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Monsarrat #1
The Soldier's Curse
A fast-paced, witty and gripping historical crime series from Tom Keneally and his eldest daughter Meg.
In the Port Macquarie penal settlement for second offenders, at the edge of the known world, gentleman convict Hugh Monsarrat hungers for freedom. Originally transported for forging documents passing himself off as a lawyer, he is now the trusted clerk of the settlement's commandant.
His position has certain advantages, such as being able to spend time in the Government House kitchen, being supplied with outstanding cups of tea by housekeeper Hannah Mulrooney, who, despite being illiterate, is his most intelligent companion.
Not long after the commandant heads off in search of a rumoured river, his beautiful wife, Honora, falls ill with a sickness the doctor is unable to identify. When Honora dies, it becomes clear she has been slowly poisoned.
Monsarrat and Mrs Mulrooney suspect the commandant's second-in-command, Captain Diamond, a cruel man who shares history with Honora. Then Diamond has Mrs Mulrooney arrested for the murder. Knowing his friend will hang if she is tried, Monsarrat knows he must find the real killer. And so begins The Monsarrat Series, a fast-paced, witty and gripping series from Tom Keneally and his eldest daughter, Meg.
In the Port Macquarie penal settlement for second offenders, at the edge of the known world, gentleman convict Hugh Monsarrat hungers for freedom. Originally transported for forging documents passing himself off as a lawyer, he is now the trusted clerk of the settlement's commandant.
His position has certain advantages, such as being able to spend time in the Government House kitchen, being supplied with outstanding cups of tea by housekeeper Hannah Mulrooney, who, despite being illiterate, is his most intelligent companion.
Not long after the commandant heads off in search of a rumoured river, his beautiful wife, Honora, falls ill with a sickness the doctor is unable to identify. When Honora dies, it becomes clear she has been slowly poisoned.
Monsarrat and Mrs Mulrooney suspect the commandant's second-in-command, Captain Diamond, a cruel man who shares history with Honora. Then Diamond has Mrs Mulrooney arrested for the murder. Knowing his friend will hang if she is tried, Monsarrat knows he must find the real killer. And so begins The Monsarrat Series, a fast-paced, witty and gripping series from Tom Keneally and his eldest daughter, Meg.
361 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2016
50 people are currently reading
533 people want to read
About the author
Meg Keneally
12 books120 followersMeg Keneally started her working life as a junior public affairs officer at the Australian Consulate-General in New York, before moving to Dublin to work as a sub-editor and freelance features writer. On returning to Australia, she joined the Daily Telegraph as a general news reporter, covering everything from courts to crime to animals' birthday parties at the zoo. She then joined Radio 2UE as a talkback radio producer.
In 1997 Meg co-founded a financial service public relations company, which she sold after having her first child. For more than ten years, Margaret has worked in corporate affairs for listed financial services companies, and doubles as a part-time SCUBA diving instructor. She lives in Sydney with her husband Craig and children Rory and Alex.
In 1997 Meg co-founded a financial service public relations company, which she sold after having her first child. For more than ten years, Margaret has worked in corporate affairs for listed financial services companies, and doubles as a part-time SCUBA diving instructor. She lives in Sydney with her husband Craig and children Rory and Alex.
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September 27, 2017
This is superb historical fiction written by Thomas Keneally and his daughter, Meg. It is set in 19th century Australia at Port Macquirie, New South Wales, a penal colony of convicts, soldiers and civil officers. Hugh Llewellyn Monsarrat is convicted of impersonating a barrister in Exeter, a profession beyond his reach, despite his abilities and competence in legal affairs. He manages to avoid being hanged, and is transported instead to Sydney as a convict. After crossing paths with a zealous and malicious church minister, he is located to the penal colony. He finds his indispensable skills being utilised as an administrative clerk by the humane and liberal Commandant of Port Macquirie, Major Angus Shelbourne. The Major's wife, Honora, implements a range of compassionate and progressive initiatives for women and convicts with the support of her husband. The indigenous burpai are often treated as lower than convicts, they are understandably upset at the level of exploitation and abuse of the natural environment. Partly thanks to the efforts of Honora, an uneasy truce exists with them and the colony, with the Barpai often coming to the aid of the incomers.
Major Shelbourne leaves with a party to meet an absconded convict who apparently has come across a new river with fertile territory. The fearsome and cunning Captain Diamond is left in charge, a brutal man with little in the way of humanity. A camaraderie develops between the housekeeper, Hannah Mulrooney, Irish Private, Fergal Slattery and Monsarrat over their daily ritual of tea drinking. Slattery joined the army after his family were evicted by their landowner, and slid into inevitable poverty in Ireland. Honora falls dangerously ill, and slowly deteriorates despite the ministrations of Mrs Mulrooney. Diamond displays his brutal violence with a Irish boy who absconds and turns his attention to Monsarrat, forcing him to give him detailed information on the state of Honora. This raises suspicions in Mrs Mulrooney and Monsarrat as to what lies behind Diamond's interest. Honora dies and it becomes clear that she was poisoned. The Major puts his close ally, Diamond, in charge of finding out the culprit, and he points the finger at Mrs Mulrooney. Monsarrat knows the housekeeper is innocent, and is unwilling to see her hang. Is he right that Diamond is responsible for Honora's murder? Or is someone else behind it?
The novel mixes fact and fiction in this story of life in Port Macquirie as a penal colony in 1825. The hard life of convicts is described in detail, accompanied with a social and political commentary as to how poverty and inequality often lay behind their fate. This is epitomised by Monsarrat, a man denied his career of choice whilst he observes the incompetence of actual practictioners of law, who rely on him to do their work as a gifted clerk. A few years later after the end of this novel, there are massacres of the indigenous Barpai. The horrors and privations of this period in Australian history, with the prevalence of death and injustice, is well documented in the book, as well as the compassion of some figures such as the Major and his wife, Honora. This is brilliant historical fiction that I loved reading. Highly recommended! Many thanks to Oneworld publications for an ARC.
Major Shelbourne leaves with a party to meet an absconded convict who apparently has come across a new river with fertile territory. The fearsome and cunning Captain Diamond is left in charge, a brutal man with little in the way of humanity. A camaraderie develops between the housekeeper, Hannah Mulrooney, Irish Private, Fergal Slattery and Monsarrat over their daily ritual of tea drinking. Slattery joined the army after his family were evicted by their landowner, and slid into inevitable poverty in Ireland. Honora falls dangerously ill, and slowly deteriorates despite the ministrations of Mrs Mulrooney. Diamond displays his brutal violence with a Irish boy who absconds and turns his attention to Monsarrat, forcing him to give him detailed information on the state of Honora. This raises suspicions in Mrs Mulrooney and Monsarrat as to what lies behind Diamond's interest. Honora dies and it becomes clear that she was poisoned. The Major puts his close ally, Diamond, in charge of finding out the culprit, and he points the finger at Mrs Mulrooney. Monsarrat knows the housekeeper is innocent, and is unwilling to see her hang. Is he right that Diamond is responsible for Honora's murder? Or is someone else behind it?
The novel mixes fact and fiction in this story of life in Port Macquirie as a penal colony in 1825. The hard life of convicts is described in detail, accompanied with a social and political commentary as to how poverty and inequality often lay behind their fate. This is epitomised by Monsarrat, a man denied his career of choice whilst he observes the incompetence of actual practictioners of law, who rely on him to do their work as a gifted clerk. A few years later after the end of this novel, there are massacres of the indigenous Barpai. The horrors and privations of this period in Australian history, with the prevalence of death and injustice, is well documented in the book, as well as the compassion of some figures such as the Major and his wife, Honora. This is brilliant historical fiction that I loved reading. Highly recommended! Many thanks to Oneworld publications for an ARC.
April 22, 2019
3.5★
“On the platform was the hangman, like a burned tree in his executioner’s black.”
Port Macquarie, NSW is a popular beach holiday spot these days, but in 1825, it was a miserable penal colony, hemmed in by the ocean and the wilds of the hills, bush, and the Birpai people. It would have been a rotten life for convicts, with the threat of the whip or the noose never far from their minds, but it wasn’t much better for the soldiers and emancipated prisoners who’d earned their tickets of leave.
Monsarrat is a very bright, self-educated man who was transported for posing as a barrister in England, narrowly escaping the noose there. We meet him as a “special” convict, acting as clerk to Major Shelborne and enjoying a morning cuppa in the kitchen.
“As a ‘Special’ – a convict with skills which equipped him for more than hauling timber and breaking rocks – he was tacitly allowed certain indulgences such as visiting the kitchen, as long as he didn’t make them too visible.”
This is more important to his well-being than one might think. Port Macquarie was a busy lime-burning area, where the convicts burned oyster shells to make the lime that was used to bind the building bricks. Unfortunately, they regularly burned themselves as well.
“It was a common jest – though a grim one – in the settlement to say that if you did well on a lime-burning gang, you might get a promotion to a chain gang.”
Monsarrat had worked on a gang for a short time, and he reckoned it nearly killed him. But enough of the miseries of life there, the gangrenous feet that were cut off because their straw “shoes” were no protection in the constant mud, or they’d been mercilessly flogged.
The highlights of the story for me are the characters. It began slowly enough that I wondered if I’d get interested, but about a third of the way through I realised I was enjoying the company of this group, especially Monsarrat, of course, and Mrs. Mulrooney, who runs “her” kitchen by scrubbing everything and issuing exhortations to the pots and utensils to behave themselves!
She cooks for the Major and his wife, the lovely, lively Honora Shelborne, who is taken ill early in the book. Fergal Slattery is a cheeky young Irish soldier whose life in Ireland was so harsh that he seemed determined to make the best of it here. He often joins them in the kitchen for a cuppa with Mrs. Mulrooney cheerfully mothering them both as well as her mistress.
“‘I have the King himself feeding me now, and giving me a tour of the world besides,’ he had told Monsarrat over one cup of tea or another.”
Most convicts who abscond are caught, but one has remained with the Birpai people, who have been surprisingly accommodating to the newcomers, possibly thinking some of these white people were ghosts of their ancestors. We get very little history about the Birpai because the story is more about the characters and a mystery that eventuates rather than on dry historical facts.
I don't mean to suggest anything's been overlooked. The sense of time and place are excellent and the facts we need are all there. I’m no expert, but I’ve enjoyed other historical fiction about that era, and I can see why Meg Keneally mentioned the following in her acknowledgments.
“‘Mum’s gone to 1825 again,’ was a frequent comment during the writing of this book.”
I’m glad she did and I look forward to her return (and Monsarrat's) in book 2, The Unmourned.
“On the platform was the hangman, like a burned tree in his executioner’s black.”
Port Macquarie, NSW is a popular beach holiday spot these days, but in 1825, it was a miserable penal colony, hemmed in by the ocean and the wilds of the hills, bush, and the Birpai people. It would have been a rotten life for convicts, with the threat of the whip or the noose never far from their minds, but it wasn’t much better for the soldiers and emancipated prisoners who’d earned their tickets of leave.
Monsarrat is a very bright, self-educated man who was transported for posing as a barrister in England, narrowly escaping the noose there. We meet him as a “special” convict, acting as clerk to Major Shelborne and enjoying a morning cuppa in the kitchen.
“As a ‘Special’ – a convict with skills which equipped him for more than hauling timber and breaking rocks – he was tacitly allowed certain indulgences such as visiting the kitchen, as long as he didn’t make them too visible.”
This is more important to his well-being than one might think. Port Macquarie was a busy lime-burning area, where the convicts burned oyster shells to make the lime that was used to bind the building bricks. Unfortunately, they regularly burned themselves as well.
“It was a common jest – though a grim one – in the settlement to say that if you did well on a lime-burning gang, you might get a promotion to a chain gang.”
Monsarrat had worked on a gang for a short time, and he reckoned it nearly killed him. But enough of the miseries of life there, the gangrenous feet that were cut off because their straw “shoes” were no protection in the constant mud, or they’d been mercilessly flogged.
The highlights of the story for me are the characters. It began slowly enough that I wondered if I’d get interested, but about a third of the way through I realised I was enjoying the company of this group, especially Monsarrat, of course, and Mrs. Mulrooney, who runs “her” kitchen by scrubbing everything and issuing exhortations to the pots and utensils to behave themselves!
She cooks for the Major and his wife, the lovely, lively Honora Shelborne, who is taken ill early in the book. Fergal Slattery is a cheeky young Irish soldier whose life in Ireland was so harsh that he seemed determined to make the best of it here. He often joins them in the kitchen for a cuppa with Mrs. Mulrooney cheerfully mothering them both as well as her mistress.
“‘I have the King himself feeding me now, and giving me a tour of the world besides,’ he had told Monsarrat over one cup of tea or another.”
Most convicts who abscond are caught, but one has remained with the Birpai people, who have been surprisingly accommodating to the newcomers, possibly thinking some of these white people were ghosts of their ancestors. We get very little history about the Birpai because the story is more about the characters and a mystery that eventuates rather than on dry historical facts.
I don't mean to suggest anything's been overlooked. The sense of time and place are excellent and the facts we need are all there. I’m no expert, but I’ve enjoyed other historical fiction about that era, and I can see why Meg Keneally mentioned the following in her acknowledgments.
“‘Mum’s gone to 1825 again,’ was a frequent comment during the writing of this book.”
I’m glad she did and I look forward to her return (and Monsarrat's) in book 2, The Unmourned.
January 11, 2019
The Port Macquarie penal settlement in 1825 was a harsh environment led by Commandant Major Angus Shelborne, one of the more congenial of men who had run the colony. But his second in command was a violent, cruel and sadistic man named Captain Diamond, and whenever the Major was absent from the settlement, Captain Diamond made the most of his position. Convict Hugh Monsarrat was a well-read man, and his knowledge led him to be the trusted clerk of Major Shelborne. He was desperate for his ticket of leave so did all in his power to stay out of Diamond’s way.
Major Shelborne’s wife Honora was a lovely young woman who was doing her best to make life for the female convicts a little better. But when the Major left the settlement in search of a rumoured river many days ride away, Honora fell ill. Her housekeeper, Hannah Mulrooney nursed her and didn’t leave her side in the two weeks of her illness, with Monsarrat spending time with Mrs Mulrooney and asking after Honora’s health. His growing suspicions of what was ailing her worried him, but when he spoke to the doctor about his thoughts, the doctor dismissed them.
But worse was to come and it led to a tense, increasingly frustrating time for Monsarrat as he tried to outwit the devil before another innocent person was sent to their death.
The Soldier’s Curse is the first in The Monsarrat Series by Aussie author Meg Keneally and her father Thomas/Tom. It took me awhile to become involved with the characters, with the plot being slow and plodding but the tension soon ramped up and kept the pages turning. I’m looking forward to the 2nd which is set in Sydney at the Parramatta Female Factory. Highly recommended.
Major Shelborne’s wife Honora was a lovely young woman who was doing her best to make life for the female convicts a little better. But when the Major left the settlement in search of a rumoured river many days ride away, Honora fell ill. Her housekeeper, Hannah Mulrooney nursed her and didn’t leave her side in the two weeks of her illness, with Monsarrat spending time with Mrs Mulrooney and asking after Honora’s health. His growing suspicions of what was ailing her worried him, but when he spoke to the doctor about his thoughts, the doctor dismissed them.
But worse was to come and it led to a tense, increasingly frustrating time for Monsarrat as he tried to outwit the devil before another innocent person was sent to their death.
The Soldier’s Curse is the first in The Monsarrat Series by Aussie author Meg Keneally and her father Thomas/Tom. It took me awhile to become involved with the characters, with the plot being slow and plodding but the tension soon ramped up and kept the pages turning. I’m looking forward to the 2nd which is set in Sydney at the Parramatta Female Factory. Highly recommended.
January 28, 2019
This is a very fine historical murder mystery set in a 1920s convict settlement in Australia. Meg and Thomas Keneally have carried out very thorough research to capture the feel and appearance of the settlement at Port Macquarie would have been like at that time. Port Macquarie was where re-offenders were sent - those convicts who received their ticket of leave and then violated it's conditions or committed another crime.
Hugh Monsarrat was one such re-offender, sent to Sydney for forging documents and setting himself up as a lawyer in Exeter without the required qualifications. After working as a clerk and gaining his ticket of leave, he made a stupid mistake and found himself sent to Port Macquarie, where he was fortunate to be selected to clerk for the commandant, Major Shelbourne. While he bides his time until he is free again, Monsarrat settles into a comfortable routine, starting his days sharing a cup of tea before work each day in the kitchen of the Major's housekeeper, Hannah Mulrooney, one of his few friends in the settlement. While Major Shelbourne is away looking for a rumoured new river system, a heinous crime occurs and Hannah is blamed.
I always enjoy historical fiction based on facts and this is exceptionally well done. The authors have also drawn many fine characters in Monsarrat, Hannah, the Major and his wife Honora as well as the Major's second in command the intolerant and violent Captain Drummond. They also portray the local Aboriginal community, the Birpai with compassion, in contrast with the soldiers and convicts limited understanding of them and their culture. The plot was also well developed with a slowish start to introduce the characters and their backgrounds and then some hints of how the crime was committed but the culprit and motive not really clear until close to the end. It took me a while to get around to reading this but I'm so glad I have finally done so and look forward to reading the next book in the series soon.
Hugh Monsarrat was one such re-offender, sent to Sydney for forging documents and setting himself up as a lawyer in Exeter without the required qualifications. After working as a clerk and gaining his ticket of leave, he made a stupid mistake and found himself sent to Port Macquarie, where he was fortunate to be selected to clerk for the commandant, Major Shelbourne. While he bides his time until he is free again, Monsarrat settles into a comfortable routine, starting his days sharing a cup of tea before work each day in the kitchen of the Major's housekeeper, Hannah Mulrooney, one of his few friends in the settlement. While Major Shelbourne is away looking for a rumoured new river system, a heinous crime occurs and Hannah is blamed.
I always enjoy historical fiction based on facts and this is exceptionally well done. The authors have also drawn many fine characters in Monsarrat, Hannah, the Major and his wife Honora as well as the Major's second in command the intolerant and violent Captain Drummond. They also portray the local Aboriginal community, the Birpai with compassion, in contrast with the soldiers and convicts limited understanding of them and their culture. The plot was also well developed with a slowish start to introduce the characters and their backgrounds and then some hints of how the crime was committed but the culprit and motive not really clear until close to the end. It took me a while to get around to reading this but I'm so glad I have finally done so and look forward to reading the next book in the series soon.
March 10, 2016
Excellent!
I really enjoyed this book and tossed between giving it 4 or 5 stars because I am probably biased in that Historical Fiction (in particular Australian) is my favourite genre to read, in the end I decided to give it the full 5 stars because I did thoroughly enjoy it.
This is my kind of book, I got so excited when I noticed it on the shelf in the bookstore and read the blurb, and upon reading the book, I was not disappointed.
I loved the language, the characters, and the settings, and the delivery was superb and without fault. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
This story is the first in what is to be a series and is a debut for Meg Keneally who worked in concert with her father author Thomas Keneally on this project, a project that I am now very keen to follow.
I don't intend to go into details of the story here as I know the blurb does that effectively.
What I do want to say is what an exciting story this was, and a wonderful beginning to a new series by a new Aussie author! I can't wait to read the next installment and sincerely hope it won't be too long in the making.
Meg Keneally adds a unique fresh voice to this genre which I believe has lots of scope for more quality stories such as this.
Australia's diverse and challenging history has so much to offer this genre of writing without any risk of overkill, there are so many stories just waiting to be told. So it is refreshing for readers like myself, who love these stories, to see new authors venturing here.
Well done Meg Keneally, I am excited at the prospects of more to come!
The book is filled with fascinating examples of early Australian habits and lore, and what might possibly be the origins of many recognizable sayings such as, "drawing the short straw."
My favorite quote in the book was on the subject of the correct length of time for brewing the best cup of tea, in short the housekeeper says:
"I usually leave it for two Hail Mary's and an Our Father..."
Love that!
Highly recommended. 5★s
November 11, 2016
I feel that I must disagree with the description in the blurb that this is "fast paced and gripping". I found it was more a compelling read with a slow build up to quite an interesting outcome. Although I enjoyed reading it and liked the story it wasn't necessarily a page turner. I did, however, enjoy the wonderful writing and description of penal Australia and especially having been to Port Macquarie it wasn't difficult to imagine that time and place. The Keneallys certainly did their homework and the accuracy of historical facts and the description of the land and time makes it a perfect read. The characters were very well fleshed out and three dimensional. I really loved Monsarrat and Mrs. Mulrooney and Major Shelborne. I even couldn't help but feel some empathy for some of the villains. There were parts of this that reminded me of C J Sansom and the Shardlake series. Overall this was a 3.5 star read and I will definitely be keen to read the next one.
January 15, 2019
The penal settlement of Port Macquarie in northern New South Wales is where the worst of the worst are sent, including second offenders. This is where we are introduced to Hugh Monsarrat, formerly of London and Exeter, transported for fraud and forgery. His fine penmanship and skill as a clerk have landed him a reasonably privileged place at Port Macquarie, working as clerk to the Commandant, Major Angus Shelborne. Monsarrat enjoys the benefits of his own little cottage and garden, and a certain amount of time to spend in the kitchen of Government House, taking tea with the housekeeper, his good friend Mrs Mulrooney. It could be a lot worse, but still Monsarrat is longing for the day his (second) ticket of leave is granted.
While the Commandant is away exploring the region for a rumoured new river, his wife Honora falls ill and progressively succumbs to her illness. Dr Gonville pronounces it a case of poisoning and the spotlight of guilt quickly falls on Mrs Mulrooney, who has been nursing Honora day and night during her sickness. It is up to Monsarrat to defend his friend and identify the true poisoner.
Although the first half of the book was quite slow I still enjoyed it as I got to know the main characters and became familiar with Port Macquarie. Monsarrat is a fabulous creation; a witty, intelligent criminal who you will empathise with as a victim of circumstance. Mrs Mulrooney, a free woman, is quite different in personality but every bit his equal in intellect. Think the Holmes & Watson of 1820s NSW! I look forward to reading what they get up to next.
While the Commandant is away exploring the region for a rumoured new river, his wife Honora falls ill and progressively succumbs to her illness. Dr Gonville pronounces it a case of poisoning and the spotlight of guilt quickly falls on Mrs Mulrooney, who has been nursing Honora day and night during her sickness. It is up to Monsarrat to defend his friend and identify the true poisoner.
Although the first half of the book was quite slow I still enjoyed it as I got to know the main characters and became familiar with Port Macquarie. Monsarrat is a fabulous creation; a witty, intelligent criminal who you will empathise with as a victim of circumstance. Mrs Mulrooney, a free woman, is quite different in personality but every bit his equal in intellect. Think the Holmes & Watson of 1820s NSW! I look forward to reading what they get up to next.
June 6, 2017
This is a book that I had been looking forward to for quite a while and it completely exceeded all the expectations I had for it.
Book one in the Monsarrat series, set in the 1820's ish, The Soldiers Curse introduces us to Hugh Monsarrat, deported to Sydney for forging documents and passing himself off as a lawyer. Following his release there he made an error of judgementt that landed him in Port Macquarie, a convict once more and this time in a settlement designed for reoffenders and so, harder than Sydney. For this second sentence Hugh is serving as the clerk for the settlement’s commandant and while he is in many ways in a very favourable situation for a convict at Port Macquarie, the life there is hard and hazardous, Monsarrat yearns for his ticket of leave and his freedom.
As he serves out his sentence, often lonely and always constrained by his conflicting status, (on one hand a 'gentleman' and a clerk, on the other hand a convict), one of his social contacts and unlikely comforters is the other main protagonist that will continue with the series, Hannah Mulrooney. A free woman originally deported for minor crimes, she is now the housekeeper for the commandant and his lovely young bride. When the commandant’s wife dies, the second in command tries to pin the murder on Mrs Mulrooney and Hugh must intervene to prevent her from hanging.
That is the story line, and it is a very satisfying story line which has all the right combinations of complexity and simplicity to make the story roll, but the real joys in this book lie in elements beyond the actual story-line or the excellent characterisations of the main characters and the diverse, fascinating and well researched elements of the many secondary players in the drama. It is really the setting, the attention to historical detail and the impressive knowledge of the times and circumstances that won me over. I loved the descriptions of Port Macquarry and the details of the daily life of the convicts. I found the descriptions of the Birpai tribe of traditional land owners was fascinating and tasteful and the attitudes of the westerners towards them were managed very deftly: It is difficult to write a work of fiction in that era or relations between British and Aborigines without being crass and offensive, or hopelessly inaccurate. This book did a pretty good job of it, I thought.
So, while I was expecting a good yarn, I also thought it would be a little formulaic and I was delighted to find it was not at all the case. Vivid, descriptive and innovative I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to more in the series. A enjoyable extra is the authors note at the back, where the two authors go into sources and miscellaneous facts about the historical sources for the Port Macquarie penal settlement (its maps and historic figures), as well as other details that helped flesh out this extremely enjoyable, historic whodunnit.
Book one in the Monsarrat series, set in the 1820's ish, The Soldiers Curse introduces us to Hugh Monsarrat, deported to Sydney for forging documents and passing himself off as a lawyer. Following his release there he made an error of judgementt that landed him in Port Macquarie, a convict once more and this time in a settlement designed for reoffenders and so, harder than Sydney. For this second sentence Hugh is serving as the clerk for the settlement’s commandant and while he is in many ways in a very favourable situation for a convict at Port Macquarie, the life there is hard and hazardous, Monsarrat yearns for his ticket of leave and his freedom.
As he serves out his sentence, often lonely and always constrained by his conflicting status, (on one hand a 'gentleman' and a clerk, on the other hand a convict), one of his social contacts and unlikely comforters is the other main protagonist that will continue with the series, Hannah Mulrooney. A free woman originally deported for minor crimes, she is now the housekeeper for the commandant and his lovely young bride. When the commandant’s wife dies, the second in command tries to pin the murder on Mrs Mulrooney and Hugh must intervene to prevent her from hanging.
That is the story line, and it is a very satisfying story line which has all the right combinations of complexity and simplicity to make the story roll, but the real joys in this book lie in elements beyond the actual story-line or the excellent characterisations of the main characters and the diverse, fascinating and well researched elements of the many secondary players in the drama. It is really the setting, the attention to historical detail and the impressive knowledge of the times and circumstances that won me over. I loved the descriptions of Port Macquarry and the details of the daily life of the convicts. I found the descriptions of the Birpai tribe of traditional land owners was fascinating and tasteful and the attitudes of the westerners towards them were managed very deftly: It is difficult to write a work of fiction in that era or relations between British and Aborigines without being crass and offensive, or hopelessly inaccurate. This book did a pretty good job of it, I thought.
So, while I was expecting a good yarn, I also thought it would be a little formulaic and I was delighted to find it was not at all the case. Vivid, descriptive and innovative I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to more in the series. A enjoyable extra is the authors note at the back, where the two authors go into sources and miscellaneous facts about the historical sources for the Port Macquarie penal settlement (its maps and historic figures), as well as other details that helped flesh out this extremely enjoyable, historic whodunnit.
January 11, 2019
As one would expect from the Keneally’s this is a quality read. The story takes place at Port Macquarie NSW 1825. The main character of Hugh Llewellyn Monsarrat is a convict clerk attached to Commandant Major Angus Shelborne. Monsarrat is an intelligent man but whose past fraudulent and deceiving actions has seen him shipped to Australia as a convict in lieu of the hangman's noose; so on this count he is lucky. Because of his past employment experience as a law clerk he has managed to avoid mostly the hard labour inflicted on convicts with only a small stint in this respect required of him. With the Major needing a scribe Monsarrat has a relatively cushier position than most convicts. However as with small settlements of this nature, and given the times of inequality Monsarrat is always cautious with his remarks so they are not misconstrued and subsequently give reason for any chastisement and further punishment. The authors describe the method by which convicts in the main addressed an answer to a question which today is practiced well by politicians i.e. giving an answer to question without giving an answer and simply repeating the question as a statement or making a criticism simply as a statement. The Major’s new wife arrives at the settlement, fits in well with the harsh environment and commences to involve herself with the welfare of the convicts and their children until falling ill with an unknown ailment and for which she subsequently dies. Monsarrat’s main confidant is the housekeeper/cook attached to the Major’s household, a ticketed now free Irish woman, Mrs Mulrooney. Through a series of events implications of the source of Honora’s sickness points to a rather nasty Captain who is besotted with Honora but when Monsarrat bravely confronts him, he denies any involvement. With further investigations taking place it is deduced that Honora had been poisoned and for which implicates Mrs Mulrooney. Not satisfied with this accusation and on looking back at previous events Monsarrat is able to discover the real perpetrator. Through his endeavours even though the conclusion is a sad affair for him and Mrs Mulrooney, Monsarrat is able to achieve his dream that for years had eluded him. This read gives accounts of the harsh penalties given to convicts for small misdemeanours, the lashings and subsequent imprisonment with only bread and water which must have done very little to reform anyone.
April 5, 2019
Froggart and Daines looked unreliable, and Slattery blamed them for looking like that. But Monsarrat knew it had been bred into them – the powerful had proved to them that surface reliability got you nowhere in the end. They were not characterised so much by sullenness, a quality often attributed to convicts, but by great wariness; their eyes were foxy because they believed they needed to be foxes to negotiate the system.
Hugh Llewellyn Monsarrat of Exeter, is the clerk for the commandant of the Port Macquarie penal colony, in June 1825. Originally transported to Sydney for fraud and forgery, the educated but poor Monsarrat obtained his ticket of leave only to lose it by being found outside of Windsor after curfew (his condition of release). The Port Macquarie settlement houses second offenders, with little chance of escape, but has an enlightened commandant in Major Shelborne, recently married to Honara from a noble Irish family, who tries to make life better for the few women convicts there.
As a *special* status convict, Monsarrat has certain privileges, his own draughty hut with a small garden, and he is allowed to visit the kitchen of the Commandant’s Irish housekeeper, Mrs Mulrooney, for cups of tea, often finding there the gilded-tongued Private Fergal Slattery.
When former convict Kiernan, living among the Birpai people, brings news of a river to the north with pasture suitable for grazing/cropping -not reached by explorer John Oxley, Major Shelborne sets out with a small party and a local tracker to verify the claim, leaving his second in command, Captain Diamond in charge of the settlement. Diamond is a totalitarian given to brutality, with a dim view of convict stock and the local indigenous people. At the same time the commandant’s wife is taken ill, nursed by the housekeeper, who is accused of her murder through administering arsenic, and Monsarrat tries to defend her.
I am not a great fan of historic fiction / whodunnits, and at times found this slow going, especially the backstory of Monsarrat’s experiences in London, Exeter and Sydney. But this was compensated by the detail of the conditions in situ: the lime burners and work gangs and summary punishments, the clothing, footwear made of straw, the surgeon working with limited resources, the women plying the oldest trade to survive, and Monsarrat using a twig from a eucalyptus tree as a toothbrush. It sheeted home that the troops guarding the convicts were as such “captives” to the same environment.
One detail I needed to look up was the king at the time: George IV, who as regent succeeded to the throne on the death of his father, mad King George III, in 1820, and survived him by only ten years. I thought that could have been included somewhere. But all in all, not a bad read, and sets the scene for later books in the series.
Hugh Llewellyn Monsarrat of Exeter, is the clerk for the commandant of the Port Macquarie penal colony, in June 1825. Originally transported to Sydney for fraud and forgery, the educated but poor Monsarrat obtained his ticket of leave only to lose it by being found outside of Windsor after curfew (his condition of release). The Port Macquarie settlement houses second offenders, with little chance of escape, but has an enlightened commandant in Major Shelborne, recently married to Honara from a noble Irish family, who tries to make life better for the few women convicts there.
As a *special* status convict, Monsarrat has certain privileges, his own draughty hut with a small garden, and he is allowed to visit the kitchen of the Commandant’s Irish housekeeper, Mrs Mulrooney, for cups of tea, often finding there the gilded-tongued Private Fergal Slattery.
When former convict Kiernan, living among the Birpai people, brings news of a river to the north with pasture suitable for grazing/cropping -not reached by explorer John Oxley, Major Shelborne sets out with a small party and a local tracker to verify the claim, leaving his second in command, Captain Diamond in charge of the settlement. Diamond is a totalitarian given to brutality, with a dim view of convict stock and the local indigenous people. At the same time the commandant’s wife is taken ill, nursed by the housekeeper, who is accused of her murder through administering arsenic, and Monsarrat tries to defend her.
I am not a great fan of historic fiction / whodunnits, and at times found this slow going, especially the backstory of Monsarrat’s experiences in London, Exeter and Sydney. But this was compensated by the detail of the conditions in situ: the lime burners and work gangs and summary punishments, the clothing, footwear made of straw, the surgeon working with limited resources, the women plying the oldest trade to survive, and Monsarrat using a twig from a eucalyptus tree as a toothbrush. It sheeted home that the troops guarding the convicts were as such “captives” to the same environment.
One detail I needed to look up was the king at the time: George IV, who as regent succeeded to the throne on the death of his father, mad King George III, in 1820, and survived him by only ten years. I thought that could have been included somewhere. But all in all, not a bad read, and sets the scene for later books in the series.
March 11, 2021
Set in the 1820's in Port Macquarie in a penal colony this book is part mystery, part history lesson. I have to disagree with the book blurb that calls this a fast-past book, it is anything but fast paced. In parts it is actually quite slow. That is not the say that the book is not entertaining it actually was.
It is extremely well written and researched. I had a strong sense of place, environment and time while reading this novel. You get a real sense of the life that must have been led by convicts and the soldiers that guarded them, as well as the harshness of the environment. The mystery is well done if not a little obvious.
Worth picking up if you come across it.
It is extremely well written and researched. I had a strong sense of place, environment and time while reading this novel. You get a real sense of the life that must have been led by convicts and the soldiers that guarded them, as well as the harshness of the environment. The mystery is well done if not a little obvious.
Worth picking up if you come across it.
April 2, 2016
Truthfully, it was the cover which first attracted my attention. It’s just so lusciously green! Mystery novels are one of my first book loves so I thought this definitely fit the bill. Also, it being a series set in Colonial Australia, finally! There have been quite a few Aussie crime / mystery series but none in this particular setting (none that I know of, anyway).
The most fascinating factor of this novel, for me, is the setting. The time period and the location as Port Macquarie is a family holiday destination for us so it was interesting looking at it from a summery friendly beaches to an uncivilised harsh environment. The harshness wasn’t just from the natural environment but also the regime employed in keeping the convicts in line. It’s amazing that anybody survive, really! Unfortunately (or rather fortunately for him), as our main character distinguished himself by being literary, he was not part of any work gangs so we are spared from reading much of the suffering.
Most of the characters are also easily likeable especially the main ones. And as the tale is told from Hugh Monsarrat’s perspective, we learnt a lot of his background so it was very easy to empathise with him although at times you do feel like shaking him up a little. Whilst these flashbacks to the past are necessary, they are in effect slowed the pace of the book. And despite the fact that this series is based on Monsarrat, I feel there were too much information on Hugh and barely anything on other characters especially Mrs Mulrooney whom I’m really curious about. I especially enjoyed the cloth-flicking-head habit that Mrs. Mulrooney appear to be getting into nearing the end of the novel and I’m looking forward to more of that.
It is with a heavy heart that I find the mystery factor of the book quite disappointing. I’m not the best at guessing but I don’t think I do too badly at guessing the villain in mystery novels. But there were too many clues that made it all too obvious even if you’re not a professional sleuth. Starting from the covers to the main suspect being a very pointedly red herring… then, when it’s taken awhile for Monsarrat to churn these clues in his little grey cells, it gets somewhat frustrating.
I would recommend that you approach this novel as an historical fiction as it was still a very enjoyable read for me from this perspective. It’s very clear that the authors have done their research though as authors do, have taken certain liberties to suit the plotlines (which they are very open about in the Author’s Note). The view of colonial Australia and the witty exchanges between characters were what made this novel pleasing to me.
Thanks to Vintage / Random House for paperback copy in exchange of honest review
The most fascinating factor of this novel, for me, is the setting. The time period and the location as Port Macquarie is a family holiday destination for us so it was interesting looking at it from a summery friendly beaches to an uncivilised harsh environment. The harshness wasn’t just from the natural environment but also the regime employed in keeping the convicts in line. It’s amazing that anybody survive, really! Unfortunately (or rather fortunately for him), as our main character distinguished himself by being literary, he was not part of any work gangs so we are spared from reading much of the suffering.
Most of the characters are also easily likeable especially the main ones. And as the tale is told from Hugh Monsarrat’s perspective, we learnt a lot of his background so it was very easy to empathise with him although at times you do feel like shaking him up a little. Whilst these flashbacks to the past are necessary, they are in effect slowed the pace of the book. And despite the fact that this series is based on Monsarrat, I feel there were too much information on Hugh and barely anything on other characters especially Mrs Mulrooney whom I’m really curious about. I especially enjoyed the cloth-flicking-head habit that Mrs. Mulrooney appear to be getting into nearing the end of the novel and I’m looking forward to more of that.
It is with a heavy heart that I find the mystery factor of the book quite disappointing. I’m not the best at guessing but I don’t think I do too badly at guessing the villain in mystery novels. But there were too many clues that made it all too obvious even if you’re not a professional sleuth. Starting from the covers to the main suspect being a very pointedly red herring… then, when it’s taken awhile for Monsarrat to churn these clues in his little grey cells, it gets somewhat frustrating.
I would recommend that you approach this novel as an historical fiction as it was still a very enjoyable read for me from this perspective. It’s very clear that the authors have done their research though as authors do, have taken certain liberties to suit the plotlines (which they are very open about in the Author’s Note). The view of colonial Australia and the witty exchanges between characters were what made this novel pleasing to me.
Thanks to Vintage / Random House for paperback copy in exchange of honest review
October 19, 2019
Great historical fiction/murder mystery read. The writing is excellent, it’s a compelling read rather than fast paced.
August 23, 2016
Soldier’s Curse
I am a great admirer of Tom Keneally. I have met him on a number of occasions and found him to be a delightful person. In this age of celebrity it’s wonderful to meet such a talented but humble man. I pray to see the day when he wins the Nobel prize for literature.
I first discovered Keneally at university with the powerful, “Bring Larks and Heroes” (a mandatory read for anyone professing to have a love and appreciation of this fine country.)
I also lived in Kempsey for many years (where I met Keneally, his parents once owned Chaddies Store in East Kempsey) and so I know this part of the Mid-North Coast well. The newly discovered river was the Macleay and I imagine it was “discovered” around modern day Sherwood. Not far from the recently constructed gaol. (May be our Australian society hasn’t progressed as much as we think!)
At the Sydney Writers Festival a few years ago Keneally claimed that one of his favourite books was his account of turn of the century life on the Macleay – “A River Town.”
The “Soldier’s Curse” is an entertaining read with many likeable characters (Monsarrat, Mrs Mulrooney, Major Shelbourne and his wife, the doctor and even Private Slattery.) It has two rather nasty villainous characters, Captain Diamond and the minister in Parramatta.
For awhile it had the appearance of being an easy to solve murder mystery but all along it is mainly a very well researched historical piece with many of the relevant themes of colonial Australian life. At times it becomes a tad melodramatic but it sustained my interest with little cynicism.
The convict Monsarrat is the main character. A believable person whose own life story said so much about many of the English who first settled Australia.
I believe this is the first in a series. I for one, will be reading the follow-up, if only to follow the most endearing Hugh Monsarrat.
I am a great admirer of Tom Keneally. I have met him on a number of occasions and found him to be a delightful person. In this age of celebrity it’s wonderful to meet such a talented but humble man. I pray to see the day when he wins the Nobel prize for literature.
I first discovered Keneally at university with the powerful, “Bring Larks and Heroes” (a mandatory read for anyone professing to have a love and appreciation of this fine country.)
I also lived in Kempsey for many years (where I met Keneally, his parents once owned Chaddies Store in East Kempsey) and so I know this part of the Mid-North Coast well. The newly discovered river was the Macleay and I imagine it was “discovered” around modern day Sherwood. Not far from the recently constructed gaol. (May be our Australian society hasn’t progressed as much as we think!)
At the Sydney Writers Festival a few years ago Keneally claimed that one of his favourite books was his account of turn of the century life on the Macleay – “A River Town.”
The “Soldier’s Curse” is an entertaining read with many likeable characters (Monsarrat, Mrs Mulrooney, Major Shelbourne and his wife, the doctor and even Private Slattery.) It has two rather nasty villainous characters, Captain Diamond and the minister in Parramatta.
For awhile it had the appearance of being an easy to solve murder mystery but all along it is mainly a very well researched historical piece with many of the relevant themes of colonial Australian life. At times it becomes a tad melodramatic but it sustained my interest with little cynicism.
The convict Monsarrat is the main character. A believable person whose own life story said so much about many of the English who first settled Australia.
I believe this is the first in a series. I for one, will be reading the follow-up, if only to follow the most endearing Hugh Monsarrat.
March 29, 2016
Having been lured to buy and read this book by a crossword puzzle in The Age Good Weekend, I found myself captivated by the trials and tribulations of Hugh Monsarrat. Though at times he was a frustrating character, he was intriguing and likeable. The storyline rollicked along as each book folded into the next. I particularly liked the character of Hannah Mulrooney and to a lesser extent Fergal Slattery. Apparently one such loosely historical crime novel will be published each March until twelve in total are generated. While I look forward to the next, I was disappointed in part to see how readily the murder was solved. All parties seemed to concede to their roles just a little too glibly without sufficient deviance or defiance. Nevertheless it is good to have an Australian historical base upon which to base a literary series and there is no doubt the Kenneally combination of father and daughter collectively create very readable fiction.
November 7, 2016
This tale is fiction, set in an Australian penal settlement north of Sydney in 1825. It is extremely well read and the voice characterisation is excellent. However while it is fiction, the historical facts ring true.
The central character Hugh Monsarrat has known the freedom of being a ticket-of-leave man, but lost his ticket when he was found to have left his designated district. He is a victim of the British class system which excluded him from becoming an accredited lawyer in London. He was transported to Australia for forging documents and for passing himself off as a lawyer.
The characters of Monserrat and the other main characters in the story are convincingly drawn. The story felt a bit slow to begin with but gathered pace as more plot strands were introduced.
Recommended.
The central character Hugh Monsarrat has known the freedom of being a ticket-of-leave man, but lost his ticket when he was found to have left his designated district. He is a victim of the British class system which excluded him from becoming an accredited lawyer in London. He was transported to Australia for forging documents and for passing himself off as a lawyer.
The characters of Monserrat and the other main characters in the story are convincingly drawn. The story felt a bit slow to begin with but gathered pace as more plot strands were introduced.
Recommended.
October 22, 2016
This book is remarkably similar to my book PART AN IRISHMAN in that it features a gentleman convict who becomes embroiled in a detective story and culminates with the award of a ticket of leave. The book also came out on the same day as mine so I feel a bit reluctant to sing its praises for fear of reducing my sales but I have to do so. It's a very good read and a compelling story and I thoroughly recommend it. I am looking forward to the next in the series.
April 6, 2018
The story lost tension just after the middle so it was without a real climax and thus disappointing. Some anachronisms irritated, especially the misuse of 'reverend.' Church of England priests were called 'Mister' at that time, Mister Bloggs, not Reverend Bloggs. For the authors' information, 'reverend' is an adjective.
September 2, 2016
loved this book. got right into the story!
February 5, 2018
I enjoyed this book immensely. It is well researched, and gives a good insight into life in an Australian convict settlement, namely Port Macquarie. I was particularly interested as some of my ancestors settled there some 25 yrs after the time described in the book - interesting to read about the place they came to.
The characters in the book are well developed and interesting, and the element of mystery provides a good storyline. The description of conditions for the convicts took me back to Tom Keneally's early novel "Bring Larks and Heroes" which I also found good reading.
The characters in the book are well developed and interesting, and the element of mystery provides a good storyline. The description of conditions for the convicts took me back to Tom Keneally's early novel "Bring Larks and Heroes" which I also found good reading.
September 3, 2022
Wonderful
May 2, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Each character was brought to life and their stories were drawn out through the book perfectly. Loved it.
December 5, 2017
Monsarrat is a 'special' when we first meet him. He's a convict who, because of a much required talent, is bestowed upon with special privileges denied his cohorts in chains. Monsarrat possesses a thorough knowledge of legal matters, due to his UK background; has a way with words and a fine copperplate hand – in the days when that counted for something. In Port Macquarie he has aspirations, but before he gets ahead of himself there are those who make sure he never forgets his all too lowly station in life - even if, perhaps, they would be lost in that life without him. But, all in all, his existence there isn't too bad. There's Mrs Mulrooney, the camp commandant's cook, who's a good mate; as well as there being, somewhere up ahead, the possibility of a ticket-of-leave, but only if he can continue to keep his nose clean. 'The Soldier's Curse' is supposedly the first of twelve planned novels revolving on Monsarrat's adventures sleuthing around in early Oz. It's set in the first half of the Nineteenth Century. And the combination of esteemed writer Tom Keneally and his daughter Meg are, with this initial one, off to a ripper start.
Now I've never been a huge fan of the senior writer. I've read a few of his output over the decades, but a new release from him is never a must-have. But I had perused some good notices for 'The Soldier's Curse' and with the early years of our founding always fascinating, I decided, when the cheaper paperback version appeared, to give it a burl. I knew, once I started, that I was onto something a little different for me, but it was also something that was going to keep me thoroughly engrossed for the duration. I was soon out buying 'The Unmourned', not the least interested in waiting for a cheaper edition further down the track. I am now eagerly awaiting the third in the series. But back to the first.
There were very few women amongst the 1500 free and not so free souls at the Port Macquarie settlement during Monsarrat's time, but of course the most prominent was the wife of the man in charge, our hero's ultimate boss. But the seemingly virtuous and beauteous young woman is ailing – and there's more to her mysterious illness than meets the eye. Of course the good (seemingly) and privileged felon and Mrs M are soon on the case, especially after her demise. Perhaps, they discover, she wasn't so lily-white after all, but why do her in? There are soon a number of suspects with, of course, eventually our dynamic duo sniffing out the real culprit. As a whodunnit, it's about as far away from airport fare as one could get. The two investigators are also far from daringly heroic and the pace is leisurely, making it all the more to savour. The suspects take some sifting through. Best of all though, this tome and its follow up bring to life what life must have been akin to in early colonial times for all levels of society. We have vicious floggings and violent stabbings in eye sockets as well as sadistic officers. These are countered by a fair share of do-gooders. The system, at its lower level, still provided a modicum of hope that there was a chance to better oneself in a way that wasn't possible back home in England. There is more of the same in 'The Unmourned' with, as a reward for his efforts up on the northern coast, Monsarrat, along with his sidekick, returning to Sydney. Now the focus switches to the plight of female convicts. Just who was responsible for the aforementioned skewering of notoriously evil overseer Robert Church at the Paramatta Female Factory? It all points to Grace O'Leary, a sparky rabble-rouser who, with her guile, has emerged as a leader of sorts amongst those in an olden days 'Orange is the New Black' situation. The authorities want her to swing as soon as possible, but they don't count on a feisty, dogged pair having other ideas.
The Keneallys, in their interviews, have suggested their lead character is based on one James Tucker who, like Monsarrat, was a cut above the average transportee. After successfully applying for his ticket he wrote 'Ralph Rashleigh' in the 1840s, giving a fictionalised account of convict ordeals.
I'm excited that the makers of 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' are keen to work their magic on the product of the father/daughter act for the small screen. I am also excited that, at the end of 'The Unmourned', Monsarrat is informed that he is again being moved on. Where to, you might ask. Why to our very own once upon a time not so fair island.
Now I've never been a huge fan of the senior writer. I've read a few of his output over the decades, but a new release from him is never a must-have. But I had perused some good notices for 'The Soldier's Curse' and with the early years of our founding always fascinating, I decided, when the cheaper paperback version appeared, to give it a burl. I knew, once I started, that I was onto something a little different for me, but it was also something that was going to keep me thoroughly engrossed for the duration. I was soon out buying 'The Unmourned', not the least interested in waiting for a cheaper edition further down the track. I am now eagerly awaiting the third in the series. But back to the first.
There were very few women amongst the 1500 free and not so free souls at the Port Macquarie settlement during Monsarrat's time, but of course the most prominent was the wife of the man in charge, our hero's ultimate boss. But the seemingly virtuous and beauteous young woman is ailing – and there's more to her mysterious illness than meets the eye. Of course the good (seemingly) and privileged felon and Mrs M are soon on the case, especially after her demise. Perhaps, they discover, she wasn't so lily-white after all, but why do her in? There are soon a number of suspects with, of course, eventually our dynamic duo sniffing out the real culprit. As a whodunnit, it's about as far away from airport fare as one could get. The two investigators are also far from daringly heroic and the pace is leisurely, making it all the more to savour. The suspects take some sifting through. Best of all though, this tome and its follow up bring to life what life must have been akin to in early colonial times for all levels of society. We have vicious floggings and violent stabbings in eye sockets as well as sadistic officers. These are countered by a fair share of do-gooders. The system, at its lower level, still provided a modicum of hope that there was a chance to better oneself in a way that wasn't possible back home in England. There is more of the same in 'The Unmourned' with, as a reward for his efforts up on the northern coast, Monsarrat, along with his sidekick, returning to Sydney. Now the focus switches to the plight of female convicts. Just who was responsible for the aforementioned skewering of notoriously evil overseer Robert Church at the Paramatta Female Factory? It all points to Grace O'Leary, a sparky rabble-rouser who, with her guile, has emerged as a leader of sorts amongst those in an olden days 'Orange is the New Black' situation. The authorities want her to swing as soon as possible, but they don't count on a feisty, dogged pair having other ideas.
The Keneallys, in their interviews, have suggested their lead character is based on one James Tucker who, like Monsarrat, was a cut above the average transportee. After successfully applying for his ticket he wrote 'Ralph Rashleigh' in the 1840s, giving a fictionalised account of convict ordeals.
I'm excited that the makers of 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' are keen to work their magic on the product of the father/daughter act for the small screen. I am also excited that, at the end of 'The Unmourned', Monsarrat is informed that he is again being moved on. Where to, you might ask. Why to our very own once upon a time not so fair island.
July 26, 2017
'The Soldier's Curse,' by Meg and Tom Keneally is set in 1895 in the penal colonies of Australia and tells the story of convict Hugh Monsarrat who is serving his time as clerk to the settlement's commandant. While the commandant is searching for a rumoured river his young and beautiful wife, Honora, falls ill and slowly dies of poison. Suspicion falls on the housekeeper, Mrs Mulrooney, who attended to Honora during her illness. In order to save Mrs Mulrooney from the hangman's noose Monsarrat has to solve the crime before Mrs Mulrooney is found guilty of murder.
The mystery of solving Honora's murder is interwoven with the back story of Hugh Monsarrat and how he finds himself shipped to Australia and his rise from convicted forger to trusted clerk of the commandant of Port Macquarie Penal Settlement. It is through Monsarrat's eyes the reader begins to understand the harsh conditions which the convicts are living and how their lives are controlled by the rules which are strictly enforced by the soldiers and hierarchy who guarded them. Monsarrat's privileged position leads him to be constantly vigilant to every infringement he could be accused off as he waits for the day he is given his 'ticket' as a free man. However it is the character of Mrs Mulrooney which I felt is more roundly developed than that of the protagonist. Her character is a mixture of realism and optimism whereas I felt no engagement with Monsarrat. Perhaps this is due to the style of writing which is quite formal and at times did not flow easily, ''He tried to concentrate on rendering each word as though it was a picture, rather than something with a set meaning.' About half way through the book shadow Monsarrat is introduced when the reader is told how Monsarrat would behave and things he would say if he were a free man. The use of the word 'shadow' was not, in my opinion, a good description of the inner thoughts of Monsarrat. We learn that when shadow Monsarrat was allowed to come to the fore the outcome was an extended sentence for him and how Monsarrat now makes a conscious effort not to let shadow Monsarrat dictate his feelings and actions again.
When the poisoner is revealed it comes as no great surprise but the action of Mrs Mulrooney to the revelation is a surprising twist and added the only tension I found in the storyline as I wondered how it would be resolved.
In keeping with most story lines of injustice and brutality we have the sadistic character Captain Diamond, the commandant's second in command, with his cruel meting out of punishment to prisoners and his accusations to the commandant of Mrs Mulrooney's guilt. A topic which was touch on but never fully developed was the interaction of the native Birpai with those who have invaded their land.
The whole novel seemed to be setting the scene for the next two books in the crime trilogy and although I never quite felt at ease with the style of writing I will probably read the next book with the hope that the characters and story lines develop. A lot of research has gone into the background for the story which gives it authenticity and an interesting insight to Australia in the nineteenth century.
The mystery of solving Honora's murder is interwoven with the back story of Hugh Monsarrat and how he finds himself shipped to Australia and his rise from convicted forger to trusted clerk of the commandant of Port Macquarie Penal Settlement. It is through Monsarrat's eyes the reader begins to understand the harsh conditions which the convicts are living and how their lives are controlled by the rules which are strictly enforced by the soldiers and hierarchy who guarded them. Monsarrat's privileged position leads him to be constantly vigilant to every infringement he could be accused off as he waits for the day he is given his 'ticket' as a free man. However it is the character of Mrs Mulrooney which I felt is more roundly developed than that of the protagonist. Her character is a mixture of realism and optimism whereas I felt no engagement with Monsarrat. Perhaps this is due to the style of writing which is quite formal and at times did not flow easily, ''He tried to concentrate on rendering each word as though it was a picture, rather than something with a set meaning.' About half way through the book shadow Monsarrat is introduced when the reader is told how Monsarrat would behave and things he would say if he were a free man. The use of the word 'shadow' was not, in my opinion, a good description of the inner thoughts of Monsarrat. We learn that when shadow Monsarrat was allowed to come to the fore the outcome was an extended sentence for him and how Monsarrat now makes a conscious effort not to let shadow Monsarrat dictate his feelings and actions again.
When the poisoner is revealed it comes as no great surprise but the action of Mrs Mulrooney to the revelation is a surprising twist and added the only tension I found in the storyline as I wondered how it would be resolved.
In keeping with most story lines of injustice and brutality we have the sadistic character Captain Diamond, the commandant's second in command, with his cruel meting out of punishment to prisoners and his accusations to the commandant of Mrs Mulrooney's guilt. A topic which was touch on but never fully developed was the interaction of the native Birpai with those who have invaded their land.
The whole novel seemed to be setting the scene for the next two books in the crime trilogy and although I never quite felt at ease with the style of writing I will probably read the next book with the hope that the characters and story lines develop. A lot of research has gone into the background for the story which gives it authenticity and an interesting insight to Australia in the nineteenth century.
July 25, 2017
Antipodean Foul Play
It works for P.J Tracy and for Nicci French so why shouldn’t it work for Meg and……. Tom Keneally!?
I did a double take, I really did, when I heard of this partnership. Possibly because I revere Tom Keneally. Schindler’s Ark had me visiting Krakow at the first opportunity to find Oskar Schindler’s factory!! However, practically, I doubt this book will see me getting it to the Antipodes to find the site of the Port Macquarie penal colony. And not because I didn’t enjoy the novel. I did, I thought it was marvellous.
I watched the BBC 2 drama series Banished, aired in 2015, which is set in an earlier period than this book but afforded me a strong visual connection with many of the incidents detailed in this novel. It also served to reinforce the accurate historical research that gives this story so much of its richness.
As well as being a historical novel it is also an intelligent and engrossing crime story. The first in the series the main protagonist is Hugh Monsarrat, erstwhile forger and fraudster, elevated to clerical work for the commander of the penal settlement. My research shows that the second book is already available in Australia and that an entire series is planned for Monsarrat. That’s all good news as far as I’m concerned.
Initially, I found I had to reread the first few pages and I feared this book would be an arduous read! But it was a merely a case of adjusting to the style of writing which has done so was wondering. Set in 1825 the narrative is written in the vernacular of the time so effectively you almost find yourself thinking and speaking in the same way. It’s one thing to use extensive historical research effectively in a novel, actually, but to capture the etymology of the time is skill indeed.
The narrative is tight and the plot well-constructed and accessible. It is the proving of the crime rather than the solving of it that becomes key in the latter stages of the book. But the reader is subtly allowed to accompany the characters as the fiction progresses rather than remain as bibliophilic bystanders. It was refreshing to be so involved in a story so far removed from contemporary life.
The characters are substantially drawn and you warm or shrink from them as each deserves. I love it when ‘bit part’ characters are imbued with as much life as the main characters. There is some brutality in the book and the characters respond appropriately but there is also some wit, humour and warmth.
This is a solid and intelligent read. It’s story telling mainly but the history is interesting and informative. There is a comprehensive Author’s Note at the end which clarifies several points of fiction versus history.
I was delighted to receive this book but even more delighted to actually read it. I look forward to more in the series which I believe features not only Monsarrat but Mrs Mulrooney too. Who’s she, you ask? Go and read the book!!
Whizz
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
It works for P.J Tracy and for Nicci French so why shouldn’t it work for Meg and……. Tom Keneally!?
I did a double take, I really did, when I heard of this partnership. Possibly because I revere Tom Keneally. Schindler’s Ark had me visiting Krakow at the first opportunity to find Oskar Schindler’s factory!! However, practically, I doubt this book will see me getting it to the Antipodes to find the site of the Port Macquarie penal colony. And not because I didn’t enjoy the novel. I did, I thought it was marvellous.
I watched the BBC 2 drama series Banished, aired in 2015, which is set in an earlier period than this book but afforded me a strong visual connection with many of the incidents detailed in this novel. It also served to reinforce the accurate historical research that gives this story so much of its richness.
As well as being a historical novel it is also an intelligent and engrossing crime story. The first in the series the main protagonist is Hugh Monsarrat, erstwhile forger and fraudster, elevated to clerical work for the commander of the penal settlement. My research shows that the second book is already available in Australia and that an entire series is planned for Monsarrat. That’s all good news as far as I’m concerned.
Initially, I found I had to reread the first few pages and I feared this book would be an arduous read! But it was a merely a case of adjusting to the style of writing which has done so was wondering. Set in 1825 the narrative is written in the vernacular of the time so effectively you almost find yourself thinking and speaking in the same way. It’s one thing to use extensive historical research effectively in a novel, actually, but to capture the etymology of the time is skill indeed.
The narrative is tight and the plot well-constructed and accessible. It is the proving of the crime rather than the solving of it that becomes key in the latter stages of the book. But the reader is subtly allowed to accompany the characters as the fiction progresses rather than remain as bibliophilic bystanders. It was refreshing to be so involved in a story so far removed from contemporary life.
The characters are substantially drawn and you warm or shrink from them as each deserves. I love it when ‘bit part’ characters are imbued with as much life as the main characters. There is some brutality in the book and the characters respond appropriately but there is also some wit, humour and warmth.
This is a solid and intelligent read. It’s story telling mainly but the history is interesting and informative. There is a comprehensive Author’s Note at the end which clarifies several points of fiction versus history.
I was delighted to receive this book but even more delighted to actually read it. I look forward to more in the series which I believe features not only Monsarrat but Mrs Mulrooney too. Who’s she, you ask? Go and read the book!!
Whizz
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
February 15, 2019
A thoroughly researched and intriguing murder mystery set in Port Macquarie when it was a penal colony in the 1830s. Historical facts were presented in an entertaining way and the characters were well-drawn and convincing. Looking forward to the next in the series.
March 19, 2021
Did not finish. I just could take get into it. Its gathering dust so to speak.
July 31, 2017
The Soldiers Curse - Tom and Meg Keneally
This is a page turner that has real depth but is also a very entertaining read. An historical novel with a slow burn murder mystery at the heart of the plot but that is by no means all that is going on in this novel. Fans of Thomas Keneally will love The Soldier's Curse recognising familiar themes and his ability to bring the past to life. In this case, Australia's colonial history. However, readers may also notice a slightly different style to the prose that must be part of the input of Meg Keneally. The idea for a series of novels featuring Hugh Monsarrat and the outline of the plot for this novel were written by Tom sometime ago but not turned into a completed work until now in this collaboration with his daughter. I am pleased to say they work well together because I was a little sceptical of this joint venture, even though I have been a fan of Thomas Keneally for a very long time. From the first few pages The Soldier's Curse won me round so the writing gene must run in the family. The story is set in an early 19th century British penal colony about 40 years after Botany Bay was founded. The authors cast a modern eye over the clash of cultures with the indigenous people, the Birpai and the internal conflicts within the settlement as soldiers and prisoners attempts to build a society - the beginning of modern Australia. The Keneallys have a calm unemotional tone that lets the drama of a story to speak for itself.
The plot is totally absorbing, every bit as good as Tom Keneally's other historical novels. The murder mystery is grounded in revenge and the tensions generated in this harsh world and is totally believable. The characters are strong and drive the plot, true to time and place. I have no doubt that the creation of Hugh Monsarrat can sustain a new series. The Soldier's Curse is gripping and realistic to the end, a tale of tragedy and cruelty but also compassion and endeavour. The prose style is smooth and elegant making this novel a real pleasure to read.
The novel is the biographical tale of Hugh Monserrat, from English law clerk to convict detective, desperately seeking to keep his friend Mrs. Mulrooney's from the gallows. It is also a tale of Australian life and intuit societal structures. As such the history is every bit as good as other literary Australian novels set in the same time - Richard Flannigan's 'Wanting' or Kate Grenville's 'The Secret River' and 'The Lieutenant'. There are scene of a flogging and a hanging that are visceral and 'raw' that makes you wince with the brutality and inhumanity of the times but are integral to the story.
Port MacQuarie, New South Wales an outpost commanded by Major Shelborne, his wife Honora attempts to make the enclave a better place for everyone but particularly the women of the colony. Hugh Monsarrat, is prisoner clerk to the Major. Captain Diamond, the second in command is a cold fish, a deeply unlikeable and dangerous man. When Shelborne heads an expedition to find new fertile lands to cultivate, Honora falls ill, Dr. Gonville seems unable to help as she deteriorates. Mrs. Mulrooney does her best to care for the woman and Monsarrat offers what support he can. When Honora dies and poison is suspected the investigation is left to Capt. Diamond but Hugh Monserrat is the only man willing and able to conduct a proper inquiry into what happened.
Thomas Keneally is a prolific Australian novelist with a solid body of work over the last 50 years. Most notably 'Schindler's Ark' in 1982 which won the Booker Prize that year. His fiction covers a broad a spectrum, my favorites include; Confederates (American Civil War) and The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith (Australian race history). I look forward to the next Hugh Monsarrat outing.
This is a page turner that has real depth but is also a very entertaining read. An historical novel with a slow burn murder mystery at the heart of the plot but that is by no means all that is going on in this novel. Fans of Thomas Keneally will love The Soldier's Curse recognising familiar themes and his ability to bring the past to life. In this case, Australia's colonial history. However, readers may also notice a slightly different style to the prose that must be part of the input of Meg Keneally. The idea for a series of novels featuring Hugh Monsarrat and the outline of the plot for this novel were written by Tom sometime ago but not turned into a completed work until now in this collaboration with his daughter. I am pleased to say they work well together because I was a little sceptical of this joint venture, even though I have been a fan of Thomas Keneally for a very long time. From the first few pages The Soldier's Curse won me round so the writing gene must run in the family. The story is set in an early 19th century British penal colony about 40 years after Botany Bay was founded. The authors cast a modern eye over the clash of cultures with the indigenous people, the Birpai and the internal conflicts within the settlement as soldiers and prisoners attempts to build a society - the beginning of modern Australia. The Keneallys have a calm unemotional tone that lets the drama of a story to speak for itself.
The plot is totally absorbing, every bit as good as Tom Keneally's other historical novels. The murder mystery is grounded in revenge and the tensions generated in this harsh world and is totally believable. The characters are strong and drive the plot, true to time and place. I have no doubt that the creation of Hugh Monsarrat can sustain a new series. The Soldier's Curse is gripping and realistic to the end, a tale of tragedy and cruelty but also compassion and endeavour. The prose style is smooth and elegant making this novel a real pleasure to read.
The novel is the biographical tale of Hugh Monserrat, from English law clerk to convict detective, desperately seeking to keep his friend Mrs. Mulrooney's from the gallows. It is also a tale of Australian life and intuit societal structures. As such the history is every bit as good as other literary Australian novels set in the same time - Richard Flannigan's 'Wanting' or Kate Grenville's 'The Secret River' and 'The Lieutenant'. There are scene of a flogging and a hanging that are visceral and 'raw' that makes you wince with the brutality and inhumanity of the times but are integral to the story.
Port MacQuarie, New South Wales an outpost commanded by Major Shelborne, his wife Honora attempts to make the enclave a better place for everyone but particularly the women of the colony. Hugh Monsarrat, is prisoner clerk to the Major. Captain Diamond, the second in command is a cold fish, a deeply unlikeable and dangerous man. When Shelborne heads an expedition to find new fertile lands to cultivate, Honora falls ill, Dr. Gonville seems unable to help as she deteriorates. Mrs. Mulrooney does her best to care for the woman and Monsarrat offers what support he can. When Honora dies and poison is suspected the investigation is left to Capt. Diamond but Hugh Monserrat is the only man willing and able to conduct a proper inquiry into what happened.
Thomas Keneally is a prolific Australian novelist with a solid body of work over the last 50 years. Most notably 'Schindler's Ark' in 1982 which won the Booker Prize that year. His fiction covers a broad a spectrum, my favorites include; Confederates (American Civil War) and The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith (Australian race history). I look forward to the next Hugh Monsarrat outing.
July 20, 2017
It works for P.J Tracy and for Nicci French so why shouldn’t it work for Meg and……. Tom Keneally!?
I did a double take, I really did, when I heard of this partnership. Possibly because I revere Tom Keneally. Schindler’s Ark had me visiting Krakow at the first opportunity to find Oskar Schindler’s factory!! However, practically, I doubt this book will see me jetting it to the Antipodes to find the site of the Port Macquarie penal colony. And not because I didn’t enjoy the novel. I did, I thought it was marvellous.
I watched the BBC 2 drama series Banished, aired in 2015, which is set in an earlier period than this book but afforded me a strong visual connection with many of the incidents detailed in this novel. It also served to reinforce the accurate historical research that gives this story so much of its richness.
As well as being an historical novel it is also an intelligent and engrossing crime story. The first in the series the main protagonist is Hugh Monsarrat, erstwhile forger and fraudster, elevated to clerical work for the commander of the penal settlement. My research shows that the second book is already available in Australia and that an entire series is planned for Monsarrat. That’s all good news as far as I’m concerned.
Initially I found I had to reread the first few pages and I feared this book would be an arduous read! But it was a merely a case of adjusting to the style of writing which having done so was wonderful. Set in 1825 the narrative is written in the vernacular of the time so effectively you almost find yourself thinking and speaking in the same way. It’s one thing to use extensive historical research effectively in a novel, factually, but to capture the etymology of the time is skill indeed.
The narrative is tight and the plot well constructed and accessible. It is the proving of the crime rather than the solving of it that becomes key in the latter stages of the book. But the reader is subtly allowed to accompany the characters as the fiction progresses rather than remain as bibliophilic bystanders. It was refreshing to be so involved in a story so far removed from contemporary life.
The characters are substantially drawn and you warm or shrink from them as each deserves. I love it when ‘bit part’ characters are imbued with as much life as the main characters. There is some brutality in the book and the characters respond appropriately but there is also some wit, humour and warmth.
This is a solid and intelligent read. It’s story telling mainly but the history is interesting and informative. There is a comprehensive Author’s Note at the end which clarifies several points of fiction versus history.
I was delighted to received this book from Real Readers but even more delighted to actually read it. I look forward to more in the series which I believe features not only Monsarrat but Mrs. Mulrooney too. Who’s she, you ask? Go and read the book!!
August 1, 2017
The blurb given for this book, set in Australia at the time of the penal colonies is pretty much what you get. I'm not sure I would have described it as fast-paced, as it was slow to introduce the main characters, and continued at a somewhat pedestrian pace. Not that I minded as I don't always want to be taken on a roller-coaster ride in the books I read! I do not know much about the setting, geographical or historical, so I will leave accuracy in those areas for others to debate. However, at no time did I feel anything jarred, although I did have to look up and see whether tea was a cheap enough drink for convicts in the nineteenth century, and found that it was.
It took me time to empathise with the main character, Monsarrat; possibly because to start with he didn't seem to like himself very much. But as I read further into the book I found myself liking him more and more. Mrs Mulrooney, the lively, and dare I say slightly eccentric, housekeeper was a joy from the moment she appeared on the page. I can't say I felt very much at all for the murder victim, as we hardly saw her, nor could I feel much sympathy for her husband. The two possible murderers were quite well characterised, but I wasn't really drawn to, or repelled by, either of them. I did feel that the motive for the murder was a tad far-fetched, but as it was a time when you could be hung for pretending to have qualifications you could not have studied for, given your class, perhaps it was in keeping with the times.
I found the descriptions of the method of the murder dragged a little, but this is probably due to having watched a documentary on killers that lurked in our ancestor's housing without their knowledge not long before reading this book. Hardly the authors' fault!
One thing puzzled me. It is a book of 34 chapters, and was divided into three books. I couldn't really see the point of the separate books. The events in the chapters following each "break" happened on the same or next day, in the same location. It just seemed to be a waste of paper to me.
However, having said all that did I enjoy the book? Yes. Will I read the next one in the series? Very probably, if it comes out as an e-book.
It took me time to empathise with the main character, Monsarrat; possibly because to start with he didn't seem to like himself very much. But as I read further into the book I found myself liking him more and more. Mrs Mulrooney, the lively, and dare I say slightly eccentric, housekeeper was a joy from the moment she appeared on the page. I can't say I felt very much at all for the murder victim, as we hardly saw her, nor could I feel much sympathy for her husband. The two possible murderers were quite well characterised, but I wasn't really drawn to, or repelled by, either of them. I did feel that the motive for the murder was a tad far-fetched, but as it was a time when you could be hung for pretending to have qualifications you could not have studied for, given your class, perhaps it was in keeping with the times.
I found the descriptions of the method of the murder dragged a little, but this is probably due to having watched a documentary on killers that lurked in our ancestor's housing without their knowledge not long before reading this book. Hardly the authors' fault!
One thing puzzled me. It is a book of 34 chapters, and was divided into three books. I couldn't really see the point of the separate books. The events in the chapters following each "break" happened on the same or next day, in the same location. It just seemed to be a waste of paper to me.
However, having said all that did I enjoy the book? Yes. Will I read the next one in the series? Very probably, if it comes out as an e-book.
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