Review:The Night on the Darling River

Title: The Night on the Darling River

Author: Darry Fraser

Publisher: 4 December 2024 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA

Pages: 300 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Romance

Synopsis:

Amid the rising flood waters and shearers' strike violence, can one brave woman reclaim her future? From an Australian bestselling author comes a riveting historical adventure about one woman's journey from a life of isolation to one of love and acceptance.


1894, Echuca, Victoria

Tess Hawthorn is a woman on the run from her abusive husband. All she has to do is get on the riverboat Victor and she will be free.

But with tensions at an all-time high between unionist shearers and Scabs, Tess isn't the only person trying to board a boat under the cover of night. When a brawl erupts between the union and non-union men, Tess is mistaken for a fellow Scab and in the chaos pulled aboard the PS Rodney - the same boat heading up the Darling River that her husband was bound for.

The last person Bram Kempster expects to see on board is Tess Hawthorn, the girl he's loved from afar since they were young. But he can't afford to get distracted, not when he's on an urgent trip to Renmark. Tess didn't want him back then and, if her haughty behaviour is anything to go by, she certainly doesn't want him now.

But childhood hurts are the least of their problems. The continent is a tinderbox of violence and bloodshed waiting to ignite, and at home the Murray River is rising fast. Can they overcome their past in time to work together and survive?

My Thoughts 

In a time when Aussie authors are making their mark in historical dramas, Darry has done a fabulous job with wonderful storytelling, putting herself right up there with the best in these Australian colonial sagas. Her latest offering is no different - drama and adventures in the outback, with colourful characters and an engagingly dynamic storyline. 

I always gain so much from reading one of Darry’s books. On this occasion, she returns to her true love the Murray-Darling basin and I could not be happier. The factual focus on this occasion is a major flood that occurred in 1894 around the same time that the PS Rodney departed Echuca for its fated last journey. Add into this a dangerous shearers strike and some truly frightening domestic violence and this is a much darker and violent story that Darry has to share. The cast of characters are strong and believable and I appreciated the various POVs. 

If you like to escape to a time long gone, a time when women attempted to exert some form of independence, all with a dash of mystery and romance, then this will be the book for you. Life wasn’t easy for women who were often regarded as male property and I admired the many strengths of the lead character, Tess Hawthorn. I highly recommend you sample one of Darry’s true to life historical dramas. 

‘Since that night on the Darling River, everything about the person she’d become during her marriage had to change.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Milliner of Bendigo

Title: The Milliner of Bendigo

Author: Darry Fraser

Publisher: 29th November 2023 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA

Pages: 400 pages

Genre: historical fiction 

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

Trouble with the law, a missing sister, and a growing attachment to the wrong man - Evie Emerson has a dangerous path ahead of her... an exciting and twisty historical mystery and adventure from a bestselling Australian author.

1898: Bendigo, Victoria:  Evie Emerson has worked hard to build a fashionable clientele for her hats. But when an ex-paramour employs underhanded tactics after his attempt to coerce an engagement fails, Evie's reputation is in tatters. On the heels of having to put a case together to defend herself in court, Evie's life is thrown into further turmoil when the disappearance of her sister takes her to Cobram. Roving reporter Fitzmorgan O'Shea has troubles of his his involvement in uncovering police corruption has placed a target on his back. And while Fitz is hunting a new story in Cobram his problems collide with Evie's when his research exposes malicious intimidation and threats designed to make local landholders give up their properties. For Raffety Dolan, he accepted long ago it's Fitz Evie loves - and his feelings will remain unrequited. But when a disgraced ex-policeman comes searching for revenge, Raff is ready to go save his friends. There, on the banks of the mighty Murray, with so much misunderstood history and secrets between the three friends - plus the legitimate threat of being shot at - will they survive long enough to discover the truth?

My Thoughts

‘Evie had told her that it was one of her creations and reached into her purse to give the lady her card: “Miss Evie Emerson, Milliner of Bendigo.’

Darry Fraser is at the top of her game with her latest Australian historical fiction writing, in fact, I think this may be her best yet! The Milliner of Bendigo is another wonderful tale to immerse yourself in with a strong female lead in male dominated colonial Australia. I love the fact that in each of her novels, Darry takes her female lead and explores with them at a time when women were on the cusp of acquiring some form of independence. Into this Darry can always be relied upon to weave an intriguing mystery with just the right amount of romance.

‘For goodness’ sake, I’m a milliner from Bendigo. A hat maker. A ladies’ fashion stylist, not a gun-toting circus performer.’

