Robert Goodman: Hi and welcome to Crime Fiction Down Under, where we review and discuss the latest in Australian crime fiction releases and crime fiction news and give you some recommendations from the wider world of crime fiction. I'm Robert Goodman, I review books for Pile by the Bed and was a longtime judge of the Australian Crime Writers Association Ned Kelly Awards. Joining me is my co-host Jackie Howwood, library nerd, reader, writer, former judge of the Ned Kelly Awards, and former convener with Sisters in Crime Australia. Hi, Jackie.
Jacqui: Hi Robert.
Robert Goodman: How's your fortnight been? Any highlights?
Jacqui: My highlight has been the return of slow horses on the streamings. I'm well into season six and enjoying the antics and the double crossings of Jackson Lamb and Co. I read all the books and I'm very happy with the casting, particularly the interactions between the superbly casted Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb and Kristen Scott Thomas as Diana Tavner, the head of MI5. Those interactions are just chef's kiss. Have you watched it?
Robert Goodman: I haven't and much to my shame I was very late to the Mick Heron books that the series is based on, but I do try and catch up with them when I can, if I can find the time among the new releases. I really enjoyed last year's The Secret Hours, which wasn't a slow horses novel. It was a standalone, but actually when you get to the end of it you find that it's a slow horses adjacent novel. So I can definitely recommend The Secret Hours.
Jacqui: Yeah, me too, I really enjoyed that one. what about you? What have you been up to?
Robert Goodman: Look, I have to admit my highlight of the last fortnight was probably the Ned Kelly Awards. We both know how much time and effort goes into the wrangling,
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: the judging, and the organizing of those awards, and it was really good to see them all come together on the 24th of September. we'll talk about the winners in our award segment, but I did want to shout out the current chair of the Australian Crime Writers Association, Karina Kilmore, journalist, author, and crime fiction judge, who continues to deliver for the Australian crime writing and crime loving community. I also
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: wanted to mention on the TV front. That I've been watching Treasure and Dirt, the TV adaptation of Chris Hammer's first Lucich and Buchanan book, which is set in the Australian Opal Fields. Treasure and Dirt is probably one of my favourite Chris Hammer books just for the way he evokes the really unique landscape of the Opal Fields and the type of people who choose or are forced to live there. And the adaptation is really good. It goes all in on the atmosphere. In some respects, that makes it feel a little more slow-paced than the novel, but it really captures the landscape and particularly the collection of weird characters who live in it.
Jacqui: And speaking of Chris Hammer, I'm going to be reviewing his new book, Full Circle, which looks at the world of high finance. And you're going to review Michael Robotson's first book set in Australia. Tell Me Something True. And then we'll talk about the winners of the twenty twenty six Ned Kelly Awards.
Robert Goodman: Yeah, it's a big episode. We've got some heavy hitters, so let's get into
Jacqui: Mm.
Robert Goodman: it.
Jacqui: Chris Hammer first came to our attention with the release of his debut book, Scrublands, in 2018. And he was part of that first big wave of Australian rural crime. along with Jane Harper and Gary Disher with his Hirschhausen series. So Ham has written four books featuring journalist Martin Scarsdale. Two of these books, Scrub Lands and Silver, have been turned into TV series. He also has four books featuring police officers Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucich. And the first of those is the one you mentioned, Treasure and Dirt, that's been turned into a TV series. his new book, Full Circle, however, features no desert sand or isolated bushland. This one is set in the playground of the wealthy Sorrento. And for those who are not Victorian locals, that is on the Mornington Peninsula. So if you look at Port Phillip Bay, which is a circle, it's on the right hand side. And then the book also takes side trips to the Bellarine Peninsula, which is on the left hand side. Full circle is all about high finance, family dynasties, and corruption. There are lots of twists and turns, so I'm going to do my level best to avoid spoilers. The main character is Travis Summerland, who is in his late twenties, when we meet him, he's on his way down to Sorento to start a new job as a driver for a wealthy hedge fund financier, Felix Clapton. We learn that Travis is an ex-AFP Australian Federal Police Officer whose last undercover case ended badly when his cover was blown, and with the death of his lover, Judy, who I'll talk about later, and with him resigning from the AFP. In this case, Travis had gone undercover to work with Rudy Mertree, part of the enormous Mertree dynasty. And with the Mertries, think of a mix of the Murdoch family and the Hancock family. This new Sorrento job has been set up by his old AFP boss and promises Travis another go at the Murcharies.
Robert Goodman: yeah, the Mertree family is an interesting creation. when you start reading Full Circle, you think they're just a stand-in for the Murdochs. This kind of sounds like Murdoch. they seem to wield power through the media, and there are two sons and a daughter in the current generation who seem to be fighting for control of the company's future. but Hammer's characters actually mention the Murdochs as being part of the world. So he
Jacqui: Mm.
Robert Goodman: clearly wants the Mertries to be separate. and then it seems their fortune actually turns on mining, so then you think of the Hancock family. Hammer is a journalist or an ex-journalist, and I guess given that the mercharies are up to no good financially, he didn't want to be seen that he was implying that they represented anyone real. So he's created this kind of conflation of those two very wealthy Australian families.
Jacqui: Yeah, you're right. When you do read it, you think, Murtry's they're just the Murdochs and a as you say, the Murdochs are then mentioned later on. So it's like, okay, they're separate and they're they're a mix of a few big dynasty families. Felix Clapton, the a hedge fund financier, his modus operandi is to research and report on businesses that seem to be overvalued and then short them. And I'm not going into detail, but if you've seen or read the big short, you'll get the basic idea. The Mercury dynasty is in Philip's sites and he and his team go about doing just that, shorting and destroying them. The day before what they call D-Day, the day they short the mercheries, Felix's alluring daughter Giselle, asks Travis to go to an address in Inner Melbourne with some money to pick up an object. Travis does this. The box he picks up turns out to contain cocaine. After all the action and achieving the destruction of the mercheries, the cocaine's brought out as part of the celebration. Travis and Giselle don't partake, but those who do overdose because the cocaine has been laced with something else. Two people die and Travis manages to save a third. Travis ends up taking the fall so that Giselle doesn't get involved. When Travis gets out of jail, Felix asks him to discover who poisoned the cocaine. And this is the turning point that plunges Travis headlong into a web of corruption and deception. The other person telling the story is Judy, Travis's lover from the disastrous undercover operation at Mertri's. Judy was the right-hand person of Rudy Mertree. The world thinks she killed herself. But she has instead resurfaced down on the Bellarin Peninsula and is now working with Joseph Mertree, the estranged older brother of Rudy and another brother, Randall. And she has an agenda all of her own. The third strand is a story told via a biography of the Mertree family, which provides important aspects of the family's history that then has echoes in the current day. We talked a while ago about the sorts of crime stories that Australian writers don't do a lot of and high finance is one of them. So it was great to read a book that delves into the financial world and the stock market.
Robert Goodman: Do you need to understand shorting or finance? Do I appreciate this book?
Jacqui: Not really. If you're like me and can just grasp the basics and not you know I have read the big short, you'll be fine. So you know, it's like the the way I see soccer and my kids trying to explain the offside rule. I have a basic idea of it and that's about all I need. And I think I think it's the same with this book. If you have a basic idea of what they're going about, you'll be fine.
Robert Goodman: I think, you know, again, Hammer has a journalistic background and he does have a way of explaining complex issues in a way that most readers should be able to understand, at least to get them going with the plot.
Jacqui: yeah, you get what what's happening. You don't need to know the ins and outs, This book may be a departure from rural noir, but it's very Chris Hammer. Lots of action and intrigue. Travis is is never really sure who to trust. It explores dynasties, privilege, the ripple effects of past actions. It highlights that the games that people like Felix Clapton play have disastrous outcomes for ordinary people.
Robert Goodman: Yeah, I agree. This is classic hammer. that three-strand structure in particular, with a strand in the current day, there's flashbacks, and then there's a kind of a biography of the Mertree family. that kind of structure is very hammer. and while it isn't rural noir, it does deal with themes that Hammer seems to keep going back to, particularly the power of the ultra-wealthy in Australia, which is looked at
Jacqui: No.
Robert Goodman: in treasure and dirt, in trust. and in the seven, which dealt with big irrigation families. But as in every one of his books, Hammer also manages to deliver a real sense of place.
Jacqui: yeah. I love that the most of the action takes place in Sorrento and surrounds. I grew up in Frankston, which is about an hour or so out of Sorrento. So this is very familiar territory for me, and I love reading how Hamart has captured the spirit of the place. So this is a really good summer read. Sit in the sun, enjoy the goings-on of the rich and privileged, and you know, have a ball. So that was full circle by Chris Hammart, and it is out this month.
Robert Goodman: Michael Robotham is an Australian crime writer who needs a little introduction. His first book, The Suspect, was released in 2004 and introduced readers to forensic psychologist Joe O'Lachman, who had gone on to feature in eight more books. The second book in the O'Lochman series Lost, which was also known as The Drowning Man. Won the Ned Kelly Award in 2005. And the next book in the series, Shatter, won the Ned Kelly Award in 2008. Now, 2008
Jacqui: Mm.
Robert Goodman: was actually the first year I judged that category of the Ned Kelly's, and it was also the first Michael Robotham book that I read. And I still remember absolutely being blown away by that book. And
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: I then went back and read the other two. And since then I've read everything that is released. Since then, Robotham has continued to deliver award-winning page-turning thrillers. His standalone Life or Death won the British Crime Writers Association Gold Daggering 2015. And another standalone, The Secrets She Keeps, won Best Fiction Award at the Australian Book Industry Awards in 2018. And that one has also been made into a TV series. He then started the Cyrus Haven series, which is kind of loosely connected to the O'Lochan series. Haven
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: is also a psychologist who was a student of O'Lochlan, but it was very different as it revolved around Haven's relationship with a traumatized but preternaturally intelligent teenager called Evie Cormac. The first book of that series could. Girl, Bad Girl won the gold dagger, the second book, When She Was Good won a silver dagger, and the third book, Flying Beside You, was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award. So fairly well respected series. the series I think probably wrapped up, or at least all of the outstanding mysteries were resolved in the fourth book, which came out a couple of years ago, which was called Stormchild. I I have to say I tore through Robotham's most recent book, The White Crow, which was an unexpected follow-up to his twenty twenty one book, When You Are Mine. The White Crow was shortlisted in this season Ed Kelly's and was one of my favourites from last year. which brings us to Michael's most recent book, Tell Me Something True, which is his twentieth.
Jacqui: Wow, twenty books. That's amazing.
Robert Goodman: Yeah, and all of them are great. There are a few things to say about this one before we get into it. Firstly, after 20 books, this is the first Michael Robotham book to be set in Australia. All of the others, at least most of the others, were set in the United Kingdom. But more interestingly, perhaps, is that this is also one of the first novels that Michael wrote. In fact, I think I've heard him say it was the first novel that he wrote. It was redrafted in the early 2000s. And now Michael has once again pulled it out of the bottom drawer and redrafted it. Bringing all of his years of experience to bear. But in doing so, I think he retained the timeframe of the original manuscript. So the main action takes place around 2000. So as I said, Tell Me Something True opens in the early 2000s. Arlo Hackett, is being released from prison in Sydney on parole. Arlo has been in prison for 12 years, serving a sentence for being an accessory after the fact of the heinous crime committed by his brother Luke. With nowhere else to go and keen to see his mother, Arlowe returns to Ulara, a town in southern New South Wales on the route between Sydney and Melbourne. When he gets there, he finds the family home abandoned and his mother in a nursing home following a stroke. With little alternative, Arlo decides that he will stay in Ulara and fix the house up. But few in town want Arlow back. Most of the people in town still hold him responsible for the events that saw him go to prison, and their events that we learn about as we make our way through the novel. They believe that he is a threat to them, even though he makes clear, and the narrative actually makes clear, that he was only ever an accessory to whatever happened What we know is that those events involve Arlo's brother Luke, who it emerges as either autism or an intellectual disability, and Saxon, a five-brand teenage girl who ends up coming to live with Luke and his mother and brother. As Arlo reconnects with those who are still prepared to speak to him and new evidence from that time comes to light. Arlo starts to re-explore his memories begins to reevaluate the events of 12 years before and starts to realise that maybe he misunderstood and misinterpreted everything that was going on around
Jacqui: Mm.
