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Gemini Falls
Melbourne, 1930, as the Great Depression is taking hold: Thirteen-year-old Morris Turner, a little anxious by nature, feels more at home gazing at the stars than spending time with his detached father Jude, a detective, and older sister, Lottie. When a young woman is murdered in Jude’s home town of Gemini, he is assigned to solve the case. With fear and polio rising in the city, Jude reluctantly takes Morris and Lottie to the small town he left long ago.
At the family farm in Gemini, Morris meets relations who are strangers – an aunt, an uncle, and a cousin obsessed with detective novels – and is drawn into a community reeling from a murder and a financial crash. Without a clear suspect for the killing, suspicions have turned to the downtrodden, huddled in camps outside the town. But Morris is sure there is more to this case. With the help of new friends, he turns his attention instead to the people around him, confronting his fears and searching for a killer in a town full of mysteries – a search that will bring secrets old and new to the surface, and leave someone else fighting for their life.
At the family farm in Gemini, Morris meets relations who are strangers – an aunt, an uncle, and a cousin obsessed with detective novels – and is drawn into a community reeling from a murder and a financial crash. Without a clear suspect for the killing, suspicions have turned to the downtrodden, huddled in camps outside the town. But Morris is sure there is more to this case. With the help of new friends, he turns his attention instead to the people around him, confronting his fears and searching for a killer in a town full of mysteries – a search that will bring secrets old and new to the surface, and leave someone else fighting for their life.
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 27, 2022
9 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Sean Wilson
2 books34 followersSean Wilson is a writer from Perth, now based in Melbourne. His short stories have been published in Australia and internationally, including in Island, The Big Issue and Narrative, and he was shortlisted for the Patrick White Playwrights Award by Sydney Theatre Company. His debut novel is Gemini Falls.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
September 30, 2022
Nice cover, nice title, set in Melbourne in 1930 at the time of the Depression, and the fear of a Polio epidemic which wrought havoc in many countries before the vaccine was introduced.
I probably should have liked it more than I did but using children as amateur detectives did not really grab me. I did like Jude, the father, who was a real detective but we spent much more time with 13 year old Morris, his cousin Flo and friend Sam. I am the odd one out here as most people are giving it four or five stars. I thought it was a good book but not a great one.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I probably should have liked it more than I did but using children as amateur detectives did not really grab me. I did like Jude, the father, who was a real detective but we spent much more time with 13 year old Morris, his cousin Flo and friend Sam. I am the odd one out here as most people are giving it four or five stars. I thought it was a good book but not a great one.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 25, 2022
Thirteen year old Morris Turner and his big sister Lottie lived with their father, Jude, a detective in Melbourne. It was 1930 and things were tight. When Jude heard of a young woman being murdered in his old home town of Gemini, he was asked to investigate. And with polio cases on the rise, Jude took the small family of three and headed to Gemini, never realising how their lives would change. They stayed in the small cottage beside the big house on the property Jude had lived with his parents and sibling. As the days turned into weeks, and Jude headed to town to work on the case, the children were left to their own devices. Roaming the town with their cousin Flo and her friend Sam, Morris and Lottie took in the countryside, enjoying the waterhole, and Gemini Falls a little out of town.
Flo saw herself as a detective, so the three younger children set to solving the murder. But danger came in many forms, and the camp outside town with the down-and-out people living there was one such place. Would the murder be solved? Mysteries, secrets and more rippled through the little town of Gemini...
Gemini Falls is the debut novel by Aussie author Sean Wilson and I enjoyed it. The more I read, the more it reminded me of another debut I read recently, set in Queensland
- Conviction. Told in the voice of thirteen year old Morris, his fears and anxiety ramped up on occasion. The death of his mother when he was very small impacted his life in a way he (and his father) hadn't realised. I remember many small towns like Gemini from when I was young - there are a lot of them spread across the dry, dusty landscape of Australia. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Flo saw herself as a detective, so the three younger children set to solving the murder. But danger came in many forms, and the camp outside town with the down-and-out people living there was one such place. Would the murder be solved? Mysteries, secrets and more rippled through the little town of Gemini...
Gemini Falls is the debut novel by Aussie author Sean Wilson and I enjoyed it. The more I read, the more it reminded me of another debut I read recently, set in Queensland
- Conviction. Told in the voice of thirteen year old Morris, his fears and anxiety ramped up on occasion. The death of his mother when he was very small impacted his life in a way he (and his father) hadn't realised. I remember many small towns like Gemini from when I was young - there are a lot of them spread across the dry, dusty landscape of Australia. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2023
3★
“The way I figure it, a murder is like a star system forming. People get pulled into orbit around it. They circle the crime, side by side, everyone moving around and around that terrible thing. They can’t help it. We’re about to fall into orbit around Catherine Fletcher, I know it. “
Thirteen-year-old Morris and his older sister, Lottie (Charlotte), are the children of Police Detective Jude Turner, a widower. He has received a phone call about a murder in his old hometown of Gemini Falls, and as Morris eavesdrops on the call, he gets a fair idea of what has happened, more than he was supposed to hear, of course.
“Out in the hall, Father’s voice gets louder. It’s a storm cloud rising above me. One word is louder than all the others. It stays in the air, thunder rolling around the hall. Pregnant. Catherine Fletcher was pregnant when she died.”
Morris and his father have a close relationship through astronomy, and often go out with a telescope to watch the stars and identify constellations. Dad tells him the myths and legends around the Greek and Roman gods for which the constellations were named in those cultures.
Morris is a thoughtful boy, a worrier and a wonderer. Nobody will tell him anything about how his mother died, and his father refuses to say her name or answer questions. Poor kid.
They go to Gemini Falls and stay with Jude’s brother on the family farm, where they blend in with their Uncle James, Aunt Beth, and cousin Flo. Flo is stand-offish, insists on wearing overalls (Lottie is older and girly), and keeps to herself. Once Flo gets wind of the murder investigation, though, she’s all girl-detective.
“ ‘I’m only saying,’ Flo says. ‘I have the skills to solve it faster than anyone. I’ve trained for this my whole life. If it was me, I’d come up with a suspect and have them followed until they let their guard down. I’d find witnesses and get them to talk. I’d walk in the footsteps of the victim and get to know their life so I could know how they met their end. It’s simple. It’s like the recipe for a cake. You’ve got to get all the ingredients, put them all together in the right order and follow the steps to make sure it comes out right.’ ”
She is a take-charge kid and immediately forms a trio with Morris and young Sam, the mayor’s son, who is a likeable would-be actor. He loves dressing up the way Flo loves dressing down.
“‘The fact is, we’re the best team to solve this murder. I know everything there is to know about investigating. Sam here knows everyone in town because his dad knows everyone in town, and Morris has fresh eyes.’
‘Fresh eyes?’ I ask. ‘What does that mean?’
‘I mean, you don’t know anyone here. You can see them for what they are.’
Me and Sam look at each other. Those faint lines in his forehead get heavier and wider.
‘What do you say?’ Flo asks. ‘Do you want to be the ones who find Catherine Fletcher’s killer?’”
This takes place in depression-era Australia, when families were camped under makeshift shelters and shacks along rivers and living off rabbits and whatever they could beg. Gemini Falls is a coal-mining town, and the miners complain that work is falling off and these ‘people’ are going to take their jobs.
Will Fletcher, the victim’s father rants about the riff-raff In the camps being responsible for his daughter’s murder. Junior detective Flo thinks the father did it, and from there the story follows the struggles between the town and the camps, with the kids tracking people in the rain in the dark at night on bikes. It got pretty far-fetched to me.
I expected to enjoy this. I like mysteries, I like small town stories, and I’m very fond of young teens. It’s hard to say exactly why this missed the mark with me. There is some very descriptive writing.
“Hugh and George are the same kind of build. Low to the ground. Thick legs and arms filling out their clothes. They look like a matching tea set, cups and saucers on a shelf, looking for all the world like they belong together. A family.”
It is a nice turn of phrase which seems more appropriate to me for a couple of dainty ladies in floral dresses, rather than a pair of thickset fellows. I felt I ran across a lot of that sort of writing – nice, but misplaced, something I think an editor might have noticed. I expect to see some more, and better, work from this author. It's all there.
Thanks to NetGalley and Affirm Press for the preview copy for review.
“The way I figure it, a murder is like a star system forming. People get pulled into orbit around it. They circle the crime, side by side, everyone moving around and around that terrible thing. They can’t help it. We’re about to fall into orbit around Catherine Fletcher, I know it. “
Thirteen-year-old Morris and his older sister, Lottie (Charlotte), are the children of Police Detective Jude Turner, a widower. He has received a phone call about a murder in his old hometown of Gemini Falls, and as Morris eavesdrops on the call, he gets a fair idea of what has happened, more than he was supposed to hear, of course.
“Out in the hall, Father’s voice gets louder. It’s a storm cloud rising above me. One word is louder than all the others. It stays in the air, thunder rolling around the hall. Pregnant. Catherine Fletcher was pregnant when she died.”
Morris and his father have a close relationship through astronomy, and often go out with a telescope to watch the stars and identify constellations. Dad tells him the myths and legends around the Greek and Roman gods for which the constellations were named in those cultures.
Morris is a thoughtful boy, a worrier and a wonderer. Nobody will tell him anything about how his mother died, and his father refuses to say her name or answer questions. Poor kid.
They go to Gemini Falls and stay with Jude’s brother on the family farm, where they blend in with their Uncle James, Aunt Beth, and cousin Flo. Flo is stand-offish, insists on wearing overalls (Lottie is older and girly), and keeps to herself. Once Flo gets wind of the murder investigation, though, she’s all girl-detective.
“ ‘I’m only saying,’ Flo says. ‘I have the skills to solve it faster than anyone. I’ve trained for this my whole life. If it was me, I’d come up with a suspect and have them followed until they let their guard down. I’d find witnesses and get them to talk. I’d walk in the footsteps of the victim and get to know their life so I could know how they met their end. It’s simple. It’s like the recipe for a cake. You’ve got to get all the ingredients, put them all together in the right order and follow the steps to make sure it comes out right.’ ”
She is a take-charge kid and immediately forms a trio with Morris and young Sam, the mayor’s son, who is a likeable would-be actor. He loves dressing up the way Flo loves dressing down.
“‘The fact is, we’re the best team to solve this murder. I know everything there is to know about investigating. Sam here knows everyone in town because his dad knows everyone in town, and Morris has fresh eyes.’
‘Fresh eyes?’ I ask. ‘What does that mean?’
‘I mean, you don’t know anyone here. You can see them for what they are.’
Me and Sam look at each other. Those faint lines in his forehead get heavier and wider.
‘What do you say?’ Flo asks. ‘Do you want to be the ones who find Catherine Fletcher’s killer?’”
This takes place in depression-era Australia, when families were camped under makeshift shelters and shacks along rivers and living off rabbits and whatever they could beg. Gemini Falls is a coal-mining town, and the miners complain that work is falling off and these ‘people’ are going to take their jobs.
Will Fletcher, the victim’s father rants about the riff-raff In the camps being responsible for his daughter’s murder. Junior detective Flo thinks the father did it, and from there the story follows the struggles between the town and the camps, with the kids tracking people in the rain in the dark at night on bikes. It got pretty far-fetched to me.
I expected to enjoy this. I like mysteries, I like small town stories, and I’m very fond of young teens. It’s hard to say exactly why this missed the mark with me. There is some very descriptive writing.
“Hugh and George are the same kind of build. Low to the ground. Thick legs and arms filling out their clothes. They look like a matching tea set, cups and saucers on a shelf, looking for all the world like they belong together. A family.”
It is a nice turn of phrase which seems more appropriate to me for a couple of dainty ladies in floral dresses, rather than a pair of thickset fellows. I felt I ran across a lot of that sort of writing – nice, but misplaced, something I think an editor might have noticed. I expect to see some more, and better, work from this author. It's all there.
Thanks to NetGalley and Affirm Press for the preview copy for review.
January 17, 2023
This is a fabulous story set in 1930 the time of the depression, things were hard for many people, Detective Jude Turner lives in Melbourne with his daughter Lottie and son Morris, when a young girl is murdered in his home town of Gemini he Is sent to investigate, this means moving his family back to the town he left many years ago never to return.
Gemini is a small country coal town, young Morris who is thirteen doesn’t know much about it as his father will not talk about it or his mother who died years ago, the family arrives at the Turner farm that is now run by Morris’s uncle James, he also has an aunt and cousin Flo who is the same age as him, Flo and Morris becomes close friends with Sam the Mayor’s son and the three of them set out to uncover the truth about the young girls death.
There are many suspects according to Flo they have the people living in the camps situated around the town and a couple of other people but Morris is sure that there is more to this murder and befriends young Ollie the brother of the murdered girl who is in a wheel chair because of polio and he learns a few things from him, but soon there are old secrets being uncovered and Morris is learning a lot about his family.
This story is told from Morris’s point of view and had me turning the pages, it was a compelling read from start to finish, well written and engaging, I loved Morris he has a lot of insecurities which we see throughout the story and his love of the stars that he has learnt from his father always seem to help him relax. I would highly recommend this story, fabulous characters and a well described setting and of course a great story.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
Gemini is a small country coal town, young Morris who is thirteen doesn’t know much about it as his father will not talk about it or his mother who died years ago, the family arrives at the Turner farm that is now run by Morris’s uncle James, he also has an aunt and cousin Flo who is the same age as him, Flo and Morris becomes close friends with Sam the Mayor’s son and the three of them set out to uncover the truth about the young girls death.
There are many suspects according to Flo they have the people living in the camps situated around the town and a couple of other people but Morris is sure that there is more to this murder and befriends young Ollie the brother of the murdered girl who is in a wheel chair because of polio and he learns a few things from him, but soon there are old secrets being uncovered and Morris is learning a lot about his family.
This story is told from Morris’s point of view and had me turning the pages, it was a compelling read from start to finish, well written and engaging, I loved Morris he has a lot of insecurities which we see throughout the story and his love of the stars that he has learnt from his father always seem to help him relax. I would highly recommend this story, fabulous characters and a well described setting and of course a great story.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
May 3, 2023
It is 1930, and while the Great Depression strengthens its hold on Melbourne, the insidious disease Polio still maintains a skeletal grip as well.
Years ago, thirteen-year-old Morris Turner’s father, a detective, moved their family from a little mining town to Melbourne. Now, in the present, a murder, and the discovery of a body at the mines, forces an unwanted return to the town.
It is here in the town of Gemini where things get interesting. From the looks the locals give his father, Morris knows that something happened to the Turner family that forced them to move. His mother is dead, but his father refuses to talk about her. The reader is left just as clueless as Morris about her and the murky past. As the story progresses it’s obvious something happened long ago, something the locals have not forgotten.
The setting and era make for a great backdrop. The Great Depression has spared nobody, ripping lives and families apart. Most of the residents of Gemini think that the murderer is one of the campers who are living on the outskirts of the town struggling to survive with no food or shelter.
The story is told from Morris’ perspective. He, his cousin Flo, and Flo’s friend Sam, spend their days trying to solve the case and find the murderer themselves. Flo considers herself a true detective and is sure they will solve the case in no time. They search for clues, interview suspects, break into houses. Quite determined are this intrepid trio, but they may find out more than they bargained for.
The relationship between Morris and his father has a “To Kill a Mockingbird” feel about it. A wonderful debut.
Years ago, thirteen-year-old Morris Turner’s father, a detective, moved their family from a little mining town to Melbourne. Now, in the present, a murder, and the discovery of a body at the mines, forces an unwanted return to the town.
It is here in the town of Gemini where things get interesting. From the looks the locals give his father, Morris knows that something happened to the Turner family that forced them to move. His mother is dead, but his father refuses to talk about her. The reader is left just as clueless as Morris about her and the murky past. As the story progresses it’s obvious something happened long ago, something the locals have not forgotten.
The setting and era make for a great backdrop. The Great Depression has spared nobody, ripping lives and families apart. Most of the residents of Gemini think that the murderer is one of the campers who are living on the outskirts of the town struggling to survive with no food or shelter.
The story is told from Morris’ perspective. He, his cousin Flo, and Flo’s friend Sam, spend their days trying to solve the case and find the murderer themselves. Flo considers herself a true detective and is sure they will solve the case in no time. They search for clues, interview suspects, break into houses. Quite determined are this intrepid trio, but they may find out more than they bargained for.
The relationship between Morris and his father has a “To Kill a Mockingbird” feel about it. A wonderful debut.
September 19, 2022
Set in 1930 during the Great Depression, Gemini Falls by Sean Wilson is his debut crime mystery novel. It opens with Morris overhearing his police detective father’s telephone call. Jude Turner is sent to his former hometown despite having left under dubious circumstances, to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. Morris and his sister Lottie are forced to spend the summer in a strange place, having never been to Gemini Falls and unaware they had relatives in the town. With its evocative narrative, it is a coming-of-age family saga, that captures a small town at breaking point amidst the sweeping historical era of the Great Depression. An unfolding gem of a tale with a delightfully gentle narrative and subtle tale, with a four and a half star read rating. With thanks to Affirm Press and the author, for an uncorrected advanced reader copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.
September 15, 2022
Set near Melbourne in country Victoria Australia during the Great Depression, and at the outbreak of the terrible and highly infectious Polio disease.
People are afraid to let their kids stray too far or mingle too closely with others for fear of them catching polio, they’ve seen close up evidence of its terrible effects on children.
Jude Turner is a detective and a single parent to thirteen year old Morris and his older sister Lottie.
When a young woman’s murdered body has been discovered at a coal mining site in the remote country town of Gemini, Jude Turner is assigned to the case.
Gemini is Jude’s old home town, the town he left behind many years ago. A town that still holds memories and grudges, and family. A town whose people he knows well.
With the fear of the spread of polio cases rapidly rising in the city, Jude decides to pack his things and take his two kids with him to live in Gemini while he investigates the murder. They can stay with his estranged family there in his old home.
Once settled there young Morris quickly makes friends with his cousin Flo who is a budding young investigator bent on solving mysteries.
With her young friend Sam, the son of the town mayor, Flo leads the investigation and the three kids make a pact to solve the murder case themselves.
Signs of the depression are everywhere with people doing it tough and the only real work available is at the coal mines where men toil hard for little return and jobs are held onto tightly.
With not enough work to go around, many families have become destitute and are living rough on the outskirts of the town, where roughly built camps of people living in commune style are growing daily.
Desperate for food and work, they are forced to beg for any scraps or donations from townspeople which has placed them in a position where they are frowned upon by many.
When word of the murdered girl gets around it is here that people’s accusations are automatically directed, and tempers start to rise.
A bit like Enid Blyton for grown ups, with detective Jude busy interviewing people around town as the three kids set about conducting their own investigations.. bent on solving the mystery first.
This was a solid murder mystery story which kept me interested to the end.
My only criticism is a particular bugbear of mine where otherwise good Australian writing is unnecessarily infused with snippets of “American speak”…I find it very off putting.
4⭐️s
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing my copy to read and review.
People are afraid to let their kids stray too far or mingle too closely with others for fear of them catching polio, they’ve seen close up evidence of its terrible effects on children.
Jude Turner is a detective and a single parent to thirteen year old Morris and his older sister Lottie.
When a young woman’s murdered body has been discovered at a coal mining site in the remote country town of Gemini, Jude Turner is assigned to the case.
Gemini is Jude’s old home town, the town he left behind many years ago. A town that still holds memories and grudges, and family. A town whose people he knows well.
With the fear of the spread of polio cases rapidly rising in the city, Jude decides to pack his things and take his two kids with him to live in Gemini while he investigates the murder. They can stay with his estranged family there in his old home.
Once settled there young Morris quickly makes friends with his cousin Flo who is a budding young investigator bent on solving mysteries.
With her young friend Sam, the son of the town mayor, Flo leads the investigation and the three kids make a pact to solve the murder case themselves.
Signs of the depression are everywhere with people doing it tough and the only real work available is at the coal mines where men toil hard for little return and jobs are held onto tightly.
With not enough work to go around, many families have become destitute and are living rough on the outskirts of the town, where roughly built camps of people living in commune style are growing daily.
Desperate for food and work, they are forced to beg for any scraps or donations from townspeople which has placed them in a position where they are frowned upon by many.
When word of the murdered girl gets around it is here that people’s accusations are automatically directed, and tempers start to rise.
A bit like Enid Blyton for grown ups, with detective Jude busy interviewing people around town as the three kids set about conducting their own investigations.. bent on solving the mystery first.
This was a solid murder mystery story which kept me interested to the end.
My only criticism is a particular bugbear of mine where otherwise good Australian writing is unnecessarily infused with snippets of “American speak”…I find it very off putting.
4⭐️s
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing my copy to read and review.
September 8, 2022
I'm not a fan of who-dunnit's. I hate them in fact. But this - this was eminently readable; mostly because it's written by an Aussie and set in Australia.
Poor little Morris Turner, son of a detective, gets dragged off to a small country mining town where his father grew up, so his father can investigate the murder of a young woman there. Morris "comes of age" after meeting new friends (and relatives he never knew existed) and they decide to solve this case themselves. Bit of a grim pastime if you ask me.
Sean Wilson sets the scene beautifully with his accurate and vivid descriptions of life during The Great Depression. It's easy to forget how tough things were during those times, let alone the fact that there was a Polio epidemic. Wilson also imparts a great feeling for the Australian bush, and the small town life. I can almost smell the stale beer odour of the typical pub! I found parts of the book to be slow and drawn-out and felt the story could have been shortened somewhat, but that might just be me. I'm a "get to the point already" type of bloke. The ending was a surprise - well written and nicely rounded off.
Quite the enjoyable book and worth 4 stars. My thanks to NetGalley for this advanced copy in return for my honest review.
Poor little Morris Turner, son of a detective, gets dragged off to a small country mining town where his father grew up, so his father can investigate the murder of a young woman there. Morris "comes of age" after meeting new friends (and relatives he never knew existed) and they decide to solve this case themselves. Bit of a grim pastime if you ask me.
Sean Wilson sets the scene beautifully with his accurate and vivid descriptions of life during The Great Depression. It's easy to forget how tough things were during those times, let alone the fact that there was a Polio epidemic. Wilson also imparts a great feeling for the Australian bush, and the small town life. I can almost smell the stale beer odour of the typical pub! I found parts of the book to be slow and drawn-out and felt the story could have been shortened somewhat, but that might just be me. I'm a "get to the point already" type of bloke. The ending was a surprise - well written and nicely rounded off.
Quite the enjoyable book and worth 4 stars. My thanks to NetGalley for this advanced copy in return for my honest review.
September 26, 2022
4.5*
Australian author Sean Wilson's full-length debut, Gemini Falls, is an atmospheric historical mystery, set against the backdrop of the Great Depression in rural Victoria, Australia.
Australian author Sean Wilson's full-length debut, Gemini Falls, is an atmospheric historical mystery, set against the backdrop of the Great Depression in rural Victoria, Australia.
September 8, 2022
‘The night Catherine Fletcher died, Capricornus was high in the northern sky.’
Melbourne, 1930. Thirteen-year-old Morris Turner lives with his widowed father, Jude a police detective, and his older sister Lottie. The Great Depression is taking hold, and cases of polio are on the increase. When a young woman is murdered in Jude’s hometown of Gemini, he is assigned to investigate. Who killed Catherine Fletcher and why? Jude left Gemini a long time ago, and his return is reluctant. He takes Lottie and Morris with him.
Jude and his family will stay on the family farm managed by Jude’s brother Jimmy. Morris and Lottie meet their Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Beth and cousin Flo. Flo sees herself as a detective and she and Morris, together with Flo’s friend Sam, start their own investigations.
‘The way I figure it, a murder is like a star system forming. People get pulled into orbit around it.’
While there is no clear suspect for the murders, the small community is quick to blame those camped outside the town. Morris is convinced that there is more to the case, and he and his new friends soon discover that there are many secrets in Gemini. Their investigations lead them into danger, but also unmask the murderer.
‘There’s more than one story in the stars.’
What an accomplished debut novel this is! An intriguing story, well-developed characters and a haunting backstory made it difficult to put this book down.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Affirm Press for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Melbourne, 1930. Thirteen-year-old Morris Turner lives with his widowed father, Jude a police detective, and his older sister Lottie. The Great Depression is taking hold, and cases of polio are on the increase. When a young woman is murdered in Jude’s hometown of Gemini, he is assigned to investigate. Who killed Catherine Fletcher and why? Jude left Gemini a long time ago, and his return is reluctant. He takes Lottie and Morris with him.
Jude and his family will stay on the family farm managed by Jude’s brother Jimmy. Morris and Lottie meet their Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Beth and cousin Flo. Flo sees herself as a detective and she and Morris, together with Flo’s friend Sam, start their own investigations.
‘The way I figure it, a murder is like a star system forming. People get pulled into orbit around it.’
While there is no clear suspect for the murders, the small community is quick to blame those camped outside the town. Morris is convinced that there is more to the case, and he and his new friends soon discover that there are many secrets in Gemini. Their investigations lead them into danger, but also unmask the murderer.
‘There’s more than one story in the stars.’
What an accomplished debut novel this is! An intriguing story, well-developed characters and a haunting backstory made it difficult to put this book down.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Affirm Press for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
November 14, 2022
The most fascinating description of life in the 1930s in Melbourne and later in the small mining town of Gemini Falls. The setting really made this book stand out for me. I loved the cast of characters with all the tensions created by poverty and despair both at the financial straits the characters find themselves in or at the fallout from grief where blame is apportioned regardless of proof.
Wilson gives us a 13-year-old protagonist with his own anxiety issues stemming from the unspoken mystery of his mother's disappearance. His older sister Lottie is furious at being dragged away from Melbourne to investigate a murder in the small mining town her father, Police-detective Jude Turner grew up in. When Morris and his cousin Flo and local boy Sam investigate, their theories are believably wild. Wilson manages to pitch that intelligence and voice pretty perfectly.
Gemini Falls has really solid plotting and a superb atmosphere. I really felt the strain and tension of eking out an existence in a Depression. Lots of clues, misdirection and psychological elements make this a thriller that fizzes with the static of the unsaid.
Wilson gives us a 13-year-old protagonist with his own anxiety issues stemming from the unspoken mystery of his mother's disappearance. His older sister Lottie is furious at being dragged away from Melbourne to investigate a murder in the small mining town her father, Police-detective Jude Turner grew up in. When Morris and his cousin Flo and local boy Sam investigate, their theories are believably wild. Wilson manages to pitch that intelligence and voice pretty perfectly.
Gemini Falls has really solid plotting and a superb atmosphere. I really felt the strain and tension of eking out an existence in a Depression. Lots of clues, misdirection and psychological elements make this a thriller that fizzes with the static of the unsaid.
November 22, 2022
I love reading debut fiction - it can be risky, but so satisfying to find a new storyteller whose books you can look forward to!👏
Gemini Falls centres around a violent death in rural Victoria during the early depression period, told through the eyes of 13 year old Morris, whose Dad is investigating the crime (which means the violence is somewhat moderated). I loved how the novel gently explored depression politics, family relationships and the impacts of mental illness and domestic violence (trigger warning here) in an unusual and well captured setting. The plot was compelling (even though I guessed the ending) and the characters engaging. I found the book to be atmospheric without being pretentious and the prose temperate but authentic and very accessible. Definitely worth a read for fans of Aussie crime drama/historical fiction.
4.5 stars
Thanks to @netgalley and @affirmpress for the digital ARC.
Gemini Falls centres around a violent death in rural Victoria during the early depression period, told through the eyes of 13 year old Morris, whose Dad is investigating the crime (which means the violence is somewhat moderated). I loved how the novel gently explored depression politics, family relationships and the impacts of mental illness and domestic violence (trigger warning here) in an unusual and well captured setting. The plot was compelling (even though I guessed the ending) and the characters engaging. I found the book to be atmospheric without being pretentious and the prose temperate but authentic and very accessible. Definitely worth a read for fans of Aussie crime drama/historical fiction.
4.5 stars
Thanks to @netgalley and @affirmpress for the digital ARC.
March 12, 2023
Small-town crime in depression Australia, seen through adolescent eyes. Here is retro rural noir, well worthy of the thoughtful cover. This is for thinkers and star-gazers, wistful for eras by-gone, and things regarding the heart. A poignant nineteen-thirties voice, deserving applause.
September 4, 2022
~ This book has a trigger warning for DV and mental health crises ~
The year is 1930. The Great Depression has left its mark, and the Polio epidemic is starting to run through the population.
Thirteen year old Morris Turner has spent his life in suburban Melbourne, with his father Jude and older sister Lottie. When his detective father receives word of a murder in his hometown of Gemini, the three of them relocate to the family farm so Jude can lead the investigation.
Morris meets relatives he never knew existed and soon he and his new-found friends are searching for their own clues to find the killer - uncovering more secrets than they bargained for along the way.
Woven throughout are fables of the stars, helping young Morris make sense of a world that doesn't always make sense.
This was an enthralling coming-of-age, murder-mystery, historical novel. Told through the eyes of thirteen year old Morris, it has a refresh charm and naïevity to the words that belie the grim content they bear witness to. The descriptive passages conjure the sights and smells of a small, Depression era country town. The characters are well written and the book speaks to the way gossip becomes truths and how people can be incited to a mob. Prejudice, domestic violence, mental health crises, are also addressed, alongside compassion, kindness and friendship.
I was hooked from the first couple of pages, and kept reading far too late into the nights, wanting to know what happened next. Its a page turner, and well worth the read.
~ Many thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance copy of this book. This review is my own, unbiased opinion ~
The year is 1930. The Great Depression has left its mark, and the Polio epidemic is starting to run through the population.
Thirteen year old Morris Turner has spent his life in suburban Melbourne, with his father Jude and older sister Lottie. When his detective father receives word of a murder in his hometown of Gemini, the three of them relocate to the family farm so Jude can lead the investigation.
Morris meets relatives he never knew existed and soon he and his new-found friends are searching for their own clues to find the killer - uncovering more secrets than they bargained for along the way.
Woven throughout are fables of the stars, helping young Morris make sense of a world that doesn't always make sense.
This was an enthralling coming-of-age, murder-mystery, historical novel. Told through the eyes of thirteen year old Morris, it has a refresh charm and naïevity to the words that belie the grim content they bear witness to. The descriptive passages conjure the sights and smells of a small, Depression era country town. The characters are well written and the book speaks to the way gossip becomes truths and how people can be incited to a mob. Prejudice, domestic violence, mental health crises, are also addressed, alongside compassion, kindness and friendship.
I was hooked from the first couple of pages, and kept reading far too late into the nights, wanting to know what happened next. Its a page turner, and well worth the read.
~ Many thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance copy of this book. This review is my own, unbiased opinion ~
September 12, 2022
Gemini Falls is a murder mystery set in a small Australian town, Gemini. A young woman is murdered and Jude, a detective from Melbourne who is originally from Gemini, heads to his hometown with his children Morris and Lottie to solve the case. Morris and his cousin Flo and new friend Sam set out to find the killer.
The story tells what it was like to live in a small Australian town, where everyone knows everyone during the Great Depression. You really feel what it's like in the town, poverty and an outside camp for people doing it tough. It was a little slow at times but picked up and I was keen to know who the killer was. Family secrets were divulged. I liked the relationship between Morris and his new friends. Flo was a headstrong young girl and Sam added good value.
The story tells what it was like to live in a small Australian town, where everyone knows everyone during the Great Depression. You really feel what it's like in the town, poverty and an outside camp for people doing it tough. It was a little slow at times but picked up and I was keen to know who the killer was. Family secrets were divulged. I liked the relationship between Morris and his new friends. Flo was a headstrong young girl and Sam added good value.
October 3, 2022
WOW. This book is so beautifully written. The story is so captivating, really putting you in the middle of Depression Era Australia. The imagery is so descriptive, with the common theme of stars and space, connecting the story the whole way through. I needed to stay up until I finished it last night, and it left me feeling like I had seriously been changed by reading it.
June 29, 2023
I wanted to like this novel but I really struggled...something just seemed to be missing for me. The young children (early teens) who want to solve the novel's crime often felt like they were straight out of an American novel of the era, right down to their grammar and dialogue featuring regular slippage into US ("couple dozen", "couple people", drinks called "sodas"), examples which don't often occur in contemporary Australian speech let alone 100 years ago in Depression ridden Australia. This damaged the writer's credibility somewhat in my eyes which was hard to recover from...and then there was the fact that the kids went to the local pub and put counter meals on the family account on their own (when the family was on a struggling farm hardly making any money). This just didn't seem realistic at all - and if it could have been, perhaps the reasons needed more justification in the context.
Unfortunately if you lose a reader early on due to careless research or facts it's hard to get them back...and the converse is true that if you are impressed with the "feel of realness" you will allow an author to take you anywhere. Maybe Wilson will achieve this more with his next effort.
Unfortunately if you lose a reader early on due to careless research or facts it's hard to get them back...and the converse is true that if you are impressed with the "feel of realness" you will allow an author to take you anywhere. Maybe Wilson will achieve this more with his next effort.
September 11, 2022
An engrossing historical murder mystery set in country Victoria in the 1930s, Gemini Falls by Sean Wilson holds the reader's interest to the last page.
The narrator is thirteen year old Morris Turner son of a Melbourne policeman who lives in a close-knit community with his father and sister, Lottie.
The choice of narrator is an interesting one, but Wilson keeps command of the young boy's voice and perspective throughout.
A late night phone call alerts the father to a murder, that of Catherine Fletcher, in his home town of Gemini and soon the family are packing up and heading off to Gemini and the family farm. Morris is puzzled by the reasons his parents left Gemini and the suspicion with which his father is treated by some townsfolk and his family.
While Jude Turner gets on with solving the case, Morris and his young cousin Flo and her friend Sam, the Mayor's son, embark on their own detective work, leading to scenes reminiscent of Blyton adventures.
There are distractions to solving the case caused by the presence of unemployed in a camp outside the mining town. As the Depression bites deeper, resentments between the townsfolk and campers build.
The town of Gemini and its surrounds, including the night sky, are beautifully realised and the period well researched.
The night sky is an important factor in the story providing an interest to Jude and his family and a philosophical basis to their lives.
The denouement is an exciting finish, and Morris and Lottie return to Melbourne much changed.
While an engrossing book for an adult reader, I would also recommend this book as Young Adult Fiction.
The narrator is thirteen year old Morris Turner son of a Melbourne policeman who lives in a close-knit community with his father and sister, Lottie.
The choice of narrator is an interesting one, but Wilson keeps command of the young boy's voice and perspective throughout.
A late night phone call alerts the father to a murder, that of Catherine Fletcher, in his home town of Gemini and soon the family are packing up and heading off to Gemini and the family farm. Morris is puzzled by the reasons his parents left Gemini and the suspicion with which his father is treated by some townsfolk and his family.
While Jude Turner gets on with solving the case, Morris and his young cousin Flo and her friend Sam, the Mayor's son, embark on their own detective work, leading to scenes reminiscent of Blyton adventures.
There are distractions to solving the case caused by the presence of unemployed in a camp outside the mining town. As the Depression bites deeper, resentments between the townsfolk and campers build.
The town of Gemini and its surrounds, including the night sky, are beautifully realised and the period well researched.
The night sky is an important factor in the story providing an interest to Jude and his family and a philosophical basis to their lives.
The denouement is an exciting finish, and Morris and Lottie return to Melbourne much changed.
While an engrossing book for an adult reader, I would also recommend this book as Young Adult Fiction.
August 8, 2022
This book is more than a who-dunnit. It’s a coming of age story with a murder mystery embedded within it. It’s also set during the polio epidemic. So there’s an under-current that accompanies this story, the sort of undercurrent that many of us have been living the past few years. But the writing doesn’t get bogged down in this. It is well written and evocative of small town Australia.
Wilson deftly handles the loss of innocence of the main character as he navigates the polio epidemic, murder, fear and prejudice in a small rural town.
It is written from the perspective of 12 year old Morris. As a child narrator, sometimes he sees things very clearly, and sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes the reader can glimpse a darker world, of which Morris is unaware. Sometimes it is not revealed to us because Morris cannot yet see it.
Wilson’s balancing of the different parts of this perspective is what stops the story from being overwhelmingly dark. Our full understanding of what has happened is matched by Morris’ understanding of the situation. And Morris is a sensitive little boy, and this is when he shows his true strength of character. It was lovely going on this journey with him.
Wilson deftly handles the loss of innocence of the main character as he navigates the polio epidemic, murder, fear and prejudice in a small rural town.
It is written from the perspective of 12 year old Morris. As a child narrator, sometimes he sees things very clearly, and sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes the reader can glimpse a darker world, of which Morris is unaware. Sometimes it is not revealed to us because Morris cannot yet see it.
Wilson’s balancing of the different parts of this perspective is what stops the story from being overwhelmingly dark. Our full understanding of what has happened is matched by Morris’ understanding of the situation. And Morris is a sensitive little boy, and this is when he shows his true strength of character. It was lovely going on this journey with him.
March 22, 2025
I can't help but think of this community like a uniquely Australian version of the people of Twin Peaks. Without the esoteric out there stuff. This is grounded mystery here folks.
It's a cast of fully realised characters. The places are rich and vivid, you can feel the Australian heat. The chopped liver is disgusting.
As a mystery it tracks all over the place, clues are uncovered but nothing is too simple. Is this bloke a murderer or just a violent racist bastard? Is this guy sinister or just traumatised? What was the motivation that led to this girl's murder?
As someone who lived in Australia (and Victoria) for many years this transports me back to this place even if it's a bit before my time.
Life is not tidy.
It's a cast of fully realised characters. The places are rich and vivid, you can feel the Australian heat. The chopped liver is disgusting.
As a mystery it tracks all over the place, clues are uncovered but nothing is too simple. Is this bloke a murderer or just a violent racist bastard? Is this guy sinister or just traumatised? What was the motivation that led to this girl's murder?
As someone who lived in Australia (and Victoria) for many years this transports me back to this place even if it's a bit before my time.
Life is not tidy.
September 5, 2022
Gemini Falls by Sean Wilson is an impressive debut book and I highly recommend giving it a read. With beautiful writing, intriguing characters and a captivating story set in the depression era of 1930’s Victoria, it really did transport me back to a time in history I didn’t know too much about before now.
The book is written from the perspective of “anxious by nature” 13 year old Morris Turner, who is growing up in a world which has many harsh realities to deal with such as the polio epidemic, unemployment camps and the increased movement of people in communities trying to provide for their families. His father, Jude Turner, is a detective in the city where they live but a murder of a young girl in the country town he grew up in, Gemini, makes him move his family (Morris & his older sister, Lottie) back to his family farm to work the case.
In Gemini, Morris forges friendships with his headstrong, tomboyish cousin Flo and her friend, Sam, who upon hearing all the rumors running rife through the small town about who could have committed this murder decide to do some detective work of their own to uncover the killer. They are quick to discover that everyone has secrets in Gemini including those closest to them.
I really enjoyed this historical coming of age story with a murder mystery woven in. Seeing this world through Morris’s young and naïve eyes gave a perfect lightness to what could have been quite a dark read given the historical period. I loved seeing him develop throughout the book and really enjoyed the star gazing references that helped Morris understand the world around him.
Thanks to Netgalley and Affirm Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The book is written from the perspective of “anxious by nature” 13 year old Morris Turner, who is growing up in a world which has many harsh realities to deal with such as the polio epidemic, unemployment camps and the increased movement of people in communities trying to provide for their families. His father, Jude Turner, is a detective in the city where they live but a murder of a young girl in the country town he grew up in, Gemini, makes him move his family (Morris & his older sister, Lottie) back to his family farm to work the case.
In Gemini, Morris forges friendships with his headstrong, tomboyish cousin Flo and her friend, Sam, who upon hearing all the rumors running rife through the small town about who could have committed this murder decide to do some detective work of their own to uncover the killer. They are quick to discover that everyone has secrets in Gemini including those closest to them.
I really enjoyed this historical coming of age story with a murder mystery woven in. Seeing this world through Morris’s young and naïve eyes gave a perfect lightness to what could have been quite a dark read given the historical period. I loved seeing him develop throughout the book and really enjoyed the star gazing references that helped Morris understand the world around him.
Thanks to Netgalley and Affirm Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
June 5, 2023
What an amazing debut. I loved the writing style and was involved from the very first page.
'There's something I can't take my eyes off. I look away and my eyes wander back, fish following the bait' is an example of the beautifully descriptive prose sprinkled amongst the pages of this book.
A murder mystery told from the perspective of 13 year old Morris, who moves back to Gemini Falls with his sister Lottie and detective father to investigate a murder.
There are many mysteries here, why his father and mother left the town and moved to Melbourne, why his Uncle Jimmy is resentful and how polio is spread among children, and who committed the murder?
Set during the depression you can taste and smell the bush, the city, the mine. With a deft inclusion of astrology and star gazing thrown in this is a truly evocative book.
'There's something I can't take my eyes off. I look away and my eyes wander back, fish following the bait' is an example of the beautifully descriptive prose sprinkled amongst the pages of this book.
A murder mystery told from the perspective of 13 year old Morris, who moves back to Gemini Falls with his sister Lottie and detective father to investigate a murder.
There are many mysteries here, why his father and mother left the town and moved to Melbourne, why his Uncle Jimmy is resentful and how polio is spread among children, and who committed the murder?
Set during the depression you can taste and smell the bush, the city, the mine. With a deft inclusion of astrology and star gazing thrown in this is a truly evocative book.
May 7, 2023
What a joy to discover a story with the beautiful lyricism of poetry, the depth of characterisation and wisdom of a family saga, and the page-turning intrigue of a crime mystery. Although Gemini Falls (Affirm Press 2022) is Sean Wilson’s debut novel, his background as a playwright and short story writer is evident in this magnificent tale set during the Great Depression in rural Victoria and told from the perspective of 13-year-old Morris Turner.
As with all good crime stories, Gemini Falls begins with the discovery of a body, in this case a young woman, Catherine Fletcher, found at the entrance to a mine tunnel in the small outback town of Gemini. Detective Jude Turner takes the call; although he now lives in the city, in Hawthorn, with Morris and his older sister, Lottie, Gemini is Jude’s hometown, and he’s been called back to investigate the case. The children’s mother is absent, this fact only one of the mysteries of this story that entangles together like a knotted ball of twine.
With the ever-present threat of polio rife in the city, Jude Turner packs up his two children for an extended visit back to Gemini. The children are introduced to Jude’s brother Jimmy, his wife and their teenage daughter Flo, who is a keen amateur detective. She’s read everything she can get her hands on about detecting and solving cases, gathering evidence, motives and suspects, and can hardly believe her luck that her cousins have arrived with their policeman father. She immediately sets about recruiting Morris and her local friend (and keen thespian) Sam, who is the son of the Mayor, to form their own band of detectives, and to solve the case before the adults.
There is local confrontation with the many jobless and homeless travellers who have formed a sort of shanty town on the outskirts of Gemini proper, with continued conflict about the scarcity of resources. As patient and diligent Detective Jude Turner goes about his investigation with restraint and respect, the adolescents use their own resourcefulness and inventive subterfuge to find out what they can about the possible killer.
As the story develops, it is apparent that there are historical secrets in Gemini related to Jude and his family. These are foreshadowed and hinted at in a precise and subtle way throughout the text, culminating in an unexpected and surprising revelation.
There are so many great aspects to this novel. The characterisation is brilliant. The narration by young Morris is spot on in terms of language, personality, his relationship with his father and his sister, and the kind of family values he has been taught. His cousin Flo is a fantastic, feisty, fiery, determined and adventurous girl who (the horror!) wears boys’ clothes and seemingly has no fear. All of the other characters are written with authenticity, quirkiness and a refreshing individuality.
The landscape, setting and environment of rural Australia in the 1930’s is depicted with evocative and careful detail. The mental map of Gemini and its surrounds materialises in the reader’s mind without effort.
The story is well plotted, with the rising tension and suspense expected of a good crime novel. Wilson manages to incorporate this with gorgeous writing and a sense of intrigue and mystery.
Finally, the novel explores themes in a sensitive and nuanced way – prejudice, family, betrayal, love, friendship, ambition, misogyny, poverty, classism and tolerance.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it to readers who love both crime and beautiful, literary writing. I can’t wait to see what Sean Wilson writes next.
As with all good crime stories, Gemini Falls begins with the discovery of a body, in this case a young woman, Catherine Fletcher, found at the entrance to a mine tunnel in the small outback town of Gemini. Detective Jude Turner takes the call; although he now lives in the city, in Hawthorn, with Morris and his older sister, Lottie, Gemini is Jude’s hometown, and he’s been called back to investigate the case. The children’s mother is absent, this fact only one of the mysteries of this story that entangles together like a knotted ball of twine.
With the ever-present threat of polio rife in the city, Jude Turner packs up his two children for an extended visit back to Gemini. The children are introduced to Jude’s brother Jimmy, his wife and their teenage daughter Flo, who is a keen amateur detective. She’s read everything she can get her hands on about detecting and solving cases, gathering evidence, motives and suspects, and can hardly believe her luck that her cousins have arrived with their policeman father. She immediately sets about recruiting Morris and her local friend (and keen thespian) Sam, who is the son of the Mayor, to form their own band of detectives, and to solve the case before the adults.
There is local confrontation with the many jobless and homeless travellers who have formed a sort of shanty town on the outskirts of Gemini proper, with continued conflict about the scarcity of resources. As patient and diligent Detective Jude Turner goes about his investigation with restraint and respect, the adolescents use their own resourcefulness and inventive subterfuge to find out what they can about the possible killer.
As the story develops, it is apparent that there are historical secrets in Gemini related to Jude and his family. These are foreshadowed and hinted at in a precise and subtle way throughout the text, culminating in an unexpected and surprising revelation.
There are so many great aspects to this novel. The characterisation is brilliant. The narration by young Morris is spot on in terms of language, personality, his relationship with his father and his sister, and the kind of family values he has been taught. His cousin Flo is a fantastic, feisty, fiery, determined and adventurous girl who (the horror!) wears boys’ clothes and seemingly has no fear. All of the other characters are written with authenticity, quirkiness and a refreshing individuality.
The landscape, setting and environment of rural Australia in the 1930’s is depicted with evocative and careful detail. The mental map of Gemini and its surrounds materialises in the reader’s mind without effort.
The story is well plotted, with the rising tension and suspense expected of a good crime novel. Wilson manages to incorporate this with gorgeous writing and a sense of intrigue and mystery.
Finally, the novel explores themes in a sensitive and nuanced way – prejudice, family, betrayal, love, friendship, ambition, misogyny, poverty, classism and tolerance.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it to readers who love both crime and beautiful, literary writing. I can’t wait to see what Sean Wilson writes next.
October 7, 2022
"Gemini Falls" is the sort of debut that makes you feel sorry for the author; it’s so good that you wonder how they could possibly improve on it with future works.
In Melbourne in 1930 the Depression is starting to bite, and an outbreak of polio is striking fear into parents’ hearts. Morris Turner is 13 and doesn’t really understand these things. Nor does he understand his father Jude, a police detective who won’t talk about anything important: not his work, and definitely not the long ago death of Morris’ mother.
When a young girl is murdered in Jude’s hometown, Gemini Falls, he’s sent to investigate. As he’ll be there a while, he takes Morris and Morris’ sister Lottie, with him. There they meet unknown relatives – Jude’s brother Joseph, his wife, and their daughter Flo. Flo and her mother are immediately welcoming, but Joseph is a harsh man who seems resentful of Jude.
Small though the town is, it has plenty of problems. The Depression is biting here too, and the townsfolk are up in arms about the murder. There’s an abundance of accusations, but Jude needs proof. Morris and Flo are determined to help him find it.
This is a sensitive picture of a boy on the cusp between childhood and young adulthood. He’s younger than you’d expect of a contemporary 13 year old, and he doesn’t understand everything around him. He sees many of the undercurrents without grasping their cause. His cousin Flo, brassy and insensitive, doesn’t see either the undercurrents or causes, and keeps plunging in where others would hold back a little.
Morris’ growth is an absorbing and central plank of the novel. Wilson shows us his gradual awakening to the shades of gray around him, the dangers of secrets, and the many ways that longing can shape a person. I loved watching as his understanding grew, and loved that Wilson portrayed this without needing to spell everything out.
The murdered girl is an almost invisible character; although her death has galvanised many people, we never learn much about her. Her death is an important catalyst for the novel, but the formal murder investigation is not a big part of the novel either.
The novel is mostly a fascinating and subtle exploration of multiple characters, relationships, and the stresses of a difficult economic time. It’s a vivid picture of the onset of the Great Depression. I found it effective. Many of the behaviours and reactions portrayed in the novel are timeless, although the events evoking some of them are unique to the period.
This is a great novel. A wonderful reading experience. It’s subtle but powerful, well written and vividly imagined. I’d call it primarily a character study – of multiple characters – and I enjoyed it immensely. It has many rewards for a thoughtful reader.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
In Melbourne in 1930 the Depression is starting to bite, and an outbreak of polio is striking fear into parents’ hearts. Morris Turner is 13 and doesn’t really understand these things. Nor does he understand his father Jude, a police detective who won’t talk about anything important: not his work, and definitely not the long ago death of Morris’ mother.
When a young girl is murdered in Jude’s hometown, Gemini Falls, he’s sent to investigate. As he’ll be there a while, he takes Morris and Morris’ sister Lottie, with him. There they meet unknown relatives – Jude’s brother Joseph, his wife, and their daughter Flo. Flo and her mother are immediately welcoming, but Joseph is a harsh man who seems resentful of Jude.
Small though the town is, it has plenty of problems. The Depression is biting here too, and the townsfolk are up in arms about the murder. There’s an abundance of accusations, but Jude needs proof. Morris and Flo are determined to help him find it.
This is a sensitive picture of a boy on the cusp between childhood and young adulthood. He’s younger than you’d expect of a contemporary 13 year old, and he doesn’t understand everything around him. He sees many of the undercurrents without grasping their cause. His cousin Flo, brassy and insensitive, doesn’t see either the undercurrents or causes, and keeps plunging in where others would hold back a little.
Morris’ growth is an absorbing and central plank of the novel. Wilson shows us his gradual awakening to the shades of gray around him, the dangers of secrets, and the many ways that longing can shape a person. I loved watching as his understanding grew, and loved that Wilson portrayed this without needing to spell everything out.
The murdered girl is an almost invisible character; although her death has galvanised many people, we never learn much about her. Her death is an important catalyst for the novel, but the formal murder investigation is not a big part of the novel either.
The novel is mostly a fascinating and subtle exploration of multiple characters, relationships, and the stresses of a difficult economic time. It’s a vivid picture of the onset of the Great Depression. I found it effective. Many of the behaviours and reactions portrayed in the novel are timeless, although the events evoking some of them are unique to the period.
This is a great novel. A wonderful reading experience. It’s subtle but powerful, well written and vividly imagined. I’d call it primarily a character study – of multiple characters – and I enjoyed it immensely. It has many rewards for a thoughtful reader.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
November 20, 2023
Wilson’s debut novel is narrated by thirteen year old Morris Turner. He lives with his father Jude Turner, a police detective, and his older sister Lottie. It’s 1930 in Melbourne and a lot of people are doing it tough as the Great Depression takes hold of the country. Jude is assigned to investigate the murder of a young women, Catherine Fletcher, in his home town of Gemini. Morris and Lottie are not impressed that they have to move from bustling Melbourne to a small country town, even if it’s only for the duration of the investigation. Jude hasn’t been back to Gemini since he and his wife left many years ago. Morris and Lottie meet relatives for the first time; Jude’s brother and his wife, and their daughter Flo, who is Morris’s age.
Morris lost his mother when only a very young child, and wants to talk about her with his father, but whenever I talk about Mother, a shadow passes over his face and he turns away or leaves the room. I feel the words forming on my tongue, but I swallow them down. They go deep inside my body where they join together, packed tight into bricks made of the words I can’t say. He can’t talk about her and so I don’t talk about her.
The citizens of Gemini can’t believe one of their own is the murderer, and suspicion falls on the destitute folk who have built a shanty town on the outskirts of Gemini. But Morris, together with his cousin Flo and friend Sam think the murderer is much closer to home.
Choosing to have a young narrator is a brave move. It brought to mind To Kill a Mockingbird. Children often see more as they are overlooked by the adults around them. They also don’t have the prejudices and set ideas that can cloud an adult’s mind. Children are constantly underestimated by adults.
Wilson has brought to life a small Australian town, struggling with the financial crash and the murder of one of their own. I got a real sense of the townspeople’s fear as the world seemed to be imploding around them. Their suspicion of the people living in the camps is understandable - it’s always easier to blame a stranger for your troubles than to accept that everyone is struggling to some degree, and it’s a case of ‘there but for the grace of God go I’, as my mother used to say!
The book skilfully brings the murder investigation to a satisfactory close. Spending time in Gemini with his children makes Jude explore how he has dealt (or not) with his grief, and look at how he can help his children come to terms with the loss of their mother.
This is an accomplished first novel from Sean Wilson, and I look forward to reading more!
Morris lost his mother when only a very young child, and wants to talk about her with his father, but whenever I talk about Mother, a shadow passes over his face and he turns away or leaves the room. I feel the words forming on my tongue, but I swallow them down. They go deep inside my body where they join together, packed tight into bricks made of the words I can’t say. He can’t talk about her and so I don’t talk about her.
The citizens of Gemini can’t believe one of their own is the murderer, and suspicion falls on the destitute folk who have built a shanty town on the outskirts of Gemini. But Morris, together with his cousin Flo and friend Sam think the murderer is much closer to home.
Choosing to have a young narrator is a brave move. It brought to mind To Kill a Mockingbird. Children often see more as they are overlooked by the adults around them. They also don’t have the prejudices and set ideas that can cloud an adult’s mind. Children are constantly underestimated by adults.
Wilson has brought to life a small Australian town, struggling with the financial crash and the murder of one of their own. I got a real sense of the townspeople’s fear as the world seemed to be imploding around them. Their suspicion of the people living in the camps is understandable - it’s always easier to blame a stranger for your troubles than to accept that everyone is struggling to some degree, and it’s a case of ‘there but for the grace of God go I’, as my mother used to say!
The book skilfully brings the murder investigation to a satisfactory close. Spending time in Gemini with his children makes Jude explore how he has dealt (or not) with his grief, and look at how he can help his children come to terms with the loss of their mother.
This is an accomplished first novel from Sean Wilson, and I look forward to reading more!
September 30, 2022
There is plenty of Australian historical rural crime fiction around at the moment. So much so, that it might be possible to identify an even more niche subgenre – historical rural crime fiction narrated in whole or in part by children or teenagers. The best known is probably Craig Silvey’s Jasper Jones but other recent examples include Greg Woodland’s The Night Whistler and Maryrose Cuskelly’s The Cane. Sean Wilson’s debut Gemini Falls is narrated by a teenager, with all of the positives and negatives that come with that narrative decision, but sets itself apart in this sub-sub genre with its setting – rural Victoria during the Great Depression.
Thirteen year-old Morris Turner overhears his detective father Jude taking a phonecall about a murder of a teenage girl. Soon both Morris and his sister Lottie are accompanying Jude to his old home town of Gemini where he has been sent to investigate. The three stay on the family farm, now run by Jude’s brother. Morris finds his teenage cousin is an armchair detective and the two decide to investigate the murder themselves. They, of course, make wild assumptions and get themselves in trouble while the real investigation goes on in the background.
The interest here is not so much in the murder mystery or the naïve investigation run by the teenagers, but rather the time and place that Wilson evokes. The Depression had caused widespread unemployment and forced many out of their homes. Gemini is a small mining town where work is scarce and the young are looking for a way out, it has a camp of itinerants who are suspected of everything purely due to their poverty. And it does not take much for local politicians to stir up sentiment against the outsiders who are just looking for a place to sleep and enough to eat.
There is a strain of tragedy running through Gemini Falls, including the reason why Jude left in the first place. The action set during a tough time for the people and the country as a whole and the resolution of the investigation piles on more tragedy rather than any particular enlightenment. Despite this, Wilson manages to lighten the tone through Morris’s narrative voice - his optimism, loyalty to friends and family and fascination with the stars.
Thirteen year-old Morris Turner overhears his detective father Jude taking a phonecall about a murder of a teenage girl. Soon both Morris and his sister Lottie are accompanying Jude to his old home town of Gemini where he has been sent to investigate. The three stay on the family farm, now run by Jude’s brother. Morris finds his teenage cousin is an armchair detective and the two decide to investigate the murder themselves. They, of course, make wild assumptions and get themselves in trouble while the real investigation goes on in the background.
The interest here is not so much in the murder mystery or the naïve investigation run by the teenagers, but rather the time and place that Wilson evokes. The Depression had caused widespread unemployment and forced many out of their homes. Gemini is a small mining town where work is scarce and the young are looking for a way out, it has a camp of itinerants who are suspected of everything purely due to their poverty. And it does not take much for local politicians to stir up sentiment against the outsiders who are just looking for a place to sleep and enough to eat.
There is a strain of tragedy running through Gemini Falls, including the reason why Jude left in the first place. The action set during a tough time for the people and the country as a whole and the resolution of the investigation piles on more tragedy rather than any particular enlightenment. Despite this, Wilson manages to lighten the tone through Morris’s narrative voice - his optimism, loyalty to friends and family and fascination with the stars.
April 2, 2024
Similar to American author Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, whose young narrator speaks to readers across all age groups, Australian author Sean Wilson's debut novel Gemini Falls explores serious and complex social issues through the eyes of a teenager.
The year was 1930, and Phar Lap just won the Melbourne Cup. The race captured the public's imagination, but failed to raise the spirits of hundreds of thousands of Australians who were in the grip of the Great Depression. Worse, an outbreak of the polio epidemic provoked intense public anxiety in Melbourne.
13-year-old Morris was particularly anxious as his family relocated from the city to the small town of Gemini in rural Victoria. His father Jude, a police detective originally from that town, was assigned to investigate the murder of a young woman whose body was left in the local coal mine tunnel.
Morris and his family stayed in a farm owned by Jude's estranged brother Jimmy. There was considerable tension between the two brothers, for reasons unknown. Further questions remained regarding why Jude left the town in the first place. Meanwhile, Morris met his cousin Flo, who dreamed about becoming a detective herself. Together with the mayor's son, Sam, they roam around Gemini trying to identify the killer.
It is often through the eyes of young people that we see the dark and undesired truths of a world dominated by adults. In this case, it is the displaced people and their plight to which Morris's attention was drawn:
“I picture more camps springing up with shacks like these, all over the country. I think about the problems that lead to shacks like this, if they'll ever get fixed or if they'll only be patched up, the way these shacks are. Held together with wire and trine, clinging on until the next storm.”
“This is a place you go when you can't go anywhere else, a place you drop into, falling and reaching out to save yourself. This is not a place you choose to come.”
In his Author's Note, Wilson makes clear that he wants to explore the difficult and tragic and joyful and hopeful parts of life “by showing how characters and relationships transform through conflict”. As he writes in The Guardian:
“What happens in a society when the gap between rich and poor widens? How do we treat the displaced who end up in the unused spaces around our cities and towns? Who do we blame in a crisis? Who holds out a hand, and who raises a fist?”
The bittersweet adventures of Morris and his friends in 1930s Gemini reflect some of the issues that never left our society – violence, xenophobia, problematic masculinity, inadequate housing, weak labour rights, and populist politicians using tensions to divide people and gain power. But there are also dashed ambitions and unfulfilled dreams, as well as families and friends who stand by us through times tough and uncertain.
Gemini Falls is a novel full of empathy and compassion. Highly recommended.
The year was 1930, and Phar Lap just won the Melbourne Cup. The race captured the public's imagination, but failed to raise the spirits of hundreds of thousands of Australians who were in the grip of the Great Depression. Worse, an outbreak of the polio epidemic provoked intense public anxiety in Melbourne.
13-year-old Morris was particularly anxious as his family relocated from the city to the small town of Gemini in rural Victoria. His father Jude, a police detective originally from that town, was assigned to investigate the murder of a young woman whose body was left in the local coal mine tunnel.
Morris and his family stayed in a farm owned by Jude's estranged brother Jimmy. There was considerable tension between the two brothers, for reasons unknown. Further questions remained regarding why Jude left the town in the first place. Meanwhile, Morris met his cousin Flo, who dreamed about becoming a detective herself. Together with the mayor's son, Sam, they roam around Gemini trying to identify the killer.
It is often through the eyes of young people that we see the dark and undesired truths of a world dominated by adults. In this case, it is the displaced people and their plight to which Morris's attention was drawn:
“I picture more camps springing up with shacks like these, all over the country. I think about the problems that lead to shacks like this, if they'll ever get fixed or if they'll only be patched up, the way these shacks are. Held together with wire and trine, clinging on until the next storm.”
“This is a place you go when you can't go anywhere else, a place you drop into, falling and reaching out to save yourself. This is not a place you choose to come.”
In his Author's Note, Wilson makes clear that he wants to explore the difficult and tragic and joyful and hopeful parts of life “by showing how characters and relationships transform through conflict”. As he writes in The Guardian:
“What happens in a society when the gap between rich and poor widens? How do we treat the displaced who end up in the unused spaces around our cities and towns? Who do we blame in a crisis? Who holds out a hand, and who raises a fist?”
The bittersweet adventures of Morris and his friends in 1930s Gemini reflect some of the issues that never left our society – violence, xenophobia, problematic masculinity, inadequate housing, weak labour rights, and populist politicians using tensions to divide people and gain power. But there are also dashed ambitions and unfulfilled dreams, as well as families and friends who stand by us through times tough and uncertain.
Gemini Falls is a novel full of empathy and compassion. Highly recommended.
September 27, 2022
….....to tell you the truth I am a little lost for words to describe this book in order to do it justice. Despite the topic and other issues touched on, this was a story that was colorful and as beautiful in it's harshness as the small outback mining town in which it is set. I could hear the tones of Atticus Finch in Jude Turner as he imparted his knowledge of the stars and other wisdom to Morris. The 1930's depression setting evoked the black and white movie images of people dressed in smart neat attire or the braces and rolled up sleeves of the working class or those in the shanty towns.
The story is told by 13 year old Morris as he, along with his cousin Flo and her best friend Sam, set out to solve the murder case of Catherine Fletcher on their own. Afforded the luxury of the freedom of the era, the three intrepid detectives roam the town and surrounds searching for clues. Through their innocent eyes we get to know the many characters in the town of Gemini.
This story has been written in a style that ignites the imagination with the evocative descriptions of the landscape, the town and the people who live in and around Gemini. It is elegant, wise and polite reflecting the calm, controlled behavior of the people at a time where manners were in constant use. The author is also a playwright, which shows in the language that calls out to spoken aloud and reads with just as much pulchritude. I feel somewhat wiser on reading this book. Tales of the origins of the constellations were interwoven into the story and served to highlight important ideas in a way that further piqued the imagination. This also brought together the idea of the City and rural experience being shared, though miles apart in location.
I could waffle on and on about this book and how truly moving and elegantly beautiful it was to read. But I will just say, this is a book you should read. It has the Outback crime, historical fiction appeal, but it also a superb literary work. It is not all obnoxious or pretentious and I feel truly privileged to have been permitted to read this book prior to release.
The story is told by 13 year old Morris as he, along with his cousin Flo and her best friend Sam, set out to solve the murder case of Catherine Fletcher on their own. Afforded the luxury of the freedom of the era, the three intrepid detectives roam the town and surrounds searching for clues. Through their innocent eyes we get to know the many characters in the town of Gemini.
This story has been written in a style that ignites the imagination with the evocative descriptions of the landscape, the town and the people who live in and around Gemini. It is elegant, wise and polite reflecting the calm, controlled behavior of the people at a time where manners were in constant use. The author is also a playwright, which shows in the language that calls out to spoken aloud and reads with just as much pulchritude. I feel somewhat wiser on reading this book. Tales of the origins of the constellations were interwoven into the story and served to highlight important ideas in a way that further piqued the imagination. This also brought together the idea of the City and rural experience being shared, though miles apart in location.
I could waffle on and on about this book and how truly moving and elegantly beautiful it was to read. But I will just say, this is a book you should read. It has the Outback crime, historical fiction appeal, but it also a superb literary work. It is not all obnoxious or pretentious and I feel truly privileged to have been permitted to read this book prior to release.
September 1, 2022
This is a lovely read. It’s told from the perspective of Morris, a perceptive and sensitive 12 year old. He has an older sister, Lottie. Their dad is a detective.
It’s set in 1930 during the polio epidemic, and there is an undercurrent of fear and blaming of others for spreading the epidemic. It’s a murder story set in small town Australia. It’s not only a murder story though. It’s also the story of a family. The children’s mum has been dead for years and there is a mystery surrounding her death.
The dad goes to a nearby small town to investigate the murder of a young woman. The kids go with him and stay with their aunt and uncle. It’s a town steeped in prejudice and begrudging behaviour. There’s a great scene in a hotel where the owner is nasty, judgmental, and condescending about some poor kids begging nearby. The dad gets a bag of scones from her, gives some to the kids she had scorned and gets them to wave the scones at her from outside the window.
The dead woman’s father, Will is physically abusive to the mum, Mary. Morris and his friends see this but they don’t know how to handle it; who to tell, how to explain how they saw it happening, etc. As Morris is the narrator, sometimes it’s unclear as to what’s really happening given that the story is told from a 12 year old’s perspective.
Morris, his sister Lottie , friends, and cousins are keen to solve the murder mystery. There’s an uncle Jimmy in the story who is a horrible person, Eamon a diamond in the rough local boy who Lottie gets involved with, and other interspersing characters.
The story is very well written. It’s part a coming of age story for Morris. The story would have been a lot darker had it not been told from a child’s perspective. Wilson handles some sensitive issues really well. We ultimately find out what happened to the children’s mum, just as we find out what happened to Catherine.
This is a short, engaging read. I recommend this book to others. Many thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It’s set in 1930 during the polio epidemic, and there is an undercurrent of fear and blaming of others for spreading the epidemic. It’s a murder story set in small town Australia. It’s not only a murder story though. It’s also the story of a family. The children’s mum has been dead for years and there is a mystery surrounding her death.
The dad goes to a nearby small town to investigate the murder of a young woman. The kids go with him and stay with their aunt and uncle. It’s a town steeped in prejudice and begrudging behaviour. There’s a great scene in a hotel where the owner is nasty, judgmental, and condescending about some poor kids begging nearby. The dad gets a bag of scones from her, gives some to the kids she had scorned and gets them to wave the scones at her from outside the window.
The dead woman’s father, Will is physically abusive to the mum, Mary. Morris and his friends see this but they don’t know how to handle it; who to tell, how to explain how they saw it happening, etc. As Morris is the narrator, sometimes it’s unclear as to what’s really happening given that the story is told from a 12 year old’s perspective.
Morris, his sister Lottie , friends, and cousins are keen to solve the murder mystery. There’s an uncle Jimmy in the story who is a horrible person, Eamon a diamond in the rough local boy who Lottie gets involved with, and other interspersing characters.
The story is very well written. It’s part a coming of age story for Morris. The story would have been a lot darker had it not been told from a child’s perspective. Wilson handles some sensitive issues really well. We ultimately find out what happened to the children’s mum, just as we find out what happened to Catherine.
This is a short, engaging read. I recommend this book to others. Many thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2022
Gemini Falls by Sean Wilson is an exciting debut novel. The story is set in the 1930s in Melbourne and rural Australia with the emergence of The Great Depression with massive unemployment and the frightening spread of polio epidemic, with vivid descriptions of both, giving an historical perspective of what it felt like and how many were struggling.
Following a murder of a young girl, Catherine Fletcher, in Gemini which is the home town of Melbourne based Detective Jude Turner, he is assigned to investigate the murder. So just prior to the end of the school year Jude decides to take is son Morris and sixteen year old daughter Lottie back to Gemini with him.
Morris and his family stay with his cousin Flo and Aunt Beth and Uncle Jimmy in the family rural property. Flo loves reading crime stories and persuades Morris and her friend Sam to undertake an investigation into the murder. The story is told through the eyes of thirteen year old Morris Turner which makes it an intriguing and unusual detective story that breaks a pattern of other recent novels of detectives going to small country towns to solve crimes/murders.
Gemini is a small country town where everyone knows everyone and for the most part everyone knows about everyone. Despite that there are lots of secrets that emerge - Why did Jude and his deceased wife leave Gemini? Why is Jude’s brother Jimmy so antagonistic towards Jude? Who killed Catherine Fletcher?
Well written and interestingly presented through the eyes of thirteen year old Morris with some very unexpected developments.
Highly recommended read.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from Affirm Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Following a murder of a young girl, Catherine Fletcher, in Gemini which is the home town of Melbourne based Detective Jude Turner, he is assigned to investigate the murder. So just prior to the end of the school year Jude decides to take is son Morris and sixteen year old daughter Lottie back to Gemini with him.
Morris and his family stay with his cousin Flo and Aunt Beth and Uncle Jimmy in the family rural property. Flo loves reading crime stories and persuades Morris and her friend Sam to undertake an investigation into the murder. The story is told through the eyes of thirteen year old Morris Turner which makes it an intriguing and unusual detective story that breaks a pattern of other recent novels of detectives going to small country towns to solve crimes/murders.
Gemini is a small country town where everyone knows everyone and for the most part everyone knows about everyone. Despite that there are lots of secrets that emerge - Why did Jude and his deceased wife leave Gemini? Why is Jude’s brother Jimmy so antagonistic towards Jude? Who killed Catherine Fletcher?
Well written and interestingly presented through the eyes of thirteen year old Morris with some very unexpected developments.
Highly recommended read.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from Affirm Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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