Jeff Popple
@murdermayhem.bsky.social
Long time book collector and crime fiction reviewer: Canberra Times, Canberra Weekly, Deadly Pleasures etc and judge for Ned Kelly, Ngaio Marsh and Barry Awards. Dachshund owner Blog: murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
Australian crime gets off to a strong start in 2026 with some good new February releases and a promising new book by the stellar Sarah Bailey in April @fearofemeralds.bsky.social @fionathehardy.bsky.social Louise Jordan
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AUSTRALIAN CRIME FICTION – FEBRUARY 2026: REVIEWS AND PREVIEWS
Some short reviews and a quick look at a forthcoming new release by Australian crime maestro, Sarah Bailey. What The Bones Know by Kirstyn McDermott (HQ, 24 February 2026) Kirstyn McDermott’s…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:00 AM
Australian crime gets off to a strong start in 2026 with some good new February releases and a promising new book by the stellar Sarah Bailey in April @fearofemeralds.bsky.social @fionathehardy.bsky.social Louise Jordan
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/australian-c...
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/australian-c...
Those after a darker St Valentine's Day read will greatly enjoy Shailee Thompson's entertaining mix of slasher movie and romcom tropes in How To Kill A Guy In Ten Dates. Great fun! #ValentinesDayRead murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/valentine-da...
VALENTINE DAY MURDER: HOW TO KILL A GUY IN TEN DATES by SHAILEE THOMPSON
How To Kill A Guy In Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson (Atria, 28 January 2026) Shailee Thompson makes a spectacular entry into Australian popular fiction ranks with her genre blending debut novel, How…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
February 9, 2026 at 11:44 PM
Those after a darker St Valentine's Day read will greatly enjoy Shailee Thompson's entertaining mix of slasher movie and romcom tropes in How To Kill A Guy In Ten Dates. Great fun! #ValentinesDayRead murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/valentine-da...
Nowhere is safe in these latest British crime fiction novels - not castles, not weddings or even retirement homes! All bloody good fun! @ferguscraig.bsky.social @stuartmacbride.bsky.social @clmillerauthor.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/deadly-weddi...
DEADLY WEDDINGS, CASTLES AND RETIREMENT HOMES: 2026 BRITISH CRIME BY FERGUS CRAIG, STUART MACBRIDE & C. L. MILLER
Nowhere seems safe in these recent British crime fiction titles, with murders occurring at weddings, castles and even retirement homes! I’m Not The Only Murderer In My Retirement Home by …
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
February 5, 2026 at 6:12 AM
Nowhere is safe in these latest British crime fiction novels - not castles, not weddings or even retirement homes! All bloody good fun! @ferguscraig.bsky.social @stuartmacbride.bsky.social @clmillerauthor.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/deadly-weddi...
5 very good crime novels/thrillers to start your February reading off with! #AshleyElston @hachetteaus.bsky.social C J Box, @alicefeeney.com John McMahon Douglas Preston @harpercollins.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/crime-fictio...
CRIME FICTION WRAP – FEBRUARY 2026: NEW BOOKS FROM ASHLEY ELSTON, ALICE FEENEY, C. J. BOX, JOHN McMAHON, and DOUGLAS PRESTON & LINCOLN CHILD.
Late January and early February 2026 brings a wealth of very different crime novels by a clutch of always entertaining authors. Anatomy Of An Alibi by Ashley Elston (Headline, 20 January 2026) Ashl…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
January 28, 2026 at 5:00 AM
5 very good crime novels/thrillers to start your February reading off with! #AshleyElston @hachetteaus.bsky.social C J Box, @alicefeeney.com John McMahon Douglas Preston @harpercollins.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/crime-fictio...
Aust Day 2026: here is my list of the best Aussie based crime of 2025: including Garry Disher @fionathehardy.bsky.social @mbrisso.bsky.social Alex Dook Jack Heath @davidwhish-wilson.bsky.social @prakky.bsky.social @timayliffe.bsky.social Gabriel Bergmoser murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/aussie-crime...
AUSSIE CRIME 2026: Recent Australian Based Crime Novels To Read This Australia Day!
