The Newcomer by Laura Elizabeth Woollett

 

I enjoyed the opportunity to read this unusual murder story, set on an island off the Australian Coast in the Pacific Ocean which bears some resemblance to Norfolk Island, hence the beautiful pine trees adorning the cover of the book, but called Fairfolk in this fictionalised account based on real life events.  A trip to the southern hemisphere seemed highly desirable in these dull, dark December days, even if by means of a novel and I was ready to be transported.

The publishers describe it thus:- 

When her 29-year-old daughter Paulina goes missing on a sleepy pacific island, Judy Novak suspects the worst. Her fears are soon realised as Paulina’s body is discovered, murdered.

Every man on the island is a suspect, yet none are as maligned as Paulina herself, the captivating newcomer known for her hard drinking, disastrous relationships, and a habit for walking alone. But even death won’t stop Judy Novak from fighting for her daughter’s life.

Paulina's life on the mainland is not making her happy, and she decides to escape to the island in the hope of finding a better life.  The island has a fierce sense of tradition and heritage which perhaps she lacks, and seems a good place to start anew.  She soon finds work and new relationships, but things go wrong.

Paulina's mother, Judy, is still very much involved in her daughter's life, albeit at a distance and by telephone, and she is worried when Paulina disappears off the radar unexpectedly.  So in parallel with the events that bring about Paulina's death we follow Judy's fight for justice and closure.  She is heartbroken.

Few of us can justifiably claim to be perfect and we all have secrets and weaknesses.  Paulina is a damaged person seeking some kind of wholeness but in ways that are unlikely to be successful.  She wants to be loved but she tests her lovers to the limit.  She drinks too much.  She is exciting but vulnerable.

It is difficult for the truth of events to be determined and we follow the investigation as different people come into focus as suspects.  Fairfolk Island is very traditional and seemingly very much a man's world, with women expected to keep to their place and not rock the boat.

It was an engaging read and a sad story, which provided much food for thought about how we live.  I was relieved that there was closure for Judy, at least, and I would recommend "The Newcomer" as a rather different murder mystery.

The Extremist by Nadia Dalbuono

They said:-

On a hot summer’s morning in Rome, three public places — a McDonald’s, a preschool, and a café — come under siege from a group of terrorists who appear to be Islamic extremists. When word comes through that the terrorists will only negotiate with Detective Leone Scamarcio, no one more surprised than Scamarcio himself.

The young man with frightened eyes who speaks to Scamarcio seems anything but in control. He says that Scamarcio is the only person he can trust to care about the truth. Then he gives Scamarcio an unusual list of demands, including that everything must be done without police or intelligence involvement, and within twenty-four hours — or the hostages die.

With his face on every TV screen, and with all of Italy on alert, Scamarcio must race against the clock and elude the grasp of the increasingly unhinged chief of intelligence, Colonel Scalisi, to meet the terrorists’ demands, and to uncover the truth behind the attacks. But, as Scamarcio follows the young man’s clues, he finds that every question seems to turn up five more, and, as usual for this son-of-a-Mafioso policeman, nothing is as it seems.

What I thought:-

A topical, breath-taking and thrilling tale which begins as Rome is hit by a trio of terrorist attacks. Leone Scamarcio is not the obvious choice to negotiate on behalf of the authorities, but it seems he has no say in the matter.  He is reluctant to risk everything he holds dear, but could he live with himself and the consequences if he refuses to get involved?  

So begins a rollercoaster of events as Scamarcio embarks on his dangerous quest to free the hostages and to untangle an extraordinary web of mystery and, perhaps, corruption while trying to protect those he holds dear and to keep himself alive.  

This was a book I found hard to put down, and I enjoyed the extra dimension that the character of Scamarcio has developed in the course of this series (of four novels).  Nadia Dalbuono has written a plot of considerable complexity which makes compelling reading, and so vividly written I could easily visualise the action.  The story really begs to be adapted for screen, but meanwhile it is an engaging and exciting read.