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Detective Dave Burrows
Red Dust
After the tragic death of her husband in a light-plane accident, Gemma Sinclair is left with the daunting task of managing the vast outback station he has bequeathed her. But she remains haunted by Adam's dying words, not to mention persistent whispers that his death was not an accident.
330 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
120 people are currently reading
691 people want to read
About the author
Fleur McDonald
44 books531 followersAfter growing up on a farm near Orroroo in South Australia, Fleur McDonald’s first job was jillarooing in the outback. She has been involved in agriculture all her life, including helping manage a 8000-acre station for twenty years. Today Fleur and her energetic kelpie, Jack, live in Esperance, Western Australia,
Fleur is the author of 23 bestselling novels and two children's books.
Fleur chats about her daily writing life on her blog http://fleurmcdonald.com,
Facebook - Fleur McDonald Author
Instagram @fleurmcdonald
Tiktok @fleurmcdonaldauthor
Fleur is the author of 23 bestselling novels and two children's books.
Fleur chats about her daily writing life on her blog http://fleurmcdonald.com,
Facebook - Fleur McDonald Author
Instagram @fleurmcdonald
Tiktok @fleurmcdonaldauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
October 30, 2015
This was an enjoyable tale of farm life. I'm sure this author has had more experience with writing since writing this debut as she has been completing more novels. Editing was a bit loose, but nothing that ruined it, just noticeable.
This book made me aware of the tremendous hard work it takes to run a farm, the property maintenance, the upkeep of the sheep and cattle. It was evident that this author must be on top of her game as a farmer, and it was enjoyable to learn about what this lady would be doing on a daily basis, hopefully minus the stock stealing!
The romance aspect was sweet, and my favourite character was Jess. I'm not much of a sleuth and I worked it out, but that was fun too. I'm upping this rating to a 3.5 star read, as was initially thinking 3. I will look out for this author again. Oh hang on.. my out of control shelf probably is holding one already. Good to see another Aussie author writing some good Aussie books with good Aussie content.
This book made me aware of the tremendous hard work it takes to run a farm, the property maintenance, the upkeep of the sheep and cattle. It was evident that this author must be on top of her game as a farmer, and it was enjoyable to learn about what this lady would be doing on a daily basis, hopefully minus the stock stealing!
The romance aspect was sweet, and my favourite character was Jess. I'm not much of a sleuth and I worked it out, but that was fun too. I'm upping this rating to a 3.5 star read, as was initially thinking 3. I will look out for this author again. Oh hang on.. my out of control shelf probably is holding one already. Good to see another Aussie author writing some good Aussie books with good Aussie content.
October 1, 2022
https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogsp...
I'm a huge fan of Fleur McDonald however I came into her books over halfway through her writing career. So I thought it was way beyond time I started on Fleur's back list.
Red Dust is her debut novel and although not as polished as her later novels it was still a great read. I found some of the conversations a bit stilted and the point of view was all over the place however I was drawn straight into the story from the opening chapter with a dying man's ominous last words.
McDonald has written a riveting rural crime novel centred around cattle stealing but also featuring the difficulties faced by woman farmers and the isolation of farm life.
After her husband's tragic death Gemma is left with a farm to run and a mountain of rising debts. As she goes through the farm accounts and the town gossip heats up, Gemma starts to wonder if she really knew her husband at all.
I always laugh and comment that Fleur isn't adverse to killing off a much loved character and after reading Red Dust I can say even from her debut novel Fleur liked to kill off characters that I've warmed to. 😂
I loved that this was Dave Burrows first appearance. He is just a side character here so there is nothing of his personal life. He is just there to investigate the cattle stealing and be awesome.
A small romance thread runs through the story and after all the drama and suspense it's nice to end on a HEA.
I'm a huge fan of Fleur McDonald however I came into her books over halfway through her writing career. So I thought it was way beyond time I started on Fleur's back list.
Red Dust is her debut novel and although not as polished as her later novels it was still a great read. I found some of the conversations a bit stilted and the point of view was all over the place however I was drawn straight into the story from the opening chapter with a dying man's ominous last words.
McDonald has written a riveting rural crime novel centred around cattle stealing but also featuring the difficulties faced by woman farmers and the isolation of farm life.
After her husband's tragic death Gemma is left with a farm to run and a mountain of rising debts. As she goes through the farm accounts and the town gossip heats up, Gemma starts to wonder if she really knew her husband at all.
I always laugh and comment that Fleur isn't adverse to killing off a much loved character and after reading Red Dust I can say even from her debut novel Fleur liked to kill off characters that I've warmed to. 😂
I loved that this was Dave Burrows first appearance. He is just a side character here so there is nothing of his personal life. He is just there to investigate the cattle stealing and be awesome.
A small romance thread runs through the story and after all the drama and suspense it's nice to end on a HEA.
June 28, 2017
Red Dust is about young women Gemma Sinclair who learnt to live and love again after the death of her husband. When Gemma Sinclair husband Adam die in a plane crash on Billbinya Station, it changes Gemma's life forever. After the funeral of her husband Adam, strange things started to happen on Billbinya Station, and roomers were going around the community about Adam's death. Readers of Red Dust will follow Gemma's quest to find out what is going on and on the way found love again.
I enjoy reading Red Dust I was hooked with the characters and story after the first page. I like that Fleur McDonald made the main character a female and capable of running a large cattle station on her own. Reading Red Dust, it started me thinking about the consequence of rural crime in rural communities.
Readers of Red Dust will learn about cattle rustling and the consequence to the farmers and the community. Also, readers of Red Dust will learn about running a large cattle station. Red Dust also allows the readers to understand the importance of stock agents and merchandise companies for rural communities.
I recommend this book.
I enjoy reading Red Dust I was hooked with the characters and story after the first page. I like that Fleur McDonald made the main character a female and capable of running a large cattle station on her own. Reading Red Dust, it started me thinking about the consequence of rural crime in rural communities.
Readers of Red Dust will learn about cattle rustling and the consequence to the farmers and the community. Also, readers of Red Dust will learn about running a large cattle station. Red Dust also allows the readers to understand the importance of stock agents and merchandise companies for rural communities.
I recommend this book.
November 19, 2013
Gritty Aussie drama. A good mystery and love story in which you can almost feel the red grit on your hands as you read. A really good insight into life in the outback of Australia.
November 6, 2014
I couldn't finish this. The ultra-ocker dialogue drove me insane, and I was so disinterested in all of the characters that I gave up about half-way through.
January 13, 2015
I am inclined to be careful about readings books that may contain too sexually explicit scenes and also filthy language. They simply spoil even a great story for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book set in the Australian outback and will be certainly reading more books by Fleur McDonald
June 20, 2025
3.5⭐️definitely enjoyed the way the drama unfolded trying to guess who was involved and in what ways kept things interesting right along. there was a few lewd comments/scenes that bright it down a notch for me but defs looking forward to more from this author!
Content: language, SA attempt
Content: language, SA attempt
January 31, 2025
Just my opinion but I really didn’t care for it.
June 16, 2024
I absolutely loved this book. A great rural romance/mystery that I couldn’t put down.
I completely failed my buddy read because I had to know what happened 😆 due to Fleur’s brilliant writing style.
I highly recommend this book.
I completely failed my buddy read because I had to know what happened 😆 due to Fleur’s brilliant writing style.
I highly recommend this book.
March 4, 2012
After the tragic death of her husband Adam, Gemma is struggling to make a go of managing a property in South Australia. If this isn't enough of a challenge, rumours have begun sweeping the district, suggesting that Adam's death wasn't an accident and that he was involved in a network of stock thefts that have devastated other local farmers.
The first thing I really liked about Red Dust was the setting. Right away I got a sense of a rugged Outback station and the vastness of all that empty space. It also portrayed a small community really well, once again I easily got the feel of the town, the pub etc and could picture the characters there easily.
I also liked Gemma. You could feel her sense of loss and grief, but also her determination to move on with her life. You also got a feel for her by how the other characters interacted with her - their respect and protectiveness, which showed the kind of person she was.
The suspense and mystery element to the story was good,although a little predictable. You didn't have to think too far outside the box to work out who the 'bad guys' were - but it was an enjoyable journey as the story moved along to its conclusion. Probably one thing I found a little confusing was the network of male characters, I got a bit lost as to who were the stock inspectors/police/friends etc. But that wasn't a big issue.
Overall I really enjoyed Red Dust and its outback setting. An easy, yet interesting read.
The first thing I really liked about Red Dust was the setting. Right away I got a sense of a rugged Outback station and the vastness of all that empty space. It also portrayed a small community really well, once again I easily got the feel of the town, the pub etc and could picture the characters there easily.
I also liked Gemma. You could feel her sense of loss and grief, but also her determination to move on with her life. You also got a feel for her by how the other characters interacted with her - their respect and protectiveness, which showed the kind of person she was.
The suspense and mystery element to the story was good,although a little predictable. You didn't have to think too far outside the box to work out who the 'bad guys' were - but it was an enjoyable journey as the story moved along to its conclusion. Probably one thing I found a little confusing was the network of male characters, I got a bit lost as to who were the stock inspectors/police/friends etc. But that wasn't a big issue.
Overall I really enjoyed Red Dust and its outback setting. An easy, yet interesting read.
December 18, 2017
This first book by Fleur McDonald is really a crackerjack of a story! I had just completed reading Fleur's latest book Suddenly One Summer and having only read one other of her books (Sapphire Falls) I went back to the beginning of them all, Red Dust. This story has it all, wonderful characters, emotional story, a few 'frights', drama, excitement...and that unforgettable experience of farm life and the sacrifice that always goes with that life. If I have one regret with this book, it would be that I hadn't really discovered the writing of Fleur McDonald before now! I would recommend this book and, no doubt, all the others I have yet to read! Thank you Fleur for a great story.
August 3, 2016
Google is a Better Detective than the Entire Cast of Characters
I am trying to understand how this book is so highly rated. Having just finished Red Dust I want to adequately frame my feelings in a thoughtful, intelligent manner. Yet the only two emotions that come to mind are angry and disappointed.
As an American with a deep, deep love of Australian culture, I was incredibly excited to find the genre of rural fiction. I was hoping Red Dust would be a better version of McLeod's Daughters, with less focus on the melodrama and more on actual farm life.
I was sorely disappointed. Perhaps my expectations were too high; being a land owner herself, I expected McDonald would knock the rural aspect out of the park. I knew it wasn't going to be a How To manual on farm life, but I wanted much more than what Red Dust offered.
This book was 330 pages of disappointment, anger, frustration and stupidity, from the first page to the last. If anything this was worse than a soap opera, without the bonus of beautiful people or picturesque scenery to soften the blow.
Editing and Pacing
The book is in need of a serious edit. There were punctuation issues on, frankly, every page. Major technical issues - I'm not talking American vs. Australian English, I mean properly using a period - aside, the pacing of this novel is incredibly slow and wonky. Both the characterization and dialogue, especially, needed a sharper eye.
Instead of bringing me inside Gemma's world, allowing me to fall in love with the people, the land and the life, everything was glossed over. I never felt welcomed into the world by Gemma or McDonald. Rather than showing her character or motivations through her actions, McDonald seemed more interested in giving me list after list of "Gemma did this, and then she did this" exposition.
Possibly - this being McDonald's first novel - to prove her own farming knowledge was up to snuff? There were paragraphs that verged on being bullet-point lists, rather than actual fiction writing. McDonald keeps telling me how great Gemma is, but rarely shows it.
Every character is like this. Every single one.
Characterization and Dialogue
I don't think I cared about the characters at all, until the twenty-fourth chapter [out of thirty-one], and even then it was less "I deeply care about how things turn out for poor Gemma" and more "Dear Gods, I just need this to end." That's not a good sign.
Until the last ten chapters or so, the character just go in circles. Over and over. For twenty chapters. Gemma spends large chunks of the novel going out partying rather than working, denying that Adam could do anything wrong ever, and being completely dense about her own safety or welfare. While in the middle of a criminal investigation!
Super smart, Gemma is. Her attitude felt like she was either in, "I'm so innocent [and pretty], isn't my word - despite the building pile of evidence - enough?!" or, "Oh, X event or evidence isn't anything big, even though I'm in the middle of fighting for my very life and livelihood. I'll tell the police later. Let's drink!" mode for a large portion of the novel.
Gemma's denial and troubles are understandable and heartbreaking in the beginning few chapters, but as it continues and Gemma shows no signs of growth, it quickly turns into stupidity and naivety.
Also, I couldn't tell the male characters apart. There were - what? eight or more male characters? - and I could barely tell who the staff were, the cops were or who the bad guys were. They all sounded the same to me. Jess was the only bright spot in all the characters, yet even she soured at the end [see the "romance" section below].
The dialogue for the majority of the novel was clunky and, at certain points, laughable. [The "cackling over our own evilness" scene with the villains was so bad, I was waiting for one of them to twirl a mustache or offer up a "Mwhahaha!" Ridiculous.] There's also an incredibly strange bit in the last act of the novel, where Gemma's getting her drink on with her staff, and her inner Aussie!cliche slang voice comes out to play. Never to be used again before or after.
Plot and Romance
I really feel like the author had too many plots she was trying to weave together. The end result is just a mess of knots. The plot never really took off in either the "romance" or "intrigue" manner that the cover blurb promised. The redemption element was a rabbit pulled out a hat at the last minute, rather than any great "salvation" of Gemma's good [according to everyone else] character.
This book is bound together by people being stupid, withheld information, and idiocy passing itself off as easy plot devices. The crimes could have been solved - and the book finished - a lot faster, if Craig and company had just done his job properly at the start. Or Gemma had done background checks. Because apparently common sense and Google were all this mystery needed.
Which leaves the romances, which were badly handled, across the board.
First, there's Gemma coming to terms with Adam's secrets and her residual emotions; here the author seems to be undecided. At one point Gemma forgives him and decides to move on, but pages later writes him off as a liar, not worth remembering and shoving him to the back of her mind.
Specifically so she can have her Perfect Ending. Because it wouldn't be enough for a young, widowed woman to survive a theft ring, keep her farm and thrive after back-to-back tragedy. Ben and Gemma could have been really lovely and touching, if McDonald had actually taken the time to pace it out. Half the time Ben is staring at her, internally monologuing about how beautiful she is, without really getting to know her. [Edward Cullen, is that you?]
Instead, we get an epilogue that nearly made me groan out loud in disbelief.
Which brings me to Jess. She and Patrick were basically the only characters I liked in the novel, even though Jess's whole "manic pixie girl" trope was laid on a bit thick for my taste. Alas, not even my enjoyment of Jess survived the end of the book.
In the last act Gemma's hurt in a serious act of violence, and Craig is [finally doing his job, sort of] grilling her about the event. I get that it's his jobexcept it's probably not, being a male officer but he's going about his "investigation" in the wrong place and manner.
Gemma hasn't even been examined by the nurse yet! Jess, rightly, comes to her friend's defense, and spends a solid paragraph ripping Craig a well deserved new one. I wanted to stand up and cheer. Finally, after 257 pages, a character who I believed in! Who I wanted to emotionally engage with.
And then she [censored] ends her magnificent tirade? By asking him out and walking away with a "dazzling smile". I almost threw the book across the room. Because by gods this novel is a romance and McDonald won't end it until both main female characters are paired off, almost out of nowhere.
Bonus Section: Enough is Enough
Verdict: I'm not sure I hated this book, but it was a grind to read. The execution was painfully bad, the plot boring, the characters flat and - yes - the addition of made me 99.99% sure I don't want to read this author again. I only wish I could give it zero stars.
I am trying to understand how this book is so highly rated. Having just finished Red Dust I want to adequately frame my feelings in a thoughtful, intelligent manner. Yet the only two emotions that come to mind are angry and disappointed.
As an American with a deep, deep love of Australian culture, I was incredibly excited to find the genre of rural fiction. I was hoping Red Dust would be a better version of McLeod's Daughters, with less focus on the melodrama and more on actual farm life.
I was sorely disappointed. Perhaps my expectations were too high; being a land owner herself, I expected McDonald would knock the rural aspect out of the park. I knew it wasn't going to be a How To manual on farm life, but I wanted much more than what Red Dust offered.
This book was 330 pages of disappointment, anger, frustration and stupidity, from the first page to the last. If anything this was worse than a soap opera, without the bonus of beautiful people or picturesque scenery to soften the blow.
Editing and Pacing
The book is in need of a serious edit. There were punctuation issues on, frankly, every page. Major technical issues - I'm not talking American vs. Australian English, I mean properly using a period - aside, the pacing of this novel is incredibly slow and wonky. Both the characterization and dialogue, especially, needed a sharper eye.
Instead of bringing me inside Gemma's world, allowing me to fall in love with the people, the land and the life, everything was glossed over. I never felt welcomed into the world by Gemma or McDonald. Rather than showing her character or motivations through her actions, McDonald seemed more interested in giving me list after list of "Gemma did this, and then she did this" exposition.
Possibly - this being McDonald's first novel - to prove her own farming knowledge was up to snuff? There were paragraphs that verged on being bullet-point lists, rather than actual fiction writing. McDonald keeps telling me how great Gemma is, but rarely shows it.
Every character is like this. Every single one.
Characterization and Dialogue
I don't think I cared about the characters at all, until the twenty-fourth chapter [out of thirty-one], and even then it was less "I deeply care about how things turn out for poor Gemma" and more "Dear Gods, I just need this to end." That's not a good sign.
Until the last ten chapters or so, the character just go in circles. Over and over. For twenty chapters. Gemma spends large chunks of the novel going out partying rather than working, denying that Adam could do anything wrong ever, and being completely dense about her own safety or welfare. While in the middle of a criminal investigation!
Super smart, Gemma is. Her attitude felt like she was either in, "I'm so innocent [and pretty], isn't my word - despite the building pile of evidence - enough?!" or, "Oh, X event or evidence isn't anything big, even though I'm in the middle of fighting for my very life and livelihood. I'll tell the police later. Let's drink!" mode for a large portion of the novel.
Gemma's denial and troubles are understandable and heartbreaking in the beginning few chapters, but as it continues and Gemma shows no signs of growth, it quickly turns into stupidity and naivety.
Also, I couldn't tell the male characters apart. There were - what? eight or more male characters? - and I could barely tell who the staff were, the cops were or who the bad guys were. They all sounded the same to me. Jess was the only bright spot in all the characters, yet even she soured at the end [see the "romance" section below].
The dialogue for the majority of the novel was clunky and, at certain points, laughable. [The "cackling over our own evilness" scene with the villains was so bad, I was waiting for one of them to twirl a mustache or offer up a "Mwhahaha!" Ridiculous.] There's also an incredibly strange bit in the last act of the novel, where Gemma's getting her drink on with her staff, and her inner Aussie!cliche slang voice comes out to play. Never to be used again before or after.
Plot and Romance
I really feel like the author had too many plots she was trying to weave together. The end result is just a mess of knots. The plot never really took off in either the "romance" or "intrigue" manner that the cover blurb promised. The redemption element was a rabbit pulled out a hat at the last minute, rather than any great "salvation" of Gemma's good [according to everyone else] character.
This book is bound together by people being stupid, withheld information, and idiocy passing itself off as easy plot devices. The crimes could have been solved - and the book finished - a lot faster, if Craig and company had just done his job properly at the start. Or Gemma had done background checks. Because apparently common sense and Google were all this mystery needed.
Which leaves the romances, which were badly handled, across the board.
First, there's Gemma coming to terms with Adam's secrets and her residual emotions; here the author seems to be undecided. At one point Gemma forgives him and decides to move on, but pages later writes him off as a liar, not worth remembering and shoving him to the back of her mind.
Specifically so she can have her Perfect Ending. Because it wouldn't be enough for a young, widowed woman to survive a theft ring, keep her farm and thrive after back-to-back tragedy. Ben and Gemma could have been really lovely and touching, if McDonald had actually taken the time to pace it out. Half the time Ben is staring at her, internally monologuing about how beautiful she is, without really getting to know her. [Edward Cullen, is that you?]
Instead, we get an epilogue that nearly made me groan out loud in disbelief.
Which brings me to Jess. She and Patrick were basically the only characters I liked in the novel, even though Jess's whole "manic pixie girl" trope was laid on a bit thick for my taste. Alas, not even my enjoyment of Jess survived the end of the book.
In the last act Gemma's hurt in a serious act of violence, and Craig is [finally doing his job, sort of] grilling her about the event. I get that it's his job
Gemma hasn't even been examined by the nurse yet! Jess, rightly, comes to her friend's defense, and spends a solid paragraph ripping Craig a well deserved new one. I wanted to stand up and cheer. Finally, after 257 pages, a character who I believed in! Who I wanted to emotionally engage with.
And then she [censored] ends her magnificent tirade? By asking him out and walking away with a "dazzling smile". I almost threw the book across the room. Because by gods this novel is a romance and McDonald won't end it until both main female characters are paired off, almost out of nowhere.
Bonus Section: Enough is Enough
Verdict: I'm not sure I hated this book, but it was a grind to read. The execution was painfully bad, the plot boring, the characters flat and - yes - the addition of made me 99.99% sure I don't want to read this author again. I only wish I could give it zero stars.
October 1, 2023
It was just awful! I could not find one redeeming feature!
Plot was corny
Characters boring
Dialogue just dreadful
Epilogue was the icing on the cake
Happy that lots of people loved it - one size never fits all
Plot was corny
Characters boring
Dialogue just dreadful
Epilogue was the icing on the cake
Happy that lots of people loved it - one size never fits all
February 18, 2010
If there’s one thing Red Dust does well, it’s capturing the beauty and roughness of outback Australia.
The premise is interesting, it’s set up well in the beginning, and the procedural aspects seemed plausible. I love to read about how crime is investigated in the outback, and it’s particularly interesting in Red Dust because Billbinya is so huge -- no CSI-esque toenails-in-the-bathroom-rugclues here! Despite this, McDonald struggles to sustain the mystery throughout the book. There are too many hints along the way that a reader with some familiarity with crime fiction can easily decipher.
The romance is underdeveloped. Although I felt the sparks between Gemma and her love interest, McDonald doesn’t really show how their feelings progress, and how they come to be significant in each other’s lives. To be fair, the book is marketed as popular fiction, so perhaps my expectations around the love story was higher than it should’ve been.
Although there may not be enough romance or mystery to sustain genre readers, I’d recommend Red Dust for its faithfulness to the outback setting, seen through the eyes of a strong, pragmatic protagonist. I’m a city girl through and through, but I felt the heat and the grit and the roughness and, yes, the romance of the land as I read this book, and I’m looking forward to seeing how McDonald’s style develops in future books.
You can read my full review at Book Thingo.
The premise is interesting, it’s set up well in the beginning, and the procedural aspects seemed plausible. I love to read about how crime is investigated in the outback, and it’s particularly interesting in Red Dust because Billbinya is so huge -- no CSI-esque toenails-in-the-bathroom-rugclues here! Despite this, McDonald struggles to sustain the mystery throughout the book. There are too many hints along the way that a reader with some familiarity with crime fiction can easily decipher.
The romance is underdeveloped. Although I felt the sparks between Gemma and her love interest, McDonald doesn’t really show how their feelings progress, and how they come to be significant in each other’s lives. To be fair, the book is marketed as popular fiction, so perhaps my expectations around the love story was higher than it should’ve been.
Although there may not be enough romance or mystery to sustain genre readers, I’d recommend Red Dust for its faithfulness to the outback setting, seen through the eyes of a strong, pragmatic protagonist. I’m a city girl through and through, but I felt the heat and the grit and the roughness and, yes, the romance of the land as I read this book, and I’m looking forward to seeing how McDonald’s style develops in future books.
You can read my full review at Book Thingo.
May 19, 2020
another winner by Fleur McDonald --the early years of Dave Burrows how he was trying to cope with his 1st wife's unhappiness with his job while awaiting the birth of their 2nd child and his police work which he loves will keep tou engrossed from start to finish
January 6, 2021
Another great Australian story, I am getting to travel around this beautiful country without leaving home
November 1, 2023
From the wool-greased floors of the shearing shed to the surging creeks ‘coming down’ after a sudden storm, Fleur McDonald writes about a life and a country she knows from the inside out. Now living in the south-west of Western Australia, McDonald grew up in South Australia’s mid-north. As a child, she travelled the dusty roads with her father, delivering fuel to country properties, and she holidayed on her family’s outback stations.
In Red Dust, McDonald breathes life into archetypal Australian characters – the loyal stockman, the shifty newcomer, the knowledgeable stock and station agent, the trusty working dog. Throw in a dead husband with a suspicious past, a contagiously lively – and impressively savvy – best friend, and a couple of swoon-worthy blokes in R. M. Williams boots and you’ve got more than enough to keep you glued to the page through a wet winter’s weekend.
And then there’s all that livestock that keeps disappearing and mysteriously turning up in Billbinya station’s back paddocks...
McDonald has planted clues to help you work out who’s behind the sheep and cattle rustling, and why they’ve got such a grudge against the widowed Gemma, Billbinya’s resolute young owner.
(Review originally written for Allen & Unwin who supplied my copy of this book.)
In Red Dust, McDonald breathes life into archetypal Australian characters – the loyal stockman, the shifty newcomer, the knowledgeable stock and station agent, the trusty working dog. Throw in a dead husband with a suspicious past, a contagiously lively – and impressively savvy – best friend, and a couple of swoon-worthy blokes in R. M. Williams boots and you’ve got more than enough to keep you glued to the page through a wet winter’s weekend.
And then there’s all that livestock that keeps disappearing and mysteriously turning up in Billbinya station’s back paddocks...
McDonald has planted clues to help you work out who’s behind the sheep and cattle rustling, and why they’ve got such a grudge against the widowed Gemma, Billbinya’s resolute young owner.
(Review originally written for Allen & Unwin who supplied my copy of this book.)
September 17, 2024
This was an author I had never heard of before and I picked this book up purely because of a reading challenge that was focused on this author and because my library had this book available.
I didn't really enjoy this book and I skim read the second half of it and it played out exactly as I thought it would. The book is over 15 years old and at the time of release it may have been more current, but it feels really dated to me - in characters and especially in dialogue and internal thoughts. I cringed my way through most of this. To be fair to the author, I probably should have started my reading journey with her more recent releases - but I found this a stressful reading experience with a frustrating plot, wooden characters and a real lack of authenticity.
As readers we go into every book expecting gold. Unfortunately, our reading experience is influenced by our past reading experience, our personal background and what we need to read at this moment of time. No two people read the same book. This book was not for me. However, it does not mean it may not be the book for you.
Reading Challenge
Aussie Readers 2024 September "Fleur McDonald" Challenge: Read a book by Fleur McDonald
I didn't really enjoy this book and I skim read the second half of it and it played out exactly as I thought it would. The book is over 15 years old and at the time of release it may have been more current, but it feels really dated to me - in characters and especially in dialogue and internal thoughts. I cringed my way through most of this. To be fair to the author, I probably should have started my reading journey with her more recent releases - but I found this a stressful reading experience with a frustrating plot, wooden characters and a real lack of authenticity.
As readers we go into every book expecting gold. Unfortunately, our reading experience is influenced by our past reading experience, our personal background and what we need to read at this moment of time. No two people read the same book. This book was not for me. However, it does not mean it may not be the book for you.
Reading Challenge
Aussie Readers 2024 September "Fleur McDonald" Challenge: Read a book by Fleur McDonald
June 15, 2024
After the tragic death of her husband in a light-plane accident, Gemma Sinclair was left with the daunting task of managing the vast outback station he’d bequeathed her. But she remained haunted by Adam's dying words, not to mention persistent whispers that Adam's death had not been an accident .
I had wanted to tackle this series from the beginning for a while, but the number of books was quite intimidating. Thank goodness for buddy reads! 😆
Gemma was my kind of book heroine! Smart, strong, assertive, hard-working and kind, she definitely went through a lot in the book. I was with her throughout her journey and I wanted her to have her success and happiness by the end.
It was interesting to see Detective Dave making a brief appearance as a supporting character. He went from this side role into having his own series written afterwards. I can’t wait to see more of him in the ‘old Dave’ series. Off to book two!
See my bookstagram review.
I had wanted to tackle this series from the beginning for a while, but the number of books was quite intimidating. Thank goodness for buddy reads! 😆
Gemma was my kind of book heroine! Smart, strong, assertive, hard-working and kind, she definitely went through a lot in the book. I was with her throughout her journey and I wanted her to have her success and happiness by the end.
It was interesting to see Detective Dave making a brief appearance as a supporting character. He went from this side role into having his own series written afterwards. I can’t wait to see more of him in the ‘old Dave’ series. Off to book two!
See my bookstagram review.
October 24, 2024
Possible Spoilers ahead...I believe this was the first of her books, and it's quite obvious, because her writing improves in later titles. Unfortunately, I felt that this plot is rehashed and reworked in the few other books I tried (before giving up on her books completely). The characters don't appeal and the 'mystery' and culprit/s are also far too obvious. The bad language and sexual violence was minimal in this one, but in some of her other books the swearing and sexual/domestic violence was disturbing to me (even though it wasn't blatantly graphic, it was bad enough). Personally, I feel that books should be rated like movies and warnings as to content added, as certain people would find attempted rape and other forms of violence a real problem. I'm disappointed that her books didn't work out for me as I had hoped.
December 1, 2020
Eleven years ago Fleur McDonald's first novel was published. It is set on a cattle station, a very familiar location for her to write about, as she lives on a cattle property herself.
The fictional story follows Gemma Sinclair who continues to run the cattle property she was running with her husband before he died in a plane crash. Station matters are not what they seem on the surface and Gemma is put to the test wondering what trouble her deceased husband was involved in. There are interesting bush characters in the book as Gemma finds herself suspected of a rural crime.
The background is an interesting setting and I am looking forward to reading Red Dirt Country, another of her books written about strong women.
The fictional story follows Gemma Sinclair who continues to run the cattle property she was running with her husband before he died in a plane crash. Station matters are not what they seem on the surface and Gemma is put to the test wondering what trouble her deceased husband was involved in. There are interesting bush characters in the book as Gemma finds herself suspected of a rural crime.
The background is an interesting setting and I am looking forward to reading Red Dirt Country, another of her books written about strong women.
March 23, 2023
I did enjoy the setting, the farm work, & the bit of insight into stock & station agency. The work is hard, the workers are on the go at all hours, but at least this area isn't in the midst of a gruelling drought & the wool clip is good.
Stock stealing, duffing, rustling... that's the name of the game. Billbinya, Gemma's property, seems to be involved somehow. Gemma isn't quite sure what's going on, & with her husband recently dead she's doing it on her own. The men in the area think she should pack it in & sell up but Gemma doesn't agree.
Interesting to read this author's debut novel - it's a bit simplistic with little character development & the romantic relationships lack chemistry, but I can see it shows promise. I'll have to read her latest to compare.
Stock stealing, duffing, rustling... that's the name of the game. Billbinya, Gemma's property, seems to be involved somehow. Gemma isn't quite sure what's going on, & with her husband recently dead she's doing it on her own. The men in the area think she should pack it in & sell up but Gemma doesn't agree.
Interesting to read this author's debut novel - it's a bit simplistic with little character development & the romantic relationships lack chemistry, but I can see it shows promise. I'll have to read her latest to compare.
