Books

The last two years I have missed out on the Aireys Festival of Words, but all the stars have aligned and I have it planned for this year. On browsing the brochure I knew and had read a few authors, but decided I will go through the authors and read the indicated work. Shane Moloney is the star attraction, with his latest book 'Sucked In' He has a neat turn of phrase that I love and his hapless but successful character Murray Whelan has come far in the political arena.
The other book I had read was The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham. After twenty years away, Myrtle Dunnage returns to Dungatar, a small country town, where the towns people's eccentricities are many and varied. Peopled with exotic characters, this is a story of love, hate and haute couture, set in a country town that's disconcerting to visit but a bitingly comedic and heart-breaking place to live. A warm and nasty book, The Dressmaker evokes Drysdale's 'Drover's Wife' dressed in Chanel.
An author unknown to me is Nick Gadd, but I found the book mentioned Ghostlines at the local library and really enjoyed it. Set in local Yarraville Philip Trudeau, a once-respected investigative journalist, has stepped on the wrong toes. With his personal life and health deteriorating around him, he is consigned to a suburban newspaper where he writes 'filler' local news articles to be slotted in among the real-estate and restaurant advertisements. Sent to cover what appears to be a tragic-yet-routine death at a level crossing, Philip is drawn into a multi layered mystery that involves art theft, political intrigue and business corruption...not to mention murder. I have also read Dissection by Jacinta Halloran, but will get The Virtuoso by Sonia Orchard. and What happened at Number 26 by Comedian Denise Scott, and try Bird by Sophie Cunningham.
I have plenty of time to read them by August.