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Taylor Bridges #2
The Falls
A week of despair... a century of evil
Damaged but not yet broken, park ranger Taylor Bridges believes his ghosts are in the past - until a raging forest fire in an isolated canyon of The Falls lays bare the remains of a young woman… and a decade-old killing ground.
After the police enlist Taylor in their investigation, the evidence bizarrely points to a deranged preacher who reigned over The Falls a century ago.
But when a crucial witness and a policewoman disappear, it’s clear that a disciple of The Falls’ dark history is on the loose.
Damaged but not yet broken, park ranger Taylor Bridges believes his ghosts are in the past - until a raging forest fire in an isolated canyon of The Falls lays bare the remains of a young woman… and a decade-old killing ground.
After the police enlist Taylor in their investigation, the evidence bizarrely points to a deranged preacher who reigned over The Falls a century ago.
But when a crucial witness and a policewoman disappear, it’s clear that a disciple of The Falls’ dark history is on the loose.
366 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2016
6 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
B. Michael Radburn
15 books26 followersB. Michael Radburn lives with his family in the beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW. Although he works for a large printing group, in his spare time Radburn enjoys farming his small property and taking road trips on his Harley Davidson. Aside, of course, from writing, he possesses a deep passion for music and treasures the time he spends with his guitar, banjo and harmonica.
Radburn has been writing successfully for many years, having published more than 80 short stores, articles and reviews in Australia and overseas.
Through the late '80s he was Publishing Editor of the Australian Horror & Fantasy Magazine and founder of Dark Press Publications.
Radburn has won several Melbourne University Literary Awards and more recently was short-listed for the Henry Lawson Festival Awards.
The Crossing was his debut novel. His second novel is Blackwater Moon. Radburn is currently working on his next novel, currently titled The Falls.
Radburn has been writing successfully for many years, having published more than 80 short stores, articles and reviews in Australia and overseas.
Through the late '80s he was Publishing Editor of the Australian Horror & Fantasy Magazine and founder of Dark Press Publications.
Radburn has won several Melbourne University Literary Awards and more recently was short-listed for the Henry Lawson Festival Awards.
The Crossing was his debut novel. His second novel is Blackwater Moon. Radburn is currently working on his next novel, currently titled The Falls.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 20, 2016
3.5* While the first few pages are dark and disturbing, overall this is an intense and gripping crime thriller. Aroha and Dylan are two hikers who trudge their way deep into the National Parks in Victoria looking for a lost gold mine. As they each wandered off in different directions, Aroha chose to go near a cliff covered in a thick curtain of vines. Deciding to take a few photos of the area she noticed a fresh boot print in the sandy soil and realized they were not alone. Shouting for Dylan he appeared almost immediately by the creek bed and rushed towards her in a panic. He could barely speak and could only utter the word, ‘look’ as he showed her a photo of a dead girl lying in the dirt covered in blood. ‘The Falls’ is nicely written novel, and would appeal to readers who enjoy thrillers with a touch of some hair-raising moments.
** Thank you to Publisher Pantera Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. **
** Thank you to Publisher Pantera Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. **
September 23, 2024
4★
“His old sense of remorse was beginning to creep back in, tightening around his insides like vines on a tree. He countered it with his favourite passage: ‘Evil in the hands of a righteous man is a tool for the greater good’, imprinted on his mind like words etched in stone, their power always easing the regret after each girl left him.”
What a frighteningly Machiavellian concept that is! Isn't that pretty much the same as “The end justifies the means”?
This man and his activities open the second Taylor Bridges story. It takes place in the goldmining district of Victoria, in the Australian bush, where a young couple who have abseiled down a cliff while looking for an old mine, spot a body and what looks like a dozen graves. As they race to climb back to the top before dark, she spots a man moving below. The killer??
They get to the top and discover they are in the path of a raging bushfire. They know about the famous and terrifying 1983 Ash Wednesday and 2009 Black Saturday fires, so trying to escape eclipses any concerns about what they’ve left below.
“The forest became a blind labyrinth in the haze, the heat forcing Aroha forward. The spectre of trees advanced from the acrid smoke with every step, branches whipping their exposed skin and tearing at their clothes. Aroha had seen the aftermath of many bushfires in the wilderness, but had never been in the heart of one. The rule was simple: anyone who knowingly entered a forest on fire deserved a Darwin Award.”
They do get out (not a spoiler), and she asks her father to ask “Uncle Taylor” (his best mate and a National Parks Ranger) to help the local police with their investigation, since Taylor Bridges knows his way around the bush better than most. Her father, Brian, was instrumental in finding the body of Taylor’s missing little girl, so the men are closer friends than most.
It’s a great yarn. The landscape has been scorched after the fires, making it difficult to find evidence. I enjoyed Radburn’s description of what awaited the investigators.
“The mountain range was normally a landscape of thick treetops, but with the leaves transformed to a dense blanket of ash on the woodland’s floor, he could see clearly between the skeletal trunks and every contour of ground beneath; every parched stone outcrop and creek line. The earth stripped naked.”
How do you get down? Helicopter. And not with just any pilot. They need Gordo, who flew Seahawks into war zones during the Gulf War and is considered a bit of a cowboy. [Personal note – I get so giddy in a helicopter, that I would have passed out on his flights!] Gordo’s chopper is painted bright yellow, and without it, there would be no investigation possible. There’s on other way in … that they know of.
“‘The Canary’s tail lifted as the sound of her rotor blades changed pitch, echoing off the canyon walls with barely a metre’s clearance either side. Gordo gave a hardy ‘Yeeeehhaaaa!’ as the chopper nosedived forward
… when the skids touched down there was a collective sigh of relief from its passengers.
‘Jesus H. Christ, Gordo!’ Marsden said. ‘Was that necessary?’
Gordo laughed. ‘No, but it was fun.’” [Bl**dy cowboys!]
Of course the police send detectives in from the city which is always a source of potential friction with the locals, especially as Sgt Marsden used to be a detective. He was demoted when he reported some crooked cops. He, his young constable, the new detective (a woman, no less) have to get used to each other.
Radburn does this well, and keeps reminding us of Taylor Bridges’ sensitivity about looking for bodies. Everything reminds him of his lost little girl, and even having a new little girl, Erin, doesn’t make up for the loss of the big sister she never knew.
There is plenty of white-knuckle action (besides the chopper landings), and a bit of grisly stuff that I could have done without, but it was brief. The treks into the caves are extra scary (and dark!), especially when Taylor goes on his own.
“He reached for the fresh batteries and knocked one off the bag in his haste. ‘No!’ He patted at the ground, desperation in every touch as the sounds grew closer. Whoever it was would be just as blind—there was no sign of light ahead. Unless … His head spun. Unless they had a lamp but had switched it off and were relying on memory. Or night-vision goggles. You could buy them at any gun store now.”
I did find it curious that the police and others are always referred to by their last names, but Taylor and Brian, and the young couple are always referred to by their first names. When I see “Marsden and Blaney and Norton” (Sergeant, Constable, and Detective), it’s a bit odd to have “Taylor” follow that instead of “Bridges”. Maybe because we are on a first-name basis with him?
I’m happy to overlook that and also overlook what seem to be Americanisms in my copy (perhaps it was an edition for the US market – nobody here drinks iced tea on the verandah except me, as far as I know). They are all distractions from what is an exciting story!
Thanks to the author for a copy for review! I love how many great Aussie authors we have!
P.S. Link to my review of The Crossing, book #1 in the series Read it!
“His old sense of remorse was beginning to creep back in, tightening around his insides like vines on a tree. He countered it with his favourite passage: ‘Evil in the hands of a righteous man is a tool for the greater good’, imprinted on his mind like words etched in stone, their power always easing the regret after each girl left him.”
What a frighteningly Machiavellian concept that is! Isn't that pretty much the same as “The end justifies the means”?
This man and his activities open the second Taylor Bridges story. It takes place in the goldmining district of Victoria, in the Australian bush, where a young couple who have abseiled down a cliff while looking for an old mine, spot a body and what looks like a dozen graves. As they race to climb back to the top before dark, she spots a man moving below. The killer??
They get to the top and discover they are in the path of a raging bushfire. They know about the famous and terrifying 1983 Ash Wednesday and 2009 Black Saturday fires, so trying to escape eclipses any concerns about what they’ve left below.
“The forest became a blind labyrinth in the haze, the heat forcing Aroha forward. The spectre of trees advanced from the acrid smoke with every step, branches whipping their exposed skin and tearing at their clothes. Aroha had seen the aftermath of many bushfires in the wilderness, but had never been in the heart of one. The rule was simple: anyone who knowingly entered a forest on fire deserved a Darwin Award.”
They do get out (not a spoiler), and she asks her father to ask “Uncle Taylor” (his best mate and a National Parks Ranger) to help the local police with their investigation, since Taylor Bridges knows his way around the bush better than most. Her father, Brian, was instrumental in finding the body of Taylor’s missing little girl, so the men are closer friends than most.
It’s a great yarn. The landscape has been scorched after the fires, making it difficult to find evidence. I enjoyed Radburn’s description of what awaited the investigators.
“The mountain range was normally a landscape of thick treetops, but with the leaves transformed to a dense blanket of ash on the woodland’s floor, he could see clearly between the skeletal trunks and every contour of ground beneath; every parched stone outcrop and creek line. The earth stripped naked.”
How do you get down? Helicopter. And not with just any pilot. They need Gordo, who flew Seahawks into war zones during the Gulf War and is considered a bit of a cowboy. [Personal note – I get so giddy in a helicopter, that I would have passed out on his flights!] Gordo’s chopper is painted bright yellow, and without it, there would be no investigation possible. There’s on other way in … that they know of.
“‘The Canary’s tail lifted as the sound of her rotor blades changed pitch, echoing off the canyon walls with barely a metre’s clearance either side. Gordo gave a hardy ‘Yeeeehhaaaa!’ as the chopper nosedived forward
… when the skids touched down there was a collective sigh of relief from its passengers.
‘Jesus H. Christ, Gordo!’ Marsden said. ‘Was that necessary?’
Gordo laughed. ‘No, but it was fun.’” [Bl**dy cowboys!]
Of course the police send detectives in from the city which is always a source of potential friction with the locals, especially as Sgt Marsden used to be a detective. He was demoted when he reported some crooked cops. He, his young constable, the new detective (a woman, no less) have to get used to each other.
Radburn does this well, and keeps reminding us of Taylor Bridges’ sensitivity about looking for bodies. Everything reminds him of his lost little girl, and even having a new little girl, Erin, doesn’t make up for the loss of the big sister she never knew.
There is plenty of white-knuckle action (besides the chopper landings), and a bit of grisly stuff that I could have done without, but it was brief. The treks into the caves are extra scary (and dark!), especially when Taylor goes on his own.
“He reached for the fresh batteries and knocked one off the bag in his haste. ‘No!’ He patted at the ground, desperation in every touch as the sounds grew closer. Whoever it was would be just as blind—there was no sign of light ahead. Unless … His head spun. Unless they had a lamp but had switched it off and were relying on memory. Or night-vision goggles. You could buy them at any gun store now.”
I did find it curious that the police and others are always referred to by their last names, but Taylor and Brian, and the young couple are always referred to by their first names. When I see “Marsden and Blaney and Norton” (Sergeant, Constable, and Detective), it’s a bit odd to have “Taylor” follow that instead of “Bridges”. Maybe because we are on a first-name basis with him?
I’m happy to overlook that and also overlook what seem to be Americanisms in my copy (perhaps it was an edition for the US market – nobody here drinks iced tea on the verandah except me, as far as I know). They are all distractions from what is an exciting story!
Thanks to the author for a copy for review! I love how many great Aussie authors we have!
P.S. Link to my review of The Crossing, book #1 in the series Read it!
March 3, 2019
Another excellent murder mystery from this very competent author. I like the main character, Taylor Bridges. He is a sensible, capable kind of guy who is still recovering from some past trauma but not letting it take him completely down. When he takes on a mission you feel as though things will turn out well in the end.
The Falls is set in a rural area and it is the norm in mystery books for country cops to be less than capable. Radburn takes a different route - his sergeant is an ex detective demoted for issues out of his control, and the off sider is a probationer who turns out to be talented and brave. The book begins at top speed with a dead body and a scary bush fire. It ends stressfully as each of the main characters makes their way to catching up with the murderer by a different route. Will they all get there in time?
Read it and see:)
The Falls is set in a rural area and it is the norm in mystery books for country cops to be less than capable. Radburn takes a different route - his sergeant is an ex detective demoted for issues out of his control, and the off sider is a probationer who turns out to be talented and brave. The book begins at top speed with a dead body and a scary bush fire. It ends stressfully as each of the main characters makes their way to catching up with the murderer by a different route. Will they all get there in time?
Read it and see:)
December 14, 2016
The Falls pulls you straight in with adrenaline pumping action as adventurers Dylan and Aroha first find footprints in a desolate location then discover the body of a young woman. They soon realise they are not alone.
After a gripping start the story soon settles to more of an intriguing murder mystery with surges of thrills and suspense.