July 3, 2018
Got hooked right from the beginning of the book.
Fleur sets the scene and describes the country side and surroundings so well, that you are transported to the location and makes you feel as though you are there.
A very good read and depicts the life of farmers extremely well. Great job.
The theft of stock is a serious issue for those on the land, (from of personal point of view, roughly 300 wethers were stolen from our farm in WA one night in the late 1960's, the only evidence left were the tyre marks of the truck where it had been backed up to the boundary fence, several other farms in the district also suffered a similar loss).
Thanks Fleur, you've hooked me and I look forward to reading more of your novels.
Fleur sets the scene and describes the country side and surroundings so well, that you are transported to the location and makes you feel as though you are there.
A very good read and depicts the life of farmers extremely well. Great job.
The theft of stock is a serious issue for those on the land, (from of personal point of view, roughly 300 wethers were stolen from our farm in WA one night in the late 1960's, the only evidence left were the tyre marks of the truck where it had been backed up to the boundary fence, several other farms in the district also suffered a similar loss).
Thanks Fleur, you've hooked me and I look forward to reading more of your novels.
June 15, 2020
Amazingly Awesome!
I couldn't take my eyes away until I had read this wonderful book to the end! Captivating and intriguing, wonderfully crafted plot . At no point could I guess exactly what would happen next and entwined beautiful into the storyline were love stories(i love it!) which eventually led to happy endings! A great read! I have fallen in love with this lovey writer and author Fleur McDonald. Will definitely be reading more of her books. I highly recommend this author if you're looking for intrigue, good plot, fantastic story line, love and romance and a Happy ending all in one book!
I couldn't take my eyes away until I had read this wonderful book to the end! Captivating and intriguing, wonderfully crafted plot . At no point could I guess exactly what would happen next and entwined beautiful into the storyline were love stories(i love it!) which eventually led to happy endings! A great read! I have fallen in love with this lovey writer and author Fleur McDonald. Will definitely be reading more of her books. I highly recommend this author if you're looking for intrigue, good plot, fantastic story line, love and romance and a Happy ending all in one book!
June 13, 2020
Never in my adult life have I read a book so fast! I read way past midnight and then didn't get out of bed in the morning until I'd reach the end. Red Dust is a compulsively readable story written by someone who knows the rural setting she writes about in intimate and convincing detail. Great plot, and some wonderfully snappy dialogue. The only reason I didn't award a full five stars was the writing was occasionally a little clumsy and the ending seemed a bit too quickly and conveniently tied up.
December 10, 2017
Fabulous debut novel from Fleur McDonald. Set on a large Station in my beloved outback Australia, this cattle & sheep stealing mystery had me hooked from the very first page.
During the story little bits and pieces came to light which enabled me to piece together a few things, however the full extent and reasons were not revealed until the very end.
A great read and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for future novels by this author.
During the story little bits and pieces came to light which enabled me to piece together a few things, however the full extent and reasons were not revealed until the very end.
A great read and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for future novels by this author.
March 29, 2024
I loved this far more than I expected!
The story follows a newly widowed woman working through the hurdles of her outback station. Events slowly unfold that has her dragged in to a situation she had no idea she was already in. It is perfect outback story!
This is my first Fleur McDonald book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. What I love is it shows the author knows and understands the outback, working a farm and station life. I now want to read all her work!
New auto read Author for me!
The story follows a newly widowed woman working through the hurdles of her outback station. Events slowly unfold that has her dragged in to a situation she had no idea she was already in. It is perfect outback story!
This is my first Fleur McDonald book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. What I love is it shows the author knows and understands the outback, working a farm and station life. I now want to read all her work!
New auto read Author for me!
December 15, 2024
Not my usual read at all, but I did enjoy it and found myself wanting to find out what happened. The romance side of it was a bit predictable and dull, but then I'm not really into romance novels. I enjoyed the crime side of it enough to want to find out the whole story. A friend has leant me all of McDonald's books and I was going to start the second one straightaway but after reading the back I realised it looks a bit samey, so I will read more of them, but not back to back.
June 23, 2017
loved this! Truly had me wondering how this story was going to end. A nail biting, hope they catch the bad guys sooner than they can. The little twists kept you reading until the end. The characters all come across as your typical property owners in any country town, so this makes the reader feel like you're actually part of the story. Keep up the great work, I still have more to catch up on yet
February 20, 2019
Fantastic read loved the story of Anna and Matt happly married raising a daughter Ella, living on farm. We learn of the struggles farmers go through with rain, stealing and losing it all. The strain on their marriage this takes as they separate. Their friends and family around them supporting them both comming back together. A happy ending
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