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Murder in Mt Martha
In 1953, a small dog leads his owner to the mutilated, dead body of a young girl. The senseless and brutal homicide not only shakes up the small seaside town of Mt Martha, but also begins an Australia-wide manhunt for the callous murderer. However, the witness testimonies are strangely inconsistent, and without a prime suspect, the case goes cold.
That is until the present time, when Nick Szabo begins an unrelated research project and comes across an old newspaper clipping. Aided by his friend Arthur, he digs deeper into the case, uncovering horrific layers of deception and betrayal.
Steeped in Melbourne’s past and historically accurate, Murder in Mount Martha is inspired by a real-life unsolved murder. It is an exciting and harrowing tale of what might have happened on that dark day on September 12, 1953.
That is until the present time, when Nick Szabo begins an unrelated research project and comes across an old newspaper clipping. Aided by his friend Arthur, he digs deeper into the case, uncovering horrific layers of deception and betrayal.
Steeped in Melbourne’s past and historically accurate, Murder in Mount Martha is inspired by a real-life unsolved murder. It is an exciting and harrowing tale of what might have happened on that dark day on September 12, 1953.
- GenresCrime
300 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2016
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83 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 7, 2019
Shifting between 1953 and current times this novel explores the events surrounding a real murder that has thus far remained unsolved. At times it felt like I was reading two separate stories, both of which I found entertaining. For me there seemed to be some conclusion for one story while the other felt like it came to an abrupt ending and left me wondering.
May 3, 2016
MURDER IN MT MARTHA is a fictional story, inspired by an unsolved 1953 real-life murder in the Mornington Peninsula suburb of Mt Martha. Author Janice Simpson combines the real facts with a range of unconnected contemporary elements to weave a potential solution and create her fictional version of "what if...".
Sixty years after the murder of 14 year old Beverly Middleton, Nick Szabo is working on his thesis about defectors from the Hungarian water polo team during the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. During interviews with retiree Arthur Boyle, and a bit of a coincidence his connection to the murder appears. The narrative moves from 2013, back to 1953 as the events leading up to, and after, the murder are revealed, and then investigated by Szabo with Boyle's help. The strength in these elements of the story is the way that Boyle is forced to think back over his life, to his childhood and the truth about what he saw and heard then.
Combine these memories with a 1953 version of events, as seen from a murder's viewpoint and there's some stark differences. The matter-of-fact, non-sensationalised but chilling account of a very nasty human being, contrasted rather nicely by the relationship that builds between Boyle and Szabo. Unfortunately the sidelines into the Hungarian background of Szabo and his family, as touching as they may be, are disconnected from the main thread and contribute little to the narrative progression. Sticking with the main viewpoint, with the murderer, his behaviour and the things that Boyle saw and heard as a young boy, but has only started to understand now he is an old man are cleverly imagined. The difference in past perspective and current conclusion is marked and really well done.
Aside from the times where Szabo's family connections muddy the water, there is a good level of pace and momentum in MURDER IN MT MARTHA. The imaginings of what happened to that young girl 60 years before, and the detail with which they are relayed is telling and really engaging. The current day investigation revolving around an old man, his memories and Szabo's investigative techniques are an unusual approach which is handled reasonably well - although there is a hefty number of coincidences involved.
Overall MURDER IN MT MARTHA is a debut which shows some promise - especially in it's central character. Hopefully there are further adventures planned for Nick Szabo, he's certainly the sort of character that would be worth following.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
Sixty years after the murder of 14 year old Beverly Middleton, Nick Szabo is working on his thesis about defectors from the Hungarian water polo team during the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. During interviews with retiree Arthur Boyle, and a bit of a coincidence his connection to the murder appears. The narrative moves from 2013, back to 1953 as the events leading up to, and after, the murder are revealed, and then investigated by Szabo with Boyle's help. The strength in these elements of the story is the way that Boyle is forced to think back over his life, to his childhood and the truth about what he saw and heard then.
Combine these memories with a 1953 version of events, as seen from a murder's viewpoint and there's some stark differences. The matter-of-fact, non-sensationalised but chilling account of a very nasty human being, contrasted rather nicely by the relationship that builds between Boyle and Szabo. Unfortunately the sidelines into the Hungarian background of Szabo and his family, as touching as they may be, are disconnected from the main thread and contribute little to the narrative progression. Sticking with the main viewpoint, with the murderer, his behaviour and the things that Boyle saw and heard as a young boy, but has only started to understand now he is an old man are cleverly imagined. The difference in past perspective and current conclusion is marked and really well done.
Aside from the times where Szabo's family connections muddy the water, there is a good level of pace and momentum in MURDER IN MT MARTHA. The imaginings of what happened to that young girl 60 years before, and the detail with which they are relayed is telling and really engaging. The current day investigation revolving around an old man, his memories and Szabo's investigative techniques are an unusual approach which is handled reasonably well - although there is a hefty number of coincidences involved.
Overall MURDER IN MT MARTHA is a debut which shows some promise - especially in it's central character. Hopefully there are further adventures planned for Nick Szabo, he's certainly the sort of character that would be worth following.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
July 26, 2017
4.5 stars. The story opens in September 1953, when the body of 14-year-old Beverly Middleton is discovered in the driveway of a holiday home in Mr Martha. Without the benefits of modern day forensics, and confused by contradictory witness reports and mysterious phone calls – possibly from the murderer – police are unable to solve the case.
Sixty years after the murder, junior academic and PhD candidate, Nick Szabo is embarking on research into the Hungarian water polo team defectors during the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. During his interviews with retiree Arthur Boyle, their discussions turned to the violent crimes occurring around the time of the Games. Boyle was particularly concerned about the murder Ms Middleton, a former work colleague of his. As Boyle unpacks his memories of the events of the day, he comes to suspect that the murderer may be someone ‘close to home’.
Murder in Mt Martha is a captivating and entertaining novel based on a 1953 unsolved murder of a young girl. The novel successfully combines first person reflections of the murderer, Boyle’s recollections his life at the time, and the daily struggles of Szabo to keep the audience on its toes. The novel is replete with noir-style deceptions and lies and family secrets at all plot levels. Simpson’s style of writing is engaging and her characters are believable but not always likeable (mercifully). The descriptions of 1950s life in Melbourne’s inner northern suburbs (and pre-Fitzgerald Inquiry Townsville) are well researched and provide insight into those moments in time. We look forward to more crime offerings from Simpson.
Sixty years after the murder, junior academic and PhD candidate, Nick Szabo is embarking on research into the Hungarian water polo team defectors during the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. During his interviews with retiree Arthur Boyle, their discussions turned to the violent crimes occurring around the time of the Games. Boyle was particularly concerned about the murder Ms Middleton, a former work colleague of his. As Boyle unpacks his memories of the events of the day, he comes to suspect that the murderer may be someone ‘close to home’.
Murder in Mt Martha is a captivating and entertaining novel based on a 1953 unsolved murder of a young girl. The novel successfully combines first person reflections of the murderer, Boyle’s recollections his life at the time, and the daily struggles of Szabo to keep the audience on its toes. The novel is replete with noir-style deceptions and lies and family secrets at all plot levels. Simpson’s style of writing is engaging and her characters are believable but not always likeable (mercifully). The descriptions of 1950s life in Melbourne’s inner northern suburbs (and pre-Fitzgerald Inquiry Townsville) are well researched and provide insight into those moments in time. We look forward to more crime offerings from Simpson.
June 18, 2018
I didn't enjoy this book and struggled to finish it - however, I did finish it. I can't say I enjoyed it because I found the plot difficult to follow. The book seemed to go back in time but there was no specific indicator as to what year/s the particular chapter was written. The characters I liked the best just finished - would like to know what they were doing. Perhaps it was an 'open ending' allowing another book to follow on at this stage.
Sorry, but for me this book was disappointing.
Sorry, but for me this book was disappointing.
July 3, 2016
Hold your horses when you read this fantastic new crime-noir. It grips right from page 1 when the 1953 murder of a 14 year-old girl is recounted in the prologue. It then moves swiftly to the present day where the reader meets Nick Szabo and the older Arthur Boyle. Szabo, a PhD research candidate, engages Boyle to talk to him about what life was like in Melbourne in the 1950s. Despite many of us sometimes wishing we could turn back the clock to a time when life was simpler and everyone had a job, the picture painted in this novel is not of that imagining, but is of a society where life is lived rather harshly around the edges, cruelty never far from the surface.
Based on an actual murder that occurred in September 1953, Simpson weaves a page-turning story in two time frames. The reader is walked through Collingwood, Carlton and Fitzroy, inner suburbs of Melbourne; then on to Townsville, where a corrupt system means anything goes. And it does.
There are lovely moments in this novel some of which are captured when Szabo visits his aged grandmother, Zsosy, who is still grieving the loss of her husband, Laszlo, who defected from Hungary during the 1956 Olympics, at the time when Russia stormed Budapest.
If you like food, then prepare to salivate as Simpson describes the sour cream and dill salads, the cinnamon biscuits and the spicy sausages typical of European cuisine.
Simpson's prose is masterful. We are introduced to well-drawn characters such as Brenda, Emma, Kathleen and Elizabeth, and the plot takes unexpected twists turns. The reader never knows what's around the corner, in the most suspenseful way.
Based on an actual murder that occurred in September 1953, Simpson weaves a page-turning story in two time frames. The reader is walked through Collingwood, Carlton and Fitzroy, inner suburbs of Melbourne; then on to Townsville, where a corrupt system means anything goes. And it does.
There are lovely moments in this novel some of which are captured when Szabo visits his aged grandmother, Zsosy, who is still grieving the loss of her husband, Laszlo, who defected from Hungary during the 1956 Olympics, at the time when Russia stormed Budapest.
If you like food, then prepare to salivate as Simpson describes the sour cream and dill salads, the cinnamon biscuits and the spicy sausages typical of European cuisine.
Simpson's prose is masterful. We are introduced to well-drawn characters such as Brenda, Emma, Kathleen and Elizabeth, and the plot takes unexpected twists turns. The reader never knows what's around the corner, in the most suspenseful way.
July 3, 2016
The descriptions of life in Melbourne in the 1950's make for a very interesting background to Murder in Mt Martha. The story weaves a realistic plot encompassing historic and modern events and everyday life in the city. Based on an actual murder, the novel is a tale which leads to a possible scenario of what might have been the events which lead to the murder of a young girl, and the deception which allowed her killer to "get away with murder". A well-crafted, easy to read thriller.
June 29, 2016
Murder in Mt. Martha is a riveting read. It is, to use that cliche, a real page turner. From start to finish Janice Simpson keeps you on the edge of your seat as you rip your way through this mystery. The book has all of the hallmarks of a good story: tight text, questions about the past, crafted characters and good and evil simmering on each page.
September 13, 2016
A terrific read. Well-drawn characters — some to hate, and some to adore. Inspired by a real case, the story will lull you with its nostalgia and shock you with its violence. So much more than just a crime story.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews