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The Jack Paige Mysteries #1
Gemtown
GREAT AUSSIE BUSH NOIR CRIME - IF YOU LIKE CHRIS HAMMER, JANE HARPER AND GARRY DISHER, YOU'LL PROBABLY LOVE THIS LACONIC QUEENSLANDER.
Private Investigator Jack Paige's return to Gemtown was supposed to be routine. Yet what he finds shocks even this unflappable ex-Special Forces Prosecutor: murder, corruption and entrenched interests trying to shaft him. Yet again!
Deep in the Australian outback, Elisabeth Lambert, an acclaimed Hollywood actress, returns unannounced to Gemtown but is brutally murdered in the Sapphire Artesian Resort soon afterwards.
Jack Paige has returned to settle his parents estate and exonerate his brother for a murder committed many years before. Shocked by the death of his childhood sweetheart, he vows to find her killer. Yet every move the laconic Queenslander makes is thwarted by the entrenched interests of the O’Donohue’s, ruthless rulers of this town for over a century.
Feeling the direct might of the establishment, Jack is arrested for the murder. When a young man confesses to the crime, Jack is exonerated but he questions the confession, believing it to be part of a wider conspiracy. Teaming with Detective Jessica Small, they embark on a mission to find those responsible, knowing it will lay bare the dark underbelly of this town. Including two previous cold murder cases.
Pursuing their targets, Jack and Jess discover that a missing computer hard drive may hold vital clues in solving the crime. Relentlessly pursuing this crucial evidence, Jack and Jess are frustrated by political, mining and commercial interests at every turn. It is unclear how far these dark forces will go to keep their secrets safe, but one thing is clear. They intend to do so. At any cost.
Can Jack and Jess find the justice they demand?
First in the Jack Paige Mystery series, this novel will have you guessing until the very end!
Private Investigator Jack Paige's return to Gemtown was supposed to be routine. Yet what he finds shocks even this unflappable ex-Special Forces Prosecutor: murder, corruption and entrenched interests trying to shaft him. Yet again!
Deep in the Australian outback, Elisabeth Lambert, an acclaimed Hollywood actress, returns unannounced to Gemtown but is brutally murdered in the Sapphire Artesian Resort soon afterwards.
Jack Paige has returned to settle his parents estate and exonerate his brother for a murder committed many years before. Shocked by the death of his childhood sweetheart, he vows to find her killer. Yet every move the laconic Queenslander makes is thwarted by the entrenched interests of the O’Donohue’s, ruthless rulers of this town for over a century.
Feeling the direct might of the establishment, Jack is arrested for the murder. When a young man confesses to the crime, Jack is exonerated but he questions the confession, believing it to be part of a wider conspiracy. Teaming with Detective Jessica Small, they embark on a mission to find those responsible, knowing it will lay bare the dark underbelly of this town. Including two previous cold murder cases.
Pursuing their targets, Jack and Jess discover that a missing computer hard drive may hold vital clues in solving the crime. Relentlessly pursuing this crucial evidence, Jack and Jess are frustrated by political, mining and commercial interests at every turn. It is unclear how far these dark forces will go to keep their secrets safe, but one thing is clear. They intend to do so. At any cost.
Can Jack and Jess find the justice they demand?
First in the Jack Paige Mystery series, this novel will have you guessing until the very end!
430 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 9, 2024
20 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 27, 2024
Well this was a pleasant suprise! Set in the Queensland outback and written by an author with a keen eye for detail, great storytelling and the mind of a sleuth detective. Definitely written by someone who knows the town and terrain, someone passionate about their country and fearful of the environmental issues it faces.
Gemtown has all the ingredients of a classic Aussie noir novel, from complex characters to social comment, and heavy doses of intrigue and grit. The town drips with its own desperation as it drags itself from a past that has yoyoed between rags and riches depending on what treasures the land can provide, into a modern tourist driven future. A future rife with environmental threats and outright corruption. A future that's about to experience Jack Paige's return to his hometown, armed with old grudges, new baggage and a faithful Glock.
As the investigation unfolds so the tapestry of the Outback gets knitted into the soul of the story. The characters are wonderful but the stunning visuals Brady provides the reader are even better. The swamp and the birds fascinated me as did the references to the Great Artisian Basin. This is rich and passionate prose as well as a story to absorb and a mystery that will take you on a nail biting journey. An absolute mind feast of a novel!
Only criticism is the way it swings in an out of tenses at times, but then again I was reading an arc so no doubt theses have been ironed out for publication.
Definitely a solid four stars!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Gemtown has all the ingredients of a classic Aussie noir novel, from complex characters to social comment, and heavy doses of intrigue and grit. The town drips with its own desperation as it drags itself from a past that has yoyoed between rags and riches depending on what treasures the land can provide, into a modern tourist driven future. A future rife with environmental threats and outright corruption. A future that's about to experience Jack Paige's return to his hometown, armed with old grudges, new baggage and a faithful Glock.
As the investigation unfolds so the tapestry of the Outback gets knitted into the soul of the story. The characters are wonderful but the stunning visuals Brady provides the reader are even better. The swamp and the birds fascinated me as did the references to the Great Artisian Basin. This is rich and passionate prose as well as a story to absorb and a mystery that will take you on a nail biting journey. An absolute mind feast of a novel!
Only criticism is the way it swings in an out of tenses at times, but then again I was reading an arc so no doubt theses have been ironed out for publication.
Definitely a solid four stars!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 1, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book with it's good story line and fast pace. I had to get used to the Ozzie slang in the beginning but after that it was a rapid, exhilarating ride to the end. Jack Paige is a tough guy with a heart of gold for his friends, a man that never gives up on finding the truth. I loved reading about the places in Australia with it's diverse landscapes, the author's love for his country shone through and made the book come alive. The characters were interesting and some endearing, Gwen with her crosswords, Amy and her birds to mention a few and then there were those that created terror and mayhem.
I look forward to the next book of Jack Paige's as I am sure it will also be an all-nighter read!
I look forward to the next book of Jack Paige's as I am sure it will also be an all-nighter read!
January 31, 2025
Absolutely brilliant read, the characters are really well established and the plot is full of unexpected twists and turns. Brady builds up the quirks of small town life with it's small town people and it's sinister underbelly perfectly. Jack is a wonderfully flawed man who is trying to get to the bottom of the death of one of his old friends and gets drawn into a much bigger web than he could have dreamed of. I found this hard to put down, lots of cliffhangers, lots of red herrings and a well thought out progression of realisations and surprises. Very much up in the top levels of Australian outback town crime fiction. I highly recommend Gemtown
April 21, 2025
Fast paced Aussie crime noir set in a small country town full of characters and all that comes from a small community. Enjoyable read which felt like I was watching an episode of a series. The plot was a little convoluted and heavy on details - but the pace at which it moved kept my interest high. A little ham handed on the Aussie slang - but that is difficult to get right and does depend on the readers attitude to it too. The phonetic representation on 'do you' to ''dye' took some getting used to and was pretty much unnecessary (and also annoying).
My kindle version had typos and letters missing - hoping other editions are better edited.
My kindle version had typos and letters missing - hoping other editions are better edited.
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February 13, 2025Great yarn but....
Please get someone to edit your prose. Bad grammar, mis-spelling, many, many incorrectly used apostrophes (simple plurals don't need them) are errors that detract. Also, switching from past tense to present tense doesn't enhance the story, just makes it sound like excited teenagers talking. "She days, she says, etc."
Please get someone to edit your prose. Bad grammar, mis-spelling, many, many incorrectly used apostrophes (simple plurals don't need them) are errors that detract. Also, switching from past tense to present tense doesn't enhance the story, just makes it sound like excited teenagers talking. "She days, she says, etc."
February 26, 2025
Loved this book. Very atmospheric Aussie Bush Noir, plot is fantastic, I didn't want it to end. The environmental aspect and care is a real feature - things that are very topical. Jack Paige is a great character - laconic and cool, but with an investigators edge. Twists are great. You'll enjoy this all the way thru
Five stars !!!!
Five stars !!!!
December 20, 2024
Overall not a bad story. I don't know if I'd classify it as a thriller per se but it was pretty good. Just needs a lot of work. Grammatical stuff. Other than that, I think it's a good start.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 25, 2025
Great story& characters, &plot. This book is masterfully written, beautiful descriptions &many twists &turns.I would highly recommend this book
October 5, 2025
Enjoyed the story even if a bit complicated at times but the book could have done with some half decent editing. Too many literals which only detract from your read as a whole.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews