Member Reviews

EXCERPT: When her ringtone, Kaylee Bell's 'Keith' had ripped through the kitchen causing her to jump, Sassi knew there was something amiss. No one called so late at night.
The photo that had been taken last Christmas of her and Abe flashed onto the screen and her first thought had been: Which one is it? Which grandparent?
'It's bad, Sassi,' her uncle told her when she answered.
Her hands shaking, she'd slid down next to Jarrah and buried her fingers in the kelpie's caramel fur.
'What's happened?'
'Not sure. Dad managed to raise the alarm, but . . .' His voice had trailed off and Sassi realised her kettle was screaming a high-pitched whistle above her. Sticking a finger in her ear and ignoring the sound, she stayed where she was.
'The ambo couldn't say much, but he suggested we get everyone together as quickly as we can. I've rung your mother.'
Sassi snorted. 'She won't be much use.'
'Sassi.' As always Abe's calm and conciliatory tone didn't change. Sassi was angry and he was the peacemaker. 'She's going to be on the first plane she can get out of South Africa.'
She'd probably prefer the borders were still shut so she didn't have to come back.'
Abe ignored her comments. 'You need to come now,' he said. 'Don't wait.'

ABOUT 'VOICES IN THE DARK': Sassi Stapleton is called home after news her grandmother is unwell. Less than an hour away from her hometown, Barker, she swerves to miss a roo and her car rolls down an embankment and she's left hanging. By the time she is found, her grandmother has already passed away.

Sassi's mother, Amber, returns from South Africa, and as soon as she arrives family tensions between her and her brother, Abe, are back in the forefront of everyone's minds.

When it quickly becomes clear that Sassi's grandfather Mr Stapleton is unable to live alone, the hunt is on to find a carer. Rasha enters the family home, firmly entrenching herself as someone they can't do without, and before long Mr Stapleton is happier than he has been in years.

Then bruises start appearing on Mr Stapleton and he becomes withdrawn, refusing to talk even to Sassi.

None of the family are convinced that Rasha could hurt anyone. Amber is his daughter; Sassi, his granddaughter. None of these three could hurt Mr Stapleton. Could they?

MY THOUGHTS: I really enjoy reading stories set in small towns, Australian ones in particular, and Voices in the Dark set in the small town of Barker, four hours out of Adelaide, South Australia, didn't disappoint. This is a family drama with no romance but a lot of love, secrets, lies, greed and resentment to fuel the storyline.

Small towns can be difficult to live in. Everyone knows everyone else's business. Scandals never really die, beliefs are firmly entrenched, and grudges can be held for generations. But when the chips are down, everyone pulls together. Barker is no different. Sassi is still that 'illegitimate Stapleton kid', and Rasha is 'a person of color' taking work away from the locals. 'She doesn't belong here.'

Voices in the Dark is very much a character driven drama, and I loved the characters - well, most of them anyway. There's a few louts and larrikins in Barker, but then aren't there in every town? And Amber, Sassi's mother, is, and I'm being kind here, a complicated character. She's arrogant, entitled, racist and cold . . . I couldn't find one spark of warmth or humanity in her. But she too has a tragic back story.

There are some wonderful relationships that I loved reading about - Abe and his wife Renee and their twin sons being one; Dave, the local detective and his wife Kim are another. There's an enticing bit of drama going on in Dave's family as well as in his workplace.

There's a bit of a story behind Detective Dave Burrows. He appeared in Fleur McDonald's first book, 'Dust'. Since then, he's appeared as a secondary character in sixteen of her novels and has taken a lead role in another six. I guess if you've read a lot of this author's work, you will already be familiar with him. Unfortunately I haven't, but that is something I am going to remedy.

I also love Sassi and Abe's relationship. They are more like brother and sister than uncle and niece. Sassi is a lovely character. She's had a bit of a rough time of it, having been abandoned by her mother as a young child; her grandmother's death is more like the loss of a mother and the sudden disintegration of her long-term relationship is a shock, but she is a strong young woman who has her focus in the right place.

I do have some qualms about how the book ended. I'm not entirely sure that Dave did the right thing here. If you read or have read Voices in the Dark, I'd love to know what you think.

A good, solid four-star read that has left me wanting to read more from this author.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

#VoicesintheDark #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: After growing up on a farm near Orroroo in South Australia, Fleur McDonald’s first job was jillarooing in the outback. She has been involved in agriculture all her life, including helping manage an 8000-acre station for twenty years. Today Fleur and her energetic kelpie, Jack, live in Esperance, Western Australia,

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Allen & Unwin via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Voices in the Dark by Fleur McDonald for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

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Sassi receives a phone call saying that she needs to come as her grandmother is unwell. As she is on the way she hits a roo and unfortunately her beloved grandmother has passed away. I think this has a great bunch of characters who work well together and compliment each other. I love the outback setting as it describes the community perfectly everyone looks out for one another and knows everybody's business. This is my favorite Dave story so far!

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After receiving a call urging her to come home quickly, Sassi Stapleton writes off her ute, almost killing herself and her beloved dog Jarrah. To top things off, she is reunited with her mother whom she hasn't seen in years and has to deal with her ex boyfriend who dumped her unexpectedly. Bereft and needing to care for her Pa, Sassi needs the help of her beloved uncle Abe, his family and the local polic to help her deal with the incidents that follow. A great read.

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Family dynamics is a massive theme throughout this story with many aspects covered from, regrets, found family, resentment, and new beginnings just to name a few.

This story was intriguing taking to the very end for the mystery to be revealed.

I really enjoyed reacquainting myself with Dave Burrows and his wife Kim, Mia and the other locals of Barker and you will too as Fleur McDonald certainly has a way of making you feel like the characters are long lost friends.

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Fleur. McDonald writes a beautiful story of family, belonging and small town friendships.
Fleur delivers a fabulous read, taking us back to Barker and the much-loved Detective Dave Burrows.
I particularly enjoyed this story with its mixture of the pull of the land, family angst and community. There’s not so much detective work but more, delving deeper into the characters and their lives.
Dave is torn between his responsibilities, both public and private, but helping others is who he is.
The Stapleton family are characters with a mix of flaws and strengths, all returning home to face loss and an uncertain future.
Sassi was raised by her grandparents and is frustrated by her mother’s lack of communication, being home to face her beloved grandmother’s death is difficult enough.
I loved the strong characters in this story, the family farm is central but secrets and greed could ruin everyone’s hopes and dreams. I would strongly recommend this book, .

Thank you to the publisher Allen & Unwin, NetGalley and the amazingly talented Fleur McDonald for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Thanks to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for the opportunity to read this book.

Fleur McDonald is, without a doubt, one of my favourite Australian authors. Her descriptions of Outback and rural Australia make me want to travel our beautiful country.
This story is about coming home to family and how anger can do so much damage when left unchecked. It's also about community and kindness. There is heartbreak at the beginning, but there is so much warmth and joy at the end of the book.

Another solid story - I love the way we get to continue growing with so many of the characters throughout each book, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for them all!

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This novel is a part of McDonald’s long-running series centred on the town of Barker. Like many others in that series, it’s hard to define by genre: not quite crime, not quite rural romance (particularly in this case), but not quite what you’d expect of a contemporary novel either.

Detective Dave Burrows, a recurring character and fan favorite, is again a part of the story, although the prime focus is elsewhere. Still, his approach to policework – ethical but balanced with compassion – is an important part of how things play out.

Sassi Stapleton is hurrying back to Barker to reach her critically ill grandmother. Sassi was raised by her grandparents after her mother all but abandoned her, and is desperate to reach what is likely to be her grandmother’s deathbed.

Her grandmother’s death sparks something of a family crisis. Her irascible grandfather is too unwell to be left alone, but doesn’t want to leave his home. Sassi has a job to return to, and her Uncle Abe has his hands full with the family farm and his own young family. And then Sassi’s mother Amber arrives, sowing discord and disruption.

McDonald writes with empathy and compassion about even the most unpleasant of characters. She brings readers to understand what motivates them even where you can’t endorse their actions. She often touches on issues of particular concern to more rural parts of Australia: notably farm succession, and what happens to members of the family who can’t stay on the family property.

This plot doesn’t hold a lot of surprises (unlike some of McDonald’s work), but was nevertheless absorbing. This is an interesting and generally appealing cast of characters dealing with problems many people will recognise.

I enjoyed this a great deal. McDonald is a very experienced writer, and she tells a good story in an entertaining way. She advances Dave Burrows’ personal story in a way that will engage new readers, while satisfying long time fans.

This is highly recommended for long term readers of the series – it offers everything you expect and want from the series. For new readers, it’s an accessible and entertaining way into an excellent series of novels.

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Voices in the Dark is a beautiful rural Australian family setting story with some dark twisty themes. Voices in the Dark is a standalone story that is a part of the Detective Dave Burrows series.

I loved getting to know Sassi Stapleton and her family. This story was filled with likeable and unlikeable characters, as well as reliable and unreliable characters too. It’s not very often you get a wide range of both.

My only gripe is more about the blurb, I was expecting the Grandfather’s abuse to be more prominent in the story, sadly it wasn’t mentioned until the last few chapters of the book. This is purely a personal preference rather than an issue with the actual book.

Overall it was a fantastic well written story and I look forward to reading the backlog of the Dave Burrows series.

Thank you Netgalley and Allen and Unwin for the digital copy of Voices in the Dark for reviewing purposes.

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I love Dave Burrows so much, this was a once sitting read, there was no way I was putting this one down till I got to the end, this is such a great story and takes in an issue that sadly is growing and it is done so well and Dave handles everything so well, I loved seeing Mia again and Kim and being in the town of Barker, another awesome read.

Sassie Stapleton grew up in Barker on a farm, bought up by her grandparents, she now is managing a feedlot in NSW, her uncle is now living on the farm with his young family and her loving grandparents are in a house in town, Pa has had a stroke and Granny is caring for him., Sassie gets a call from her uncle come home and quick her granny is unwell, but a kangaroo stops her from seeing her beloved granny.

Amber, Sassie’s mum moved away when Sassie was very young and is married and living in South Africa, she arrives home as well and the tensions are running high not only with Sassie but also Abe, Amber’s brother. The family need to organize care for Mr. Stapleton, Dave and Kim suggest a new woman n town Rasha she has moved from Sudan to make a better life for her two children, a meeting is held and Mr. Stapleton is very happy with Rasha but then suddenly he is found with bruising and is not communicating like he was, what has happened, who is hurting him and why?

Dave and Mia are called in, who could be hurting Pa, Sassie and Abe are beside themselves and then there is the missing items from the house, there is a lot of uncovering to do and the answers will shock the family. I loved this one from start to finish, the characters are so fabulous the story is well written and Dave has a few things happening in his personal life as well, more to come I am sure.

Thank you MS McDonald for another brilliant story, I look forward to the next book, I do highly recommend this one it is not to be missed.

My thanks to the publisher Allen & Unwin and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

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Sassi Stapleton and her dog Jarrah were on their way to Barker in South Australia, Sassi's home town, as her uncle Abe had called to say her granny was not well. He told her to "come now", so Sassi had, driving from New South Wales during the night. The accident happened when she was only an hour or so away from Barker, and when she regained consciousness, she found she was trapped upside down in her vehicle, with Jarrah whimpering somewhere beside her. Rescued and taken to the hospital, Sassi was shattered to learn her granny had lost her battle for life...

Detective Dave Burrows and his new constable, Mia, were at the accident scene, thankful there were very few injuries. Abe had given the overdue alert to Dave, and was grateful Sassi was found alive. When Amber, Sassi's estranged mother, arrived from South Africa for the funeral, she and Sassi stayed with Sassi's Pa, who had suffered a stroke a couple of years prior, and needed care. His inability to speak properly created problems, but soon Sassi was interpreting. But he needed fulltime care, and when they found Rasha, she was ideal in a carer's role. But who was hurting Mr Stapleton? The bruises appearing on him, the fear in his eyes devastated Sassi. Could they find the culprit?

Voices in the Dark is another exceptional story by Aussie author Fleur McDonald which I loved. Dave had a more minor role in this one, but he and his wife Kim, still featured. With well written characters, heartwarming moments mixed with some heartbreaking ones, all came together to form a suspenseful rural novel, written by an author who is a master of her genre. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Allen & Unwin for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

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What a beautiful read. I loved getting immersed in Barker and getting to know these amazing characters. There is tradegy in this book and I love watching the characters navigate these tough times. A fantastic read that represents country Australia well

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This is a great rural read and one that brings home the value of family, life and loss. It is a story of family, the good the bad and the ugly. And the rural South Australian setting is spot on.

This is a book about people and how they cope and deal with what life has to throw at them, past, present and future. I love the characters as they are people you can relate to and people you know. Love the secrets, the tension and the emotion is this book as it makes it so real.

A well written book that flows easily, with great characters and a story that will keep you reading.

Thank you NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

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Sassi Stapleton receives a call from her uncle Abe to say her grandmother Cora is unwell, Sassi and her dog Jarrah hop in her ute and start the long drive to Barker. Being a country girl Sassi knows it’s important to stop and have a break, stay alert and be on the lookout for kangaroos.

Sassi is less than an hour from Barker, when a roo jumps in front of her ute, she rolls down a steep embankment and she's trapped in her vehicle. Abe contacts Detective Dave Burrows he’s in charge of the Barker police station, he sends a search party, they find Sassi, luckily she’s not badly hurt and unfortunately her grandmother passed away and she didn't get to say goodbye.

Sassi was raised by her gran and pa, her mother Amber lives in South Africa, the family are shocked when she arrives and instantly the atmosphere become tense. Amber was only sixteen when Sassi was born, her relationship with her parents has been sporadic and she left Sassi with them when she was five.

After the funeral, it’s clear Mr. Stapleton needs proper in-home care, he had a stroke a few years ago, his speech is slurred and he can’t walk unaided. Abe runs the family farm, he’s married, has twins boys, he's the only male to take care of his fathers personal needs and he's too busy. Rasha moved to Barker from the city, she’s Sudanese, and she’s willing to be Mr. Stapleton's career. The family are really happy, Amber treats her like a maid and then they notice he has bruises.

An investigation into what’s happened to Mr. Stapleton begins, everyone is questioned, including Abe, his wife Renee, Sassi, Rasha and Amber. Detective Burrows looks into the case, he’s got years of experience under his belt, both Rasha and Amber seem uncomfortable and he has a pretty good idea of who’s not telling the truth and why.

I received a digital copy of Voices in the Dark from NetGalley and Allen & Unwin in exchange for an honest review. Fleur McDonald is one of Australia’s most popular and prolific rural fiction authors, I can understand why and her character Dave Burrows has featured in previous books and he's a legend.

I enjoy reading stories set in small Australian country towns, it has a character driven plot and I really liked Sassi, Abe and Renee, Dave and his wife Kim, Mia, Hamish the ambo, twins Jimmy and Harry and of course Jarrah. A story about long kept family secrets, unknown resentment, lies and greed. Solving the mystery of who's been hurting a defenseless Mr. Stapleton and it's a very low act and unanswered questions about Sassi's father. Five stars from me, I'm keen to read other books by Ms. McDonald and I highly recommend her latest novel.

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