I have to admit I was drawn to this one mainly because of Steve Shanahan's narration. He has an incredible way of bringing Aussie noir stories to life - notably Jane Harper's Aaron Falk books - and I couldn't help but hope for a similar experience. Unfortunately this one didn't quite live up to expectations for me despite containing all of the ingredients I would usually look for in an action-packed thriller.

I felt myself skimming through this one and completely blanking during a few of the action sequences. The writing was ok but it contained so much meaningless detail. I hate being told the twenty different steps the character took to get a gun out of a suitcase, just tell me they pulled out the weapon and pointed it for goodness sake and let me put together the sequence of events in my head!

Outback Creed read more like a made-for-tv movie than a gritty outback mystery and I just wasn't invested. It held echoes of Candice Fox but without the occasional dark humour and unabashed portrayal of over-the-top action hero shlock.

While there were moments of intrigue and some great character development I felt it was lacking. Overall I expected more.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher/author for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was exactly what I wanted it to be! I loved it. I will make sure to check out other books by this author. When I requested this I was just intrigued by the concept of it and I loved how it turned out. This story had a great plot and if you have read this and enjoyed it, This was so much. It was such a great story. I would say give this one a try. I will continue to follow this author. Way to go to this author for not letting me down.

I highly enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook. Kept me listening.

Fast-paced, quick and compelling read. I enjoyed this one as an audiobook, with a wonderful narrator. The beginning really starts with a bang - a young boy running from a dangerous dog. It's a high stakes, full adventure read. It has a little local politics mixed in with an interesting mystery. I really liked this one!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Wasn't expecting much from this book as its not my usual type of read as I like a good psychological thriller but this hit the spot a story about greed, aboriginal land, political and police corruption surrounding mining in the outback.

Lawyers Tom, Ed and Anthony wrap up their meetings and off on a camping trip in the Kimberley's for some steaks and downtime. It doesn't take long before they are embroiled in kidnapping and murder, which points at the case that they are working on, the local Aboriginal community and the land that they live on, and the local law enforcement. during this Tom and an Aboriginal boy David soon become targets in a high-stakes conspiracy.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to listen to this book in return for an honest review

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* ....huh. that was. different. did not see, any of that, coming. honestly didn't care for it the start but it got better, would reread.

Not my usual style but the flow of the book kept me intrigued. Twists and turns were well delivered. Recommended!

When I spotted that Steve Shanahan was the narrator of this ‘listen now’ audiobook on NetGalley I didn’t hesitate to add it to my shelf. He’s narration of Jane Harper’s books was superb and I had no doubt that he do the same again with this shorter audiobook. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced mystery featuring lawyer Tom McClaren who gets embroiled in a child abduction, and more. He thought he was going to negotiate a land deal with Aboriginal Elders, but things went wrong very quickly and he was thrown into a nightmarish situation, not knowing who to trust or whether he’d survive or not. Highly recommended if you enjoy pacey thrillers on audio!

A gripping yet fast paced heart stopping thrilling Australian outback story bringing together a lawyer and an Aboriginal boy to save themselves and other lives from criminals. A gripping and shocking storyline and plot and mystery full of twists and turns which keeps readers on their toes and sitting on the edge of their seat while with baited breath looking for clues written hard to find between the lines. A murder mystery, being hunted like they have targets on their backs, these characters need to hide while hunting for their treasure of the truth that they are uncovering. A story about the underdog fighting against those wanting to take mining rich property-land from the hands of the legal owners who are Aboriginal elders. Definitely a book for readers who love genres of Multicultural interest, mystery and thrillers and fans of Jane Harper and other Australian writers.
For an audiobook it’s a great listen. As I go to sleep listening to audiobooks which helps me to keep a calm mind from wool gathering, listening to negative thoughts and emotions including childhood traumatic memories which can lead to nightmares. So if I wake during the night I can hear the book and it’s very important for the times of sleeplessness. So listening to one audiobook is something that takes a number of nights until I understand and have knowledge of the entire story.

#OutbackCreed #NetGalley
I received a complimentary copy of this book from City Beach Books , Independent Book Publishers Association, Members’ Audiobooks via NetGalley for my honest review of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own thoughts, feelings and viewpoints of the book.

***ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.co.uk in return for an honest review ***
Lawyers Tom, Ed and Anthony wrap up their meetings and off on a camping trip in the Kimberley's for some steaks and downtime. It doesn't take long before they are embroiled in kidnapping and murder, which points at the case that they are working on, the local Aboriginal community and the land that they live on, and the local law enforcement.

A brilliant read, exploring political corruption and the lengths that some will go to in order to take possession of valuable land.

A real "hidden gem" of a novel that I would not have encountered if it weren't for Netgalley. I will definitely be recommending it to others.

As with all books with a geographical “accent” it took me a few chapters to get into the musicality of the language and once that happened, this story became a real thriller.
   I always appreciate learning about the trials of indigenous people and their history and this book certainly puts you right in the middle of their problems…..land….  who owns it and who can develop it for monetary gain and what they will do to get it. It’s not an uncommon story but this was narrated with such intensity and drama it pulled the listener in and kept you listening.
   The author’s physical description of the Outback when the action was at its most thrilling made the reader feel as though they were right there in that blistering sun or in those caves.
   A fast paced book well worth the read ( or listen).

Audiobook ARC from NetGalley

"A city lawyer, on assignment in the outback, intervenes in an abduction and becomes ensnared in a world of corruption, billion dollar stakes and murder."

Three lawyers are camping in the outback when one of them comes across a kidnapped boy, and their lives are turned upside down. They are working for a company who is trying to buy up a large parcel of land from the aboriginal elders that is worth billions of dollars to a company that wants to mine the land. What follows is an action packed story that really doesn't let up until its surprising ending.

First off, the narrator was excellent. I felt like he was sitting next to me reading the book aloud. His voice conveyed the frantic pace of this suspenseful story and carried me right along with him.

As to the story itself, I can give you an example of how much I enjoyed it. I listen to my audiobooks when I'm on my morning walk, at 6:30 in the morning, and the mornings have been a bit nippy lately up here in Northeast Ohio. I usually try to convince myself to take a short cut to shave about 10 to 15 minutes off my time, but when I was listening to this particular audiobook, I found myself not only completing the entire walk, but adding on an additional 10 to 15 minutes because I didn't want to stop listening. I kept waiting for a break in the action, but there wasn't one. Every time I thought I had it figured out, it swung way off in another direction, and this kept me hooked. There were a couple of plot points that could have been tightened up, but not enough that it distracted me from the story.

I thought the characters were very well fleshed out and developed, and the world building was on point. I felt like I was in the woods with the guys, and could picture my surroundings without any problems.

In all, I really enjoyed this story and give both the narrator and the story line 5/5 stars.

I received a free audiobook of this book via Netgalley from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is fast paced and action filled with a large number of character, whom we get minimal introduction to and background information, this leads to it being very confusing.

The premise is intriguing, but I feel the story and the characters needed to be fleshed out more.

This was a fascinating listen, I could really imagine I was in the outback experiencing the colours and culture as well as the people. I could see this as a great made for streaming movie it was so well drawn.
As an expat Australian I am really wishing that when I was there we had access to such great authors.
I was given a free copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own

EXCERPT: Inside the outback school hall, Tom, Ed and Konnigan sat at a fold-out table, watching as Anthony gave his digital slide presentation to the three Aboriginal Elders. Tracker Jackson, still in his forties, was considerably younger than Abe and William. They listened as Anthony did his very best to convince them that their community would be better off taking QPEC's money and relocating to the proposed QPEC Community Centre, only a couple of hours away. They watched the computer generated images of the fully-equipped facility and Olympic-sized swimming pool, where they were promised they could live comfortably with financial security for generations to come.

As Anthony wrapped up, Tom noticed Ed looking at Konnigan, trying to reassure her. Tom didn't feel so optimistic. He activated the video camera on his phone and set it on his desk, aimed at the Elders, who conversed in their own language.

Abe, the most senior of the group, nodded to his companions and turned to the lawyers. 'It's all very nice, but no thanks,' Abe said.

'But thank you for the picture show,' William said.

'Excuse me,' Anthony interrupted, 'but the benefits of relocating far outweigh -'

'Are you deaf, mate?' William interrupted. 'We're not moving.'

ABOUT 'OUTBACK CREED': Tom McLaren is the go-to negotiator for a corporate law firm, and is accustomed to success and all its trappings. His skills are put to the test when he and his colleagues head to the outback, hoping to persuade Aboriginal Elders to give up their land to a powerful mining company. The land is worth billions, but the Elders won’t budge, and Tom faces the rare prospect of failure. Yet there are hidden forces at play that will stop at nothing to make sure a deal is done, even if that means taking the life of an Aboriginal boy. When Tom and his colleagues discover the shocking plot, they also become targets, and the result is murder. In his frantic hunt for answers, Tom realizes his most dangerous enemy may be closer than he feared. With relentless killers closing in fast, Tom must uncover the truth…before it’s too late!

MY THOUGHTS: The pace of Outback Creed is relentless. If you like action thrillers, where people tend to shoot first and ask questions later, you will love this. Personally I was expecting a little more mystery and suspense, and a lot less action. The body count is quite high.

Outback Creed is a story of power, greed and corruption and the lengths that powerful people and corporations are prepared to go to in order to achieve their goals. Not quite what I was expecting and I have the feeling that it would make a far better movie than book.

Outback Creed takes place in the rugged Kimberley region of Australia, where the harsh climate and crocodiles are not the only dangers.

I had the occasional issue with the writing, mainly because the author tends to repeat words, an example of which is contained in the extract above. 'Abe said; William said; Anthony interrupted; William interrupted.....'

I listened to the audiobook and have enjoyed this narrator in the past, but with Outback Creed he just didn't pause. There was no pause at the ends of chapters, or when the narrative changed to a different character's point of view. It was relentless (the repeated word is intentional). No, he didn't speak fast, but he just didn't pause and it got quite confusing. I lost count of the number of times I had to rewind to catch where the narrative changed.

⭐⭐.9

#OutbackCreed #NetGalley

I: @jonathanmacphersonofficial

T: @JonnyMacpherson

#audiobook #australiancrimefiction #contemporaryfiction #thriller

THE AUTHOR: Jonathan MacPherson Jonathan Macpherson is the author of several crime fiction novels. He also writes children's fiction under the name of J.Macpherson.

Aside from writing novels, Jonathan has produced and directed short films that have played at major festivals. He lives by the beach in Perth, Australia with his family.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to City Beach Books (IBPA) via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of Outback Creed written by Jonathan MacPherson and narrated by Steve Shanahan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

An exciting thriller set in the Australian outback, fast paced well written. Steve Shanahan does a good narration had no trouble with the accent.

I received this audiobook from Jonathan MacPherson via Netgalley for a review.

his is another audiobook I picked up at Netgalley because I need something to listen to while I cleaned the house. The audiobook is short so I thought it would be a good choice because I knew once family started showing up for Thanksgiving I wouldn't have much opportunity to listen to a book.

I haven't listened to too many audiobooks set in Australia, but I didn't have any trouble with the accent. But I did have trouble following the story. The plot is a bit intricate and I had trouble keeping track of who were the good guys and who were the bad guys. It is also a fast-paced story so even though distractions were minimal it was easy to miss things.

This book is a solid thriller. It starts off with a boy being chased by a wild dog in the outback of Australia. But that is the least of his trouble as he is drawn into a high-stakes conspiracy. Tom McLaren is a lawyer sent to the outback in hopes of getting the aboriginal community to sign over their land to a mining company. When he rescues the boy from the dog attack, he too is drawn into the dangerous game. Abductions, corrupt cops, and crooked politicians follow.

I think this would have been a great story if I had read it myself. There were definitely some heart-stopping moments. I did love Steve Shanahan's Australian accent.

If you are looking for a fast-paced thriller, then you will want to check out this book.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Friday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/12/3-suspenseful-books-to-read.html

Narrator 5 stars
I love this narrator. I've list to so many good Aussie books that he's narrated.

Story 3 stars

The story was good and the description of the area was pretty spot on. Would try this author again

One of my problems with it was how short it was. I felt like we didn't have enough time to get to know the characters or enough about them to really be worried about them during the tense parts of the novel. I loved the storyline and I think I would've loved the characters if I'd been given more of them, but they didn't feel like whole people to me. I will pick up more books by this author in the future.

Audiobook Review: Outback Creed by Jonathan Macpherson
Narrated by Steve Shanahan
Published by City Beach Books, November 11, 2021

★★★★☆ (4.25 Stars)

Audiobook narration: Outstanding performance by Steve Shanahan, the award-winning narrator of Jane Harper novels, whose involvement is what primarily attracted me to this excellent audio-novella.

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Creed, a fictional aboriginal town near Derby, West Kimberley shire, a port town 2,200 NNE of Perth; 3,000 WNW of Sydney.

In an action-packed gem of a short read, author Jonathan Macpherson takes the reader through a fight for survival in the harsh outback of coastal Northwestern Australia for land rights to U-235 deposits, also known as uranium, with cultural glimpses into Australian aboriginal traditions, pitting corporate interests allied with bent cops and corrupt politicians against unyielding aboriginal elders determined to protect their traditional country, themselves allied with an accidental hero - a corporate lawyer whose mettle is about to be tested to limits he hadn't known.

As with short novellas, the characters are a bit caricatured, but the plot is crafted and delivered in a way that one could feel for the protagonist(s) through the din of non-stop life /death encounters.

Delightful short read, slightly reminiscent of Paul Hogan's "Crocodile Dundee" - without the one-liners.

Review based on an ARC from City Beach Books / Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and NetGalley.

Outback Creed
by Jonathan Macpherson
Exploitation of native tribes is not a new concept. This book shows the nature of the business, and government contracts that affect native tribes in Australia. A mining contract needs to be signed, the mission of lawyers did not change the mind of one of the elders. The company tries a more persuasive nature of negations. This mystery story shows the corruption that is used in many historical negotiations that have left many native tribes at the shortened of these deals.