Robert Goodman: him. It's clear that Robotham has been living with this story in this community for a long time. He says in his afterward that Yulara is based on the town he grew up in, and some of the events and places are reimagined from his own past. And those who have done that particular stopover on the drive between Melbourne and Sydney may well recognise the town that Ulara is. Based on. All of the characters in Tell Me Something True are extremely well drawn and their relationships feel lived in and real. In particular, the characters of Harlow, Luke, and Saxon, and their shifting relationship is beautifully and heartbreakingly observed. and it is really this character depth that makes the twists and revelations, even when they are a little predictable, more devastating.
Jacqui: So we've seen Michael own the procedural and thriller genre. Do you think he does the same for rural crime here?
Robert Goodman: Look, structurally and thematically, Tell Me Something True is definitely the type of rural Australian crime story we've had plenty of in the last 15 years or so. A character returns to their hometown and starts looking into an incident that has hung over them and the town since that time. There are common themes of police corruption, local politics, small town attitudes, misogyny, domestic violence and sexual abuse. But there is also a strong sense of community, including community ties, and the way in which people care for and look out for each other.
Jacqui: Wasn't this book published in two thousand and five? Michael was on a roll at that time.
Robert Goodman: Yeah, it's a bit of a catch twenty-two. I saw an interview with Michael, in which he talks about finishing the novel in two thousand and five, the redraft of it, and pitching it to publishers in London. He was told at the time that the reason why it was knocked back was because they didn't see a market for rural crime fiction suit in Australia, which is kind of ironic to think about now. because now tell me something true sits firmly in territory that is globally successful and has been the crime subgenre of choice for the majority of Australian authors for at least since the dry in 2016. So while some of the elements that I mentioned were probably ahead of their time when the manuscript was written, now they feel like they're kind of just following a trend. and obviously we don't know what that manuscript looked like back in 2005, but Botham has brought all of his 20 years of experience to it. His books, and this one is no exce exception, always feel effortless to read. The pages practically turn themselves. And because of the time it's been percolating for, Robotham really understands his main characters and brings a depth and a richness to them. All that said, As we discussed in our last episode despite all of the Australian rural crime fiction that's out there, there is still room for well-written, deeply felt narratives with recognizably flawed characters that have a strong sense of place. And Tell Me Something True is definitely all of that. so that was Tell Me Something True and it is published by Hachette.
Jacqui: Okay, let's go on to awards and news. On the 24th of September, we had the announcement of the 2026 Ned Kelly Awards. The Australian Crime Writers Association hands out four awards each year: Best Debut, Best International Crime, Best True Crime, and Best Crime Fiction. The award for the Best Debut this year went to In Bloom by Liz Allen. The judging panel described the book as strikingly bold and perfectly placed. Written in sparse poetic language, the reader is instantly hijacked by four nirvana-loving teenagers, perfect, and their desperate bid to break the chains of social and economic poverty. I love the tan of that.
Robert Goodman: Yeah, I I as I understand it, it revolves around the four of them trying to prove that their teacher didn't commit a crime in order for him to take them to a battle of the bands.
Jacqui: I love that. the best true crime award went to Judy to Warm by Charlotte Greave. The judging panel described this book as brave, compelling, and incredibly moving true crime writing. It details the investigation of an orthopaedic surgeon, which ultimately became a $20 million defamation trial, a deeply researched investigation that showcases how vital journalism is to provide a voice for those who cannot speak out. Mm.
Robert Goodman: and Charlotte in her acceptance speech talked about the people who supported her in writing that, the the victims who helped her, and it was it's phenomenal. so the Ned Kellys also give out an award for best international crime novel, which this year went to Abigail Dean for her book, The Death of Us. The judging panel said that the Death of Us is unforgettable, raw, and powerful, a crime novel that expertly centers the perspective of the victims and the emotional and devastating impact. On them after a home invasion. As we mentioned a few episodes ago, this book also won the British Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger this year, so I would say definitely a crime novel worth seeking out. And the award for best crime fiction was won by Sally Hepworth for her book Mad Mabel. The judging panel praised Hepworth for her smart and intelligent storytelling, weaving the best and worst of human nature into a captivating and unforgettable novel. This is actually Hepworth's second win in three years, as she also won the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction in 2024 for her book Darling Girls. So she joins a select group of authors who have bagged more than one Ned Kelly Award and said in her acceptance speech that she's going for a hat trick. Given her recent track record, I would not put it past her. Now I know
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: we've spoiled the surprise, but if you still want to watch the Ned Kelly Awards, which this year was hosted by investigative journalist and previous winner, Nick Mackenzie. You can find it on the Australian Crime Writers Association homepage and on YouTube and we'll put the links to those
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: in our show notes.
Jacqui: So, Robert, do you think we've reached the end of Crime Awards season?
Robert Goodman: we're close but not quite. We're still waiting to hear the winners of the Niomarsh Awards, and we talked about the long list for those a few episodes ago. We also have the Patroner Award for Scandinavian Crime published in the UK. We're expecting that announcement towards the end of October. And there's also crime awards given out at BoucherCon, which is an annual mystery fan convention, which I know a lot of Australian authors get along to, and that's being held in Calgary in late October. then I think we might be done until early next year.
Jacqui: All right. Well great. Exciting to wait for the announcements coming up then. The other thing I want to mention is that I'll be interviewing Chris Hammer on Sunday, the 11th of October, as part of Clunes Booktown on Sunday. So if you're a Victorian local, book yourself a ticket and catch the train to Clunes. We'll put a link in the show notes on where you can book tickets, or you can just Google Booktown on Sunday and you'll find where to book tickets. Okay, so it's time for some recommendations from the wider world of crime fiction. What have you got for us this week, Robert?
Robert Goodman: I want to recommend A Killing in Lagos by Amen Alonge. This is one of a few interesting crime novels that have been coming out of Nigeria in the last few years. Alonge is a British Nigerian author and this book centres around Remy, a Nigerian who's been building a life for himself in London. Remy is called back to Nigeria when his sister Kike is found murdered, and when he goes back we find that he's part of an incredibly wealthy and influential family. Remy's father is a kingmaker, but he prefers to wield his power from the shadows. He asks Remy to see what he can find out about his sister's death. the setting for this book is a wealthy enclave on an island in Lagos. Think giant houses, luxury cars, and lots of service and security staff. Alongay makes a point of the fact that since his return, Remy treats everyone, including his staff and security guards, with respect and humanity. This treatment is juxtaposed with the behaviour of Remy's old cohort of school friends who stayed in Nigeria and have a high sense of superiority and entitlement. A Killing in Nigeria shines a light on the class divide in Nigeria. It explores a web of power, corruption, nepotism, and hedonism, and highlights the ability for those in power to avoid the consequences of their actions. But one aspect of this novel that I really liked was that in Among the Darkness, Alonga also takes time to appreciate and celebrate Nigerian food and culture and the joy people have in locally made music. I have to say a Spotify playlist would been great for this one. Look, I mentioned this is one of a few recent crime novels centered on Nigeria. Listeners may be familiar with My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyan Khan Braithwaite, which was booker shortlisted and was also in the top 10 of the New York Times best thrillers of the 21st century. Another Nigerian crime author to look out for is Femi Coyote. His three-book series featuring investigator Philip Taiwo started with the book Lightseekers. And while I'm in Nigeria, I can't help but mention. out on the broader genre front, that there's also a really vibrant science fiction scene coming out of Nigeria. And if you're interested in that, look for authors like Tate Thompson, Nedi Okarafour, and Wale Talabi. How about you, Jackie?
Jacqui: Well, I'm going to Japan again, because I quite like the Japanese crime writers. My recommendation is The Man Who Died Seven Times by Yasohiko Nashizawa and translated by Jesse Kirkwood and it's published by Pushkin Press. So The Man Who Died Seven Times looks at families and their choices, disappointments and secrets using the good old time loop literary device. Time loops are popular in TV and film. Think of Groundhog Day, which everyone has seen a million times, and The Brilliant Russian doll. And in books, think Kate Atkinson's wonderful life after life. Darn well, they can shine a light on the human condition. This story is told by 16-year-old Hisitaro, who experiences time loops. He refers to this as his condition. His condition is unpredictable and can happen a few times a month or it can happen many times a month. Each time it hits him, he relives the same day exactly nine times. He can play around with the events of each day if he wants, but each day will start and unfold the same way regardless. However, if he plays around with the events of the ninth loop, this will have an impact because the ninth loop will be the final version of that day. When we meet Hisitaro, he and his two brothers and his mum are going to his grandfather's house for their annual New Year's Eve dinner. His grandfather and the middle of his three daughters have become wealthy through the creation of a chain of restaurants. Hisatano's mum, the oldest of the three daughters, and the third daughter, have a fractured relationship with their father, who, in their youth, was a drunken gambler and philanderer, and their mum had died early as well. Hisatano's mum and the third daughter, who also has two daughters of her own, are trying to invagle. Way back into their father's life because he's now in his 80s and stepping back from that day-to-day operations of the business. The middle daughter has become the company president and the business will pass on to her after his death. The middle daughter has no children of her own, so the grandfather is proposing that he will name one of his grandchildren, or may maybe one of his assistants, just to you know cause havoc, in his will, and that person will be adopted by the middle daughter to ensure the business continues in the family. He's traditionally rewritten his will every New Year's Eve and change that the chosen person in his will each year and you know it has no rhyme or reason for who whoever he chooses. This year however he'll name someone and not change the will again. So the family gather for the New Year's Eve dinner. There's lots of tension and competition between the first and third daughters and the various cousins. They go to bed. Hisutano gets up the next day, hears a conversation in the kitchen, and ends up drinking sake with his grandfather until he passes out. That's Hisitano passes out. Hisatano wakes up, he vomits profusely, sleeps again, and then is woken up by his brothers to get in the car and go home. He falls asleep once in the car. Hisutano wakes up back in his grandfather's house and realizes he's In a loop. He doesn't want to repeat the psyche drinking episode, so he gets up, hears the same conversation in the kitchen, and avoids his grandfather. This time around, the loop is not behaving as it should, and his grandfather is found murdered. So we follow Hisatano as he tries to prevent the murder of his grandfather by stopping the various people he suspects of being the murderer through the many loops. Along the way, he uncovers secret liaisons, lingering resentments, and bad behaviour by many of his relatives. So this is a fun, fine plotted, and ingenious book. Hisitano may be 16, but because of his conditions, he's lived much longer than his peers. They actually call him Gramps because he seems a lot older than what he is. He's wise and he's perceptive, and I really enjoyed spending time. with him as he tries so hard to protect his family and figure out why the loop is not following the rules.
Robert Goodman: That sounds great. Like time loops are a really popular mechanic. you mentioned some of the big ones like Groundhog Day, but there are actually quite a few great time loop crime novels. I'm thinking of books like Stuart Turt's The Seven and a Half Deaths Evelyn Hardcastle,
Jacqui: Well
Robert Goodman: which was kind of Time Loop plus, like that was weird. and recently there was a book called Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister, which was a lot of fun look, it feels like we
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: could do a whole episode on those. So maybe we'll park that one for a future episode. I might have to bring a Japanese book to our next episode. I'll have a think about that.
Jacqui: I just love the way they play around with the form. There's always they there's always a different
Robert Goodman: Yeah, absolutely.
Jacqui: aspect to the crime novel that they bring to the fore.
Robert Goodman: Yeah, there there is a lot of great Japanese crime fiction around and very varied as well. once again managed to mention a lot of books and events. If you're interested in any of the titles that we talked about, we have tried to list them all and provide any links to the events that we talked about in the show notes.
Jacqui: And we have a Facebook page called Crime Fiction Down Under, where we'll be posting links to new episodes and news. And we'd love some feedback and you can get in touch with us through that as well. And if people are interested in following up and reading your other reviews, Robert, and they should, where can they find you?
Robert Goodman: So my website, which now has over 1500 book reviews on it, is pile by the bed.com. I'll put the link in the show notes. You can subscribe on the homepage and you'll get regular reviews. I can also be found on Instagram at Pile by the Bed All OneWord. So you can hit me on there if you have any feedback about the show. Crime Fiction Down Under was recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people in Sydney and the Wadawarong people in Ballarat. While we do receive copies of books for review, neither Jackie nor I have any financial relationship with publishers, and the opinions expressed in this podcast are purely our own. Thank you, Jackie. I will see you in a fortnight.
Jacqui: Thank you, Robert.
Jacqui: Hi Robert.
Robert Goodman: How's your fortnight been? Any highlights?
Jacqui: My highlight has been the return of slow horses on the streamings. I'm well into season six and enjoying the antics and the double crossings of Jackson Lamb and Co. I read all the books and I'm very happy with the casting, particularly the interactions between the superbly casted Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb and Kristen Scott Thomas as Diana Tavner, the head of MI5. Those interactions are just chef's kiss. Have you watched it?
Robert Goodman: I haven't and much to my shame I was very late to the Mick Heron books that the series is based on, but I do try and catch up with them when I can, if I can find the time among the new releases. I really enjoyed last year's The Secret Hours, which wasn't a slow horses novel. It was a standalone, but actually when you get to the end of it you find that it's a slow horses adjacent novel. So I can definitely recommend The Secret Hours.
Jacqui: Yeah, me too, I really enjoyed that one. what about you? What have you been up to?
Robert Goodman: Look, I have to admit my highlight of the last fortnight was probably the Ned Kelly Awards. We both know how much time and effort goes into the wrangling,
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: the judging, and the organizing of those awards, and it was really good to see them all come together on the 24th of September. we'll talk about the winners in our award segment, but I did want to shout out the current chair of the Australian Crime Writers Association, Karina Kilmore, journalist, author, and crime fiction judge, who continues to deliver for the Australian crime writing and crime loving community. I also
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: wanted to mention on the TV front. That I've been watching Treasure and Dirt, the TV adaptation of Chris Hammer's first Lucich and Buchanan book, which is set in the Australian Opal Fields. Treasure and Dirt is probably one of my favourite Chris Hammer books just for the way he evokes the really unique landscape of the Opal Fields and the type of people who choose or are forced to live there. And the adaptation is really good. It goes all in on the atmosphere. In some respects, that makes it feel a little more slow-paced than the novel, but it really captures the landscape and particularly the collection of weird characters who live in it.
Jacqui: And speaking of Chris Hammer, I'm going to be reviewing his new book, Full Circle, which looks at the world of high finance. And you're going to review Michael Robotson's first book set in Australia. Tell Me Something True. And then we'll talk about the winners of the twenty twenty six Ned Kelly Awards.
Robert Goodman: Yeah, it's a big episode. We've got some heavy hitters, so let's get into
Jacqui: Mm.
Robert Goodman: it.
Jacqui: Chris Hammer first came to our attention with the release of his debut book, Scrublands, in 2018. And he was part of that first big wave of Australian rural crime. along with Jane Harper and Gary Disher with his Hirschhausen series. So Ham has written four books featuring journalist Martin Scarsdale. Two of these books, Scrub Lands and Silver, have been turned into TV series. He also has four books featuring police officers Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucich. And the first of those is the one you mentioned, Treasure and Dirt, that's been turned into a TV series. his new book, Full Circle, however, features no desert sand or isolated bushland. This one is set in the playground of the wealthy Sorrento. And for those who are not Victorian locals, that is on the Mornington Peninsula. So if you look at Port Phillip Bay, which is a circle, it's on the right hand side. And then the book also takes side trips to the Bellarine Peninsula, which is on the left hand side. Full circle is all about high finance, family dynasties, and corruption. There are lots of twists and turns, so I'm going to do my level best to avoid spoilers. The main character is Travis Summerland, who is in his late twenties, when we meet him, he's on his way down to Sorento to start a new job as a driver for a wealthy hedge fund financier, Felix Clapton. We learn that Travis is an ex-AFP Australian Federal Police Officer whose last undercover case ended badly when his cover was blown, and with the death of his lover, Judy, who I'll talk about later, and with him resigning from the AFP. In this case, Travis had gone undercover to work with Rudy Mertree, part of the enormous Mertree dynasty. And with the Mertries, think of a mix of the Murdoch family and the Hancock family. This new Sorrento job has been set up by his old AFP boss and promises Travis another go at the Murcharies.
Robert Goodman: yeah, the Mertree family is an interesting creation. when you start reading Full Circle, you think they're just a stand-in for the Murdochs. This kind of sounds like Murdoch. they seem to wield power through the media, and there are two sons and a daughter in the current generation who seem to be fighting for control of the company's future. but Hammer's characters actually mention the Murdochs as being part of the world. So he
Jacqui: Mm.
Robert Goodman: clearly wants the Mertries to be separate. and then it seems their fortune actually turns on mining, so then you think of the Hancock family. Hammer is a journalist or an ex-journalist, and I guess given that the mercharies are up to no good financially, he didn't want to be seen that he was implying that they represented anyone real. So he's created this kind of conflation of those two very wealthy Australian families.
Jacqui: Yeah, you're right. When you do read it, you think, Murtry's they're just the Murdochs and a as you say, the Murdochs are then mentioned later on. So it's like, okay, they're separate and they're they're a mix of a few big dynasty families. Felix Clapton, the a hedge fund financier, his modus operandi is to research and report on businesses that seem to be overvalued and then short them. And I'm not going into detail, but if you've seen or read the big short, you'll get the basic idea. The Mercury dynasty is in Philip's sites and he and his team go about doing just that, shorting and destroying them. The day before what they call D-Day, the day they short the mercheries, Felix's alluring daughter Giselle, asks Travis to go to an address in Inner Melbourne with some money to pick up an object. Travis does this. The box he picks up turns out to contain cocaine. After all the action and achieving the destruction of the mercheries, the cocaine's brought out as part of the celebration. Travis and Giselle don't partake, but those who do overdose because the cocaine has been laced with something else. Two people die and Travis manages to save a third. Travis ends up taking the fall so that Giselle doesn't get involved. When Travis gets out of jail, Felix asks him to discover who poisoned the cocaine. And this is the turning point that plunges Travis headlong into a web of corruption and deception. The other person telling the story is Judy, Travis's lover from the disastrous undercover operation at Mertri's. Judy was the right-hand person of Rudy Mertree. The world thinks she killed herself. But she has instead resurfaced down on the Bellarin Peninsula and is now working with Joseph Mertree, the estranged older brother of Rudy and another brother, Randall. And she has an agenda all of her own. The third strand is a story told via a biography of the Mertree family, which provides important aspects of the family's history that then has echoes in the current day. We talked a while ago about the sorts of crime stories that Australian writers don't do a lot of and high finance is one of them. So it was great to read a book that delves into the financial world and the stock market.
Robert Goodman: Do you need to understand shorting or finance? Do I appreciate this book?
Jacqui: Not really. If you're like me and can just grasp the basics and not you know I have read the big short, you'll be fine. So you know, it's like the the way I see soccer and my kids trying to explain the offside rule. I have a basic idea of it and that's about all I need. And I think I think it's the same with this book. If you have a basic idea of what they're going about, you'll be fine.
Robert Goodman: I think, you know, again, Hammer has a journalistic background and he does have a way of explaining complex issues in a way that most readers should be able to understand, at least to get them going with the plot.
Jacqui: yeah, you get what what's happening. You don't need to know the ins and outs, This book may be a departure from rural noir, but it's very Chris Hammer. Lots of action and intrigue. Travis is is never really sure who to trust. It explores dynasties, privilege, the ripple effects of past actions. It highlights that the games that people like Felix Clapton play have disastrous outcomes for ordinary people.
Robert Goodman: Yeah, I agree. This is classic hammer. that three-strand structure in particular, with a strand in the current day, there's flashbacks, and then there's a kind of a biography of the Mertree family. that kind of structure is very hammer. and while it isn't rural noir, it does deal with themes that Hammer seems to keep going back to, particularly the power of the ultra-wealthy in Australia, which is looked at
Jacqui: No.
Robert Goodman: in treasure and dirt, in trust. and in the seven, which dealt with big irrigation families. But as in every one of his books, Hammer also manages to deliver a real sense of place.
Jacqui: yeah. I love that the most of the action takes place in Sorrento and surrounds. I grew up in Frankston, which is about an hour or so out of Sorrento. So this is very familiar territory for me, and I love reading how Hamart has captured the spirit of the place. So this is a really good summer read. Sit in the sun, enjoy the goings-on of the rich and privileged, and you know, have a ball. So that was full circle by Chris Hammart, and it is out this month.
Robert Goodman: Michael Robotham is an Australian crime writer who needs a little introduction. His first book, The Suspect, was released in 2004 and introduced readers to forensic psychologist Joe O'Lachman, who had gone on to feature in eight more books. The second book in the O'Lochman series Lost, which was also known as The Drowning Man. Won the Ned Kelly Award in 2005. And the next book in the series, Shatter, won the Ned Kelly Award in 2008. Now, 2008
Jacqui: Mm.
Robert Goodman: was actually the first year I judged that category of the Ned Kelly's, and it was also the first Michael Robotham book that I read. And I still remember absolutely being blown away by that book. And
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: I then went back and read the other two. And since then I've read everything that is released. Since then, Robotham has continued to deliver award-winning page-turning thrillers. His standalone Life or Death won the British Crime Writers Association Gold Daggering 2015. And another standalone, The Secrets She Keeps, won Best Fiction Award at the Australian Book Industry Awards in 2018. And that one has also been made into a TV series. He then started the Cyrus Haven series, which is kind of loosely connected to the O'Lochan series. Haven
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: is also a psychologist who was a student of O'Lochlan, but it was very different as it revolved around Haven's relationship with a traumatized but preternaturally intelligent teenager called Evie Cormac. The first book of that series could. Girl, Bad Girl won the gold dagger, the second book, When She Was Good won a silver dagger, and the third book, Flying Beside You, was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award. So fairly well respected series. the series I think probably wrapped up, or at least all of the outstanding mysteries were resolved in the fourth book, which came out a couple of years ago, which was called Stormchild. I I have to say I tore through Robotham's most recent book, The White Crow, which was an unexpected follow-up to his twenty twenty one book, When You Are Mine. The White Crow was shortlisted in this season Ed Kelly's and was one of my favourites from last year. which brings us to Michael's most recent book, Tell Me Something True, which is his twentieth.
Jacqui: Wow, twenty books. That's amazing.
Robert Goodman: Yeah, and all of them are great. There are a few things to say about this one before we get into it. Firstly, after 20 books, this is the first Michael Robotham book to be set in Australia. All of the others, at least most of the others, were set in the United Kingdom. But more interestingly, perhaps, is that this is also one of the first novels that Michael wrote. In fact, I think I've heard him say it was the first novel that he wrote. It was redrafted in the early 2000s. And now Michael has once again pulled it out of the bottom drawer and redrafted it. Bringing all of his years of experience to bear. But in doing so, I think he retained the timeframe of the original manuscript. So the main action takes place around 2000. So as I said, Tell Me Something True opens in the early 2000s. Arlo Hackett, is being released from prison in Sydney on parole. Arlo has been in prison for 12 years, serving a sentence for being an accessory after the fact of the heinous crime committed by his brother Luke. With nowhere else to go and keen to see his mother, Arlowe returns to Ulara, a town in southern New South Wales on the route between Sydney and Melbourne. When he gets there, he finds the family home abandoned and his mother in a nursing home following a stroke. With little alternative, Arlo decides that he will stay in Ulara and fix the house up. But few in town want Arlow back. Most of the people in town still hold him responsible for the events that saw him go to prison, and their events that we learn about as we make our way through the novel. They believe that he is a threat to them, even though he makes clear, and the narrative actually makes clear, that he was only ever an accessory to whatever happened What we know is that those events involve Arlo's brother Luke, who it emerges as either autism or an intellectual disability, and Saxon, a five-brand teenage girl who ends up coming to live with Luke and his mother and brother. As Arlo reconnects with those who are still prepared to speak to him and new evidence from that time comes to light. Arlo starts to re-explore his memories begins to reevaluate the events of 12 years before and starts to realise that maybe he misunderstood and misinterpreted everything that was going on around
Jacqui: Mm.
Robert Goodman: him. It's clear that Robotham has been living with this story in this community for a long time. He says in his afterward that Yulara is based on the town he grew up in, and some of the events and places are reimagined from his own past. And those who have done that particular stopover on the drive between Melbourne and Sydney may well recognise the town that Ulara is. Based on. All of the characters in Tell Me Something True are extremely well drawn and their relationships feel lived in and real. In particular, the characters of Harlow, Luke, and Saxon, and their shifting relationship is beautifully and heartbreakingly observed. and it is really this character depth that makes the twists and revelations, even when they are a little predictable, more devastating.
Jacqui: So we've seen Michael own the procedural and thriller genre. Do you think he does the same for rural crime here?
Robert Goodman: Look, structurally and thematically, Tell Me Something True is definitely the type of rural Australian crime story we've had plenty of in the last 15 years or so. A character returns to their hometown and starts looking into an incident that has hung over them and the town since that time. There are common themes of police corruption, local politics, small town attitudes, misogyny, domestic violence and sexual abuse. But there is also a strong sense of community, including community ties, and the way in which people care for and look out for each other.
Jacqui: Wasn't this book published in two thousand and five? Michael was on a roll at that time.
Robert Goodman: Yeah, it's a bit of a catch twenty-two. I saw an interview with Michael, in which he talks about finishing the novel in two thousand and five, the redraft of it, and pitching it to publishers in London. He was told at the time that the reason why it was knocked back was because they didn't see a market for rural crime fiction suit in Australia, which is kind of ironic to think about now. because now tell me something true sits firmly in territory that is globally successful and has been the crime subgenre of choice for the majority of Australian authors for at least since the dry in 2016. So while some of the elements that I mentioned were probably ahead of their time when the manuscript was written, now they feel like they're kind of just following a trend. and obviously we don't know what that manuscript looked like back in 2005, but Botham has brought all of his 20 years of experience to it. His books, and this one is no exce exception, always feel effortless to read. The pages practically turn themselves. And because of the time it's been percolating for, Robotham really understands his main characters and brings a depth and a richness to them. All that said, As we discussed in our last episode despite all of the Australian rural crime fiction that's out there, there is still room for well-written, deeply felt narratives with recognizably flawed characters that have a strong sense of place. And Tell Me Something True is definitely all of that. so that was Tell Me Something True and it is published by Hachette.
Jacqui: Okay, let's go on to awards and news. On the 24th of September, we had the announcement of the 2026 Ned Kelly Awards. The Australian Crime Writers Association hands out four awards each year: Best Debut, Best International Crime, Best True Crime, and Best Crime Fiction. The award for the Best Debut this year went to In Bloom by Liz Allen. The judging panel described the book as strikingly bold and perfectly placed. Written in sparse poetic language, the reader is instantly hijacked by four nirvana-loving teenagers, perfect, and their desperate bid to break the chains of social and economic poverty. I love the tan of that.
Robert Goodman: Yeah, I I as I understand it, it revolves around the four of them trying to prove that their teacher didn't commit a crime in order for him to take them to a battle of the bands.
Jacqui: I love that. the best true crime award went to Judy to Warm by Charlotte Greave. The judging panel described this book as brave, compelling, and incredibly moving true crime writing. It details the investigation of an orthopaedic surgeon, which ultimately became a $20 million defamation trial, a deeply researched investigation that showcases how vital journalism is to provide a voice for those who cannot speak out. Mm.
Robert Goodman: and Charlotte in her acceptance speech talked about the people who supported her in writing that, the the victims who helped her, and it was it's phenomenal. so the Ned Kellys also give out an award for best international crime novel, which this year went to Abigail Dean for her book, The Death of Us. The judging panel said that the Death of Us is unforgettable, raw, and powerful, a crime novel that expertly centers the perspective of the victims and the emotional and devastating impact. On them after a home invasion. As we mentioned a few episodes ago, this book also won the British Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger this year, so I would say definitely a crime novel worth seeking out. And the award for best crime fiction was won by Sally Hepworth for her book Mad Mabel. The judging panel praised Hepworth for her smart and intelligent storytelling, weaving the best and worst of human nature into a captivating and unforgettable novel. This is actually Hepworth's second win in three years, as she also won the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction in 2024 for her book Darling Girls. So she joins a select group of authors who have bagged more than one Ned Kelly Award and said in her acceptance speech that she's going for a hat trick. Given her recent track record, I would not put it past her. Now I know
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: we've spoiled the surprise, but if you still want to watch the Ned Kelly Awards, which this year was hosted by investigative journalist and previous winner, Nick Mackenzie. You can find it on the Australian Crime Writers Association homepage and on YouTube and we'll put the links to those
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: in our show notes.
Jacqui: So, Robert, do you think we've reached the end of Crime Awards season?
Robert Goodman: we're close but not quite. We're still waiting to hear the winners of the Niomarsh Awards, and we talked about the long list for those a few episodes ago. We also have the Patroner Award for Scandinavian Crime published in the UK. We're expecting that announcement towards the end of October. And there's also crime awards given out at BoucherCon, which is an annual mystery fan convention, which I know a lot of Australian authors get along to, and that's being held in Calgary in late October. then I think we might be done until early next year.
Jacqui: All right. Well great. Exciting to wait for the announcements coming up then. The other thing I want to mention is that I'll be interviewing Chris Hammer on Sunday, the 11th of October, as part of Clunes Booktown on Sunday. So if you're a Victorian local, book yourself a ticket and catch the train to Clunes. We'll put a link in the show notes on where you can book tickets, or you can just Google Booktown on Sunday and you'll find where to book tickets. Okay, so it's time for some recommendations from the wider world of crime fiction. What have you got for us this week, Robert?
Robert Goodman: I want to recommend A Killing in Lagos by Amen Alonge. This is one of a few interesting crime novels that have been coming out of Nigeria in the last few years. Alonge is a British Nigerian author and this book centres around Remy, a Nigerian who's been building a life for himself in London. Remy is called back to Nigeria when his sister Kike is found murdered, and when he goes back we find that he's part of an incredibly wealthy and influential family. Remy's father is a kingmaker, but he prefers to wield his power from the shadows. He asks Remy to see what he can find out about his sister's death. the setting for this book is a wealthy enclave on an island in Lagos. Think giant houses, luxury cars, and lots of service and security staff. Alongay makes a point of the fact that since his return, Remy treats everyone, including his staff and security guards, with respect and humanity. This treatment is juxtaposed with the behaviour of Remy's old cohort of school friends who stayed in Nigeria and have a high sense of superiority and entitlement. A Killing in Nigeria shines a light on the class divide in Nigeria. It explores a web of power, corruption, nepotism, and hedonism, and highlights the ability for those in power to avoid the consequences of their actions. But one aspect of this novel that I really liked was that in Among the Darkness, Alonga also takes time to appreciate and celebrate Nigerian food and culture and the joy people have in locally made music. I have to say a Spotify playlist would been great for this one. Look, I mentioned this is one of a few recent crime novels centered on Nigeria. Listeners may be familiar with My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyan Khan Braithwaite, which was booker shortlisted and was also in the top 10 of the New York Times best thrillers of the 21st century. Another Nigerian crime author to look out for is Femi Coyote. His three-book series featuring investigator Philip Taiwo started with the book Lightseekers. And while I'm in Nigeria, I can't help but mention. out on the broader genre front, that there's also a really vibrant science fiction scene coming out of Nigeria. And if you're interested in that, look for authors like Tate Thompson, Nedi Okarafour, and Wale Talabi. How about you, Jackie?
Jacqui: Well, I'm going to Japan again, because I quite like the Japanese crime writers. My recommendation is The Man Who Died Seven Times by Yasohiko Nashizawa and translated by Jesse Kirkwood and it's published by Pushkin Press. So The Man Who Died Seven Times looks at families and their choices, disappointments and secrets using the good old time loop literary device. Time loops are popular in TV and film. Think of Groundhog Day, which everyone has seen a million times, and The Brilliant Russian doll. And in books, think Kate Atkinson's wonderful life after life. Darn well, they can shine a light on the human condition. This story is told by 16-year-old Hisitaro, who experiences time loops. He refers to this as his condition. His condition is unpredictable and can happen a few times a month or it can happen many times a month. Each time it hits him, he relives the same day exactly nine times. He can play around with the events of each day if he wants, but each day will start and unfold the same way regardless. However, if he plays around with the events of the ninth loop, this will have an impact because the ninth loop will be the final version of that day. When we meet Hisitaro, he and his two brothers and his mum are going to his grandfather's house for their annual New Year's Eve dinner. His grandfather and the middle of his three daughters have become wealthy through the creation of a chain of restaurants. Hisatano's mum, the oldest of the three daughters, and the third daughter, have a fractured relationship with their father, who, in their youth, was a drunken gambler and philanderer, and their mum had died early as well. Hisatano's mum and the third daughter, who also has two daughters of her own, are trying to invagle. Way back into their father's life because he's now in his 80s and stepping back from that day-to-day operations of the business. The middle daughter has become the company president and the business will pass on to her after his death. The middle daughter has no children of her own, so the grandfather is proposing that he will name one of his grandchildren, or may maybe one of his assistants, just to you know cause havoc, in his will, and that person will be adopted by the middle daughter to ensure the business continues in the family. He's traditionally rewritten his will every New Year's Eve and change that the chosen person in his will each year and you know it has no rhyme or reason for who whoever he chooses. This year however he'll name someone and not change the will again. So the family gather for the New Year's Eve dinner. There's lots of tension and competition between the first and third daughters and the various cousins. They go to bed. Hisutano gets up the next day, hears a conversation in the kitchen, and ends up drinking sake with his grandfather until he passes out. That's Hisitano passes out. Hisatano wakes up, he vomits profusely, sleeps again, and then is woken up by his brothers to get in the car and go home. He falls asleep once in the car. Hisutano wakes up back in his grandfather's house and realizes he's In a loop. He doesn't want to repeat the psyche drinking episode, so he gets up, hears the same conversation in the kitchen, and avoids his grandfather. This time around, the loop is not behaving as it should, and his grandfather is found murdered. So we follow Hisatano as he tries to prevent the murder of his grandfather by stopping the various people he suspects of being the murderer through the many loops. Along the way, he uncovers secret liaisons, lingering resentments, and bad behaviour by many of his relatives. So this is a fun, fine plotted, and ingenious book. Hisitano may be 16, but because of his conditions, he's lived much longer than his peers. They actually call him Gramps because he seems a lot older than what he is. He's wise and he's perceptive, and I really enjoyed spending time. with him as he tries so hard to protect his family and figure out why the loop is not following the rules.
Robert Goodman: That sounds great. Like time loops are a really popular mechanic. you mentioned some of the big ones like Groundhog Day, but there are actually quite a few great time loop crime novels. I'm thinking of books like Stuart Turt's The Seven and a Half Deaths Evelyn Hardcastle,
Jacqui: Well
Robert Goodman: which was kind of Time Loop plus, like that was weird. and recently there was a book called Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister, which was a lot of fun look, it feels like we
Jacqui: Yeah.
Robert Goodman: could do a whole episode on those. So maybe we'll park that one for a future episode. I might have to bring a Japanese book to our next episode. I'll have a think about that.
Jacqui: I just love the way they play around with the form. There's always they there's always a different
Robert Goodman: Yeah, absolutely.
Jacqui: aspect to the crime novel that they bring to the fore.
Robert Goodman: Yeah, there there is a lot of great Japanese crime fiction around and very varied as well. once again managed to mention a lot of books and events. If you're interested in any of the titles that we talked about, we have tried to list them all and provide any links to the events that we talked about in the show notes.
Jacqui: And we have a Facebook page called Crime Fiction Down Under, where we'll be posting links to new episodes and news. And we'd love some feedback and you can get in touch with us through that as well. And if people are interested in following up and reading your other reviews, Robert, and they should, where can they find you?
Robert Goodman: So my website, which now has over 1500 book reviews on it, is pile by the bed.com. I'll put the link in the show notes. You can subscribe on the homepage and you'll get regular reviews. I can also be found on Instagram at Pile by the Bed All OneWord. So you can hit me on there if you have any feedback about the show. Crime Fiction Down Under was recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people in Sydney and the Wadawarong people in Ballarat. While we do receive copies of books for review, neither Jackie nor I have any financial relationship with publishers, and the opinions expressed in this podcast are purely our own. Thank you, Jackie. I will see you in a fortnight.
Jacqui: Thank you, Robert.