Looking back over the past twelve months since last Australia Day, it has been another good year for crime fiction set in Australia. Once again the overall quality of the books greatly impressed, e…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
January 24, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Aust Day 2026: here is my list of the best Aussie based crime of 2025: including Garry Disher @fionathehardy.bsky.social @mbrisso.bsky.social Alex Dook Jack Heath @davidwhish-wilson.bsky.social @prakky.bsky.social @timayliffe.bsky.social Gabriel Bergmoser murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/aussie-crime...
British writer Andrew Garve wrote a variety of thrillers and crime novels in the 1960s/70s. The Ascent Of D.13 was an adventure/spy yarn about a race up a mountain to retrieve a secret weapon. Good fun #60sSpyFiction #1960s #1960sThrillers #GirlsandSpies murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/forgotten-th...
FORGOTTEN THRILLERS: ASCENT OF D.13 by ANDREW GARVE
I recently read and enjoyed Andrew Garve’s crime novel Frame-Up, which inspired me to re-read his spy novel The Ascent Of D.13 (1969), the details of which had largely escaped my memory. The …
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
January 21, 2026 at 3:28 AM
British writer Andrew Garve wrote a variety of thrillers and crime novels in the 1960s/70s. The Ascent Of D.13 was an adventure/spy yarn about a race up a mountain to retrieve a secret weapon. Good fun #60sSpyFiction #1960s #1960sThrillers #GirlsandSpies murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/forgotten-th...
Fans of early Australian pulp and paperback books may be interested in these covers from the Invincible Press Mystery series which ran from 1944? to 1952? #Pulp #1940s #1950s #AustralianPaperbacks #PaperbackCovers
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/trashy-tuesd...
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/trashy-tuesd...
TRASHY TUESDAY: AUSTRALIAN PRE-PAPERBACK CRIME – INVINCIBLE PRESS MYSTERY BOOKS
Before the domination of the Australian paperback market by Horwitz, there were a range of smaller publishers that produced a regular supply of mysteries. One of these were Invincible Press which p…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
January 18, 2026 at 12:50 AM
Fans of early Australian pulp and paperback books may be interested in these covers from the Invincible Press Mystery series which ran from 1944? to 1952? #Pulp #1940s #1950s #AustralianPaperbacks #PaperbackCovers
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/trashy-tuesd...
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/trashy-tuesd...
This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed 3 good books to get your 2026 criminal reading off to a fun start. From Aussie crime to Kiwi noir and satirical Brit crime - they are all good reads. @timayliffe.bsky.social #CrimeFiction #Reading2026 murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/canberra-wee...
CANBERRA WEEKLY 15 JANUARY 2026: NEW CRIME BY GEOFF PARKES, TIM AYLIFFE and M. K. OLIVER
This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed three enjoyable crime novels to get your 2026 criminal reading off to a good start. First up is a very good outback Australian noir thriller. Dark Desert…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
January 17, 2026 at 1:51 AM
This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed 3 good books to get your 2026 criminal reading off to a fun start. From Aussie crime to Kiwi noir and satirical Brit crime - they are all good reads. @timayliffe.bsky.social #CrimeFiction #Reading2026 murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/canberra-wee...
Each year George Easter from Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine does a mammoth job in collating the various 'best of' crime fiction lists & seeing which books were most recommended. Worth a look @blacktopkid.bsky.social @richardosman1.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/the-best-of-...
THE BEST OF THE BEST 2025 CRIME NOVELS
Each year George Easter from Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine does a mammoth job in collating the various best mystery, crime fiction and thriller lists from around the world and seeing …
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
January 16, 2026 at 11:10 PM
Each year George Easter from Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine does a mammoth job in collating the various 'best of' crime fiction lists & seeing which books were most recommended. Worth a look @blacktopkid.bsky.social @richardosman1.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/the-best-of-...
British crime fiction gets off to an entertaining start in 2026 with three very different, but highly enjoyable books by Paul Finch, MK Oliver, @niccifrench.bsky.social #crimefiction #Britishcrimefiction #serialkillers murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/sociopaths-s...
SOCIOPATHS, SERIAL KILLERS AND DEADLY REUNIONS: NEW 2026 BRITISH CRIME by NICCI FRENCH, M. K. OLIVER and PAUL FINCH
British crime fiction gets off to a strong start in 2026 with three very different, but engaging, crime novels by Nicci French, M. K. Oliver and Paul Finch. A Sociopath’s Guide To A Successful Marr…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
January 15, 2026 at 6:58 AM
British crime fiction gets off to an entertaining start in 2026 with three very different, but highly enjoyable books by Paul Finch, MK Oliver, @niccifrench.bsky.social #crimefiction #Britishcrimefiction #serialkillers murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/sociopaths-s...
Happy publication day to Eva Macrae @lynnemcewanwriter.bsky.social for A Death in Glasgow. A very enjoyable slice of tartan noir. murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/tartan-noir-...
TARTAN NOIR 2026: NEW BOOKS BY MARION TODD and EVA MACRAE
Tartan Noir certainly gets off to a good start in 2026 with books by two of the quietly performing champions of the genre. A Death In Glasgow by Eva Macrae (Century, 8 January 2026) Eva Macrae is b…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
January 8, 2026 at 11:59 AM
Happy publication day to Eva Macrae @lynnemcewanwriter.bsky.social for A Death in Glasgow. A very enjoyable slice of tartan noir. murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/tartan-noir-...
Here are my picks of the best early 2026 crime books @anthonyhorowitz.com @michaelconnelly.bsky.social @jppomare.bsky.social @dervlamctiernan.bsky.social @timweaverbooks.bsky.social @natconyer.bsky.social @ferguscraig.bsky.social @avaglassbooks.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/crime-novels...
CRIME NOVELS THAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO READING IN 2026
2026 has already gotten off to a good start with two enjoyable, early Downunder crime novels by Tim Ayliffe (Dark Desert Road) and Geoff Parkes (The First Law Of The Bush), and Eva Macrae’s g…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
January 6, 2026 at 10:29 PM
Here are my picks of the best early 2026 crime books @anthonyhorowitz.com @michaelconnelly.bsky.social @jppomare.bsky.social @dervlamctiernan.bsky.social @timweaverbooks.bsky.social @natconyer.bsky.social @ferguscraig.bsky.social @avaglassbooks.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/crime-novels...
Aussie crime fiction gets off to a strong start in 2026 with @timayliffe.bsky.social's Dark Desert Road. A fast paced outback thriller that entertains while also raising legitimate concerns about the widening fractures in Australian society. A must read! murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/new-2026-out...
NEW 2026 OUTBACK AUSTRALIAN CRIME: DARK DESERT ROAD by TIM AYLIFFE
Dark Desert Road by Tim Ayliffe (Echo, 6 January 2026) Australian crime fiction gets off to a strong start in 2026 with Tim Ayliffe’s outstanding Dark Desert Road, (Echo, 6 January 2026). Mov…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
January 4, 2026 at 11:42 PM
Aussie crime fiction gets off to a strong start in 2026 with @timayliffe.bsky.social's Dark Desert Road. A fast paced outback thriller that entertains while also raising legitimate concerns about the widening fractures in Australian society. A must read! murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/new-2026-out...
I have had some help in picking out some books to read over the Christmas and New Year period. A mixture of old, #AndrewGarve, new and a couple of forthcoming books. Fiona Hardy Alex Finlay @aceatkins.bsky.social M.K. Oliver #Books2026 #Crime #ClassicCrime murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/books-and-da...
BOOKS AND DACHSHUNDS: HOLIDAY READING DECEMBER 2025
With Christmas and New Year on the very near horizon, 2025 is virtually wrapped up, and my reading over the holiday period will be largely focused on the new releases for 2026 that I have received,…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
December 21, 2025 at 1:11 AM
I have had some help in picking out some books to read over the Christmas and New Year period. A mixture of old, #AndrewGarve, new and a couple of forthcoming books. Fiona Hardy Alex Finlay @aceatkins.bsky.social M.K. Oliver #Books2026 #Crime #ClassicCrime murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/books-and-da...
2025 is almost done & the books are piling up for 2026! Here are 6 of the best Aussie/Kiwi crime novels that I have received so far. @timayliffe.bsky.social @jppomare.bsky.social Sam Elliott @fearofemeralds.bsky.social Geoff Parkes Lisa Walker murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/book-haul-ne...
BOOK HAUL – NEW 2026 AUSTRALIAN/NEW ZEALAND CRIME NOVELS
2025 is rapidly coming to a close and the books are beginning to pile up for 2026! I will be doing a post on my most anticipated titles for 2026 in the New Year, but here are six of the 2026 Austra…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:54 AM
2025 is almost done & the books are piling up for 2026! Here are 6 of the best Aussie/Kiwi crime novels that I have received so far. @timayliffe.bsky.social @jppomare.bsky.social Sam Elliott @fearofemeralds.bsky.social Geoff Parkes Lisa Walker murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/book-haul-ne...
The pseudonymous Andrew Garve wrote over 40 thrillers and crime novels from 1950 to 1978. Frame-Up (1964) is one of his police detective stories and is well worth tracking down. A good, angst-free weekend read. #paperback #coverart #classicrime #1960s murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/forgotten-cr...
FORGOTTEN CRIME: FRAME-UP by ANDREW GARVE (1964)
Frame-Up by Andrew Garve (Pan, 1972) Paul Winterton wrote over forty thrillers and crime novels, mainly under the pseudonym of Andrew Garve, from the early 1950s through to the late 1970s. I can va…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
December 12, 2025 at 10:24 PM
The pseudonymous Andrew Garve wrote over 40 thrillers and crime novels from 1950 to 1978. Frame-Up (1964) is one of his police detective stories and is well worth tracking down. A good, angst-free weekend read. #paperback #coverart #classicrime #1960s murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/forgotten-cr...
Debuts are the lifeblood of crime fiction. Here are my favourite 6 debuts of 2025. @jakobkerr.bsky.social #TanyaScott #AlexDook @ronnisalt.bsky.social Geoff Parkes, Mark Ezra murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/best-debut-c...
BEST DEBUT CRIME NOVELS OF 2025
Debuts are the lifeblood of crime fiction. Without new authors and new ideas, the genre would become stale and boring. Every year we see an influx of new authors, including an increasing number of …
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Debuts are the lifeblood of crime fiction. Here are my favourite 6 debuts of 2025. @jakobkerr.bsky.social #TanyaScott #AlexDook @ronnisalt.bsky.social Geoff Parkes, Mark Ezra murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/best-debut-c...
My picks for the best crime of 2025 including: @michaelconnelly.bsky.social @deonmeyer.bsky.social @michaelrobotham.bsky.social @adrianmckinty.bsky.social @paulvidich.bsky.social @fionathehardy.bsky.social @anthonyhorowitz.com @mbrisso.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/the-years-be...
THE YEAR’S BEST: MY FAVOURITE CRIME NOVELS AND THRILLERS OF 2025
Coming up with the Best Books of the Year is always a challenging task. The idea of ranking and rating books never really sits right with me, as so much comes down to individual taste and even the …
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
December 6, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Here are 7 very good crime novels and thrillers that deserved more publicity and greater attention in 2025. @tommeadauthor.bsky.social RobertBryndza MarkEllis #darcycoates KevinWignall @kerrywilkinson.bsky.social Simon Mason murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/under-the-ra...
UNDER THE RADAR: SEVEN GOOD BOOKS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED IN 2025
Every year there are piles of books released with a fanfare of manufactured publicity by publishers, and certain reviewers, while other equally good books quietly find their way onto bookseller she…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
December 1, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Here are 7 very good crime novels and thrillers that deserved more publicity and greater attention in 2025. @tommeadauthor.bsky.social RobertBryndza MarkEllis #darcycoates KevinWignall @kerrywilkinson.bsky.social Simon Mason murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/under-the-ra...
Fans of the Preston & Child thrillers are in for a treat in 2026! Coming on 27/1/2026 is an origin story for their series about FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast, while in April we have the sequel to Douglas Preston's Extinction. #thrillers #2026reads murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/looking-forw...
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2026: PENDERGAST by DOUGLAS PRESTON & LINCOLN CHILD and PARADOX by DOUGLAS PRESTON & ALETHEIA PRESTON
Fans of the thrillers by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child are in for a real treat in 2026! Coming in January is an origin story for their popular series about the extraordinary FBI agent Aloysius …
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
November 29, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Fans of the Preston & Child thrillers are in for a treat in 2026! Coming on 27/1/2026 is an origin story for their series about FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast, while in April we have the sequel to Douglas Preston's Extinction. #thrillers #2026reads murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/looking-forw...
Victor Canning has largely slipped from view but in his prime was a very popular British thriller writer of some terrific books in the 1950s to 80s. The Scorpio Letters is not his best, but is still a damn good read #coverart #thriller #1960s #thrillerclub murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/forgotten-th...
FORGOTTEN THRILLERS: THE SCORPIO LETTERS By VICTOR CANNING
The Scorpio Letters by Victor Canning (Thriller Club Edition, 1965) Victor Canning (1911-86) has largely slipped from modern view, but in his prime was a very popular British thriller writer who pr…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Victor Canning has largely slipped from view but in his prime was a very popular British thriller writer of some terrific books in the 1950s to 80s. The Scorpio Letters is not his best, but is still a damn good read #coverart #thriller #1960s #thrillerclub murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/forgotten-th...
Fans of Tartan Noir can look forward to two good new books by
Marion Todd and Eva Macrae (aka @lynnemcewanwriter.bsky.social) in 2026. Short review of Eva's A Death In Glasgow attached, plus preview of Marion's Watch Them Fall murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/tartan-noir-...
Marion Todd and Eva Macrae (aka @lynnemcewanwriter.bsky.social) in 2026. Short review of Eva's A Death In Glasgow attached, plus preview of Marion's Watch Them Fall murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/tartan-noir-...
TARTAN NOIR 2026: NEW BOOKS BY MARION TODD and EVA MACRAE
Tartan Noir certainly gets off to a good start in 2026 with books by two of the quietly performing champions of the genre. A Death In Glasgow by Eva Macrae (Century, 8 January 2026) Eva Macrae is b…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Fans of Tartan Noir can look forward to two good new books by
Marion Todd and Eva Macrae (aka @lynnemcewanwriter.bsky.social) in 2026. Short review of Eva's A Death In Glasgow attached, plus preview of Marion's Watch Them Fall murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/tartan-noir-...
Marion Todd and Eva Macrae (aka @lynnemcewanwriter.bsky.social) in 2026. Short review of Eva's A Death In Glasgow attached, plus preview of Marion's Watch Them Fall murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/tartan-noir-...
I have finally caught up with some entertaining books from earlier in the year by @charliekm.bsky.social, Matthew Blake Christopher Reich and a good festive tale by @lisaunger.bsky.social. Short reviews attached. murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/november-202...
NOVEMBER 2025 CRIME ROUND-UP: NEW BOOKS BY MATTHEW BLAKE, CHRISTOPHER REICH, CHARLIE DONLEA and LISA UNGER
The end of the year is rapidly approaching and I have been trying to catch up on some books that I missed earlier in the year, plus a seasonal short story by the talented Lisa Unger. A Murder In Pa…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:11 AM
I have finally caught up with some entertaining books from earlier in the year by @charliekm.bsky.social, Matthew Blake Christopher Reich and a good festive tale by @lisaunger.bsky.social. Short reviews attached. murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/november-202...
My recent finds in the wild have mainly been in the darker underbelly of 1960s men adventure books: Nazis, Japanese POW stories and sexual perversion! But good covers! #pulp #paperbackcovers #cover #coverart #1960s murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/trashy-tuesd...
TRASHY TUESDAY: 1960s EXPLOITATION PAPERBACKS – NAZIS, POWS, PERVERSION AND WHITE COOLIES
Paperback publishers, especially Horwitz in Australia, underpinned their usual output of crime, romance and westerns with less savoury books that sought to exploit serious issues with lurid covers …
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:15 PM
My recent finds in the wild have mainly been in the darker underbelly of 1960s men adventure books: Nazis, Japanese POW stories and sexual perversion! But good covers! #pulp #paperbackcovers #cover #coverart #1960s murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/trashy-tuesd...
This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed three good, end of year crime novels by the Queen of Cold Case Crime @valmcdermid.bsky.social & Australian authors Alan Carter and Matthew Reilly. Good books and great potential Xmas presents murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/canberra-wee...
CANBERRA WEEKLY 6 NOVEMBER 2025: NEW CRIME BY VAL McDERMID, ALAN CARTER and MATTHEW REILLY
This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed three very different new thrillers about new and old crimes. Silent Bones by Val McDermid (Little, Brown, 23 October 2025) First up is Silent Bones, (Lit…
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:32 AM
This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed three good, end of year crime novels by the Queen of Cold Case Crime @valmcdermid.bsky.social & Australian authors Alan Carter and Matthew Reilly. Good books and great potential Xmas presents murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/canberra-wee...