Maybe it's just me, but every now again I come across a fictional character that I'd like to meet.

Maybe.

Depends on how game I'm feeling I guess, but I think Alby might be one of those characters.

Of course, never for breakfast, and preferably somewhere there is a large, thick brick wall between us and the great unwashed. But still, he is the sort of bloke that you wouldn't mind having a glass of wine with

and oh, I don't know, explore why…

I have to admit - reading this book I saw Jack Halford crossed with Brian Lane whenever DCI Mark Lapslie appeared on the page. Alas for anybody not quite as addicted to New Tricks as I am that will mean
nothing, but for an interesting idea of a book - follow the link below
to a full review.

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/node/3937

Fan Mail will be officially launched on the 7th February with an online webcast - if you head off to:

http://www.pdmartin.com.au/news.asp?id=52

For details of the webcast, where to login and the various times for times in Australia, North America (East and West coast) and UK / Ireland.

I read the second Ed Loy Book The Colour of Blood a while ago and I confess I was hooked enough to buy the first book immediately. It's taken me a little while to get around to reading THE

WRONG KIND OF BLOOD, but it was worth the time. Follow the link below

to my comments on the first book, and if you haven't read either of

these, and kind of like a tough, hard as nails private detective and

can…

After posting the first paragraph of this fabulous little book the other day on my own site, I've finished it and written up a review in more detail (the link below will take you there).

All I can say is that this book felt so "French" to me, that I found reading it an absolute joy. Okay - strange comment, one of the central characters does a line in depressed and pathetic that would make you want to slash your wrists

if you met him in a pub (or his, depending upon how much…

THE DARKNESS INSIDE is part of the Private Investigator, ex-FBI, Alex Rourke series. This one sub-titled A Secret for a Secret ... A Life for a Life

Follow the link below to the full review.

Blood of Dreams is the first book from the Canadian born / Sydney residing new author. It came with a publicity blurb that says - amongst other things:

"explores the boundaries of obsession, savagery and sacrifice.... in the tradition of Sarah Waters, Anne Rice and Patrick Suskind's Perfume".

Follow the link below to my review of the second Joe Blake "From the memoirs of Australia's top crime fighter. Complete and unexpurgated" and get your hands on these books - they are quick, perfect summer

reading and, well, hilarious.…