In writing the Sydney Sandstone novella, the very first DI Jack Finkel case, I ended up doing a lot of procrastination research into the early history of the City of Sydney. In the process, I uncovered some amazing material, which I thought I’d share with you here. This is both about the beautiful historical nuggets […]
News / Blog
TWO new DI Jack Finkel stories!
For those who missed them, you can now enjoy two new Detective Inspector Jack Finkel mysteries! Pixie Dust & Fireworks Sydney is famous for its New Year’s Eve’s fireworks show. Every year tens of thousands flock around the famous harbour to view them in person, and millions more around the world watch the spectacular welcoming […]
Book Review: Deadman’s Track, by Sarah Barrie
This came up in a list of Tasmanian thrillers to try, and I do love Tasmanian crime/gothic novels for their uncommon settings. What to Expect A romantic suspense and crime thriller, set in Tasmania. While the story’s point of views shift between a few characters, the first half is centered around crimes (robberies escalating to […]
Book Review: Funny Fairy Tales. by Reut Barak
Who doesn’t like a twisty fairytale, and could use a bit of comic relief these days? What to Expect Sixteen re-telling of classic stories, from The Frog Prince to Alice and Wonderland. These aren’t your traditional versions, but tongue-in-cheek wild twists, rife with pop-culture references. They are funny with mildly risqué humour, and are sure […]
Philosophical Discourse about the Nature of Stories, wrapped inside a Book Review
I’ve heard Matt Dicks on a podcast, and since I’m always trying to improve my storytelling craft I dove into his books as well. What to Expect Expect a very easy to read book, filled with stories and anecdotes that helps explain Dicks’ take on storytelling. Dicks takes you through recognising moments in your life […]
At the end of the Rainbow is a Sandstone building (a new Jack Finkel mystery!)
The guys at Purple Toga are happy to announce that we are releasing this month our second anthology: Rainbows Aren’t Just For Leprechauns! Why is red so crucial for the making of Red Riding Hood? Or, how could emperors distinguish themselves without the color Purple? What would the Discworld be without octarine? This time we […]
Book Reviews: ‘Big Stake’ and ‘The Square Up’, by SJ Brown
I’ve enjoyed the first two in the series before (books one and two), and felt like finishing the year with some good old police work. This review covers the last two books in the DI Mahoney series, but as noted below you can jump right in. What to Expect Big Stake: Life’s a Gamble: Expect […]
Too good not to share!
Just in time when I could use some positive reinforcement 😊 Adam Gaffen has been kind enough to host me on his blog. But in addition to the usual author interview questions, he has also spent considerable effort in doing a write up of my novels. And his words… well, they make me blush: If […]
Book Review: Gogmagog, by Jeff Noon and Steve Beard
This book floated past on my feed – I found the cover intriguing (I dug the vibe, don’t judge me), and the attached review was glowing, so I jumped in without much knowledge of what to expect. What to Expect Expect a surrealist story, full of wonder and awe and a few nightmares. Set in […]
History Lessons: Crassus & Caesar
The above cartoon was floating around the internet during the California wildfires of early 2025. Those fires are a tragedy, as is any loss of human life and natural disasters. Having gone through Australia’s “Black Summer” in early 2020, I feel for all my friends in California and hope they are OK. That said, the […]