What do you think?
Rate this book
Crimson Lake #2
Redemption Point
#1 New York Times bestselling author Candice Fox delivers a compulsive new crime thriller in Redemption Point.
When former police detective Ted Conkaffey was wrongly accused of abducting Claire Bingley, he hoped the Queensland rainforest town of Crimson Lake would be a good place to disappear. But nowhere is safe from Claire's devastated father.
Dale Bingley has a brutal revenge plan all worked out - and if Ted doesn't help find the real abductor, he'll be its first casualty.
Meanwhile, in a dark roadside hovel called the Barking Frog Inn, the bodies of two young bartenders lie on the beer-sodden floor. It's Detective Inspector Pip Sweeney's first homicide investigation - complicated by the arrival of private detective Amanda Pharrell to 'assist' on the case. Amanda's conviction for murder a decade ago has left her with some odd behavioural traits, top-to-toe tatts - and a keen eye for killers . . .
For Ted and Amanda, the hunt for the truth will draw them into a violent dance with evil. Redemption is certainly on the cards - but it may well cost them their lives . . .
When former police detective Ted Conkaffey was wrongly accused of abducting Claire Bingley, he hoped the Queensland rainforest town of Crimson Lake would be a good place to disappear. But nowhere is safe from Claire's devastated father.
Dale Bingley has a brutal revenge plan all worked out - and if Ted doesn't help find the real abductor, he'll be its first casualty.
Meanwhile, in a dark roadside hovel called the Barking Frog Inn, the bodies of two young bartenders lie on the beer-sodden floor. It's Detective Inspector Pip Sweeney's first homicide investigation - complicated by the arrival of private detective Amanda Pharrell to 'assist' on the case. Amanda's conviction for murder a decade ago has left her with some odd behavioural traits, top-to-toe tatts - and a keen eye for killers . . .
For Ted and Amanda, the hunt for the truth will draw them into a violent dance with evil. Redemption is certainly on the cards - but it may well cost them their lives . . .
480 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 25, 2018
500 people are currently reading
7285 people want to read
About the author
Candice Fox
28 books2,076 followersCandice Fox is the middle child of a large, eccentric family from Sydney's western suburbs composed of half-, adopted and pseudo siblings. The daughter of a parole officer and an enthusiastic foster-carer, Candice spent her childhood listening around corners to tales of violence, madness and evil as her father relayed his work stories to her mother and older brothers.
As a cynical and trouble-making teenager, her crime and gothic fiction writing was an escape from the calamity of her home life. She was constantly in trouble for reading Anne Rice in church and scaring her friends with tales from Australia's wealth of true crime writers.
Bankstown born and bred, she failed to conform to military life in a brief stint as an officer in the Royal Australian Navy at age eighteen. At twenty, she turned her hand to academia, and taught high school through two undergraduate and two postgraduate degrees. Candice lectures in writing at the University of Notre Dame, Sydney, while undertaking a PhD in literary censorship and terrorism.
Hades is her first novel, and she is currently working on its sequel.
As a cynical and trouble-making teenager, her crime and gothic fiction writing was an escape from the calamity of her home life. She was constantly in trouble for reading Anne Rice in church and scaring her friends with tales from Australia's wealth of true crime writers.
Bankstown born and bred, she failed to conform to military life in a brief stint as an officer in the Royal Australian Navy at age eighteen. At twenty, she turned her hand to academia, and taught high school through two undergraduate and two postgraduate degrees. Candice lectures in writing at the University of Notre Dame, Sydney, while undertaking a PhD in literary censorship and terrorism.
Hades is her first novel, and she is currently working on its sequel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 937 reviews
July 2, 2022
Redemption Point (Crimson Lake #2)
by Candice Fox (Author), Euan Morton (Narrator)
Wrongly accused former police detective Ted Conkaffey and convicted murderer Amanda Pharrell make a weird but successful team as partners of their private investigator business. Ted is an experienced detective, with eight months in prison under his belt, until his case for allegedly abducting and sexually assaulting a girl was set aside for lack of evidence. In Amanda's case, she really did stab a teen to death when Amanda was fighting off a sexual attack. Ted and Amanda could not be more different other than their troubles with the law. Ted is down to earth and "normal" while Amanda is so different from everyone that no one can understand her lines of reasoning. Ted is cautious, Amanda has no filter and sees no need from one. Amanda is the person you wouldn't want to take out in public but her weird ways often get results, even if the results are hard won. Both these partners are smart, resourceful, and dedicated to any case that take.
The team is pretty famous, too. Ted is the most hated man is Australia because of the his false crime accusation. No matter if the real attacker of the girl is found someday, the public will never believe Ted is innocent. Amanda is famous for killing another teen, she shows no remorse, and she loved her ten years in prison. Their notoriety actually gets them jobs and hasn't hurt their business, at all. Now, two young adults have been murdered in a bar and the father of the male murder victim has hired Ted and Amanda to find the killer, which does not endear them to local law enforcement, who already hate Ted and Amanda.
At the same time as they are investigating the bar murder, Ted is getting his first court supervised visit with his 2 year old daughter. He's also getting a chance to profess his innocence on TV and has some unwanted help with finding the true attacker of the assaulted girl. A Sydney gangster has assigned two giant Middle Eastern male bodyguards, Linda and Sharon (not their real names), to protect Ted against his will. Linda and Sharon are not Ted's friends but he has to put up with their rudeness, disdain, and interference whether he likes it or not. This story has a lot of humor in it despite the serious nature of the crimes and even the side characters have a lot of personality to them.
TW: brutal assault of a child
Pub March 19th 2019 by Macmillan Audio
by Candice Fox (Author), Euan Morton (Narrator)
Wrongly accused former police detective Ted Conkaffey and convicted murderer Amanda Pharrell make a weird but successful team as partners of their private investigator business. Ted is an experienced detective, with eight months in prison under his belt, until his case for allegedly abducting and sexually assaulting a girl was set aside for lack of evidence. In Amanda's case, she really did stab a teen to death when Amanda was fighting off a sexual attack. Ted and Amanda could not be more different other than their troubles with the law. Ted is down to earth and "normal" while Amanda is so different from everyone that no one can understand her lines of reasoning. Ted is cautious, Amanda has no filter and sees no need from one. Amanda is the person you wouldn't want to take out in public but her weird ways often get results, even if the results are hard won. Both these partners are smart, resourceful, and dedicated to any case that take.
The team is pretty famous, too. Ted is the most hated man is Australia because of the his false crime accusation. No matter if the real attacker of the girl is found someday, the public will never believe Ted is innocent. Amanda is famous for killing another teen, she shows no remorse, and she loved her ten years in prison. Their notoriety actually gets them jobs and hasn't hurt their business, at all. Now, two young adults have been murdered in a bar and the father of the male murder victim has hired Ted and Amanda to find the killer, which does not endear them to local law enforcement, who already hate Ted and Amanda.
At the same time as they are investigating the bar murder, Ted is getting his first court supervised visit with his 2 year old daughter. He's also getting a chance to profess his innocence on TV and has some unwanted help with finding the true attacker of the assaulted girl. A Sydney gangster has assigned two giant Middle Eastern male bodyguards, Linda and Sharon (not their real names), to protect Ted against his will. Linda and Sharon are not Ted's friends but he has to put up with their rudeness, disdain, and interference whether he likes it or not. This story has a lot of humor in it despite the serious nature of the crimes and even the side characters have a lot of personality to them.
TW: brutal assault of a child
Pub March 19th 2019 by Macmillan Audio
April 20, 2018
This is the second in the stellar Aussie series, Crimson Lake, by Candice Fox and it was an absolute joy to read. Set primarily in The Cairns, Queensland, with its rainforests, Crimson Lake with its crocs and abundant flora and fauna, this is unmissable crime fiction that drips with atmosphere, colour and vibrancy. Ted Conkaffey, deemed to be a paedophile, continues to live under the dark cloud of abducting and sexually assaulting 13 year old Claire Bingley, desperately trying to live a life under the radar, unwilling to search for the real perpetrator. However, the world is far too interested in a disgraced ex-cop, and the pressure increases with the arrival of the unforgiving, vengeful and disturbed Dale, Claire's father. Dale is in the grip of an all consuming rage directed at Ted, seriously assaulting him with a baseball bat, unconvinced of his innocence, and forcing Ted to look closer into his own case. The murderous Dale takes up residence in Ted's home, refusing to leave, making it clear that he will kill whoever is guilty. The tattooed and scarred Amanda Pharrell PI, and Ted have been engaged to find out who killed 2 young bartenders, Andy Bell and Keema Daula at the Barking Frog Inn, by Andy's father who has little reason to trust the police.
The one off character that is Amanda Pharrell is one of the strongest reasons to read this series. She has killed in self defence, served prison time, has the charming and yet, at the same time, irritating habit of speaking in rhymes, she is a brilliant and gifted investigator with the almost supernatural ability to intuit the truth. She lacks the capacity to be discreet, so forthright as to be the proverbial bull in a china shop. The Inexperienced DI Philippa 'Pip' Sweeney needs all the help she can get in her first murder case, and finds herself working with the gloriously more able Amanda, agog at her eccentricities. Pip has a burden of guilt she carries that weighs her down, which her growing friendship with Amanda helps to ease as the investigation progresses. Ted makes the naive decision to submit to a TV interview that pays well, without understanding the machiavellian purpose and ratings chasing intentions of programme. His already difficult life looks to engulf him with additional threats in his neverending nightmare, leading him to acquire the Middle Eastern bodyguards, Linda and Sharon, courtesy of the notorious gangster, Khaled, who unlike his friends, colleagues and family in Sydney, believes in his innocence.
Ted finds nuggets of stability from the precarious nature of his life, that shape his new, more enduring identity, this includes the psychological therapy he gains from discussing his life and issues with Woman, the mother goose, and the routines involved in caring for her and her 6 seriously cute goslings. He is not the same man who used to be married to Kelly, although his heart misses his darling infant daughter, Lilian. He has constructed a sparse but vital life at Crimson Lake, with a few close friends who have made life bearable in their commitment and support, and he has no intention of letting this life go. As answers that prove his innocence emerge, I sincerely hope Candice Fox has plans to continue this series, because I absolutely love it. This is crime fiction that should not be missed. Simply fantastic and highly recommended! Many thanks to Random House Cornerstone for an ARC.
The one off character that is Amanda Pharrell is one of the strongest reasons to read this series. She has killed in self defence, served prison time, has the charming and yet, at the same time, irritating habit of speaking in rhymes, she is a brilliant and gifted investigator with the almost supernatural ability to intuit the truth. She lacks the capacity to be discreet, so forthright as to be the proverbial bull in a china shop. The Inexperienced DI Philippa 'Pip' Sweeney needs all the help she can get in her first murder case, and finds herself working with the gloriously more able Amanda, agog at her eccentricities. Pip has a burden of guilt she carries that weighs her down, which her growing friendship with Amanda helps to ease as the investigation progresses. Ted makes the naive decision to submit to a TV interview that pays well, without understanding the machiavellian purpose and ratings chasing intentions of programme. His already difficult life looks to engulf him with additional threats in his neverending nightmare, leading him to acquire the Middle Eastern bodyguards, Linda and Sharon, courtesy of the notorious gangster, Khaled, who unlike his friends, colleagues and family in Sydney, believes in his innocence.
Ted finds nuggets of stability from the precarious nature of his life, that shape his new, more enduring identity, this includes the psychological therapy he gains from discussing his life and issues with Woman, the mother goose, and the routines involved in caring for her and her 6 seriously cute goslings. He is not the same man who used to be married to Kelly, although his heart misses his darling infant daughter, Lilian. He has constructed a sparse but vital life at Crimson Lake, with a few close friends who have made life bearable in their commitment and support, and he has no intention of letting this life go. As answers that prove his innocence emerge, I sincerely hope Candice Fox has plans to continue this series, because I absolutely love it. This is crime fiction that should not be missed. Simply fantastic and highly recommended! Many thanks to Random House Cornerstone for an ARC.
April 2, 2019
4 stars!
Why is this series not more popular??? It's so fuckin good! I can totally see it as a crime tv series, these characters are amazing!
A former cop accused but not convicted of an abduction and rape of a young girl, Ted had moved to the boonies of Australia hoping to hide. He gets a job with the local private investigator, Amanda, a convicted murderer who has already served her time. After solving their first case together, the two are asked by a local man to look into the murder of his son and his son's coworker.
At the same time, Ted finds himself facing the father of the child he was accused of raping. In an odd relationship filled with animosity, the two search to find the real culprit for what was done to that girl.
Like I said this series is so great, I am genuinely surprised it's not on all the bestseller lists. Fox has this uncanny ability to suck me into her story and it's mostly because she creates amazing characters that I cannot forget. I hope more of my reader friends give this series a chance.
Follow me on ♥ Facebook ♥ Blog ♥ Instagram ♥ Twitter ♥
Why is this series not more popular??? It's so fuckin good! I can totally see it as a crime tv series, these characters are amazing!
A former cop accused but not convicted of an abduction and rape of a young girl, Ted had moved to the boonies of Australia hoping to hide. He gets a job with the local private investigator, Amanda, a convicted murderer who has already served her time. After solving their first case together, the two are asked by a local man to look into the murder of his son and his son's coworker.
At the same time, Ted finds himself facing the father of the child he was accused of raping. In an odd relationship filled with animosity, the two search to find the real culprit for what was done to that girl.
Like I said this series is so great, I am genuinely surprised it's not on all the bestseller lists. Fox has this uncanny ability to suck me into her story and it's mostly because she creates amazing characters that I cannot forget. I hope more of my reader friends give this series a chance.
Follow me on ♥ Facebook ♥ Blog ♥ Instagram ♥ Twitter ♥
January 1, 2023
I was a fan of Crimson Lake, so I was curious as to where things would go in Redemption Point. Ted is still being harassed for the accusation that he raped and attempted to kill a young girl. In fact, the girl’s father plays a meaningful role in this story as he forces Ted to help him search for the real criminal. He and Amanda have been asked to conduct their own murder investigation of two young bartenders by one of the parents.
The story is told from multiple POVs - Ted’s, Amanda’s, Pip Sweeney’s (the recently promoted detective leading the police investigation into the murders, and the diary of an unknown pedophile.
As before, the setting is almost a character in its own right. Fox does a great job of letting the reader clearly see the small town surrounded by rainforests. The characters are fully fleshed out, with Amanda as quirky as ever. Pip was a good addition to the cast and Fox takes the time to give us her backstory.
The story builds on some deeper themes explored in the first book, like the role of media in the guilty until proven innocent mindset.
Euan Morton does a great job as the narrator.
Enjoyable, suspenseful mystery. I’m now on to book 3.
This will work best if you have read the first book in the series, Crimson Lake.
The story is told from multiple POVs - Ted’s, Amanda’s, Pip Sweeney’s (the recently promoted detective leading the police investigation into the murders, and the diary of an unknown pedophile.
As before, the setting is almost a character in its own right. Fox does a great job of letting the reader clearly see the small town surrounded by rainforests. The characters are fully fleshed out, with Amanda as quirky as ever. Pip was a good addition to the cast and Fox takes the time to give us her backstory.
The story builds on some deeper themes explored in the first book, like the role of media in the guilty until proven innocent mindset.
Euan Morton does a great job as the narrator.
Enjoyable, suspenseful mystery. I’m now on to book 3.
This will work best if you have read the first book in the series, Crimson Lake.
March 5, 2018
In this sequel to Crimson Lake, the private investigaion team of Ted Conkaffey and his quirky partner Amanda Pharrell are back again on a new case investigating the execution style shooting of two young staff in an out of town bar. Ex-policeman Ted is still trying to hide from the allegations that he raped a young girl and build a new life for himself in the Cairns hinterland. When the girl's father hunts him down he is forced to start looking into who really molested the girl and Amanda is mostly left to work on the case with rookie police detective Pip Sweeney. Interwoven with the events unfolding at Crimson Lake, are chapters from a diary kept by the child molester telling of the chilling events leading up to the day when Ted was seen in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Candice Fox really captures the feel of the tropics around Cairns - the wetlands and crocodile infested waters, and it's a great setting for this series. Both Ted and Amanda are interesting, damaged characters and make a great partnership. Ted is getting used to Amanda's eccentricities and is becoming more trusting of her insights and reactions to people and situations. I really hope there will be another episode in this series.
Candice Fox really captures the feel of the tropics around Cairns - the wetlands and crocodile infested waters, and it's a great setting for this series. Both Ted and Amanda are interesting, damaged characters and make a great partnership. Ted is getting used to Amanda's eccentricities and is becoming more trusting of her insights and reactions to people and situations. I really hope there will be another episode in this series.
June 5, 2023
Redemption Point (Crimson Lake, #2) by Candice Fox
Synopsis /
When former police detective Ted Conkaffey was wrongly accused of abducting Claire Bingley, he hoped the Queensland rainforest town of Crimson Lake would be a good place to disappear. But nowhere is safe from Claire's devastated father.
Dale Bingley has a brutal revenge plan all worked out - and if Ted doesn't help find the real abductor, he'll be its first casualty.
Meanwhile, in a dark roadside hovel called the Barking Frog Inn, the bodies of two young bartenders lie on the beer-sodden floor. It's Detective Inspector Pip Sweeney's first homicide investigation - complicated by the arrival of private detective Amanda Pharrell to 'assist' on the case. Amanda's conviction for murder a decade ago has left her with some odd behavioural traits, top-to-toe tatts - and a keen eye for killers . . .
For Ted and Amanda, the hunt for the truth will draw them into a violent dance with evil. Redemption is certainly on the cards - but it may well cost them their lives . . .
My Thoughts /
It's been way too long between Candice Fox reads. Crikey, this girl can write!
Redemption Point is the second book in Fox's Crimson Lake series, which has as its MCs, two of the most unpopular, disliked, detested, loathed - well, lets just say it….HATED, private investigators in the history of the small (fictional) Queensland rainforest town of Crimson Lake, and most likely anywhere EVER. But you'll love 'em, I swear!
Disgraced former police detective, Ted Conkaffey - I'm not a killer or a rapist. I'm just a man. There are things I am, and things I used to be. I used to be a cop, a new father, a devoted husband.
Convicted murderer, Amanda Pharrell - I'm a supersleuth. An investigative genius. A deductive savant.
If you haven't read the first in this series, Crimson Lake - firstly, shame on you! and secondly, don't let that concern you, let me catch you up….disgraced ex-cop Ted Conkaffey has retreated to Crimson Lake, near Cairns, hiding out in the heat and humidity of Far North Queensland. Most (oh okay, it's probably EVERYONE) people are convinced that he raped and nearly murdered a young girl, Claire Bingley, for which he served prison time. Now he's just trying to live a quiet life in self-imposed isolation, with only his beloved eight geese for company. His lawyer, the only person who really believes in his innocence, persuades him to partner up with Amanda Pharrell, the other Crimson Lake outcast. Amanda was released from prison after serving a sentence for murder and now, thumbing her nose at the local police, runs her own detective agency.
Redemption Point sees our two protagonists investigating the double murder of young bartenders, Andy Bell and Keema Daula, which occurred at a bar on the outskirts of town.
In a dark roadside hovel called the Barking Fog Inn, the bodies of two young bartenders lie on a beer-sodden floor. Only the night-time animals in the surrounding forest were close enough to hear their screams.
For Ted, this new case serves as a welcome distraction from his attempts at working to clear his name over the abduction and attempted murder of Claire Bingley. Running parallel to the double murder is the storyline of the investigation into Claire's case. As at the end of the first book, Amanda presents Ted a copy of her findings into the case so far. Fox also gives us accounts from the 'actual' rapist, in the form of 'Diary Entries'. And OMG, are these #kreepy.
The Inexperienced DI Philippa 'Pip' Sweeney is back, having risen through the ranks and is now working her first case as a DI. Armed with only her academy training and trying to run the scene, Sweeney turns to both our protagonists more than she ought to at times. We are gifted with more of the backstory for Pip in this instalment and glimpses into the lives of secondary characters.
We get to know Ted, Amanda and Pip a whole lot better in this instalment. But seriously Ms Fox, that ending!!! Did you really have to??? 😭
Synopsis /
When former police detective Ted Conkaffey was wrongly accused of abducting Claire Bingley, he hoped the Queensland rainforest town of Crimson Lake would be a good place to disappear. But nowhere is safe from Claire's devastated father.
Dale Bingley has a brutal revenge plan all worked out - and if Ted doesn't help find the real abductor, he'll be its first casualty.
Meanwhile, in a dark roadside hovel called the Barking Frog Inn, the bodies of two young bartenders lie on the beer-sodden floor. It's Detective Inspector Pip Sweeney's first homicide investigation - complicated by the arrival of private detective Amanda Pharrell to 'assist' on the case. Amanda's conviction for murder a decade ago has left her with some odd behavioural traits, top-to-toe tatts - and a keen eye for killers . . .
For Ted and Amanda, the hunt for the truth will draw them into a violent dance with evil. Redemption is certainly on the cards - but it may well cost them their lives . . .
My Thoughts /
It's been way too long between Candice Fox reads. Crikey, this girl can write!
Redemption Point is the second book in Fox's Crimson Lake series, which has as its MCs, two of the most unpopular, disliked, detested, loathed - well, lets just say it….HATED, private investigators in the history of the small (fictional) Queensland rainforest town of Crimson Lake, and most likely anywhere EVER. But you'll love 'em, I swear!
Disgraced former police detective, Ted Conkaffey - I'm not a killer or a rapist. I'm just a man. There are things I am, and things I used to be. I used to be a cop, a new father, a devoted husband.
Convicted murderer, Amanda Pharrell - I'm a supersleuth. An investigative genius. A deductive savant.
If you haven't read the first in this series, Crimson Lake - firstly, shame on you! and secondly, don't let that concern you, let me catch you up….disgraced ex-cop Ted Conkaffey has retreated to Crimson Lake, near Cairns, hiding out in the heat and humidity of Far North Queensland. Most (oh okay, it's probably EVERYONE) people are convinced that he raped and nearly murdered a young girl, Claire Bingley, for which he served prison time. Now he's just trying to live a quiet life in self-imposed isolation, with only his beloved eight geese for company. His lawyer, the only person who really believes in his innocence, persuades him to partner up with Amanda Pharrell, the other Crimson Lake outcast. Amanda was released from prison after serving a sentence for murder and now, thumbing her nose at the local police, runs her own detective agency.
Redemption Point sees our two protagonists investigating the double murder of young bartenders, Andy Bell and Keema Daula, which occurred at a bar on the outskirts of town.
In a dark roadside hovel called the Barking Fog Inn, the bodies of two young bartenders lie on a beer-sodden floor. Only the night-time animals in the surrounding forest were close enough to hear their screams.
For Ted, this new case serves as a welcome distraction from his attempts at working to clear his name over the abduction and attempted murder of Claire Bingley. Running parallel to the double murder is the storyline of the investigation into Claire's case. As at the end of the first book, Amanda presents Ted a copy of her findings into the case so far. Fox also gives us accounts from the 'actual' rapist, in the form of 'Diary Entries'. And OMG, are these #kreepy.
The Inexperienced DI Philippa 'Pip' Sweeney is back, having risen through the ranks and is now working her first case as a DI. Armed with only her academy training and trying to run the scene, Sweeney turns to both our protagonists more than she ought to at times. We are gifted with more of the backstory for Pip in this instalment and glimpses into the lives of secondary characters.
We get to know Ted, Amanda and Pip a whole lot better in this instalment. But seriously Ms Fox, that ending!!! Did you really have to??? 😭
February 17, 2018
Candice Fox is back with another thrilling story from the Australian Outback, building on her highly successful novel, Crimson Lake. Ted Conkaffey is still trying dodge the public eye and live off the grid, professing his innocence to the crime that has chased him from Sydney. The abduction and rape of 13 year-old Claire Bingley is still causing a stir all over the country. When Conkaffey is attacked in his own home by Claire’s father, pain surrounding the event resurfaces for both parties. Having been compiling any and all leads he can, Conkaffey offers up a folder, but it is rebuffed. When Conkaffey is summoned to a crime scene by his partner, PI Amanda Pharrell, he is intrigued to see what she’s found for them. It would seem that they’ve stumbled upon a new case, the murder of two bartenders, slain in the hours after work. Unsure whether the police will be able to do their job, a distraught father turned to Pharrell and is demanding answers. Rookie Detective Pip Sweeney is working her first case, having rising through the ranks after a number of her colleagues were implicated in a major crime spree. Armed with only her academy training and trying to run the scene, Sweeney turns to Conkaffey and Pharrell more than she ought to at times. While Pharrell is happy to pull in leads and play mind games with Sweeney, Conkaffey is trying to piece together some shards of his past life: a marriage that has all but disintegrated, a daughter who is scared of him, and no means to clear his name. Returning to give an interview on the crime and accusations, Conkaffey is railroaded by a news presenter who seeks the headlines before checking her sources. Luckily, there is a growing number who are certain that Conkaffey had nothing to do with Claire Bingley’s rape. Interspersed throughout the novel are diary entries by Kevin, which show a man’s personal obsession with young girls, including admissions that may be the key to Conkaffey’s exoneration. With two bodies and a crime that seems to have no concrete suspects, Conkaffey and Pharrell must work quickly before the case goes cold. Fox has outdone herself again with this piece, which exemplifies why she is top of the genre and sure to be a force for years to come. Recommended to those who love her work (solo and collaborative), as well as readers who love crime thrillers.
I am always excited to delve into a Candice Fox novel, as they tend to wrap me up and not slow their pace until the final sentence. Fox has the ability to use her native Australia and dazzle the reader with both description of the setting, as well as provide strong characters that offer unique backstories. Those familiar with the first novel in the series will know much about Conkaffey and Pharrel, who are central, yet quite diverse characters. In this piece, Fox delves more into Conkaffey’s personal situation and struggles to survive, still seen as one of Australia’s more horrid paedophiles. These struggles envelop him and the reader can see the struggle to simply live, veiled in the knowledge that he cannot clear his name independently. Pharrell shows off more of her zany style here, exemplified in her ongoing flip-flop about opening up and playing games with those around her. Introducing Pip Sweeney proves to be an effective means of bridging the two protagonists, allowing Conkaffey to know that his partner is still focussed on the case at hand while he battles his own demons and fights to clear his name. The other characters within the story help to complement the larger narrative and provide the reader with some entertainment while forging onwards to discover who may be behind both the double murder and Bingley’s assault. The story picks up soon after Crimson Lake left off, keeping the pace and development that series fans have come to expect. With quick chapters that leave the reader pushing onward late into the evening, the story reads extremely quickly and leaves them wanting more. Fox has laid the groundwork for future novels, sure to explore more of rural Australia.
Kudos, Madam Fox, for another stellar piece of work. I cannot praise you enough for your style and delivery. I hope many others discover your writing in the months to come.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I am always excited to delve into a Candice Fox novel, as they tend to wrap me up and not slow their pace until the final sentence. Fox has the ability to use her native Australia and dazzle the reader with both description of the setting, as well as provide strong characters that offer unique backstories. Those familiar with the first novel in the series will know much about Conkaffey and Pharrel, who are central, yet quite diverse characters. In this piece, Fox delves more into Conkaffey’s personal situation and struggles to survive, still seen as one of Australia’s more horrid paedophiles. These struggles envelop him and the reader can see the struggle to simply live, veiled in the knowledge that he cannot clear his name independently. Pharrell shows off more of her zany style here, exemplified in her ongoing flip-flop about opening up and playing games with those around her. Introducing Pip Sweeney proves to be an effective means of bridging the two protagonists, allowing Conkaffey to know that his partner is still focussed on the case at hand while he battles his own demons and fights to clear his name. The other characters within the story help to complement the larger narrative and provide the reader with some entertainment while forging onwards to discover who may be behind both the double murder and Bingley’s assault. The story picks up soon after Crimson Lake left off, keeping the pace and development that series fans have come to expect. With quick chapters that leave the reader pushing onward late into the evening, the story reads extremely quickly and leaves them wanting more. Fox has laid the groundwork for future novels, sure to explore more of rural Australia.
Kudos, Madam Fox, for another stellar piece of work. I cannot praise you enough for your style and delivery. I hope many others discover your writing in the months to come.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
January 28, 2018
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
4.5 stars
The queen of Australian crime fiction, Candice Fox, is back with a bang, issuing her readers with another addictive novel. Redemption Point is the second book to feature disgraced police detective Ted Conkaffey and his private eye partner in arms, Amanda Pharrell. A double murder in Crimson Lake keeps our duo, Ted and Amanda on their toes, as they try to crack this case. Simultaneously, Ted is forced to confront the case against him, fuelled by the appearance of a figure determined to seek retribution.
Redemption Point returns to the fictional Australian town of Crimson Lake. After Ted Conkaffey was accused and later released in connection to the abduction and rape of a thirteen year old girl, Crimson Lake in tropical far north Queensland has been his hideaway. Ted’s rainforest hideaway is soon exposed when Claire’s father Dale, discovers Ted’s whereabouts and is hell-bent on revenge. Ted needs to find the real perpetrator of Claire’s crime, quick smart, before he becomes a victim of Dale’s deadly plan. Meanwhile, the sleepy town of Crimson Lake is not so serene, it becomes the scene of a double murder of two bartenders. Ted and his private eye partner, Amanda Pharrell are called in by the father of one victim’s to investigate this terrible robbery gone wrong at a local jaunt called The Barking Frog Inn. As Ted and Amanda work together with the local police of Crimson Lake to solve this homicide investigation, truths pertaining to both their pasts also come to light.
A round of applause to Candice Fox, I was mesmerised by start to finish by her latest crime offering. I consider Fox to be at the very top of the ladder in terms of quality Australian crime writing. You cannot go wrong with any of her novels and her latest, Redemption Point, reminds of us of why Fox is at the top of her game.
For those who have not read Redemption Point’s predecessor, Crimson Lake, be assured that although these two books do connect, Redemption Point can be read as a standalone novel. Fox gives enough background early on in Redemption Point, so any new reader to the Crimson Lake based novels will not feel confused. For me, it was a most welcome return to Crimson Lake. As well as reuniting with Ted and Amanda, we also connect again with local detective inspector Pip Sweeney. Fox also introduces some colourful extra characters to the mix. A few of these are connected to Ted’s past, which I found very interesting.
Redemption Point allows us to get to know both leads, Ted Conkaffey and Amanda Pharrell just that bit more. I appreciated the chance to glean more from these characters and their pasts. Amanda in particular seemed to come into her own in this novel. We soon pick up on the state of the relationship between Amanda and Ted. It seems to have settled into comfortable territory. They know each other’s quirks and respect each other’s boundaries. This is relationship where there is absolutely no sign of romance even entering into equation, instead, it is simply one solid partnership. Fox presents this relationship very well in her novel.
Another alluring voice emerges from the pages of Redemption Point. Interwoven within Amanda and Ted’s investigations are diary entries from a source that we soon learn is connected to Ted and his case. I found these aspects of the narrative the most compelling, as well as chilling. Fox did an excellent job of getting inside the warped mind of this protagonist. Her ability to explore the psyche of a troubled mind such as Kevin’s is second to none. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, in the hope that this depraved figure would be apprehended and things would be put right for our lead.
Fox is quite the expert in police procedures and investigations. Her prose in these sections of the narrative is addictive and succinct, so we are placed at the grassroots level of each of the cases presented in Redemption Point. It is very easy to get swept up in cases of both our lead Ted and the double homicide that takes place in Crimson Lake, thanks to Fox’s absorbing writing. True to form, Fox serves up plenty of diversions, twists, revelations, suspicious characters and a cesspool of corruption to keep the reader on their toes.
As with Crimson Lake, I was taken aback by the setting descriptions of the main setting of the novel, Crimson Lake, based in tropical far north Queensland. Fox knows her setting and is adept at describing the sultry and dripping heat of the area. The rainforest is portrayed extremely well by Fox and the insertion of local wildlife such as the cassowary and crocodiles add more to this well fleshed out locale. Fox also makes us aware of the small town politics that exists in Crimson Lake. Reminding us of the type of people Ted, Amanda and co are dealing with in on a day-to-day basis.
Fox seems to have wrapped up her latest novel very well indeed. With a sense of finality to both the double homicide investigation and Ted’s ongoing case, which was carried over from Fox’s previous novel, Crimson Lake, most threads were tied up by the close of Redemption Point. I am keeping all things crossed in the hope that we will get a return visit to Crimson Lake, which has proved to be fertile ground for plenty of crimes to take place, with the dynamic duo, Ted and Amanda at the helm.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
4.5 stars
The queen of Australian crime fiction, Candice Fox, is back with a bang, issuing her readers with another addictive novel. Redemption Point is the second book to feature disgraced police detective Ted Conkaffey and his private eye partner in arms, Amanda Pharrell. A double murder in Crimson Lake keeps our duo, Ted and Amanda on their toes, as they try to crack this case. Simultaneously, Ted is forced to confront the case against him, fuelled by the appearance of a figure determined to seek retribution.
Redemption Point returns to the fictional Australian town of Crimson Lake. After Ted Conkaffey was accused and later released in connection to the abduction and rape of a thirteen year old girl, Crimson Lake in tropical far north Queensland has been his hideaway. Ted’s rainforest hideaway is soon exposed when Claire’s father Dale, discovers Ted’s whereabouts and is hell-bent on revenge. Ted needs to find the real perpetrator of Claire’s crime, quick smart, before he becomes a victim of Dale’s deadly plan. Meanwhile, the sleepy town of Crimson Lake is not so serene, it becomes the scene of a double murder of two bartenders. Ted and his private eye partner, Amanda Pharrell are called in by the father of one victim’s to investigate this terrible robbery gone wrong at a local jaunt called The Barking Frog Inn. As Ted and Amanda work together with the local police of Crimson Lake to solve this homicide investigation, truths pertaining to both their pasts also come to light.
A round of applause to Candice Fox, I was mesmerised by start to finish by her latest crime offering. I consider Fox to be at the very top of the ladder in terms of quality Australian crime writing. You cannot go wrong with any of her novels and her latest, Redemption Point, reminds of us of why Fox is at the top of her game.
For those who have not read Redemption Point’s predecessor, Crimson Lake, be assured that although these two books do connect, Redemption Point can be read as a standalone novel. Fox gives enough background early on in Redemption Point, so any new reader to the Crimson Lake based novels will not feel confused. For me, it was a most welcome return to Crimson Lake. As well as reuniting with Ted and Amanda, we also connect again with local detective inspector Pip Sweeney. Fox also introduces some colourful extra characters to the mix. A few of these are connected to Ted’s past, which I found very interesting.
Redemption Point allows us to get to know both leads, Ted Conkaffey and Amanda Pharrell just that bit more. I appreciated the chance to glean more from these characters and their pasts. Amanda in particular seemed to come into her own in this novel. We soon pick up on the state of the relationship between Amanda and Ted. It seems to have settled into comfortable territory. They know each other’s quirks and respect each other’s boundaries. This is relationship where there is absolutely no sign of romance even entering into equation, instead, it is simply one solid partnership. Fox presents this relationship very well in her novel.
Another alluring voice emerges from the pages of Redemption Point. Interwoven within Amanda and Ted’s investigations are diary entries from a source that we soon learn is connected to Ted and his case. I found these aspects of the narrative the most compelling, as well as chilling. Fox did an excellent job of getting inside the warped mind of this protagonist. Her ability to explore the psyche of a troubled mind such as Kevin’s is second to none. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, in the hope that this depraved figure would be apprehended and things would be put right for our lead.
Fox is quite the expert in police procedures and investigations. Her prose in these sections of the narrative is addictive and succinct, so we are placed at the grassroots level of each of the cases presented in Redemption Point. It is very easy to get swept up in cases of both our lead Ted and the double homicide that takes place in Crimson Lake, thanks to Fox’s absorbing writing. True to form, Fox serves up plenty of diversions, twists, revelations, suspicious characters and a cesspool of corruption to keep the reader on their toes.
As with Crimson Lake, I was taken aback by the setting descriptions of the main setting of the novel, Crimson Lake, based in tropical far north Queensland. Fox knows her setting and is adept at describing the sultry and dripping heat of the area. The rainforest is portrayed extremely well by Fox and the insertion of local wildlife such as the cassowary and crocodiles add more to this well fleshed out locale. Fox also makes us aware of the small town politics that exists in Crimson Lake. Reminding us of the type of people Ted, Amanda and co are dealing with in on a day-to-day basis.
Fox seems to have wrapped up her latest novel very well indeed. With a sense of finality to both the double homicide investigation and Ted’s ongoing case, which was carried over from Fox’s previous novel, Crimson Lake, most threads were tied up by the close of Redemption Point. I am keeping all things crossed in the hope that we will get a return visit to Crimson Lake, which has proved to be fertile ground for plenty of crimes to take place, with the dynamic duo, Ted and Amanda at the helm.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
September 8, 2018
The follow-up to 2017's Crimson Lake is just as good as, if not better than the original - and that's saying something.
A murder with robbery as motive - or something more sinister? Once you peal back the velvet curtain of secrecy, you can't un-see what lurks behind...
Redemption Point reunites readers with the unconventional tropical Queensland Private Detective's in Amanda Pharrell and Ted Conkaffey who have been asked to look into a case involving the grisly murder of two people in a pub.
A hefty portion of the book is dedicated to the fallout of Ted's wrongfully accused abduction of a 13 year old which not only cost him his family, but his job and friends. Despite being loaded with emotional baggage, the story never feels weighted down and speeds through at a somewhat frenetic pace as the plot threads weave in and out of one another towards a criminally-good climax.
The Queensland place-setting really comes into play with author Candice Fox doing a great job at creating a distinct tropical Australian feel full of humidity, horror, and heinous crime.
My rating: 5/5 stars. Two for two - this dynamic duo is fast becoming one of my favorite private detective combos.
A murder with robbery as motive - or something more sinister? Once you peal back the velvet curtain of secrecy, you can't un-see what lurks behind...
Redemption Point reunites readers with the unconventional tropical Queensland Private Detective's in Amanda Pharrell and Ted Conkaffey who have been asked to look into a case involving the grisly murder of two people in a pub.
A hefty portion of the book is dedicated to the fallout of Ted's wrongfully accused abduction of a 13 year old which not only cost him his family, but his job and friends. Despite being loaded with emotional baggage, the story never feels weighted down and speeds through at a somewhat frenetic pace as the plot threads weave in and out of one another towards a criminally-good climax.
The Queensland place-setting really comes into play with author Candice Fox doing a great job at creating a distinct tropical Australian feel full of humidity, horror, and heinous crime.
My rating: 5/5 stars. Two for two - this dynamic duo is fast becoming one of my favorite private detective combos.
May 1, 2023
This book was just as excellent as its predecessor.
There was a point where I was very afraid that Amanda was going to be drawn as a troupe. An autistic troupe. Thank goodness that did not happen.
I gobbled this book up in a day.
There was a point where I was very afraid that Amanda was going to be drawn as a troupe. An autistic troupe. Thank goodness that did not happen.
I gobbled this book up in a day.
May 7, 2019
Another rewarding read by a terrifically talented Australian author Candice Fox. Set in the richly described tropics of Northern Queensland, damaged and disgraced former Detective Ted Conkaffey and his oddly paired but extremely well suited yet quirky partner, Amanda Pharrell are eagerly trying to solve their next crime. Always in the background though is the shocking crime Ted was accused of, then acquitted. The father of the victim of said crime turns up drunk on Ted’s doorstep and thus begins a warped kind kinship. Another unlikely pairing.
In the midst of this murder investigation, Ted leaves Amanda to fend for herself to attend a Q & A session in Sydney with his small but strong set of supporters. Here some things start falling into place for Ted and he must use his police experience to hunt down a killer. The dynamics between Ted and his soon to be ex-wife are handled with care and their dialogue is always spot on. His wife is shattered by what happened but is starting to show quite the back flip in attitude. Of course we all know how innocent Ted is and happily exclaim ‘it’s about time’ given how much he has gone through.
This is a very talented author who I always look forward to read. It goes without saying I recommend this distinctive series.
In the midst of this murder investigation, Ted leaves Amanda to fend for herself to attend a Q & A session in Sydney with his small but strong set of supporters. Here some things start falling into place for Ted and he must use his police experience to hunt down a killer. The dynamics between Ted and his soon to be ex-wife are handled with care and their dialogue is always spot on. His wife is shattered by what happened but is starting to show quite the back flip in attitude. Of course we all know how innocent Ted is and happily exclaim ‘it’s about time’ given how much he has gone through.
This is a very talented author who I always look forward to read. It goes without saying I recommend this distinctive series.
February 3, 2021
⭐️5 Stars⭐️
A cleverly plotted, deeply disturbing and atmospheric Australian crime thriller that you won’t want to put down.
Candice Fox certainly delivers compulsive, mind blowing Australian crime fiction. Redemption Point is the follow on from Crimson Lake and in my opinion it's even better than the first!
Here we are back again with our ‘odd couple' private investigators Ted Conkaffey and Amanda Pharrell, who are both psychologically damaged from past events in their lives.
Ex-drug squad cop Ted is still trying to clear his name for the rape, abduction and attempted murder of Claire, a thirteen year old young girl, he’s served time in jail but has been released on lack of evidence. Estranged from his once loving wife and young baby, Ted's hiding from society in a small rainforest town in Northern Queensland. He’s renting an isolated property at Crimson Lake where you can hear the the crocs barking at night at the bottom of the garden the only separation being an old rusty fence. Everyday Ted faces the possibility of more threats or a bashing from people that know his face from his arrest on TV, he can’t escape notoriety no matter where he goes.
Amanda, Ted's work partner has some odd behavioural traits, she is an unusual character but she is super-cluey and together they make an effective investigative team.
In this book, two young bartenders a man and woman have been murdered at the dark roadside local hovel known as The Barking Dock Inn. This place is holding secrets that you couldn’t imagine. The father of the murdered man hires Ted and Amanda to investigate the killings as he doesn’t trust the local police.
Dale Bingley, the father of Claire the young teen that was assaulted arrives on Ted’s doorstep drunk and hell-bent on his revenge plan. He ends up making himself at home at Ted's and won’t leave. Will this cost Ted his life?
Now to the unsettling, creepy part, the author gets inside the head of Claire’s actual attacker and it’s an emotional eye opener. Peodophile, Kevin Driscoll is walking free and he's planning an encounter with Ted.
I loved this read, the author aced it! The characterisations of our protagonists Ted and Amanda are intense and confronting, you begin to feel you know them intimately. I’ve grown to become very fond of these two characters and I can’t wait to get my hands on #3 Gone By Midnight!
A cleverly plotted, deeply disturbing and atmospheric Australian crime thriller that you won’t want to put down.
Candice Fox certainly delivers compulsive, mind blowing Australian crime fiction. Redemption Point is the follow on from Crimson Lake and in my opinion it's even better than the first!
Here we are back again with our ‘odd couple' private investigators Ted Conkaffey and Amanda Pharrell, who are both psychologically damaged from past events in their lives.
Ex-drug squad cop Ted is still trying to clear his name for the rape, abduction and attempted murder of Claire, a thirteen year old young girl, he’s served time in jail but has been released on lack of evidence. Estranged from his once loving wife and young baby, Ted's hiding from society in a small rainforest town in Northern Queensland. He’s renting an isolated property at Crimson Lake where you can hear the the crocs barking at night at the bottom of the garden the only separation being an old rusty fence. Everyday Ted faces the possibility of more threats or a bashing from people that know his face from his arrest on TV, he can’t escape notoriety no matter where he goes.
Amanda, Ted's work partner has some odd behavioural traits, she is an unusual character but she is super-cluey and together they make an effective investigative team.
In this book, two young bartenders a man and woman have been murdered at the dark roadside local hovel known as The Barking Dock Inn. This place is holding secrets that you couldn’t imagine. The father of the murdered man hires Ted and Amanda to investigate the killings as he doesn’t trust the local police.
Dale Bingley, the father of Claire the young teen that was assaulted arrives on Ted’s doorstep drunk and hell-bent on his revenge plan. He ends up making himself at home at Ted's and won’t leave. Will this cost Ted his life?
Now to the unsettling, creepy part, the author gets inside the head of Claire’s actual attacker and it’s an emotional eye opener. Peodophile, Kevin Driscoll is walking free and he's planning an encounter with Ted.
I loved this read, the author aced it! The characterisations of our protagonists Ted and Amanda are intense and confronting, you begin to feel you know them intimately. I’ve grown to become very fond of these two characters and I can’t wait to get my hands on #3 Gone By Midnight!
July 14, 2019
The Crimson Lake series has everything I enjoy in a crime thriller. The descriptive atmospheric setting transported me to Northern Queensland. The small settlement of Crimson Lake and its surroundings and its rainforests and crocodile infested lakes was so well written I could visualize it. The plot was complicated but easy to follow.
The main characters are complex, unique and sympathetic. Tom Conkaffey was a respected member of the Sydney drug squad. He was arrested for the abduction and rape of a young girl and later released due to insufficient evidence. His reputation in shatters, his fellow police officers and his wife turned against him. Due to media attention he is unable to escape the hatred from people all over the country who consider him a pedophile. He lost his home, his job and access to his infant daughter.
He located to Crimson Lake near Cairns with the futile hope that he wouldn’t be recognized. Depressed and living alone, he rescues a wounded goose and her goslings which lifts his spirits.
He now works as a private detective alongside private investigator, Amanda Pharrell. She hired him as the only person in Crimson Lake more hated than herself. Cases come their way from people who don’t trust the police to do a decent job. Amanda is a petit, tough trash talking, rhyme spouting woman. She is heavily tattooed and her body art is defaced by scars from a crocodile attack. Her behaviour and inappropriate conversation cause townspeople and police to judge her as a ‘weirdo’. They know she spent 10 years in prison for killing a classmate. What can I say about Amanda? I would feel uncomfortable in her presence but as a fictional character I love, love her! She has great intuition for crime solving and she and Tom make an effective investigative team.
The father of the young girl Tom was accused of molesting and injuring arrives at Tom’s doorstep bent on revenge. He beats Tom and plans to kill him unless Tom can prove his innocence and help him find the actual pedophile. He might just kill Tom anyway. He moves into Tom’s home on a forced temporary basis.
Two young bartenders have been shot at work and Amanda is determined to solve the crime. Tom has left to go to Sydney for a TV interview with a hostile host and to try to reconnect with his estranged wife and daughter.
A new police officer has been assigned to Crimson Lake. She has never worked on a murder investigation before and lacks confidence and experience. Surprisingly she and Amanda become partners in solving the bar shooting and bond as friends.
There are many twists and turns for Tom in Sydney. The TV station claims to have more proof of his guilt. Meanwhile the victim’s brutal father is living in Tom’s house, looking after the geese and plotting revenge. One person who believes in Tom’s innocence is a notorious drug lord who assigns two hulking body guards to protect him from haters.
The conclusion was action packed and full of tension with Amanda in the North and Tom in Sydney both in danger of being killed. The ending was unexpected and not one I predicted. I hope that the author will consider another Crimson Lake mystery. Highly recommended!!
The main characters are complex, unique and sympathetic. Tom Conkaffey was a respected member of the Sydney drug squad. He was arrested for the abduction and rape of a young girl and later released due to insufficient evidence. His reputation in shatters, his fellow police officers and his wife turned against him. Due to media attention he is unable to escape the hatred from people all over the country who consider him a pedophile. He lost his home, his job and access to his infant daughter.
He located to Crimson Lake near Cairns with the futile hope that he wouldn’t be recognized. Depressed and living alone, he rescues a wounded goose and her goslings which lifts his spirits.
He now works as a private detective alongside private investigator, Amanda Pharrell. She hired him as the only person in Crimson Lake more hated than herself. Cases come their way from people who don’t trust the police to do a decent job. Amanda is a petit, tough trash talking, rhyme spouting woman. She is heavily tattooed and her body art is defaced by scars from a crocodile attack. Her behaviour and inappropriate conversation cause townspeople and police to judge her as a ‘weirdo’. They know she spent 10 years in prison for killing a classmate. What can I say about Amanda? I would feel uncomfortable in her presence but as a fictional character I love, love her! She has great intuition for crime solving and she and Tom make an effective investigative team.
The father of the young girl Tom was accused of molesting and injuring arrives at Tom’s doorstep bent on revenge. He beats Tom and plans to kill him unless Tom can prove his innocence and help him find the actual pedophile. He might just kill Tom anyway. He moves into Tom’s home on a forced temporary basis.
Two young bartenders have been shot at work and Amanda is determined to solve the crime. Tom has left to go to Sydney for a TV interview with a hostile host and to try to reconnect with his estranged wife and daughter.
A new police officer has been assigned to Crimson Lake. She has never worked on a murder investigation before and lacks confidence and experience. Surprisingly she and Amanda become partners in solving the bar shooting and bond as friends.
There are many twists and turns for Tom in Sydney. The TV station claims to have more proof of his guilt. Meanwhile the victim’s brutal father is living in Tom’s house, looking after the geese and plotting revenge. One person who believes in Tom’s innocence is a notorious drug lord who assigns two hulking body guards to protect him from haters.
The conclusion was action packed and full of tension with Amanda in the North and Tom in Sydney both in danger of being killed. The ending was unexpected and not one I predicted. I hope that the author will consider another Crimson Lake mystery. Highly recommended!!
July 7, 2022
🚨🚨🚨BANGER ALERT🚨🚨🚨
FYI this is book #2 in the Crimson Lake series but you can read this as a standalone as well. FYI suspension of disbelief IS required.
THE PLOT
The world's most-hated PIs are back on the case when two 20 yr olds are gunned down at their work—a shifty ass dive bar. Simultaneously, Ted is hunted down by his alleged victim's father and given an ultimatum: find the real rapist, or die and become food for your geese.
MY OPINION
Waaaayyy back in 2018, I blitzed through Candice Fox's series co-authored with James Patterson and then gobbled up Crimson Lake like I hadn't eaten in 40 days and 40 nights. I absolutely LOVED book #1 in this series and I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to pick up #2. Btw you can buy all three books in this bangerlicious series for under $25CAD TOTALY on bookoutlet.com. Just saying.
It's 5 stars so you know the vibes. Fox is a MF WRITER. She eloquently writes distinct, heartfelt characters. You can feel Sweeney's insecurities and emotional struggles dripping off the page. Amanda is quirky as usual—the napkin snack had me cackling. And Ted, well Ted remains a shell of a man, putting his foot in his mouth, drinking a lil (ok a lot) too much, trying to do what's right in a world that believes he is entirely wrong.
I loved how Fox handled multiple threads in this book. You've got the juicy j case of the gunned down youtes, you've got Ted on da hunt for the real rapist, and you've got diary entries from the real rapist that will make you wanna projectile vomit. The ending was completely satisfying and exciting. I won't say anymore than that.
The diary entries were so amazingly disgusting. I have to wonder about Fox because she really got into character with that one 😂 She expertly showed the mindset of a delusional pedo. Although you know how his story ends, it was interesting to see how he got there. And how he viewed Ted. Very insightful.
A banger read from start to finish. I plowed through 320+ pages in an afternoon because there was no way I was gonna go to sleep without finishing it. Pick this up NAOOOWWW!!!!
PROS AND CONS
Pros: everything
Cons: editing to add that I was kinda uncomfy with Ted's relationship with a 15-yr-old when he was 18..... gross
FYI this is book #2 in the Crimson Lake series but you can read this as a standalone as well. FYI suspension of disbelief IS required.
THE PLOT
The world's most-hated PIs are back on the case when two 20 yr olds are gunned down at their work—a shifty ass dive bar. Simultaneously, Ted is hunted down by his alleged victim's father and given an ultimatum: find the real rapist, or die and become food for your geese.
MY OPINION
Waaaayyy back in 2018, I blitzed through Candice Fox's series co-authored with James Patterson and then gobbled up Crimson Lake like I hadn't eaten in 40 days and 40 nights. I absolutely LOVED book #1 in this series and I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to pick up #2. Btw you can buy all three books in this bangerlicious series for under $25CAD TOTALY on bookoutlet.com. Just saying.
It's 5 stars so you know the vibes. Fox is a MF WRITER. She eloquently writes distinct, heartfelt characters. You can feel Sweeney's insecurities and emotional struggles dripping off the page. Amanda is quirky as usual—the napkin snack had me cackling. And Ted, well Ted remains a shell of a man, putting his foot in his mouth, drinking a lil (ok a lot) too much, trying to do what's right in a world that believes he is entirely wrong.
I loved how Fox handled multiple threads in this book. You've got the juicy j case of the gunned down youtes, you've got Ted on da hunt for the real rapist, and you've got diary entries from the real rapist that will make you wanna projectile vomit. The ending was completely satisfying and exciting. I won't say anymore than that.
The diary entries were so amazingly disgusting. I have to wonder about Fox because she really got into character with that one 😂 She expertly showed the mindset of a delusional pedo. Although you know how his story ends, it was interesting to see how he got there. And how he viewed Ted. Very insightful.
A banger read from start to finish. I plowed through 320+ pages in an afternoon because there was no way I was gonna go to sleep without finishing it. Pick this up NAOOOWWW!!!!
PROS AND CONS
Pros: everything
Cons: editing to add that I was kinda uncomfy with Ted's relationship with a 15-yr-old when he was 18..... gross
April 26, 2018
Amanda Pharrell and Ted Conkaffey – partners in the local Crimson Lake PI business, were called to the Barking Frog Inn along with the local police department - with Detective Inspector Pip Sweeney in charge - to the shocking vision of two teenagers lying dead on the grimy floor of the bar. Both Amanda and Ted had a past that made them uneasy partners and ostracized citizens of the town. Ted’s disgrace was more current though, and the desperation to clear his name was still high on his list of priorities.
But the new case felt like it was succeeding in taking his mind off his troubles – until explosive allegations threatened the fragile lead he had with the believers in his innocence. Ted’s neck felt like it was in a noose – he felt guilty at leaving Amanda to the murder case in Crimson Lake, but his mind just wasn’t on it. Would they ever find the perpetrator who had actually done the deed that Ted had been arrested for? And would they find the killer of the two young people closer to home?
Redemption Point by Aussie author Candice Fox is the second in the Crimson Lake series, and in my opinion, better than the first. Plenty of twists and turns, with the quirky Amanda often making me laugh at her antics. Set in the fictional town of Crimson Lake, near Cairns in far north Queensland, the heat and humidity was getting to me as well. Dense bush surrounding waterways filled with growling crocodiles, plenty of dubious bad guys, and a new DI trying to make her way – along with a few friendly (or not) pet geese! An entertaining thriller which I recommend.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.
But the new case felt like it was succeeding in taking his mind off his troubles – until explosive allegations threatened the fragile lead he had with the believers in his innocence. Ted’s neck felt like it was in a noose – he felt guilty at leaving Amanda to the murder case in Crimson Lake, but his mind just wasn’t on it. Would they ever find the perpetrator who had actually done the deed that Ted had been arrested for? And would they find the killer of the two young people closer to home?
Redemption Point by Aussie author Candice Fox is the second in the Crimson Lake series, and in my opinion, better than the first. Plenty of twists and turns, with the quirky Amanda often making me laugh at her antics. Set in the fictional town of Crimson Lake, near Cairns in far north Queensland, the heat and humidity was getting to me as well. Dense bush surrounding waterways filled with growling crocodiles, plenty of dubious bad guys, and a new DI trying to make her way – along with a few friendly (or not) pet geese! An entertaining thriller which I recommend.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.
December 20, 2018
Number two in the Crimson Lake series.
This is the third book I have read by author Candice Fox and they just keep getting better with each new release.
Ted Conkaffey and Amanda Pharrell are back in the thick of things again.
Two young people are shot dead in cold blood and right from the get go the bereaved father wants Ted and Amanda on the case.
In the meantime, Ted gets beaten to within an inch of his life by the the father of Ted's supposed rape and torture victim. The father has been looking for Ted since the day Ted was released from prison and now he has found him. A very uneasy truce is arrived at when Ted give the father some information that points at someone else for his daughter's rape.
Ted is facing a new accusation of sexual abuse of a minor and has to go to Sydney to answer the new charges.
The book is really two thrillers in one. Amanda's in Crimson Lake trying to solve the two murders there and Ted is in Sydney trying to clear his name and catch the person who has ruined his life.
The diary written by the pedophile, who is responsible for making Ted's life a living hell, I found really interesting. The reader is slowly introduced to the diary over the course of the book. It's a good insight into the working of a pedophile's mind. The self loathing he feels for himself. The efforts he goes to try to prevent these thoughts for being foremost in his head. But the need is too strong.
This is a thrilling well crafted read.
I'm glad to say that whilst Amanda infuriated me in Crimson Lake I felt a lot more empathy for her this time round.
Highly recommended.
This is the third book I have read by author Candice Fox and they just keep getting better with each new release.
Ted Conkaffey and Amanda Pharrell are back in the thick of things again.
Two young people are shot dead in cold blood and right from the get go the bereaved father wants Ted and Amanda on the case.
In the meantime, Ted gets beaten to within an inch of his life by the the father of Ted's supposed rape and torture victim. The father has been looking for Ted since the day Ted was released from prison and now he has found him. A very uneasy truce is arrived at when Ted give the father some information that points at someone else for his daughter's rape.
Ted is facing a new accusation of sexual abuse of a minor and has to go to Sydney to answer the new charges.
The book is really two thrillers in one. Amanda's in Crimson Lake trying to solve the two murders there and Ted is in Sydney trying to clear his name and catch the person who has ruined his life.
The diary written by the pedophile, who is responsible for making Ted's life a living hell, I found really interesting. The reader is slowly introduced to the diary over the course of the book. It's a good insight into the working of a pedophile's mind. The self loathing he feels for himself. The efforts he goes to try to prevent these thoughts for being foremost in his head. But the need is too strong.
This is a thrilling well crafted read.
I'm glad to say that whilst Amanda infuriated me in Crimson Lake I felt a lot more empathy for her this time round.
Highly recommended.
March 23, 2019
REDEMPTION POINT is a stunning sequel to the fabulous Crimson Lake. I was thrilled to once again read about disgraced ex-police Ted Conkaffey and his private detective partner/ convicted murderer Amanda Pharrell. Yes, they are truly an odd duo. And, I've not even told you all about the cats and geese...
I found the first book to be addictive and couldn't wait to read the sequel. And, this book is even better than the first book. For one thing, we finally start to see a light in the tunnel for poor Ted. Being accused of abducting a young girl and then released because of lack of evidence isn't really making him innocent in the public's eyes. Vice versa, he can hardly leave the house.
REDEMPTION POINT may be the book that finally grants Ted his redemption. If he and Amanda survive the cases they work on of course. It's thrilling straight through and also heartwarming. The only parts I had a problem with was the diary entries where a pedophile wrote about his urges. Those parts were hard to get through. Also, Candice Fox decided to break my heart towards the end of the book when we finally learn the truth about the death of the young bartenders.
I recommend this series with all my heart and I'm longing for the next book in the series.
I want to thank Arrow Publishing for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
I found the first book to be addictive and couldn't wait to read the sequel. And, this book is even better than the first book. For one thing, we finally start to see a light in the tunnel for poor Ted. Being accused of abducting a young girl and then released because of lack of evidence isn't really making him innocent in the public's eyes. Vice versa, he can hardly leave the house.
REDEMPTION POINT may be the book that finally grants Ted his redemption. If he and Amanda survive the cases they work on of course. It's thrilling straight through and also heartwarming. The only parts I had a problem with was the diary entries where a pedophile wrote about his urges. Those parts were hard to get through. Also, Candice Fox decided to break my heart towards the end of the book when we finally learn the truth about the death of the young bartenders.
I recommend this series with all my heart and I'm longing for the next book in the series.
I want to thank Arrow Publishing for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
March 24, 2019
This is the second book in a very good Australian crime series featuring the private investigators Ted Conkaffey and Amanda Pharrell. The two were paired together in the first book due to their shared outsider status. They are pariahs due to the crimes of which they were previously accused, respectively, child assault and murder. Ted is a smart former cop and Amanda is shrewd and fearless. In this book they work with the police to solve a double homicide, but that takes up only about half the book. The rest of the book is comprised of Ted’s attempt to clear his name by finding the pedophile who really committed the assault. This book can be read as a standalone, but I recommend “Crimson Lake” because it was excellent.
Ted and Amanda are both interesting and sympathetic characters. I find it refreshing that there is no romantic entanglement between the two. The mystery plot was compelling and the detectives followed a lot of red herrings. However, I could have done with a little less of Ted’s problems with the media that continues to be fascinated by his past. That part of the book sometimes dragged for me, but other than that I found the pacing very fast. I hope there will be more books in this series, and I intend to try some of the author's earlier books.
Ted and Amanda are both interesting and sympathetic characters. I find it refreshing that there is no romantic entanglement between the two. The mystery plot was compelling and the detectives followed a lot of red herrings. However, I could have done with a little less of Ted’s problems with the media that continues to be fascinated by his past. That part of the book sometimes dragged for me, but other than that I found the pacing very fast. I hope there will be more books in this series, and I intend to try some of the author's earlier books.
November 26, 2023
Fantastic!!!! Book 2 in the Ted Conkaffey crime series (Crimson Lake).
The way this author makes you feel things! OMG. & such hard subject matter too.
After being accused of an extremely gruesome crime, Ted was essentially forced to pack up his life to escape the town where he lived with his then wife and daughter, and where he was a cop (book 1). He is isolated, with his rescued geese and his one friend/colleague, Amanda - one of my all time favourite FMCs. Ted has teamed up with Amanda again (private investigators) to try solve a double homicide. There are also some developments in Ted's own case...
This has it all - mixed media, incredible writing, mystery, emotion, the hilarious and unique Amanda. It also has a POV of a seriously messed up bad guy, if that's your jam!
I wouldn't recommend reading this as a standalone. Check out Crimson Lake first! Both books I highly recommend.
⚠️ Please check TWs online ⚠️
The way this author makes you feel things! OMG. & such hard subject matter too.
After being accused of an extremely gruesome crime, Ted was essentially forced to pack up his life to escape the town where he lived with his then wife and daughter, and where he was a cop (book 1). He is isolated, with his rescued geese and his one friend/colleague, Amanda - one of my all time favourite FMCs. Ted has teamed up with Amanda again (private investigators) to try solve a double homicide. There are also some developments in Ted's own case...
This has it all - mixed media, incredible writing, mystery, emotion, the hilarious and unique Amanda. It also has a POV of a seriously messed up bad guy, if that's your jam!
I wouldn't recommend reading this as a standalone. Check out Crimson Lake first! Both books I highly recommend.
⚠️ Please check TWs online ⚠️
July 9, 2023
The follow-up to Crimson Lake, Redemption Point carries on the story of wrongly accused former police detective Ted Conkaffey who has restarted his life in Far North Queensland. He now works with convicted murderer Amanda Pharrell as a private investigator, the pair making a very effective, if decidedly offbeat, sleuthing pair. If the first book in the series set a high standard then this one easily matches it.
Two main storylines run concurrently here to fully occupy the minds of both Amanda and Ted and to keep us thoroughly entertained.
Ted is still trying to clear his name for a crime he didn’t commit. Although he was released from prison when it became clear there were problems with the case, he continues to live his life bearing the burden of an entire nation’s accusatory glares. He now has the opportunity to state his case in the media thanks to the opportunity to appear on a current affairs program.
Meanwhile, he and Amanda have been hired to help investigate the murder of a couple of bartenders at The Barking Frog. It appears the pair had both been shot in the head, execution-style. It’s a perplexing case, especially given the fact that the takings that were stolen amounted to only $1200.
Amanda Pharrell is as wonderfully weird as she ever was, wading into the new investigation with her ever-present gusto stepping on toes and making wildly inappropriate comments. But as usual, she quickly establishes that she’s got a brilliantly analytical mind that sees things that others miss.
This is a story that’s told from multiple viewpoints depending on which character is involved. It’s a first person narrative when Ted Conkaffey is the focus and when we follow either Amanda or Pip Sweeney it switches to a third person account. There is a third point of view and that’s the presumed attacker whose crime Ted was originally accused of and incarcerated for. In this case the story is told via a series of journal entries written by the (unnamed) man.
The obvious big drawcard for me is Amanda Pharrell. She’s bright, breezy, unfiltered, uncaring about societal norms and easily steals every scene she’s in. To top things off, she tends to bring out the best in the other characters around her and generally lifts the mood with random injections of inappropriateness that’s just delightful.
Balancing things out is the emotional turmoil experienced by Ted as he deals with the prospect of never getting out from under the pall cast by his original conviction. Glimmers of hope and, indeed, redemption flicker through at times only to be hampered by misguided help coming in from various quarters.
There is a great energy to Redemption Point thanks to the dual investigations in progress. I found my attention was whipped from one to the other as progress seemed to be made every step of the way. These types of fast-moving plots are always a winner when also combined with healthy doses of humour.
Redemption Point is a strong sequel to Crimson Lake, a well-crafted combination of a fast-paced murder mystery and an intense character study.
Two main storylines run concurrently here to fully occupy the minds of both Amanda and Ted and to keep us thoroughly entertained.
Ted is still trying to clear his name for a crime he didn’t commit. Although he was released from prison when it became clear there were problems with the case, he continues to live his life bearing the burden of an entire nation’s accusatory glares. He now has the opportunity to state his case in the media thanks to the opportunity to appear on a current affairs program.
Meanwhile, he and Amanda have been hired to help investigate the murder of a couple of bartenders at The Barking Frog. It appears the pair had both been shot in the head, execution-style. It’s a perplexing case, especially given the fact that the takings that were stolen amounted to only $1200.
Amanda Pharrell is as wonderfully weird as she ever was, wading into the new investigation with her ever-present gusto stepping on toes and making wildly inappropriate comments. But as usual, she quickly establishes that she’s got a brilliantly analytical mind that sees things that others miss.
This is a story that’s told from multiple viewpoints depending on which character is involved. It’s a first person narrative when Ted Conkaffey is the focus and when we follow either Amanda or Pip Sweeney it switches to a third person account. There is a third point of view and that’s the presumed attacker whose crime Ted was originally accused of and incarcerated for. In this case the story is told via a series of journal entries written by the (unnamed) man.
The obvious big drawcard for me is Amanda Pharrell. She’s bright, breezy, unfiltered, uncaring about societal norms and easily steals every scene she’s in. To top things off, she tends to bring out the best in the other characters around her and generally lifts the mood with random injections of inappropriateness that’s just delightful.
Balancing things out is the emotional turmoil experienced by Ted as he deals with the prospect of never getting out from under the pall cast by his original conviction. Glimmers of hope and, indeed, redemption flicker through at times only to be hampered by misguided help coming in from various quarters.
There is a great energy to Redemption Point thanks to the dual investigations in progress. I found my attention was whipped from one to the other as progress seemed to be made every step of the way. These types of fast-moving plots are always a winner when also combined with healthy doses of humour.
Redemption Point is a strong sequel to Crimson Lake, a well-crafted combination of a fast-paced murder mystery and an intense character study.
April 17, 2018
Redemption Point is book two of the Crimson Lake series by Candice Fox. Amanda Pharrel and Ted Conkaffey caught a case looking into the murder of two young people at the local watering hole. However, that night Ted Conkaffey was attacked in his kitchen by Dale Bingley, father of Claire Bingley. That night caused Ted Conkaffey to realise he needed to investigate into Claire Bingley abduction otherwise he will never be free. The readers of Redemption Point will continue to follow the two investigations see what happens to Amanda Pharrel and Ted Conkaffey.
I enjoyed Redemption Point better them the first book in this series Crimson Lake. The way Candice Fox portrayed her characters in Redemption Point for me more believable. I was more engaged with the plot of Redemption Point. Candice Fox has an unusual writing style that you can either love or hate. I laughed with the way Candice Fox portrayed the animals in Redemption Point.
Readers of Redemption Point will learn about the way social media can help to get the messages across or defend people in criminal cases. Also, Redemption Point does an excellent job of highlighting the problems and consequences for people who are accused of child abuse when it is not true.
I recommend this book.
I enjoyed Redemption Point better them the first book in this series Crimson Lake. The way Candice Fox portrayed her characters in Redemption Point for me more believable. I was more engaged with the plot of Redemption Point. Candice Fox has an unusual writing style that you can either love or hate. I laughed with the way Candice Fox portrayed the animals in Redemption Point.
Readers of Redemption Point will learn about the way social media can help to get the messages across or defend people in criminal cases. Also, Redemption Point does an excellent job of highlighting the problems and consequences for people who are accused of child abuse when it is not true.
I recommend this book.
September 8, 2020
This was a great continuation from Crimson Lake. Ted Conkaffey is so easy to like. He’s been wronged, lost everything he valued in his life, cares about Woman and her goslings, worries about a tree getting killed by a strangler vine, and now has Celine. How can anyone not like Ted? Then there’s weird, quirky, smart Amanda.
I’m starting the third book right now.
I’m starting the third book right now.
May 21, 2022
4.5 Stars for Redemption Point: Crimson Lake, Book 2 (audiobook) by Candice Fox read by Euan Morton
Former police detective Ted Conkaffey finds himself tracking down the man that actually abducted the girl that he has been accused of abducting. And the girl’s father is working with him to put a stop to this predator.
Former police detective Ted Conkaffey finds himself tracking down the man that actually abducted the girl that he has been accused of abducting. And the girl’s father is working with him to put a stop to this predator.
March 12, 2018
Finally got the audible version.. so worth the wait. What a great book!
Love a good Aussie writer and books that have parts set in my local area. A fantastic follow up to Crimsion Lake which I also loved
Love a good Aussie writer and books that have parts set in my local area. A fantastic follow up to Crimsion Lake which I also loved
August 13, 2018
'Redemption', first published as 'Redemption Point' in January 2018, is the second book in the Crimson Lake series by No.1 Sunday Times bestselling Australian crime writer Candice Fox and features Private Investigators (PIs) Ted Conkaffey and Amanda Pharell, as they investigate happenings throughout Crimson Lake, Queensland. I have not had the pleasure of reading the first book, but that didn't affect my enjoyment in any way, and this could easily be read as a standalone novel - we are given plenty of background information that it is easy to see how and why both Conkaffey and Pharell reached the point they are now at in their lives. The publisher compares this book to Jane Harper's 'The Dry', and there are certainly similarities - both are set in Australia, both feature murders and both feature a protagonist who is under suspicion. However, 'The Dry' is a lot more atmospheric and uses the Australian location as a huge part of the plot, this title has different positive aspects.
Ted Conkaffey, an ex-policeman from the Sydney drugs squad, has been wrongly accused of rape and assault. He is arrested, charged and imprisoned, but when his case arrives in court it is swiftly thrown out for lack of evidence. However, in many ways the damage has already been done, as he has lost both his wife and baby daughter, his home and his job. Ted is desperately trying to rebuild his life, but people have long memories, and the stigmatisation has not been reversed despite the case collapsing. He makes the desicion to move to the middle of nowhere in an effort to escape the hatred people feel towards him. Ted and the true perpetrator shortly begin a game of cat and mouse, but who will be triumphant? Another storyline runs parallel to Teds ordeal when he and Pharell are asked to investigate the killings of two staff in a local bar.
This is an exquisitely written story with two overlapping and converging plots that, in the end, result in a satisfying denouement. Ted and Amanda are well developed characters, and their relationship is a mismatched and quirky one. Both investigators are broken and flawed individuals, but both are also endearing and charming in their own way. The dynamic between them is unique, and I really appreciated that they felt realistic and believable. Each has unfortunately gone through very difficult times, but admirably each has moved on with their lives. The fast pace and action-packed plot leads to you turning the pages so rapidly that you hit the conclusion faster than you ideally would've liked - I certainly wish I had read slower and savoured this book a little more! That's the trade off caused by an excellent thriller - finishing in one sitting and regretting it v savouring it (but finding it difficult as you want to read on and find out the final resolution).
Many thanks to Arrow for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Ted Conkaffey, an ex-policeman from the Sydney drugs squad, has been wrongly accused of rape and assault. He is arrested, charged and imprisoned, but when his case arrives in court it is swiftly thrown out for lack of evidence. However, in many ways the damage has already been done, as he has lost both his wife and baby daughter, his home and his job. Ted is desperately trying to rebuild his life, but people have long memories, and the stigmatisation has not been reversed despite the case collapsing. He makes the desicion to move to the middle of nowhere in an effort to escape the hatred people feel towards him. Ted and the true perpetrator shortly begin a game of cat and mouse, but who will be triumphant? Another storyline runs parallel to Teds ordeal when he and Pharell are asked to investigate the killings of two staff in a local bar.
This is an exquisitely written story with two overlapping and converging plots that, in the end, result in a satisfying denouement. Ted and Amanda are well developed characters, and their relationship is a mismatched and quirky one. Both investigators are broken and flawed individuals, but both are also endearing and charming in their own way. The dynamic between them is unique, and I really appreciated that they felt realistic and believable. Each has unfortunately gone through very difficult times, but admirably each has moved on with their lives. The fast pace and action-packed plot leads to you turning the pages so rapidly that you hit the conclusion faster than you ideally would've liked - I certainly wish I had read slower and savoured this book a little more! That's the trade off caused by an excellent thriller - finishing in one sitting and regretting it v savouring it (but finding it difficult as you want to read on and find out the final resolution).
Many thanks to Arrow for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
March 20, 2019
Fox introduced the psychologically damaged private investigators Ted Conkaffey and Amanda Pharrell in her first offering Crimson Lake. Here, in this 2nd offering, she has Ted forced to investigate the pedophile case that Ted has been accused of. Claire’s father, Dale Bingley, wants revenge and eventually believes that Ted ‘might’ not have attacked his daughter. He is reserving judgment though—and just in case, he has moved in with Ted to make sure Ted does his due diligence.
In the meantime, the two investigators have been hired to discover who killed Andy Bell and Keema Daula, employees of the Barking Frog Inn, who were shot dead while closing the bar. They work with the new Detective Sergeant, Pip Sweeney. True to Fox’s main characters, Sweeney is also a damaged character.
Amanda continues to be her effervescent, irreverent self. She loves to converse in rhymes, refuses to be touched EVER, and proves to be a brilliant, gifted investigator. Ted is gradually healing from the psychological damage he has suffered by being reviled by society for a crime he did not commit. He still has his charming geese—Mother and her six goslings. Their interactions with Ted always make me smile.
Recommend this fast-paced Australian crime mystery.
In the meantime, the two investigators have been hired to discover who killed Andy Bell and Keema Daula, employees of the Barking Frog Inn, who were shot dead while closing the bar. They work with the new Detective Sergeant, Pip Sweeney. True to Fox’s main characters, Sweeney is also a damaged character.
Amanda continues to be her effervescent, irreverent self. She loves to converse in rhymes, refuses to be touched EVER, and proves to be a brilliant, gifted investigator. Ted is gradually healing from the psychological damage he has suffered by being reviled by society for a crime he did not commit. He still has his charming geese—Mother and her six goslings. Their interactions with Ted always make me smile.
Recommend this fast-paced Australian crime mystery.
May 27, 2020
What a delectable series, with this, the second in the Crimson Lake series, as good as, or better than, the first book. Two protagonists who, at first glance seem incongruous to being the hero/heroine of the plots, but with a closer look reveal themselves to be exactly that -- hero and heroine -- if for no other reason than they're moving forward from their tragic pasts.
Although this is a series, it can easily be read as a standalone because author Candice Fox does a good job of bringing the reader up-to-date with activity in the previous book without boring those who read the previous book.
I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of the third in this series, Gone By Midnight, to my library account.
Although this is a series, it can easily be read as a standalone because author Candice Fox does a good job of bringing the reader up-to-date with activity in the previous book without boring those who read the previous book.
I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of the third in this series, Gone By Midnight, to my library account.
October 23, 2021
Redemption Point' by Candice Fox is book two in the Ted Conkaffey/Amanda Pharrell Australian mystery series. Readers must start with book one, Crimson Lake, because book two continues the thread about Conkaffey's shame and grief over his losses.
In book one, Conkaffey's life is destroyed. He is judged by everyone to have raped a little girl. It is a mistaken identification, but he is condemned socially. His wife leaves him, taking their baby with her. He loses his job as a Sydney detective. He is physically attacked and universally reviled by people who recognize him from the television news. He is an innocent man, but no one believes him.
Ted decides to hide away in a small northern Australian town near Crimson Lake. It's a swampy humid place, but he feels safe - until journalists track him down. If he hadn't met Amanda Pharrell (and rescued a goose and baby geese), he would have killed himself. Amanda is also a notorious person of interest, having killed a fellow teenage girl. She is also reviled, but she doesn't mind it. Amanda has something wrong mentally going on with her. Despite her conviction of murder and twelve years in prison, she is a peculiar private detective and has an office in the town near where Ted now lives. He is hired by Amanda after he applies for a job to work for her.
Amanda has no boundaries on saying what is on her mind, and Ted is ashamed of his own shadow, shy and reclusive. But the two appear to be a good team. They are getting cases BECAUSE of their notoriety!
From the book blurb:
"When former police detective Ted Conkaffey was wrongly accused of abducting Claire Bingley, he hoped the Queensland rainforest town of Crimson Lake would be a good place to disappear. But nowhere is safe from Claire's devastated father.
Dale Bingley has a brutal revenge plan all worked out - and if Ted doesn't help find the real abductor, he'll be its first casualty.
Meanwhile, in a dark roadside hovel called the Barking Frog Inn, the bodies of two young bartenders lie on the beer-sodden floor. It's Detective Inspector Pip Sweeney's first homicide investigation - complicated by the arrival of private detective Amanda Pharrell to 'assist' on the case. Amanda's conviction for murder a decade ago has left her with some odd behavioural traits, top-to-toe tatts - and a keen eye for killers . . .
For Ted and Amanda, the hunt for the truth will draw them into a violent dance with evil. Redemption is certainly on the cards - but it may well cost them their lives . . .
In this book, Ted finally discovers who might have actually raped the little girl! Can he clear his own name by getting the real perpetrator arrested? Meanwhile, there are two murders which Amanda is working on. Both of them each find themselves in a mess over their heads! Solving the crimes might be the last thing either of them ever do!
I am enjoying this quirky duo and the mysteries they become involved with. Amanda especially is fun. Ted gets on my nerves because his anxieties never go away about being despised and hated. I understand his fears and grief, but the level of anxiety he has is constant and unrelenting. It is difficult to read about over and over. Understandable, but difficult to read through. I still liked the novel enough to check out the next one in the series!
In book one, Conkaffey's life is destroyed. He is judged by everyone to have raped a little girl. It is a mistaken identification, but he is condemned socially. His wife leaves him, taking their baby with her. He loses his job as a Sydney detective. He is physically attacked and universally reviled by people who recognize him from the television news. He is an innocent man, but no one believes him.
Ted decides to hide away in a small northern Australian town near Crimson Lake. It's a swampy humid place, but he feels safe - until journalists track him down. If he hadn't met Amanda Pharrell (and rescued a goose and baby geese), he would have killed himself. Amanda is also a notorious person of interest, having killed a fellow teenage girl. She is also reviled, but she doesn't mind it. Amanda has something wrong mentally going on with her. Despite her conviction of murder and twelve years in prison, she is a peculiar private detective and has an office in the town near where Ted now lives. He is hired by Amanda after he applies for a job to work for her.
Amanda has no boundaries on saying what is on her mind, and Ted is ashamed of his own shadow, shy and reclusive. But the two appear to be a good team. They are getting cases BECAUSE of their notoriety!
From the book blurb:
"When former police detective Ted Conkaffey was wrongly accused of abducting Claire Bingley, he hoped the Queensland rainforest town of Crimson Lake would be a good place to disappear. But nowhere is safe from Claire's devastated father.
Dale Bingley has a brutal revenge plan all worked out - and if Ted doesn't help find the real abductor, he'll be its first casualty.
Meanwhile, in a dark roadside hovel called the Barking Frog Inn, the bodies of two young bartenders lie on the beer-sodden floor. It's Detective Inspector Pip Sweeney's first homicide investigation - complicated by the arrival of private detective Amanda Pharrell to 'assist' on the case. Amanda's conviction for murder a decade ago has left her with some odd behavioural traits, top-to-toe tatts - and a keen eye for killers . . .
For Ted and Amanda, the hunt for the truth will draw them into a violent dance with evil. Redemption is certainly on the cards - but it may well cost them their lives . . .
In this book, Ted finally discovers who might have actually raped the little girl! Can he clear his own name by getting the real perpetrator arrested? Meanwhile, there are two murders which Amanda is working on. Both of them each find themselves in a mess over their heads! Solving the crimes might be the last thing either of them ever do!
I am enjoying this quirky duo and the mysteries they become involved with. Amanda especially is fun. Ted gets on my nerves because his anxieties never go away about being despised and hated. I understand his fears and grief, but the level of anxiety he has is constant and unrelenting. It is difficult to read about over and over. Understandable, but difficult to read through. I still liked the novel enough to check out the next one in the series!
October 21, 2019
4 redeemed ★★★★✩
⤐ Overall.
I am giving this 4* but it was definitely not as good as Crimson Lake. I still very much enjoyed listening to this so it will still range in the 4* spectrum. Again the reader is confronted with more than just one crime and it is my pleasure to introduce them to you real quick.
⤐ What’s happening.
UNO. A young man and young women, both employed in the bar where they are found, were killed, just as they were about to close the facility for the night. However, Amanda, Ted and Pip Sweeny from the local police quickly make out that this can't be an ordinary robbery. Too many secrets lie with the two young people.
DOS. Once a criminal, always a criminal. Ted's life hasn't improved much. Even though more and more days go by since that awful day he was wrongfully accused of kidnapping, raping and trying to murder a young girl, the world just won't let him be, whether it be Pro-Ted-ers that form a podcast for his support, his wife Kelly or Dale Bingly, the father of Ted's alleged victim. Increasingly plagued by his visits, it is a wonder that Ted can sleep at al.
< b>TRES. Surprisingly, we also learn that Pip Sweeny has an interesting past that is quite as conflicting as Amanda's but with much more dust on it than Ted's. She seems to seek out the two in order to finally come to terms with what she did 10 years ago.
This book is for you if… you are one of those crime fans (or'd like to become one) who likes to have multiples cases and plot twists hitting them left, right and centre. Knock yourself out, pal.
⤐ Overall.
I am giving this 4* but it was definitely not as good as Crimson Lake. I still very much enjoyed listening to this so it will still range in the 4* spectrum. Again the reader is confronted with more than just one crime and it is my pleasure to introduce them to you real quick.
⤐ What’s happening.
UNO. A young man and young women, both employed in the bar where they are found, were killed, just as they were about to close the facility for the night. However, Amanda, Ted and Pip Sweeny from the local police quickly make out that this can't be an ordinary robbery. Too many secrets lie with the two young people.
DOS. Once a criminal, always a criminal. Ted's life hasn't improved much. Even though more and more days go by since that awful day he was wrongfully accused of kidnapping, raping and trying to murder a young girl, the world just won't let him be, whether it be Pro-Ted-ers that form a podcast for his support, his wife Kelly or Dale Bingly, the father of Ted's alleged victim. Increasingly plagued by his visits, it is a wonder that Ted can sleep at al.
< b>TRES. Surprisingly, we also learn that Pip Sweeny has an interesting past that is quite as conflicting as Amanda's but with much more dust on it than Ted's. She seems to seek out the two in order to finally come to terms with what she did 10 years ago.
August 21, 2021
I read this book as soon as I finished the previous one. I just needed to know how the Ted case would end. And I don't know what to think about it.
On the one hand, the solving this case was quite satisfying. I also like how Ted found out who the guy was. On the other hand, I guess I wanted it all to end a little differently. In a more successful way for Ted. But I also know that this ending fits the whole story, which is quite dark and violent.
This is also evident in the second case, which is mainly led by Amanda and Sweeney, the policewoman we met in the first book. This case is also quite macabre, as is its ending. I really did not expect such a tragic finale.
But I really like Kelly's sensible behavior in this whole situation. I like that the author decided to make her a positive character and not the terrible wife I have often seen in other books in similar situations. This author is very good at building complex characters.
All in all, I cannot say that I am disappointed with this book because it is definitely a great story. And even if I would like the Ted case to end a little differently, it is because of my romantic nature rather than something the author made. Now I don't need to read another book in this series right away, but I will certainly keep an eye on this author. She can write good stories and extraordinary characters.
On the one hand, the solving this case was quite satisfying. I also like how Ted found out who the guy was. On the other hand, I guess I wanted it all to end a little differently. In a more successful way for Ted. But I also know that this ending fits the whole story, which is quite dark and violent.
This is also evident in the second case, which is mainly led by Amanda and Sweeney, the policewoman we met in the first book. This case is also quite macabre, as is its ending. I really did not expect such a tragic finale.
But I really like Kelly's sensible behavior in this whole situation. I like that the author decided to make her a positive character and not the terrible wife I have often seen in other books in similar situations. This author is very good at building complex characters.
All in all, I cannot say that I am disappointed with this book because it is definitely a great story. And even if I would like the Ted case to end a little differently, it is because of my romantic nature rather than something the author made. Now I don't need to read another book in this series right away, but I will certainly keep an eye on this author. She can write good stories and extraordinary characters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 937 reviews