Radburn has a colourful cast of characters including a demoted Detective, a traumatised Park Ranger and an ex Golf war pilot and each lend a real Australian flavour to the story.
It was hard to tell who the true protagonist was as different characters take on the lead role at different times in the story. Bridges takes a bit of a back seat coming to the fore towards the end of the novel.
Radburn has a fine hold on the plot and he knows how to build tension, slowly revealing snippets of information.
Written around the area of an abandoned goldmine the description of the Australian landscape and devastating fires, combined with Radburn’s poetic prose, delivers a story that captivates the reader and keeps those pages turning.
I was so caught up in this story with its twists and turns that I’ll even forgive the characters for some of the stupid, dangerous decisions they made.
And that ending blew me away!!
After a gripping start the story soon settles to more of an intriguing murder mystery with surges of thrills and suspense.
Radburn has a colourful cast of characters including a demoted Detective, a traumatised Park Ranger and an ex Golf war pilot and each lend a real Australian flavour to the story.
It was hard to tell who the true protagonist was as different characters take on the lead role at different times in the story. Bridges takes a bit of a back seat coming to the fore towards the end of the novel.
Radburn has a fine hold on the plot and he knows how to build tension, slowly revealing snippets of information.
Written around the area of an abandoned goldmine the description of the Australian landscape and devastating fires, combined with Radburn’s poetic prose, delivers a story that captivates the reader and keeps those pages turning.
I was so caught up in this story with its twists and turns that I’ll even forgive the characters for some of the stupid, dangerous decisions they made.
And that ending blew me away!!
August 4, 2016
Phew! What a ride! Best thriller I’ve read in a long while!
Aroha and Dylan were high above the canyon in the National Parks in Victoria – they’d hiked from their car and with it still light for a few hours, decided to rappel down into the canyon. They were searching for the elusive Christiana Gold Mine; even though others had searched long and hard, Aroha and Dylan were sure they would be the ones to find it. But arrival at the bottom of the canyon didn’t go to plan and when they saw the body of a young woman, plus evidence of someone in the vicinity, their first thought was to get out of there as fast as they could.
Sergeant Marsden of The Falls police department was sceptical about bringing National Parks ranger Taylor Bridges into their investigation. But he came with good references and although he’d had personal tragedy in his past Taylor told the Sergeant he would be fine. The raging bushfire across the Park held access up but once they were able and with the help of Gordo, the local helicopter pilot, Marsden and Taylor headed to the canyon. What they found shocked even the hardiest of the police department – the hunt was immediately on for a sadistic and deranged killer.
With Detective Norton brought in to run the investigation, and Constable Blaney doing the grunt work, they formed a good team – but when secrets began emerging from as far back as 1965, Sergeant Marsden knew there was evil linked to what they were uncovering. And the danger was lurking all around them. It was obvious the killer would strike again – he had to be stopped. But at what cost?
The Falls by Aussie author B. Michael Radburn is the second in the Taylor Bridges series and already I can’t wait until the next one, which according to the back of this digital copy, will be called “The Reach”. I discovered I haven’t read the first, The Crossing, which I must rectify very soon. The Falls is filled with incredible tension, brilliant twists and turns as well as heart stopping moments when I found myself holding my breath! Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital copy to read in exchange for my honest review.
Aroha and Dylan were high above the canyon in the National Parks in Victoria – they’d hiked from their car and with it still light for a few hours, decided to rappel down into the canyon. They were searching for the elusive Christiana Gold Mine; even though others had searched long and hard, Aroha and Dylan were sure they would be the ones to find it. But arrival at the bottom of the canyon didn’t go to plan and when they saw the body of a young woman, plus evidence of someone in the vicinity, their first thought was to get out of there as fast as they could.
Sergeant Marsden of The Falls police department was sceptical about bringing National Parks ranger Taylor Bridges into their investigation. But he came with good references and although he’d had personal tragedy in his past Taylor told the Sergeant he would be fine. The raging bushfire across the Park held access up but once they were able and with the help of Gordo, the local helicopter pilot, Marsden and Taylor headed to the canyon. What they found shocked even the hardiest of the police department – the hunt was immediately on for a sadistic and deranged killer.
With Detective Norton brought in to run the investigation, and Constable Blaney doing the grunt work, they formed a good team – but when secrets began emerging from as far back as 1965, Sergeant Marsden knew there was evil linked to what they were uncovering. And the danger was lurking all around them. It was obvious the killer would strike again – he had to be stopped. But at what cost?
The Falls by Aussie author B. Michael Radburn is the second in the Taylor Bridges series and already I can’t wait until the next one, which according to the back of this digital copy, will be called “The Reach”. I discovered I haven’t read the first, The Crossing, which I must rectify very soon. The Falls is filled with incredible tension, brilliant twists and turns as well as heart stopping moments when I found myself holding my breath! Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital copy to read in exchange for my honest review.
February 17, 2017
When two young explorers abseil into a canyon in a Victorian National park, they are hoping to find evidence of a lost gold mine, not the body of a young girl. As they hightail out of the canyon, rushing to beat a raging bushfire they think they see someone else fleeing.
Taylor Bridges, park ranger, back in Victoria after hunting down a serial murder in Tasmania is called in to help explore the canyon and old mines to help police find if there is another way in. Still grieving the loss of his own daughter, he is keen to solve the murder of the young girl, but he soon finds that the history of the mine is complex and embedded in a odd cult with bizarre traditions still practiced by some old families in the area.
Well written with as many twists and dead ends as the mines themselves this is a pyschological thriller as much as a mystery. There are some unique Aussie characters such as Marsden, the ex-detective demoted and sent to the bush, and Gordo the ex-army helicopter pilot as well as some very scary tractor-eating sink holes. There was just one little thing that irked me about the characters . Aside from that this was a thrilling tale with a great ending!
Taylor Bridges, park ranger, back in Victoria after hunting down a serial murder in Tasmania is called in to help explore the canyon and old mines to help police find if there is another way in. Still grieving the loss of his own daughter, he is keen to solve the murder of the young girl, but he soon finds that the history of the mine is complex and embedded in a odd cult with bizarre traditions still practiced by some old families in the area.
Well written with as many twists and dead ends as the mines themselves this is a pyschological thriller as much as a mystery. There are some unique Aussie characters such as Marsden, the ex-detective demoted and sent to the bush, and Gordo the ex-army helicopter pilot as well as some very scary tractor-eating sink holes. There was just one little thing that irked me about the characters . Aside from that this was a thrilling tale with a great ending!
January 30, 2021
This is the second instalment in B. Michael Radburn's Taylor Bridges series, and I felt that the writing was more assured than in its predecessor, The Crossing.
