before I decided to look at the reviews here and in doing so realised I probably wouldn't be able to finish this book. I have several problems with it that started straight away and didn't improve.
For a start...looking for someone willy nilly between Alice Springs and Darwin, thinking you'll just take a week off and find someone no one's spoken to for months without any police resources is ridiculous. You would be just asking randoms everyone if they've seen someone which they seem to do throughout the book.
The next problem is the constant discussion about how good-looking these characters are. It very quickly just puts you in eye-roll fantasy land and makes them into caricatures, not real people.
The relationship between the two main characters is also pretty silly. He starts out mean and dismissive and continues to be condescending throughout, but 'he's changed'. Give me a break.
Not only that but as a Vet Nurse who lived in Armidale for 7 years, there's absolutely no way on earth that this woman didn't know her ex-husband was living there. It's a very small down and vets know everyone. Given my own life resemblance to this characters' you'd think i'd find her relatable but she was a bit prissy and unpractical, something I've never known a country vet to be. The idea that she just looks after the little house dogs and mourns the children's pets with them is a pretty ridiculous idea of life as a woman in a Rural vet practice. None of the Rural Women Vets I know would require a man to come and save them, and that's exactly the impression this story gives.
Someone trying to murder the MC makes no sense at all the entire time, because she doesn't actually KNOW anything. She's just wandering in the bush hoping to bump into her cousin. After reading the reviews and seeing that the story doesn't even seem to end well, I just flicked through and sure enough...Amnesia? Really ? I'm DNFing this one.
For a start...looking for someone willy nilly between Alice Springs and Darwin, thinking you'll just take a week off and find someone no one's spoken to for months without any police resources is ridiculous. You would be just asking randoms everyone if they've seen someone which they seem to do throughout the book.
The next problem is the constant discussion about how good-looking these characters are. It very quickly just puts you in eye-roll fantasy land and makes them into caricatures, not real people.
The relationship between the two main characters is also pretty silly. He starts out mean and dismissive and continues to be condescending throughout, but 'he's changed'. Give me a break.
Not only that but as a Vet Nurse who lived in Armidale for 7 years, there's absolutely no way on earth that this woman didn't know her ex-husband was living there. It's a very small down and vets know everyone. Given my own life resemblance to this characters' you'd think i'd find her relatable but she was a bit prissy and unpractical, something I've never known a country vet to be. The idea that she just looks after the little house dogs and mourns the children's pets with them is a pretty ridiculous idea of life as a woman in a Rural vet practice. None of the Rural Women Vets I know would require a man to come and save them, and that's exactly the impression this story gives.
Someone trying to murder the MC makes no sense at all the entire time, because she doesn't actually KNOW anything. She's just wandering in the bush hoping to bump into her cousin. After reading the reviews and seeing that the story doesn't even seem to end well, I just flicked through and sure enough...Amnesia? Really ? I'm DNFing this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2023
With an outback killer on the loose Emily Fisher sets off to the Northern Territory searching for her missing cousin and gets more than she bargained for. She arrives at Bloodwood Creek where her ex-husband turns up, as her father was worried about her and sent him up so she wouldn't be alone. She has several attempts on her life, but can't work out why. They have people following them and very little proof that her cousin has been in the area. The last attempt on her life nearly kills her and she is flown to hospital for months.
The driver of the car who tried to get her was shot and later died. This triggered an inquest so Emily and Ben go up for the inquest. Being back up north triggers more things to happen and they eventually find out why.
Of course I am not going to tell you, you'll need to read this book for the answers. By the way, well worth the read.
The driver of the car who tried to get her was shot and later died. This triggered an inquest so Emily and Ben go up for the inquest. Being back up north triggers more things to happen and they eventually find out why.
Of course I am not going to tell you, you'll need to read this book for the answers. By the way, well worth the read.
December 18, 2023
Set in the Northern Territory of Australia, this thriller has a criminal gang seeking diamonds worth millions. And, of course, they don’t care who they kill or injure along the way in their cause to get them.
Our heroine, a vet called Emily has no idea of this when she goes searching for her long lost cousin, the beautiful Aspen. There are plenty of narrow escapes along the way for Emily, but, you know she will win out in the end. I must admit that all the improbabilities added up to a fanciful story for me. And the sudden appearance of Emily’s estranged husband near the start just about made me finish right there. Although he becomes essential to the final outcome, I did not want him there and thought the controlling Ben detracted from the tale. So, no more than three stars from me.