The leading lady on this occasion is Evie Emerson and gosh … does she have a lot to contend with. This is no one dimensional tale … there are multiple threads that Darry so expertly brings together with cliffhanger chapter endings until you reach a fitting conclusion. Not only is Evie a passionate artiste, a milliner with exquisite skill but she demonstrates throughout this tale she has the strength and tenacity to support family and friends in her fight with more than one foe. I applaud Darry for seamlessly weaving together topics ranging from women’s rights, to menopause (let me just reach for my fan), to corrupt local officials and cops, from siege’s and murder and the sadly hidden life of being gay at the turn of the century. 

‘…we’re not staying in here like simpering ninnies. We’re going to front them. We’re going out that window.’ Of course we are.’

Darry takes her readers back to 1898 with adventures through some of Victoria’s wonderful country towns - Bendigo, Ballarat, Echuca and Cobram - all featured in this tale that has many twists and turns. It was an absolute delight for readers of historical fiction and anyone who loves a tale so rich in its tapestry. Darry is certainly the master at capturing and putting to paper the Australian landscape and the Mighty Murray River. Adventures include hardships of living off the land, water usage and control of the river, transportation on paddlesteamers, to horseback and even a train ride to Cobram. Darry grants us a wonderful travel pass back into colonial times. 

‘..the river itself was a living, breathing entity—calm and meandering, vibrant and dangerous, moody and mysterious. A whole different world.’

I cannot let it pass without noting that readers of Darry’s other books will be more than pleased to learn that the wonderful character of Bendigo Barrett is back providing invaluable assistance into the investigations to refute liable claims against Evie. If you like to escape to a time long gone, a time when women attempted to exert some form of independence against a background of murder and corruption balanced with heartache and romance, then this will be the book for you. Life wasn’t easy for women who were often regarded as male property and I admired the few who banded together to fight justice. 

‘I always find it exhilarating when women band together to fight a common enemy.’

If you enjoy good Australian historical drama/romance then you will appreciate a few hours in this story Darry offers. I found it to be her best yet - it’s lots of fun. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Forthright Woman

Title: The Forthright Woman

Author: Darry Fraser

Publisher: 30th November 2022 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA

Pages: 400 pages

Genre: historical fiction, romance 

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

Widow Marcella Ross won't let anything - or anyone - stop her from discovering the truth behind a deadly family mystery ... Mystery and romance collide in this compulsive historical adventure from a bestselling Australian author.

1898, South Australia 

At the gateway to the Flinders Ranges lies Kanyaka Station, once a thriving sheep and cattle property, now abandoned and in ruins. But a discovery in her late mother's papers draws recently widowed Marcella Ross out to its remote landscape in search of clues to the disappearance of her Uncle Luca, an Italian immigrant whose fate seems to have been bound up in that of his mysterious partner - also long-since vanished. When Marcella is nearly run over by a handsome stranger, she discovers he too is entangled in the secrets of the past. When tragedy and obsession threaten Marcella's fragile independence, how far will she have to go to unlock the secrets of Kanyaka - or solve the puzzle of her own future?

1955 

After learning that they are unlikely to have children, Frances and Joe MacDonald have taken the unusual step of buying a caravan and travelling together through the outback. They stop and camp at Kanyaka Station, where Fran becomes mesmerised by the past. Family lore holds that an ancestor met an untimely end amid the desolate ruins. But what truly happened, and to whom, at the isolated station? As fate alters the course of her life, Fran's footsteps echo another woman's from so long ago ...

As the mystery unravels, will these two women have the chance to take control of their own destinies?

My Thoughts

Darry Fraser has proven once again why her Australian historical fiction writing is high on the list of must reads. The Forthright Woman is another wonderful tale to immerse yourself in with a strong female lead in male dominated colonial Australia. I love the fact that in each of her novels, Darry takes her female lead and explores with them at a time when women were on the cusp of acquiring some form of independence. Into this Darry can always be relied upon to weave an intriguing mystery with just the right amount of romance.

‘Marcella had strolled around what felt like a vast field of broken dreams. Homes were silent, and the empty rooms within were devoid of memories.’

When you pick up one of Darry’s books, you know you are in for something special. You not only get a rollicking good yarn but also some exceptional research embedded within the tale that takes it to the next level. This time Darry presents a dual timeline, set in 1898 and in 1955 in South Australia. The cast of characters are engaging with a particular nod to Mrs Costa! With great strength, courage and determination, two women embark on life changing journeys. Perhaps Darry’s greatest strength is her richly detailed settings which almost become a character in their own right. Australia’s harsh outback living is on display and life at the turn of the century could be cruel indeed - those opening chapters were brutal. 

‘It was hard enough being born in this country of immigrant stock from the Continent not to mention being a lone woman and coming into hostile territory. Hostile more because she had no husband, not so much because of the weather and terrain.’

Throughout it all Darry provides the reader with a strong historical setting of the day to day living from a time long passed. Issues of female independence are once more put under the spotlight as Darry gives a little taste of what life was like for widowed women who may have wished to retain their independence. In a time when Aussie authors are making their mark in historical dramas, Darry has done a fabulous job with wonderful storytelling, putting herself right up there with the best in these Australian colonial sagas.

‘She bristled. There it was again, that universal assumption that she would just go where the men in her life took her.’

If you like to escape to a time long gone, a time when women attempted to exert some form of independence, all with a dash of mystery and romance, then this will be the book for you. Life wasn’t easy for women who were often regarded as male property and I admired the many strengths of the lead character, Marcella Ross.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Prodigal Sister

Title: The Prodigal Sister

Author: Darry Fraser

Publisher: 1st December 2021 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA

Pages: 416 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: romance, historical fiction

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

Headstrong Prudence North faces a dangerous blackmailer who threatens her family and her dreams of escaping domestic drudgery. An enthralling historical mystery from a bestselling Australian author.

1900, Melbourne, Victoria 

Miss Prudence North is freshly returned from university in Scotland and determined to find her place among the male-dominated world of the new forensic sciences when a high-ranking policeman waylays her. He threatens to charge her father for illegal medical practices unless she helps him build a case against local landowner Jasper Darke by spying on him.

With her sister's illness worsening, if their income disappears, Prudence will have to take on nursing and domestic duties and she'll never have the freedom she craves. Prudence has no choice but to agree.

Immediately taken with the handsome Mr Darke, a seemingly good and honest man, Prudence can't see what nefarious activities she's meant to be reporting on. She'll have to get closer...

But when a body turns up at her father's surgery, the forensics reveal to Prudence there's more going on about all this than meets the eye. It's clear it's up to her to uncover the truth - of this murder, of whatever's going on at the surgery after hours and, especially, of the intriguing Jasper Darke. Her life, her family and her future rely on it.

My Thoughts

Darry Fraser is at the top of her game with her latest Australian historical fiction writing. The Prodigal Sister is another wonderful tale to immerse yourself in with a strong female lead in male dominated colonial Australia. I love the fact that in each of her novels, Darry takes her female lead and explores with them at a time when women were on the cusp of acquiring some form of independence. Into this Darry can always be relied upon to weave an intriguing mystery with just the right amount of romance.

When you pick up one of Darry’s books, you know you are in for something special. You not only get a rollicking good yarn but also some exceptional research embedded within the tale that takes it to the next level. This time Darry looks at Huntington’s disease, something that was not well understood in the nineteenth century and the impact on lifestyle for those who suffered from it. She also includes the early days of  women in tertiary study with a specific focus on forensic science in assisting police in solving crimes,

‘Don’t come in here, you’ll disturb evidence,’ she cried, holding out her arm.’

Throughout it all, however, Darry continues to provide you with a strong historical setting of the day to day living from a time long passed. Issues of female independence are once more put under the spotlight as Darry gives a little taste of the momentous changes that would ultimately unfold for women. In a time when Aussie authors are making their mark in historical dramas, Darry has done a fabulous job with wonderful storytelling, putting herself right up there with the best in these Australian colonial sagas.

‘It is a man’s world in which you’ve set a course, and you will learn, my dear, that it can’t end well.’

So if you like a good story, women attempting to exert independence, throw in a dashing hero to assist, then this will be the book for you. Life wasn’t easy for women who were often regarded as male property and I admired the many strengths of the lead character, Prudence North.

‘Educated at one of the finest, most respected universities in the world, she had a degree. That was so much more than many men, and yet paid employment, a position with a high level of credibility, was almost non-existent because she was a woman.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Last Truehart

Title: The Last Truehart

Author: Darry Fraser

Publisher: 2nd December 2020 by Harlequin Australia, HQ (Fiction, Non Fiction, YA) & MIRA

Pages: 402 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, romance, Australia

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

A woman alone and a charismatic private detective are caught up in a dangerous quest to discover her true identity in this thrilling historical adventure romance set in 19th century Victoria, from a bestselling Australian author.

1898, Geelong, Victoria. Stella Truehart is all alone in the world. Her good-for-nothing husband has died violently at the hands of an unknown assailant. Her mother is dead, her father deserted them before she was born, and now her kindly Truehart grandparents are also in their graves.

Private detective Bendigo Barrett has been tasked with finding Stella. He believes his client's intentions are good, but it is evident that someone with darker motives is also seeking her. For her own part Stella is fiercely independent, but as danger mounts she agrees to work with Bendigo and before long they travel together to Sydney to meet his mysterious client where they discover more questions than answers.

What role do a stolen precious jewel and a long-ago US Civil War ship play in Stella's story? Will sudden bloodshed prevent the resolution of the mystery and stand in the way of her feelings for Bendigo? It is time, at last, for the truth to be revealed...

My Thoughts

Darry Fraser has proven yet again that she is a master at writing Australian historical fiction. The Last Trueheart is another wonderful tale to immerse yourself in with a strong female lead in male dominated colonial Australia. I love the fact that in each of her novels, Darry takes her female lead and explores with them at a time when women were on the cusp of acquiring some form of independence. Into this Darry can always be relied upon to weave intriguing, maybe even forgotten historical facts, that all up result in a worthy tale. 

‘Leo Smith was her father. Mrs Parks had sent Bendigo Barrett to find her, and now Stella would learn why.’

It is not only the female leads that are inspiring. On this occasion both Stella and Bendigo (yes ... named after the city) are strong and believable 19th century characters. There is not just a romance but a partnership between the two to explore and consolidate a place in society. The secondary characters likewise offer insight into a lifestyle long gone, particularly Bendigo’s sisters. Darry, as always, undertakes research to produce both a time and place that gives her readers a real sense of what life would have been like at that time. 

The Last Truehart is an enjoyable and well written tale - a great yarn, a dashing hero and a real sense of place in the evolution of Australian society of the time. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Elsa Goody, Bushranger

Title: Elsa Goody, Bushranger

Author: Darry Fraser

Publisher: 18th May 2020 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA

Pages: 352 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

Elsa Goody is a woman on a quest for buried treasure - and her own freedom. A thrilling historical romance adventure from a bestselling Australian author.

1896 Robe, South Australia

When Elsa Goody's father and brother George die in quick succession she and her sister Rosie are in trouble. Pursued by an unpleasant suitor with dubious motivation, Elsa leaves for Victoria on the hunt for a fortune in gold coins that her brother has hidden. If Elsa can find it she will be able to save Rosie and herself from married slavery.

Their quest leads them on a cross-country journey to find the last man who saw her brother alive, Ezekiel Jones. But Elsa is not the only one looking for buried treasure. She and Rosie are beset by bushrangers and in the confusion Elsa is accused of being an accomplice. Luckily not everyone believes that Elsa is a criminal. When she finally catches up with Ezekiel, it's clear that for him she can do no wrong.

But with everyone chasing her and bloody violence on the horizon, life is becoming increasingly complicated. Will she and Rosie ever manage to solve the mystery, find the gold and free themselves from a dark future?

My Thoughts

Darry Fraser has written some fabulous Aussie historical fiction and her latest offering is no different - great adventures in the outback. Once more there are colourful characters with an engaging dynamic and storyline. Darry will take you from tough farming life and country communities, to wagons on the road where bushrangers rove. It’s fun and exciting with danger and some unpredicted consequences.

‘You’re a scheming witch, Elsa,’ she said, a light in her eyes. ‘I never knew you to be so ...’ ‘Practical, inventive,’ Elsa finished for her, and stepped around the fallen man. ‘All this talk of bushrangers has made me quite daring.’ ‘Elsa, the bushranger,’ Rosie said in wonder ...’

The leading lady on this occasion, Elsa Goody, is strong and feisty but also caring and honest - the absolute star of this story. I particularly enjoyed Darry shining the spotlight on votes for women and Elsa’s earnest desire to be one of the first women to vote in South Australia. Supporting Elsa is a strong cast of characters from her sister and leading man, to a range of secondary characters who all in their way add to the story. I particularly enjoyed Ezekiel’s character as Darry made him multidimensional with his interactions not only with Elsa and his brothers but his softer side in the care of his children. 

‘But having a vote means we can change the way things are, change the way the world sees us because we now have a voice.’

The storyline of this book has many layers which is what lifts it to another level. From the votes for women (and indeed treatment of women as property) to the harsh day to day life on the land. Covering themes of domestic abuse, grief, female independence, family love - all tied together with a buried treasure - there is much to enjoy here. Love is the underlying motivation whether it be familial or romantic and it was good to see that this also was presented in more than one form. 

If you enjoy good Australian historical drama/romance then you will appreciate a few hours in this story Darry offers. I found it to be her best yet - it’s lots of fun. 

‘Elsa squared her shoulders. ‘None of that. We are strong women, and we will find our way out of this.’ She raised her chin higher. ‘We are the Goody sisters.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.