While exploring a hidden, lushly vegetated Canyon in the (real) Mitchell River National Park, near the (fictional) town of Eldritch Falls, local climbers Aroha Ross and her partner Dylan Franklin are searching for the fabled Christiana goldmine when they come across the body of a young woman. Making a quick exit from the area to notify authorities, they find themselves threatened by a bushfire and forge a dramatic escape to safety.
After the tumultuous events in Tasmania covered in The Crossing, Taylor Bridges has returned to the mainland, reconciled with his wife Maggie and is working as a National Park Ranger in Gippsland, eastern Victoria. His friend and colleague Brian, Aroha's father, calls in his assistance to solve the mystery of the body, which has since disappeared, and Taylor is cautiously welcomed by local Eldritch police sergeant, Quade Marsden.
Bridges and Marsden, together with probationary constable Todd Blaney and Melbourne-based Senior Detective Sandra Norton, uncover evidence of a serial killer or killers, active over several decades, preying on young women and using the old goldmines and caves as cover. The further they dig, the more links become evident with the activities of evangelical preacher, Jacob Muller, who established the gold mines in the late 19th century. Is a deranged killer trying to emulate Muller's bizarre teachings in the 21st century?
As with The Crossing, Radburn builds an evocative setting for his complex plot. His descriptions of Eldritch Falls and its surrounding area brings to mind the karst country at Buchan, further to the east than the real Mitchell River National Park. (Readers may recall that this area suffered particularly heavy losses during the bushfires of 2019-20.)
The Falls provides the opportunity for Radburn to further develop the complex central character, Taylor Bridges. While the events of The Crossing have brought some resolution to his troubled soul, he understandably still grieves for his daughter Claire. When Aroha is abducted from under the noses of her police protection, it brings back many part-supressed feelings of guilt and trauma for Bridges, making him all the more driven to find Aroha and stop the killer.
The supporting cast of characters, both on the side of justice and malevolent, are also well developed and complex. Quade Marsden brings to mind Garry Disher's hero, Paul Hirschhausen, another intuitive and conscientious investigator unfairly demoted and exiled to the back blocks after exposing the nefarious behaviour of other officers. PC Todd Blaney is green behind the ears and a bit cheeky, but brings a keenness and courage to the investigation. It's great to see a competent female detective, in the shape of Senior Detective Sandra Norton, as the senior police character in an "Aussie Noir" fiction title.
While there were various plot holes and the characters' behaviour at times defied explanation, I found that the action-filled plot and great characters sustained my interest and enabled me to suspend disbelief sufficiently to find The Falls an enjoyable and engrossing read.
I look forward to reading Radburn's third Taylor Bridges novel, The Reach in the near future.
While exploring a hidden, lushly vegetated Canyon in the (real) Mitchell River National Park, near the (fictional) town of Eldritch Falls, local climbers Aroha Ross and her partner Dylan Franklin are searching for the fabled Christiana goldmine when they come across the body of a young woman. Making a quick exit from the area to notify authorities, they find themselves threatened by a bushfire and forge a dramatic escape to safety.
After the tumultuous events in Tasmania covered in The Crossing, Taylor Bridges has returned to the mainland, reconciled with his wife Maggie and is working as a National Park Ranger in Gippsland, eastern Victoria. His friend and colleague Brian, Aroha's father, calls in his assistance to solve the mystery of the body, which has since disappeared, and Taylor is cautiously welcomed by local Eldritch police sergeant, Quade Marsden.
Bridges and Marsden, together with probationary constable Todd Blaney and Melbourne-based Senior Detective Sandra Norton, uncover evidence of a serial killer or killers, active over several decades, preying on young women and using the old goldmines and caves as cover. The further they dig, the more links become evident with the activities of evangelical preacher, Jacob Muller, who established the gold mines in the late 19th century. Is a deranged killer trying to emulate Muller's bizarre teachings in the 21st century?
As with The Crossing, Radburn builds an evocative setting for his complex plot. His descriptions of Eldritch Falls and its surrounding area brings to mind the karst country at Buchan, further to the east than the real Mitchell River National Park. (Readers may recall that this area suffered particularly heavy losses during the bushfires of 2019-20.)
The Falls provides the opportunity for Radburn to further develop the complex central character, Taylor Bridges. While the events of The Crossing have brought some resolution to his troubled soul, he understandably still grieves for his daughter Claire. When Aroha is abducted from under the noses of her police protection, it brings back many part-supressed feelings of guilt and trauma for Bridges, making him all the more driven to find Aroha and stop the killer.
The supporting cast of characters, both on the side of justice and malevolent, are also well developed and complex. Quade Marsden brings to mind Garry Disher's hero, Paul Hirschhausen, another intuitive and conscientious investigator unfairly demoted and exiled to the back blocks after exposing the nefarious behaviour of other officers. PC Todd Blaney is green behind the ears and a bit cheeky, but brings a keenness and courage to the investigation. It's great to see a competent female detective, in the shape of Senior Detective Sandra Norton, as the senior police character in an "Aussie Noir" fiction title.
While there were various plot holes and the characters' behaviour at times defied explanation, I found that the action-filled plot and great characters sustained my interest and enabled me to suspend disbelief sufficiently to find The Falls an enjoyable and engrossing read.
I look forward to reading Radburn's third Taylor Bridges novel, The Reach in the near future.
January 26, 2021
Parks Victoria ranger Taylor Bridges is back in his home state, several years on from the events of The Crossing. Reconciled with his wife, and with a new young daughter to love, he is still haunted by the past, but life is better. When the boss's daughter, Aroha, stumbles across a remote crime scene, she recommends 'Uncle' Taylor to the police investigation and takes it upon herself to convince him to lend his expertise. How could he refuse? Taylor travels to Eldritch Falls and almost immediately earns his keep by identifying the remote canyon as not just the scene connected with the initial murder, but also a burial ground for multiple victims.
This is another thrilling, fast-paced tale from Radburn, but where it differed noticeably from the previous Taylor Bridges book is that Taylor is not front and centre this time. Sure, he's crucial to the plot in terms of discovering/revealing key pieces of information and clues, and stepping up as the hero at the end, but it's actually the police - local uniforms Sergeant Marsden and probationary Constable Blaney, along with city detective DS Norton - who do all the legwork and active investigation. I didn't have a problem with that at all; it's probably more realistic than how it unfolded in the previous book. Radburn's descriptions of the landscape are cinematically vivid and the mystery itself is refreshingly different. Who could resist a legendary, lost goldmine connected with a deranged, Amish preacher?
Overall I thought this was really solid, despite Taylor sitting in the back seat. Recommended.
This is another thrilling, fast-paced tale from Radburn, but where it differed noticeably from the previous Taylor Bridges book is that Taylor is not front and centre this time. Sure, he's crucial to the plot in terms of discovering/revealing key pieces of information and clues, and stepping up as the hero at the end, but it's actually the police - local uniforms Sergeant Marsden and probationary Constable Blaney, along with city detective DS Norton - who do all the legwork and active investigation. I didn't have a problem with that at all; it's probably more realistic than how it unfolded in the previous book. Radburn's descriptions of the landscape are cinematically vivid and the mystery itself is refreshingly different. Who could resist a legendary, lost goldmine connected with a deranged, Amish preacher?
Overall I thought this was really solid, despite Taylor sitting in the back seat. Recommended.
April 14, 2021
4.5★s
The Falls is the second book in the Taylor Bridges series by Australian author, B. Michael Radburn. The audio version is read by Ric Herbert. It is five years since his rather fraught spell in Tasmania, and Parks Victoria Ranger, Taylor Bridges is now happy to be working and living in Cheyenne Bridge with Maggie and his four-year-old daughter, Erin.
When his boss’s daughter asks him to assist with a Police investigation in Eldritch Falls, he resolves to try, despite Maggie’s misgivings (she wonders if Taylor is really stable enough emotionally to deal with more violent crime), and not just because he feels indebted to Brian Ross. When his own daughter, Claire went missing, Brian was his rock, but more than this drives him to help.
Aroha Ross and her partner are sure they have located the site of Jacob Muller’s fabled goldmine in a hidden canyon when they come across a grisly find: a young woman’s body. They manage to snap a photo of the body, and a recent boot print, before fire races through the valley. Later examination of the scene by Police is remarkable for the absence of said body.
Effective communications between investigators are hampered as fire has taken out the local mobile phone tower, making service frustratingly erratic. Sent in by chopper to solve the puzzle of the killer’s access to this apparently impermeable valley, Taylor makes a gruesome discovery when a rainstorm washes away the ashes and fire debris. Are they dealing with a serial killer?
For Taylor’s second foray into the realm of law enforcement, Radburn once again gives the reader a fast-paced crime thriller with plenty of tense moments that build up to a gripping climax in an underground cavern. It includes a murderous heritage from an unbalanced preacher, caves, mineshafts, a fortune in gold, size 9 boots, guns, knives and sacrificial slaughter.
Radburn’s characters are anything but one-dimensional: a police sergeant shafted by the system, a female detective determined to break through the glass ceiling, and a probationary constable eager for some excitement are three who demonstrate the good side of policing, doing their best to do their jobs well despite the challenges.
Also featured are an ageing matriarch not ready to yield control, a young man obsessed with his macabre ancestor, and a courageous young woman who makes an unwise decision. The many perspectives are shown through multiple narrators, and stigma of mental illness and the associated vulnerability are well portrayed. While the descriptions are excellent, a map would have enhanced the reader’s experience.
The astute reader may have suspicions about the killer early on, but Radburn throws in a good few red herrings to confuse the issue. There’s just a hint of paranormal which is very well done, and, although this is the second book in a series, it can easily be read stand-alone. Excellent Aussie crime fiction.
The Falls is the second book in the Taylor Bridges series by Australian author, B. Michael Radburn. The audio version is read by Ric Herbert. It is five years since his rather fraught spell in Tasmania, and Parks Victoria Ranger, Taylor Bridges is now happy to be working and living in Cheyenne Bridge with Maggie and his four-year-old daughter, Erin.
When his boss’s daughter asks him to assist with a Police investigation in Eldritch Falls, he resolves to try, despite Maggie’s misgivings (she wonders if Taylor is really stable enough emotionally to deal with more violent crime), and not just because he feels indebted to Brian Ross. When his own daughter, Claire went missing, Brian was his rock, but more than this drives him to help.
Aroha Ross and her partner are sure they have located the site of Jacob Muller’s fabled goldmine in a hidden canyon when they come across a grisly find: a young woman’s body. They manage to snap a photo of the body, and a recent boot print, before fire races through the valley. Later examination of the scene by Police is remarkable for the absence of said body.
Effective communications between investigators are hampered as fire has taken out the local mobile phone tower, making service frustratingly erratic. Sent in by chopper to solve the puzzle of the killer’s access to this apparently impermeable valley, Taylor makes a gruesome discovery when a rainstorm washes away the ashes and fire debris. Are they dealing with a serial killer?
For Taylor’s second foray into the realm of law enforcement, Radburn once again gives the reader a fast-paced crime thriller with plenty of tense moments that build up to a gripping climax in an underground cavern. It includes a murderous heritage from an unbalanced preacher, caves, mineshafts, a fortune in gold, size 9 boots, guns, knives and sacrificial slaughter.
Radburn’s characters are anything but one-dimensional: a police sergeant shafted by the system, a female detective determined to break through the glass ceiling, and a probationary constable eager for some excitement are three who demonstrate the good side of policing, doing their best to do their jobs well despite the challenges.
Also featured are an ageing matriarch not ready to yield control, a young man obsessed with his macabre ancestor, and a courageous young woman who makes an unwise decision. The many perspectives are shown through multiple narrators, and stigma of mental illness and the associated vulnerability are well portrayed. While the descriptions are excellent, a map would have enhanced the reader’s experience.
The astute reader may have suspicions about the killer early on, but Radburn throws in a good few red herrings to confuse the issue. There’s just a hint of paranormal which is very well done, and, although this is the second book in a series, it can easily be read stand-alone. Excellent Aussie crime fiction.
February 18, 2018
4.5★s
The Falls is the second book in the Taylor Bridges series by Australian author, B. Michael Radburn. It is five years since his rather fraught spell in Tasmania, and Parks Victoria Ranger, Taylor Bridges is now happy to be working and living in Cheyenne Bridge with Maggie and his four-year-old daughter, Erin.
When his boss’s daughter asks him to assist with a Police investigation in Eldritch Falls, he resolves to try, despite Maggie’s misgivings (she wonders if Taylor is really stable enough emotionally to deal with more violent crime), and not just because he feels indebted to Brian Ross. When his own daughter, Claire went missing, Brian was his rock, but more than this drives him to help.
Aroha Ross and her partner are sure they have located the site of Jacob Muller’s fabled goldmine in a hidden canyon when they come across a grisly find: a young woman’s body. They manage to snap a photo of the body, and a recent boot print, before fire races through the valley. Later examination of the scene by Police is remarkable for the absence of said body.
Effective communications between investigators are hampered as fire has taken out the local mobile phone tower, making service frustratingly erratic. Sent in by chopper to solve the puzzle of the killer’s access to this apparently impermeable valley, Taylor makes a gruesome discovery when a rainstorm washes away the ashes and fire debris. Are they dealing with a serial killer?
For Taylor’s second foray into the realm of law enforcement, Radburn once again gives the reader a fast-paced crime thriller with plenty of tense moments that build up to a gripping climax in an underground cavern. It includes a murderous heritage from an unbalanced preacher, caves, mineshafts, a fortune in gold, size 9 boots, guns, knives and sacrificial slaughter.
Radburn’s characters are anything but one-dimensional: a police sergeant shafted by the system, a female detective determined to break through the glass ceiling, and a probationary constable eager for some excitement are three who demonstrate the good side of policing, doing their best to do their jobs well despite the challenges.
Also featured are an ageing matriarch not ready to yield control, a young man obsessed with his macabre ancestor, and a courageous young woman who makes an unwise decision. The many perspectives are shown through multiple narrators, and stigma of mental illness and the associated vulnerability are well portrayed. While the descriptions are excellent, a map would have enhanced the reader’s experience.
The astute reader may have suspicions about the killer early on, but Radburn throws in a good few red herrings to confuse the issue. There’s just a hint of paranormal which is very well done, and, although this is the second book in a series, it can easily be read stand-alone. Excellent Aussie crime fiction.
The Falls is the second book in the Taylor Bridges series by Australian author, B. Michael Radburn. It is five years since his rather fraught spell in Tasmania, and Parks Victoria Ranger, Taylor Bridges is now happy to be working and living in Cheyenne Bridge with Maggie and his four-year-old daughter, Erin.
When his boss’s daughter asks him to assist with a Police investigation in Eldritch Falls, he resolves to try, despite Maggie’s misgivings (she wonders if Taylor is really stable enough emotionally to deal with more violent crime), and not just because he feels indebted to Brian Ross. When his own daughter, Claire went missing, Brian was his rock, but more than this drives him to help.
Aroha Ross and her partner are sure they have located the site of Jacob Muller’s fabled goldmine in a hidden canyon when they come across a grisly find: a young woman’s body. They manage to snap a photo of the body, and a recent boot print, before fire races through the valley. Later examination of the scene by Police is remarkable for the absence of said body.
Effective communications between investigators are hampered as fire has taken out the local mobile phone tower, making service frustratingly erratic. Sent in by chopper to solve the puzzle of the killer’s access to this apparently impermeable valley, Taylor makes a gruesome discovery when a rainstorm washes away the ashes and fire debris. Are they dealing with a serial killer?
For Taylor’s second foray into the realm of law enforcement, Radburn once again gives the reader a fast-paced crime thriller with plenty of tense moments that build up to a gripping climax in an underground cavern. It includes a murderous heritage from an unbalanced preacher, caves, mineshafts, a fortune in gold, size 9 boots, guns, knives and sacrificial slaughter.
Radburn’s characters are anything but one-dimensional: a police sergeant shafted by the system, a female detective determined to break through the glass ceiling, and a probationary constable eager for some excitement are three who demonstrate the good side of policing, doing their best to do their jobs well despite the challenges.
Also featured are an ageing matriarch not ready to yield control, a young man obsessed with his macabre ancestor, and a courageous young woman who makes an unwise decision. The many perspectives are shown through multiple narrators, and stigma of mental illness and the associated vulnerability are well portrayed. While the descriptions are excellent, a map would have enhanced the reader’s experience.
The astute reader may have suspicions about the killer early on, but Radburn throws in a good few red herrings to confuse the issue. There’s just a hint of paranormal which is very well done, and, although this is the second book in a series, it can easily be read stand-alone. Excellent Aussie crime fiction.
October 31, 2016
What a fantastic series!
The tension is cranked up another notch in this instalment of Taylor Bridges’ story.
In this, the second in the Taylor Bridge series, the tension is palpable from the onset. The book opens with a great hook; “When the flicker of life left their eyes, the pupils dilated and oil-black, the surface marble dry, he knew they were dead. Yet, against all rationale, he sensed they could still see, judging him, as he prepared the grave. That’s why he closed their eyes. That’s why he turned their faces away.” Chapter one, p3.
The line was baited with my favourite cravings – a murder, some mystery and a good dose of psychological thriller. Add to that delicious combination a protagonist whom I enjoy travelling with and realistic settings; Australian - small rural town and bush settings. Evocative, taught and so so credible. What more could I ask for? I took the bait – hook line and sinker!
Loved this read…more please.
The tension is cranked up another notch in this instalment of Taylor Bridges’ story.
In this, the second in the Taylor Bridge series, the tension is palpable from the onset. The book opens with a great hook; “When the flicker of life left their eyes, the pupils dilated and oil-black, the surface marble dry, he knew they were dead. Yet, against all rationale, he sensed they could still see, judging him, as he prepared the grave. That’s why he closed their eyes. That’s why he turned their faces away.” Chapter one, p3.
The line was baited with my favourite cravings – a murder, some mystery and a good dose of psychological thriller. Add to that delicious combination a protagonist whom I enjoy travelling with and realistic settings; Australian - small rural town and bush settings. Evocative, taught and so so credible. What more could I ask for? I took the bait – hook line and sinker!
Loved this read…more please.
October 29, 2016
Aroha Ross and Dylan Franklin have been looking for the Christina Goldmine and Jacob's lost gold for the last 2 years. Abseiling into a gully that supposedly hasn't seen a human in over 100 years since a landslide blocked the entrance, Dylan is shocked to the core to see a fresh body of a girl and and upon the rush of leaving the gully, Aroha thinks she sees another human.
Nearly killed in the wildfire that sweeps through the area, they get the information of the body to the police. Sargent Quade Marsden has been demoted to the backwaters of a Victorian country town and with limited funding he enlists Park Ranger Taylor Bridges for help. When they finally get into the gully, they can't find the body of the girl that Dylan saw but they do find another 12 graves....what have they stumbled upon.
Wow, what a thrill ride this book was. I have never heard of this author but I'm very excited to have found his work. I felt the characters where well portrayed and the essence of the Australian bush came through. The storyline was fast moving and kept my attention throughout to a exciting and satisfying conclusion. Since this is the second book featuring Park Ranger Taylor Bridges, I'm looking forward to finding out the demons that Taylor is living with.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read and review.
Nearly killed in the wildfire that sweeps through the area, they get the information of the body to the police. Sargent Quade Marsden has been demoted to the backwaters of a Victorian country town and with limited funding he enlists Park Ranger Taylor Bridges for help. When they finally get into the gully, they can't find the body of the girl that Dylan saw but they do find another 12 graves....what have they stumbled upon.
Wow, what a thrill ride this book was. I have never heard of this author but I'm very excited to have found his work. I felt the characters where well portrayed and the essence of the Australian bush came through. The storyline was fast moving and kept my attention throughout to a exciting and satisfying conclusion. Since this is the second book featuring Park Ranger Taylor Bridges, I'm looking forward to finding out the demons that Taylor is living with.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read and review.
July 25, 2016
The Falls by Australian author B. Michael Radburn is the second in his Taylor Bridges series although it can easily be read as a stand alone. (The first novel in the series was The Crossing).
Taylor Bridges is a Park Ranger who is drawn into a local missing persons case in country Victoria. The novel is centred around a disused mine (pictured on the cover) and some of the scenes are almost cinematic in quality.
Radburn really knows how to write about the Australian bush, and with a deadly bushfire scorching the earth, I could almost smell the ash at the crime scene and hear the tinkle of the glass apple trees in an orchard not too far away. I also experienced a jolt of recognition at the mention of Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale and appreciated the familiar rural setting.
Taylor makes for a refreshing protagonist and I don't know of any other author who has a Parks Ranger as their main character, but it works. My favourite character though by far was Gordo, the ex-Navy chopper pilot, and his unique expression made me smile every time I saw it on the page. (You'll have to read it to find out, no spoilers here).
Radburn mentions in the Acknowledgements section that his daughter designed the cover of The Falls and I must day she's done an amazing job. The cover has an eerie quality to complement the storyline and the shiny (spot UV) Bendigo Tool Co. logo on the back is a touch of artistic genius.
I recommend The Falls for fans of crime and mystery novels and those looking to discover more Australian authors. Readers in Victoria will enjoy it just a little more owing to the setting.
* Copy courtesy of Pantera Press *
Taylor Bridges is a Park Ranger who is drawn into a local missing persons case in country Victoria. The novel is centred around a disused mine (pictured on the cover) and some of the scenes are almost cinematic in quality.
Radburn really knows how to write about the Australian bush, and with a deadly bushfire scorching the earth, I could almost smell the ash at the crime scene and hear the tinkle of the glass apple trees in an orchard not too far away. I also experienced a jolt of recognition at the mention of Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale and appreciated the familiar rural setting.
Taylor makes for a refreshing protagonist and I don't know of any other author who has a Parks Ranger as their main character, but it works. My favourite character though by far was Gordo, the ex-Navy chopper pilot, and his unique expression made me smile every time I saw it on the page. (You'll have to read it to find out, no spoilers here).
Radburn mentions in the Acknowledgements section that his daughter designed the cover of The Falls and I must day she's done an amazing job. The cover has an eerie quality to complement the storyline and the shiny (spot UV) Bendigo Tool Co. logo on the back is a touch of artistic genius.
I recommend The Falls for fans of crime and mystery novels and those looking to discover more Australian authors. Readers in Victoria will enjoy it just a little more owing to the setting.
* Copy courtesy of Pantera Press *
August 5, 2016
We apparently met Taylor Bridges in the first book of this series (The Crossing), but The Falls by B Michael Radburn very much stands alone and newcomers (like moi) can catch up very quickly with minimal backstory.
Indeed, I was pleased to find another Australian author offering readers a tense and twisty novel of suspense.
The opening scene of this book was a bit like something out of a horror movie. Though not gory. Aroha and Dylan are climbing Jacob's Peak (looking for its namesake's long lost treasure) when they stumble across the body of the young woman and realise her killer could still be nearby. It's edge of your seat stuff as we wait for them to befall some horrendous fate.
The novel changes a little after that point from a thriller into one of more evenly paced suspense.
It’s is set against a backdrop of cliffs and caves, and a legendary old goldmine inhabited by a cult in the late 1800s. The cult was led by an American preacher, Jacob Muller rumoured to have favoured the practice of sacrifice... in exchange for rain.
The only slightly disturbing fact for me about this book, is that we seem to keep changing the focus of our attention and I wasn't sure who I needed to care about. I don't usually mind multiple narrators but I didn't really centre in on Taylor as the protagonist.
However, this was an interesting psychological thriller / novel of suspense which is given extra texture by the history of the goldmine and the mystery around the cult, its macabre practices and the disappearance of its leader many years before.
Read the full review on my site: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
Indeed, I was pleased to find another Australian author offering readers a tense and twisty novel of suspense.
The opening scene of this book was a bit like something out of a horror movie. Though not gory. Aroha and Dylan are climbing Jacob's Peak (looking for its namesake's long lost treasure) when they stumble across the body of the young woman and realise her killer could still be nearby. It's edge of your seat stuff as we wait for them to befall some horrendous fate.
The novel changes a little after that point from a thriller into one of more evenly paced suspense.
It’s is set against a backdrop of cliffs and caves, and a legendary old goldmine inhabited by a cult in the late 1800s. The cult was led by an American preacher, Jacob Muller rumoured to have favoured the practice of sacrifice... in exchange for rain.
The only slightly disturbing fact for me about this book, is that we seem to keep changing the focus of our attention and I wasn't sure who I needed to care about. I don't usually mind multiple narrators but I didn't really centre in on Taylor as the protagonist.
However, this was an interesting psychological thriller / novel of suspense which is given extra texture by the history of the goldmine and the mystery around the cult, its macabre practices and the disappearance of its leader many years before.
Read the full review on my site: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
January 11, 2022
3.5 stars. I struggled to get into this book, as evidenced by how long it took me to finish it. The action picked up slowly, but was also careful about what was shown, leaving it up to the reader to figure out what is important. The plot twists then came thick and fast, leaving me guessing until a climax, which was turning out to be delicious, and then much to my annoyance, took the easy way out. The resolution furthered my annoyance, but I will have to read more involving the main character.
September 8, 2016
4.5 stars!
March 10, 2021
Bloody hell, this book deserves a speeding ticket. It goes faster than a German car on the Autobahn. Tight, taut and terrific, Mr Radburn gives you a story that you cannot put down. In fact, I read 95% of this book in one sitting.
I have not read many books set in Australia, but this one plonked in a national park in Victoria. All the sights and smells Mr Radburn described, I understood and knew as I'd visited a number of the places mentioned. After a while that has little impact on the story as it turns into a classic murder mystery that everybody should read. This is a cracker.
I noticed that this is the second in the Taylor Bridges, but at no time did I feel hindered not having read the first novel. I will definitely be looking for it now.
I have not read many books set in Australia, but this one plonked in a national park in Victoria. All the sights and smells Mr Radburn described, I understood and knew as I'd visited a number of the places mentioned. After a while that has little impact on the story as it turns into a classic murder mystery that everybody should read. This is a cracker.
I noticed that this is the second in the Taylor Bridges, but at no time did I feel hindered not having read the first novel. I will definitely be looking for it now.
September 19, 2021
*I rate this book as 3.5/5.
The story starts off at a fast pace, with two adventurers finding a body at the isolated Eldritch Falls. The scene is then set for a gripping thriller involving a number of characters, most of whom have their own personal stories which are woven into the narrative. It is up to Taylor Bridges to help the police and solve the mystery that has links to events spanning over a century.
This is the second book in the series and, as someone who hasn't read the first book, I was able to easily read it as a stand-alone. However, at times in the middle, I found the narrative a bit too long which was a contrast to the succinctness at the start and end.
Overall, a good story from a local Australian author.
The story starts off at a fast pace, with two adventurers finding a body at the isolated Eldritch Falls. The scene is then set for a gripping thriller involving a number of characters, most of whom have their own personal stories which are woven into the narrative. It is up to Taylor Bridges to help the police and solve the mystery that has links to events spanning over a century.
This is the second book in the series and, as someone who hasn't read the first book, I was able to easily read it as a stand-alone. However, at times in the middle, I found the narrative a bit too long which was a contrast to the succinctness at the start and end.
Overall, a good story from a local Australian author.
July 5, 2021
A bit too far fetched for my liking. And too many officers get themselves into silly or dangerous situations. The author is overusing the phrase "drank deeply" a bit. Not just in this book but the next one, too. There are other ways to drink. Sipped, gulped, drank greedily, thirstily, chugged, in big swallows, drank in the liquid, sucked it down, guzzled, and let the cool liquid run into her mouth and over her face, etc.
April 11, 2021
I enjoyed this second encounter with Taylor Bridges. Lots of action and twists and turns, and an appreciation of life in rural Australia, where there might not be a lot of police backup. The interactions,between the police in this one gave some interesting characters who would be good in a future novel.
February 15, 2018
When you're reading Australian author B. Michael Radburn you know you're in safe hands.
It's been five years since park ranger Taylor Bridges solved the disappearance of a young girl in the misty town of Glory's Crossing (The Crossing). Despite reuniting with his wife and the joyful addition of a much loved new child, he continues to grieve for the daughter he couldn't save.
When the remains of a young woman are found in an isolated canyon, Taylor is enlisted by the police to assist. He quickly finds himself in the midst of a mystery going back generations. Isolated in a dangerous wilderness ravaged by fire and crisscrossed with abandoned mines, Taylor and the police struggle to find the predator responsible for murdering women since the 1960's and when a witness is kidnapped time is not on their side.
Highly recommend for those that love an atmospheric mystery!
It's been five years since park ranger Taylor Bridges solved the disappearance of a young girl in the misty town of Glory's Crossing (The Crossing). Despite reuniting with his wife and the joyful addition of a much loved new child, he continues to grieve for the daughter he couldn't save.
When the remains of a young woman are found in an isolated canyon, Taylor is enlisted by the police to assist. He quickly finds himself in the midst of a mystery going back generations. Isolated in a dangerous wilderness ravaged by fire and crisscrossed with abandoned mines, Taylor and the police struggle to find the predator responsible for murdering women since the 1960's and when a witness is kidnapped time is not on their side.
Highly recommend for those that love an atmospheric mystery!
January 17, 2022
(Hoopla.)
Really great mystery.
Really great mystery.
May 27, 2022
Fast read. Set in Australia, when treasure seeking turns up a dead body and the plot thickens. The second book of a series and I haven’t read the first one.
August 31, 2022
These are easy listening... becoming a bit redundant ... still deciding on the last one..
August 23, 2025
I love this series. read it in one day.
January 9, 2017
I enjoyed the Australian bush and small rural community setting, but there were some flaws. The back story for Ranger Taylor Bridges was not relevant at all and too much was made of it. I would have preferred more about the ex-detective Marsden. There was a lot of focus on the mine itself and hardly anything on the murder victims, which was surprising and actually really odd for a crime novel. So 12 young women disappeared in a small area (over exactly what time period is unclear), and no-one really noticed or knew about it or cared? Very odd. And no doctor in the area knew about the local mentally ill people?
The blurb on the back of my copy was also odd - another example where it doesn't really match the actual book. All the focus was on Taylor, with the two major police characters not even hinted at. It was not true that the evidence "bizarrely points to Jacob Muller".
The blurb on the back of my copy was also odd - another example where it doesn't really match the actual book. All the focus was on Taylor, with the two major police characters not even hinted at. It was not true that the evidence "bizarrely points to Jacob Muller".
July 18, 2016
I rated this book 3 1/2 out of 5 stars
I received it free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You can read my review on my blog at the link below:
Once Upon A Book
I received it free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You can read my review on my blog at the link below:
Once Upon A Book
November 17, 2016
Emotion, reaction, damage and recovery are at the core of B Michael Radburn’s dark thrillers. Full review at: Newtown Review of Books
January 29, 2017
I found this by accident at the library, now have to go back and find the first book in the 'series'. This had me gripped - evidenced by reading it in less than a day, when I had lots of other stuff to get done too!
Read
March 27, 2017Received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review..
So I'm not really sure what happened with this book, the first chapter drew me into the book pretty easily but the rest just kind of fell short for me. I just lost interest pretty quickly and I'm not really sure why, It seems like everyone else liked it from what I'm reading about it on Goodreads. So I'm just gonna chalk this up to not being my kind of book, or maybe i just read it on the wrong day. I'm not going to rate it because I feel like it could have been something on my end, and I don't see it as being fair to rate it bad just because I couldn't get into it. Overall a quick read though, maybe 5-6 hours. I was glad to see Marsden (sp?) get the outcome he deserved though. I did like all the characters, at first I had trouble mixing up a few of them so maybe that played a part.
So I'm not really sure what happened with this book, the first chapter drew me into the book pretty easily but the rest just kind of fell short for me. I just lost interest pretty quickly and I'm not really sure why, It seems like everyone else liked it from what I'm reading about it on Goodreads. So I'm just gonna chalk this up to not being my kind of book, or maybe i just read it on the wrong day. I'm not going to rate it because I feel like it could have been something on my end, and I don't see it as being fair to rate it bad just because I couldn't get into it. Overall a quick read though, maybe 5-6 hours. I was glad to see Marsden (sp?) get the outcome he deserved though. I did like all the characters, at first I had trouble mixing up a few of them so maybe that played a part.
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