Our heroine, a vet called Emily has no idea of this when she goes searching for her long lost cousin, the beautiful Aspen. There are plenty of narrow escapes along the way for Emily, but, you know she will win out in the end. I must admit that all the improbabilities added up to a fanciful story for me. And the sudden appearance of Emily’s estranged husband near the start just about made me finish right there. Although he becomes essential to the final outcome, I did not want him there and thought the controlling Ben detracted from the tale. So, no more than three stars from me.
February 4, 2024
Extremely fast paced. I listened to the audiobook version which was done very well. I could tell right away that I was going to be sucked in.
Practically a wild goose chase looking for by Aspen, Emily’s cousin who has gone missing. Emily has a bad feeling about what has happened to Aspen and is determined to search for her on her own. Even though Aspen has a history of being a bit of a wild child along with drug abuse that doesn’t stop Emily’s determination to track her cousin down. Emily takes some time off work at her vet clinic and heads to the Northern Territory on her own. She plans to hit up all the tourist areas and stops with a photo of Aspen to try and get a timeline and idea where she may have gone. Her ex husband turns up during the search after he contacted Emily’s dad and he told him where she was and what she was up to. You can tell how hesitant Emily is being around her ex and tries to opt for separate hotel rooms and acting like she can do everything on her own (until she escapes death twice thanks to her ex who then vows she is not allowed out of his sight.)
Meanwhile there’s a violent killer on the loose being sensationalized as “The Outback Killer” in the same area of their search. Many near death escapes, a local psychic who runs away in fear of what she saw, a car on their tail, hospital stays, home break-ins, undercover work, evading capture, reconnections and a hell of a lot more non-stop action. If you’re like me, you will finish in one day.
Practically a wild goose chase looking for by Aspen, Emily’s cousin who has gone missing. Emily has a bad feeling about what has happened to Aspen and is determined to search for her on her own. Even though Aspen has a history of being a bit of a wild child along with drug abuse that doesn’t stop Emily’s determination to track her cousin down. Emily takes some time off work at her vet clinic and heads to the Northern Territory on her own. She plans to hit up all the tourist areas and stops with a photo of Aspen to try and get a timeline and idea where she may have gone. Her ex husband turns up during the search after he contacted Emily’s dad and he told him where she was and what she was up to. You can tell how hesitant Emily is being around her ex and tries to opt for separate hotel rooms and acting like she can do everything on her own (until she escapes death twice thanks to her ex who then vows she is not allowed out of his sight.)
Meanwhile there’s a violent killer on the loose being sensationalized as “The Outback Killer” in the same area of their search. Many near death escapes, a local psychic who runs away in fear of what she saw, a car on their tail, hospital stays, home break-ins, undercover work, evading capture, reconnections and a hell of a lot more non-stop action. If you’re like me, you will finish in one day.
January 10, 2024
Not much to say here that doesn't speak for itself once you're read the book. Just a plain fun romantic mystery, predictable and a good weekend read when you are after something light and a bit adventurous. The characters, although their dialogue sounded very stylised, were otherwise well realised. After some of the so-called thrillers I've read this year, it nice to settle down with an engaging mystery that had an actual plot, and get a glimpse into rural life.
May 1, 2025
Missing woman, cuzzie searching assisted by ex hubby (ex for 7 years) so let's hire a car, venture into the faraway places where only SUVs should venture... survive three murder attempts and still take time to do some tourist attractions between searching or being killed - highly implausible - why did I even finish it? I even found the cuzzie before they did - oh yes - they fell in love again and got pregnant - how naff !!!!
December 25, 2025
🎧 Audiobook
Read the other 1 star reviews... It's all been said!
The audiobook narration is also painful but maybe more on account of the stilted writing and bad dialogue than anything...maybe...
Writers and editors need to read their books aloud and narrators need to pre-read sections to get the word spacing and emphasis correct. That would hopefully prevent some woeful offerings from being published or narrated badly, or at all.
Read the other 1 star reviews... It's all been said!
The audiobook narration is also painful but maybe more on account of the stilted writing and bad dialogue than anything...maybe...
Writers and editors need to read their books aloud and narrators need to pre-read sections to get the word spacing and emphasis correct. That would hopefully prevent some woeful offerings from being published or narrated badly, or at all.
June 5, 2024
A missing relative sets Emily on a mission to find her, somewhere in the Northern Territory of Australia. After an attempt on her life, Emily realises she has bitten off more than she can chew. The first thing Emily 'finds' is her ex-husband, Ben who joins in the search and together they slowly uncover what happened to Aspen.
September 24, 2024
Not a bad storyline. interesting that these people earn enough money to travel back and forth across the country not once, not twice but three times. Yes woman should not travel in the centre of Australia on their own. and Kerry made this couple sound like they were in their later years of life, not middle aged at all.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews