Paula’s debut novel, Daughter of the Hunter Valley was a wonderful colonial adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed. Therefore I was excited to see Paula venture once more to Australia’s rugged past, providing us with yet another heroine to cheer for. Among the Grey Gums takes factual aspects from our past such as women who were bullock drivers to bushrangers and weaves an adventurous tale from life in colonial Australia.

For a trip to the past when life on the land was often harsh and unforgiving, Paula provides us with a heroine to cheer for. It is a must read for fans of rich Australian historical dramas with added elements of mystery, crime and a little romance.

Among The Grey Gums is set near Maitland north of Sydney in 1842. This is a fabulous historical romantic suspense with a plot that kept me guessing to the end. I admired Lucy Stewart, a bullocky and small lot farmer, who is struggling to eke out a living for herself and her simpleton brother-in-law Joe. It’s not clear at first where her husband is though it is very clear that he hasn’t been around to help for some time. I loved Lucy’s inner strength and resolve to keep going in the face of adversity and her determination to stand on her own two feet. Constable Samuel Donovan of the NSW Mounted Police is immediately recognisable as an upstanding and dedicated officer, keen to find the infamous Smokey Gang and bring them to justice. I loved watching him and Lucy grow together while they jointly worked to save Joe from the gallows. The characters in this story help to set the scene and it was easy to imagine the hardships and deprivations that people faced in country Australia at that time. This story is filled with twists and kept me reading as fast as I could go. I’m definitely putting this one on my keeper shelf.

In 1842 Lucy Stewart was returning to her bullock dray which was loaded with goods, expecting to find her brother-in-law Joe Stewart with the beasts, but he and the dray were gone. The drunken Reg Clancy could only say he'd left, heading to her next destination. When she found Joe, he was in the lockup, accused of murder and the dray was being unloaded by a group of unruly men. When Constable Sam Donovan arrived at the lockup, having been sent from Sydney to find and put an end to the Smokey Gang - bushrangers who had terrorised the community of Morpeth and surrounds for years - he immediately detected something wrong with the two men supposedly in charge of the lockup. Their actions were suspicious to say the least. Sam had a job to do - now he also had to find the real killer before Joe was hanged...

Lucy was an independent young woman, and although running the bullocks was generally a man's job, she had bills to pay; a mortgage to reduce. Her husband couldn't help her now, so it was up to her. She was also determined to find the young woman's killer so asking questions around the farms and properties drew the attention of the men she needed to stay clear of. Would she and Sam find who they were searching for before it was too late?

Among the Grey Gums is another excellent historical novel by Aussie author Paula J. Beavan which I thoroughly enjoyed. Sam (strong and determined) and Lucy (skittish, caring and frightened to trust) as well as Joe (filled with childlike innocence) and Bill (a genuinely good bloke), were great characters and made the setting of the Hunter Valley back in 1842 come together. With bushrangers, corruption, lies and secrets to wade through, it was a wonder the good guys had any success! Among the Grey Gums is an intriguing historical mystery which captivated me from the beginning. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

What an exhilarating trip down colonial Australia lane with Paula J Beavan at the wheel in her new novel Among the Grey Gums! It is a fierce adventurous tale with so many twists, obstacles and surprises it kept me on my toes driving through a minefield of events! I felt truly transported to the 1842 Bushranger era, riding along-side Lucy caught up in her dilemmas and hoping Sam would appear at the right moments. My own nerves were rattled reading about the murder and threats and wanted to hide in my dreams from the notorious Smokey Gang! I was holding my breath when Lucy and others were challenged and threatened by this unusual band of thieves and killers.

Lucy, a bullock driver, is a strong and determined woman who is tired of men telling her what she can and cannot do. Her drive for independence sometimes runs interference with Constable Sam, the man who is trying to help free her brother-in-law from hanging for a crime he and others do not believe he has committed. The chase is on against time, elusive criminals and crooked men in high places. In the process of uncovering the evidence they need for Joe’s acquittal, Lucy discovers much about her husband, her own heart and how to conquer the battles she must face.

There are many colourful supporting characters that round out this wonderfully spun historical mystery. The pacing is perfect, the tension continuous, the plot complex and the setting believable. Paula has done her research remarkably well and from it constructed a solid framework for a fantastic story that pulled me in rapidly and never let me go! This is an excellent highly polished delivery that I enjoyed immensely and highly recommend.

There is also a surprise romance that adds another delightful layer of glue that pulls it together even tighter. Sam is a great lead character along-side Lucy and, in many ways, her glorious match. Of course, I cannot forget the adorable animals who also played important parts! I won’t say anymore or spoil the journey for other readers but grab this book, throw on a blanket, set by a crackling fire with your hot chocolate and enjoy the exhilarating goose-bump-ride! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many thanks to HQ and Netgalley for the review copy.

A few years ago I was offered the chance to read author Paula Beavan’s first book DAUGHTER OF HUNTER VALLEY which was set in 1830s Hunter Valley. I jumped at the chance to read it because the Hunter was my stomping ground in my teens. I really enjoyed it, so didn’t hesitate to read this one, which is also set in the Hunter but in the 1840’s

Paula, is a local Hunter resident and really knows her stuff, and while I wasn’t alive then (and neither was the author) I recognised many of the places mentioned. My ancestor’s were pioneers and were arriving in the Hunter around this time so they could have been part of the history of this setting.

So, our heroine is Lucy and she drives her husband’s transport team of bullocks which pull a dray. The book opens with her team and brother-in-law, Joe, missing and she soon tracks them down and finds that Joe has been arrested for the murder of a well to do woman. Lucy knows Joe is incapable of doing such a thing, he is childlike with a gentle soul, and, luckily for her, she meets Constable Sam Donovan. Sam has been sent to the Hunter Valley to investigate possible police corruption under the guise of looking into the local bush ranger, the Smokey Gang, who have been stealing things unimpeded. When Sam meets Joe Stewart, he immediately believes he's innocent and he's determined to find the real killer. Who he is suspicious of is the local Chief Constable and Magistrate who are thoroughly unpleasant people. But it’s not a criminal offence to be unpleasant, so proof is required.

Lucy and Sam work together to save her brother-in-law but it is not smooth sailing, there is danger, suspense, murder and the mystery of Lucy’s husband to solve before all the loose ends are tied and good triumphs over evil.

I utterly recommend AMONG THE GREY GUMS - and go back and read her first one as well - though both set in the Hunter Valley they are stand alone stories.

I love a good Australian historical and Paula J Beavan has not disappointed, this is her second book and it is absolutely brilliant, I loved the characters, the setting the author has taken me back to this time in history with a true telling of how it was and how a woman runs a bullock team, life is hard but Lucy Stewart never gives in, come along and meet her and the wonderful characters, good and bad, this one was very hard to put down.

It is 1842 in The Hunter and Lucy Stewart and her young brother in law Joe are working hard to make ends meet with their bullock team and dray and then life turns upside down when young Joe is accused of murder, Lucy knows he is innocent and will go to any lengths to prove it.

Constable Sam Donovan is sent to the area to investigate the bushrangers known as the Smokey gang, who have been operating for a couple of years now and the local constabulary have no clues as to who they are, when he arrives what he finds is a young man being held on murder charges and some dubious men unloading a dray and a woman who says that it is her property.

Sam is convinced young Joe is innocent and that there is more going on here than first thought, he and Lucy are soon working as a team to uncover the truth to save Joe from the hangman’s noose but soon are sure that the Smokey Gang are somehow connected, danger lurks at every turn and with the gang after Lucy now Sam is determined to keep Lucy safe.

Lucy has secrets that her and Joe must keep to themselves she also finds it very hard to trust, but as her and Sam are spending a lot more time together getting to the bottom of what is going on, maybe it is time to tell him and learn to trust, and what they uncover will shock them cover-ups, corruption and so much more but will they find love and happiness along the way? Will they uncover the Smokey Gang?

This is such an awesome story I loved it so much, Lucy is such a strong determined woman and Sam how fabulous is he and then there is Joe the boy man with the kind heart and then animals that also add so much to the story, the bullocks, Ramses the horse, Splinter the dog.

Paula J. Beavan is one of my favourite authors now with two fabulous books and I do look forward to many more to come, I highly recommend this one, it is a must read for any lovers of a good Australian historical that has mystery, crime a fabulous setting and romance as well, the ending is awesome.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review

Lucy is running her business with her brother in law Joe. But when Joe is accused of a crime, Lucy feels it necessary to find the truth.

She is fortunate to have the help of the new Police Officer Sam, who is wanting to help Lucy and Joe and find the truth to the bush rangers who are causing trouble in their sleepy little settlement.

But things aren’t as easy as it seems, with lots of misadventures causing both Joe and Lucy to rely on Sam for help.

I received this book from #netgalley for free for an honest review.

Lucy Stewart lives in the Hunter Valley, in the Colony of New South Wales and she’s running her husband’s transport business using a bullock team and a three wheeled dray. She can’t believe it when her brother-in-law Joe, a gentle soul is accused of murder and it makes no sense.

Constable Sam Donovan has been sent to Batley to investigate possible corruption, he meets Joe Stewart and he believes he's innocent and he's determined to find the real killer. Two people he doesn’t think are trustworthy, are Magistrate Martin and Chief Constable Black and he’s sure their attitude towards the case is the reason Joe's in lock-up and waiting for a hearing.

Lucy is an independent person, she runs their small farm, harnesses the bullock team, keeps them moving and makes deliveries. Lucy hates asking for help, however she will do anything to get Joe out of the lock-up, and she needs Sam's assistance. The Smokey Gang has been operating in the area for a couple of years, the bushrangers ambush Lucy and threaten her. Together they need to solve the mystery of who's the real the killer, are they linked to The Smokey Gang and what are they doing with the stolen goods?

I received a copy of Among the Grey Gums by Paula J. Beavan from Harlequin Australia and NetGalley for an honest and unbiased review. I enjoy authentic and well written Australian fiction, Ms. Beavan makes you feel like you’re in New South Wales in 1842, the language and sayings are appropriate for the time and so is the plot. I could easily picture in my mind the dense scrub, gum trees and spookiness of the uncleared bushland. Based around true facts of women who were bullock drivers, gangs of bushrangers and life in colonial Australia.

The story has elements of suspense, mystery, danger, secrets, blackmail and combine this with Lucy's determination and never give up attitude and it's a believable scenario. The characters make the narrative, I really liked Lucy and Sam, Joe and Bill Wright, Sophia and George Harcourt, Splinter Lucy’s dog and Sam’s horse Ramses.

Five stars from me, Lucy got on with things without making a fuss and she’s a strong person and Sam Donovan is a swoon worthy hero and he made my heart flutter. I highly recommend Among the Grey Gums and the author's debut novel Daughter of the Hunter Valley.