REVIEW: What Have You Done? by Nicole Trope

What Have You Done? by Nicole Trope

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 5th October 2025

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Published: 17th October 2025

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

“What have you done, Juliet?”

The neighbours look on in shock as two stretchers are wheeled past gated homes on a quiet suburban street. Handcuffs are clipped on a young woman with fear in her face.

The Cordells were the perfect family. But now, in a beautiful home where happy photos line the walls and flowers adorn the dinner table, it looks like a daughter has killed her loving parents.

Everyone tuts and shakes their heads, saying there was always something strange about Juliet.

And one person watching from the sidelines has triumph in their eyes. Someone who knew this would happen all along.

As what really went on in the Cordell’s once-peaceful home starts to unravel, one thing becomes clear:

This perfect family had a big secret. And not everything is as it seems…

An absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller that will have you shocked at the twists and turns! Anyone who loves Lisa Jewell, Claire Douglas or Freida McFadden will be addicted.

MY THOUGHTS:

A perfect family...a terrible secret...

"What have you done?"

The words echo throughout the quiet suburban street as 21 year old Juliet is lead from the home she shares with her parents in handcuffs. Neighbours shake their heads in disbelief while others allude to knowing that she wasn't "quiet right" after her time away in "that place" - as if just mentioning it will somehow taint them by association. But all of them, whilst divided in their opinions, have their phones out capturing every moment of Juliet's parade from the house to the police car, each posturing that "they just won't believe this"!

Juliet is returned to the psychiatric facility, St Augustines, she was discharged from just three months before after attempting to take her own life. It was believed that she would recover in the loving arms of her family but the woman who returns is a shell of the one who left just months before. Her accusations of abuse fall on deaf ears as do her claims that "Adam promised to come back for me. He promised".

Juliet had studied ballet after falling in love with it during her first class as a child. She went on to become the female lead accompanied by her then boyfriend Benji as the male lead. But a tragic accident during rehearsal left her with an injury which would mean she would never dance again. Her life was over. Dancing was all she wanted to do and now that was cruelly taken from her. Juliet could see no way out and tried to end it all one night. Thus resulting in her stay at St Augustines.

It was during her therapy with psychiatrist Dr Choudry at the facility that Juliet recalled flashbacks of memories of her as a child. Memories of abuse; some vivid, some distant. But the memories are very real and Juliet's world is rock even more by the flashbacks and sudden realisation. She is discharged to the care of her parents albeit reluctantly as she no longer trusts them. She stays in her room and barely eats. She stops her medication, hating the feeling it gives her. She has no idea how to get through the rest of her life.

And then one morning, she meets Adam. Handsome, funny, charming Adam. And he listens to her. Really listens to her. They meet every morning at the coffee shop and walk in the nearby park, Adam sympathising with Juliet's situation. He is her lifeline; the one true constant in her life, though she keeps him secret from her family. She can no longer imagine a life without him. And then, he offers to help her.

But then everything unravels and Juliet finds herself back at St Augustines, her world fallen apart. No one listens to her claims. No one believes her about Adam. But he was real...wasn't he? Suddenly, Juliet isn't so sure anymore. He seemed so real; it all seemed so real. Her memories, the past and what happened. But now they are telling her that she did it all?

"What have you done?"

They keep asking her, probing her - trying to get the truth out of her. But she's told them the truth and they didn't listen. They didn't believe her. Why didn't they? It's not true...is it?

This is the kind of tale that will have you questioning everything. It is dizzying and emotional and incredibly frustrating. So many times I wanted to slap Juliet in the first half of the book that unfolds through her narrative. We get to live Juliet's life alongside her and see the world through her eyes and we believe it along with her. But then I began to doubt her and the reality of the situation. And I wanted to bang her head as I felt mine was being banged against a brick wall.

You will question everything you read. Is anything Juliet tells us real? Or is a figment of her imagination? Is she manipulating us or is she being manipulated? Do her parents really love her or is that just a lie? Or is everything she remembers just one big lie? She needs love, care and support so thank goodness for Adam, her one constant. But is he as he appears? No one knows who he is except Juliet so is he even real? Just as well she has Lacy, her nurse, back in St Augustines who lovingly cares for Juliet.

One thing is clear as you turn the final page of this claustrophobic thriller; that Nicole Trope is the master manipulator here, leading us down various pathways into the dark recesses as we desperately try to work out what's real and what isn't. She may have hoodwinked me for a good part of the story but I was a wake up to her methods and unravelled the tangled web she had woven for us so expertly.

My only complaint is there was one aspect that wasn't clarified in the end regarding the apparent "text and calls" between Adam and Juliet. I cannot say more without spoilers. But I drop a star for the slow and frustrating start that made me want to put it down so many times with Juliet's constant whining and claims that no one believed her. While we didn't know what to believe ourselves, the repetitive whining nature had me pulling my hair and made Juliet hard to like and sympathise with her. But I'm glad I stuck it out because Trope came back at us with full force in the second half that would have knocked this for a 5 star read alternatively.

Truly a thriller that messes with your head in a way that I thought only Alice Feeney and John Marrs could do.

I would like to thank #NicoleTrope, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #WhatHaveYouDone in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realised the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because-as her professor pointed out- ‘It’s not meant to be a story.’ She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters’ degree in Children’s Literature. After the birth of her first child she stayed home full time to write and raise children, renovate houses and build a business with her husband.

The idea for her first published novel, The Boy under the Table, was so scary that it took a year for her to find the courage to write the emotional story.

She is now published by Bookouture and is an Amazon top 100 bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS and CAN.

She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children.

Social Media links:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter SignUp | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

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REVIEW: The Therapist by Nicole Trope

The Therapist by Nicole Trope

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 8th August 2025

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Amazon

Published: 31st July 2025

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

Everyone thinks they can trust their therapist. We are good listeners. But what if we’re good liars, too?

The therapist: I love my job. People tell me their worries, their fears. Then Sandy becomes my patient. Something about her tears as she cries about her husband doesn’t feel right. But I tell her she can trust me. I promise to keep her secrets… for now.

The patient: I never should have married Mike. My head is a mess. All I want is for someone to listen. At least I can trust my therapist – she believes everything I say. And I’m going to show the world exactly what my dear husband is really like.

The husband: We used to be so happy. I just want my smiling, beautiful wife back. I was glad when Sandy signed up for therapy. But one day, Sandy doesn’t come home. I’m frantic. Then her therapist knocks on the door and says we need to talk… what has Sandy told her about our marriage?

Someone is missing. Someone is in danger. Someone is a liar. Who will you believe?

A completely unputdownable psychological thriller that will leave you not knowing who to trust, from million-copy bestseller Nicole Trope. Anyone who loves Shari Lapena or Lisa Jewell will be totally addicted!

MY THOUGHTS:

Good listener...good liar...?

Meet Lana. She's a therapist in private practice in Sydney's leafy suburbs and still bearing the emotional scars of her past. She was married to Oliver and together they had Iggy, now seven, until she discovered he was having an affair. Now he's married to a terminally happy and perfect woman named Becky. And Iggy adores her.

But she leaves her personal life behind when she comes to work. Although it's her personal life that has influenced the direction in which her professional life has taken as a therapist. After the tragedy of her past, she knew she wanted to help others better understand themselves and to help understand people better. She shares the practice with Ben, a psychologist from the UK. Everything is going smoothly until, against her better judgement, she takes on one of Ben's clients who has developed transference and is in complete and utter despair.

Meet Sandy. She comes to Lana on Ben's recommendation and confides that she is in a controlling and abusive marriage. She loves her husband but she doesn't love the way he lets his anger get the better of him. She just wants the husband she met and married back...before he hurts her, or worse - one of the children - Lila (5) and Felix (7).

Meet Mike. Sandy's husband is despair of his own. He cannot understand what is going on with his wife. One minute she's up, the next she's down. But either way she's always screaming or crying. He just wants his happy smiling wife back. He'll even go to therapy with her if it means it will help her.

And then Sandy disappears.

When Sandy doesn't show for her next appointment, Lana is worried. Sandy said something in the last session which gives her cause for concern now. She is certain her husband Mike knows more than he's letting on and against her better judgement (again) she goes around to Sandy's house to confront Mike and says that they need to talk. But Mike wonders what has Sandy said to her about their marriage. Surely she hasn't told her...everything?

Lana is caught in a tangled web of secrets, lies and uncertainty. She has crossed the boundaries between patient and therapist by turning up at her door but Lana finds herself questioning just exactly what is truth and what is fiction? She isn't sure what to believe anymore. And then the text message arrives.

"Help me Lana. I think he's going to kill me."

Lana knows whatever has happened, she needs to know that Sandy is safe. And Mike of course doesn't help himself by behaving just the way Sandy claims. It's a classic "he said/she said" with a complex twist. And Lana doesn't know what or who to believe.

Honestly, Mike and Sandy were a train wreck. But who do you believe? Lana has listened to them and watched them both and even she's confused, questioning her judgement as well as reality. What is truth and what is fiction? She can't quite tell. And Lana was a tough one to connect with. She didn't really open herself up at all so it was hard to know who she really was and how she was feeling or what she was thinking.

Like all of Trope's "tropes", this tale is multi-layered with tension and complexity, delving into psychological themes of trust and deception. The story was easily predictable but it didn't ruin it for me - it just wasn't completely surprising as we watch it unfold. Trope drip-feeds us little by little by the climax before pulling the rug out from under us to reveal what's really going on.

It was a slightly slower build than some of Trope's other offerings and I found both Lana and Sandy equally irritating that it was hard to slip into rhythm. But by the end, I had fairly enjoyed the ride. The ending was satisfactory though I would have liked to hear from that last final voice. When you read it, you will know what I mean. It would have been good to get that final perspective.

I would like to thank #NicoleTrope, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheTherapist in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realised the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because-as her professor pointed out- ‘It’s not meant to be a story.’ She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters’ degree in Children’s Literature. After the birth of her first child she stayed home full time to write and raise children, renovate houses and build a business with her husband.

The idea for her first published novel, The Boy under the Table, was so scary that it took a year for her to find the courage to write the emotional story.

She is now published by Bookouture and is an Amazon top 100 bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS and CAN.

She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children.

Social Media links:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter SignUp | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

  

REVIEW: Welcome to West Street by Nicole Trope

Welcome to West Street by Nicole Trope

Genre: Domestic thriller, Domestic Suspense

Read: 22nd April 2025

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Amazon

Published: 22nd April 2025

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

‘Welcome! I hope you’ll be happy here,’ I say, standing on the doorstep and holding out a freshly baked cake. Amanda smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes. The new arrivals to West Street clearly have secrets. But that’s okay. Because so do I…

Caroline twitches aside her curtains to see the new family moving in. A mother – beautifully dressed in expensive clothes – and two young children. Where is her husband, she wonders? And why are they moving in to the smallest house on the street? They really don’t seem the type.

But Caroline believes it’s important to be welcoming. It’s important to know everything that’s happening on West Street.

Amanda unpacks another box and breathes a shaky sigh. Her son is refusing to speak. Her daughter misses her friends. But we’re safe, Amanda tells herself. Her neighbour Caroline seems nice, if a little nosy. And most importantly, West Street is peaceful. Anonymous. Nobody knows who she is… do they?

But can Amanda really trust anyone on West Street? And can they trust her? Because when her secrets catch up with her…

Someone will go missing.

Someone will be taken away in handcuffs.

And someone, will die.

A totally addictive psychological thriller about a peaceful suburb where nothing is as perfect as it seems. Fans of Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena and The Perfect Marriage won’t be able to put this down.

MY THOUGHTS:

Welcome to West Street!

I'd heard mixed reviews of this one so I began with a sense of dread and trepidation - but I was pleasantly surprised! I began this book as I was cooking dinner and devoured it within hours. It is pure Nicole Trope, domestic suspense queen extraordinaire.

Amanda has been married to jewellery businessman Mike Caldwell for twelve years; first his mistress then his wife. Together they have two children - Jordan (11) and Keira (9) - and a huge sprawling house with everything she could ever want. Except maybe a husband who loves and respects her. But to Mike she is just a trophy he can take out and show off, whilst behind closed doors bending her to his will. His abuse is swift, stealthy and silent. No one but she knows of her terror. And the last thing she wants is her children finding out. They adore their father and she doesn't want to taint their image of him. Her only problem now is how to leave him. She's threatened him eleven times and each time he knew she would never follow through. After all, she knew what he would do to her if she tried.

So when she receives a text from an unknown number"

"You don't know me but I know you...Mike and I are in love..."

Amanda thinks this is her way out. She bides her time and waits for the perfect moment. It comes when Mike takes a week long buying trip to China for his business. Amanda wastes no time in packing their belongings - all the essentials and the things she has purchased in secret and kept in storage until this moment - loads the children into the car and drives the hour long distance to the place she has rented for them for six months. This will be the start of their new life. But what she doesn't realise is the danger she has brought to her door.

The moment Mike realises she has gone, leaving nothing but an envelope with divorce papers on his desk, she knows he will be livid. He has threatened her many times if she dared to leave him. But dragging the children from their life of privilege to a run down house that will be demolished in a few months, that has nothing of the mod cons they are used to, is a far cry their old life. She knows her children don't like the move but she is doing this for them. She doesn't want them to grow up with the shadow of that kind of abuse being acceptable. It isn't.

It isn't long before Amanda meets the other residents of the quiet cul-de-sac of West Street - queen bee Caroline who flutters over elderly Mary and mother of two Gemma. The women like the street the way it is and dislike disruption but welcome the family with open arms. However, not all is as it seems. Jordan is anything but happy about the move and makes it known not just to his mother but all the other neighbours as well, screaming his vitriol for all to hear before storming out which becomes a daily occurrence. This unsettles the residents and ruffles the feathers of their quiet little street. But there's a story lurking and the women are intent on uncovering Amanda's secrets and to be the friends she is sure to need.

But just how much is everyone hiding in this cul-de-sac? Can she trust them? Can they trust her? And just whose past is going to catch up with them before the last page?

Amanda didn't so much as drive to West Street as catch the crazy train there! This is one crazy ride from start to finish with plenty of drama, secrets, lies and deception. Oh, yes, it is a tad OTT but the entertainment factor kept me enthralled too much to care. Nobody is particularly likeable, including Amanda as you feel she is keeping something back though you aren't quite sure what. I didn't entirely warm to her and loathed her son Jordan who was a spoilt rich kid who had been used to daddy's creature comforts not to see past himself. Caroline was far too nosy for my liking though she came across as endearing that you forgave her that at first. Mary is somewhere in la la land and Gemma is just pure shifty. I knew she was hiding something from the beginning.

The story was pretty predictable from very early on and I had figured out pretty much all the twists - some even before they happened! But it didn't ruin my enjoyment of what was essentially an entertaining quick read that I devoured in the space of an evening.

Nicole Trope is one of my favourite authors and she never disappoints. I love how she brings Australia to life in her stories so I can relate to the climate she describes in her books as I live the steamy summers and mild winters all year round. And February definitely IS the hottest and steamiest month (even though it is the last month of summer here).

If you love a good domestic suspense with plenty of drama, secrets and whole load of bonkers, then you will enjoy this crazy ride for sure!

I would like to thank #NicoleTrope, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #WelcomeToWestStreet in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realised the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because-as her professor pointed out- ‘It’s not meant to be a story.’ She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters’ degree in Children’s Literature. After the birth of her first child she stayed home full time to write and raise children, renovate houses and build a business with her husband.

The idea for her first published novel, The Boy under the Table, was so scary that it took a year for her to find the courage to write the emotional story.

She is now published by Bookouture and is an Amazon top 100 bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS and CAN.

She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children.

Social Media links:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter SignUp | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

  

REVIEW: Death Row at Truro by Geoff Plunkett

Death Row at Truro by Geoff Plunkett

Genre: True crime

Read: 12th April 2025

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Amazon

Published: 3rd August 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars 

DESCRIPTION:

Innocent young women, a sadistic serial killing duo and … the true story as revealed by the lead detective.

Australia’s most prolific serial sexual killers met in prison. They were a complete Christopher Worrell, the charismatic psychopathic youngster; and James Miller, the older and socially awkward loner. For Miller, it was love at first sight. They developed an ominous sexual bond – proving that opposites can attract – and then kill.

Once free, the inseparable tag team slayed as many people as notorious Australian serial killer Ivan Milat. Whereas Milat took a year to murder seven victims, the duo achieved the same in seven short weeks… the last four killed in only six days. 

The frenzied carnage only stopped when Worrell died in a car accident. So ended the life of Australia’s own BTK. Like America’s Dennis Radar, Worrell bound, tortured and killed – because he could.

Revealed for the first time is the full account of the victims, the serial killers and the lead detective, a relentless investigator who broke the silence of the surviving murderer, the only person who knew the full truth... But was Miller's truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

MY THOUGHTS:

Seven women murdered...two depraved men...seven short weeks...

I had not even heard about the deaths at Truro until channel 7 aired their Crime Investigation Australia episode "The Killing Fields of Truro"...and suddenly, my eyes were opened to one of our worst serial killing sprees in our nation's history.

I'll not lie, Christopher Worrell was good-looking, appealing and very easy on the eye for day - mid-70s. I am not surprised he was able to attract and lure seven innocent teenagers to climb into a car with him and James Miller, and to their respective fates. Look at Ted Bundy, one of the most famous serial killers the world has ever seen. He was just like Worrell. He had charm, charisma and he was good-looking and appealing. He was a chameleon. That is what makes psychopaths so dangerous - their ability to assimilate and blend in, seemingly harmless and charismatic.

I've read quite a few true crime books and I like how this one presents the facts as they were told at the time and then addresses the facts as the previous statements made by Miller were debunked. He begins with an introduction to the killings in a brief summary of facts before leading into the untimely death of Worrell, thus ending the killing rampage. By this stage, no one even knows there had been any killings. And Miller,as the lone survivor, certainly wasn't saying anything.

Plunkett then moves onto the discovery of the bodies in the order in which they were found. The findings were shocking and lead detectives to uncover a murderous killing spree that only ended with the death of one of the duo. He then examines Worrell then Miller respectively before moving onto the seven week spree in which the murders occurred. But the presentation was based on Miller's respresentation, as he was the only surviving informant. After Worrell's death, Miller's downward spiral is evident - which was in direct contrast to the statements he had given police. But again, he was the only survivor. They could only take him at his word. Or could they?

The author the introduces the police into the mix before the murders and leading up to and ultimately the discovery which then put Truro on the map. One Detective Sergeant's doggedness, psychology and empathetic determination lead them to a conviction that was too little too late but better than nothing.

Plunkett then retells the killings of each of the girls through facts determined through clever detective work and the elimination of false facts, thus debunking what the police had initially been told and the public been lead to believe.

And yet despite the discovery of his depraved killing spree, Worrell was still being remembered by some as "a gentle and sensitive soul". Even his gravestone bears the epitaph "untold love and joy he brought to all". I think his victims would disagree with those two statements. The location of his final resting place is published on FindAGrave.com with people even now, as recent as a week ago, leaving RIP messages. It beggars belief. And yet, Plunkett delves further into what makes a psychopath a psychopath. He even goes as far as to say that he wasn't a monster, as those monikers do nothing to help understanding why people like Worrell or Bundy do what they do. They were simply human beings that were either wired wrong and the product of their environments. To truly understand why they do what they do, one really has to study human psychology...though it is far more difficult for most people to even comprehend. However, it really says something if the mother of one of the murdered girls stands up and says that she forgives him.

This is a detailed account of one of Australia's worst cases in history and yet it is done so with empathy and sensitivity. I actually read this in a day and is one of the best accounts without all the faff and padding. It presents the facts (Miller's account versus what really happened), the lives of the girls and who they were and the outcome. All without the dramatisation.

It goes without saying that Worrell would have continued killing had he himself not been killed that night. But Miller was not the innocent party he claimed to be. Plunkett shows that through facts and transcripts and catches Miller out in his lies.

If you're a true crime fan, then you won't want to pass this one up. It's shocking but empathetic.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Geoff Plunkett is a researcher and historian at the Department of Defence, Australia. An expert in chemical warfare, he has written multiple official histories, including Death by Gas, a devastating expose of military deceit. Recent books include Let the Bums Burn which recounts Australia's deadliest building fire in 1966 of Melbourne's William Booth Memorial Home for destitute and alcoholic men, and The Whiskey Au Go Go Massacre, an examination of the cold case 1973 nightclub fire which was based on exclusive access to the original murder investigative files. 

'Death Row at Truro' has been shortlisted for Australia's 2023 Ned Kelly best true crime award (Australian Crime Writers Association).

His work has featured in all major newspapers, on radio and TV.

Goodreads | Amazon

REVIEW: The Talented Mrs Greenway by Tea Cooper

The Talented Mrs Greenway by Tea Cooper

Genre: Historical, Colonial History, Fact with Fiction, Australia

Read: 21st January 2025

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Amazon

Published: 1st November 2023

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

From a bestselling Australian author, this compellingly realised novel brings to life the story of an enigmatic figure, wife to feted colonial architect Francis Greenway, and asks, whose hand really shaped Sydney? Who is the talented Mrs Greenway?

1814 Sydney:When Mary Greenway, freshly arrived from the old country, steps into the maelstrom of Sydney Town with three children at her skirts, she has high hopes of a new beginning, despite having little money and a husband in irons. After all, the sudden death of her sadistic first husband has meant freedom from her gilded cage and Francis Greenway is an architect of some promise, under the protection of Admiral Phillip himself.

Mary herself is a woman of great resources and an even greater creative passion, a passion that will surely burn through anything that the filthy, burgeoning, vitality of colonial Sydney can throw at her. Soon ensconced in a tiny cottage in George Street, Mary sets about moulding a life for her family from the unpromising clay of this new colony, with a determination fired in equal parts by guilt for her disastrous past action that nearly brought ruin to them all and desire to see her true calling realised.

When she is befriended by Elizabeth Macquarie it seems that fate is smiling on them with the promise of a better life in her grasp. But fate is a difficult mistress and with past secrets to keep, and current betrayals on the brink of discovery, the stakes are higher than ever. With Mary's grip on this new life slipping, will her past lies come back to haunt her?

MY THOUGHTS:

I came across this book at the nursing home my father is in and thought it sounded interesting with a story based on fact and real people woven into the fabric of our colonial history. I've not read Tea Cooper before but after enjoying this tale I am certainly interested in reading more by her.

Mary Greenway was the little known wife of convict architect Francis Greenway, whose many structures still stand today over 200 years later. So little was known about his wife that the author was fascinated by her and the role she played as Mrs Greenway. But of course, she didn't begin as Mary Greenway. Her story begins in an arranged married to a brute of a man, Captain James Fripp, who viewed his wife's sole purpose in life was to produce him with an heir and a spare and yet after several years of marriage she hadn't even managed that. He spent more time away from the stunning home in Bath her father had built for his daughter in memory of her mother, squandering her father's wealth with his lavish lifestyle.

She first met young Francis Greenway when he came to the house to discuss some plans for extension with her husband, who had forgotten the appointment and was not there to meet him. Mary, however, spent an entertaining time with Mr Greenway discussing their shared interests in architecture and design. But her husband disagreed with Greenway's vision and thus tore up their handshake agreement and refused to pay him for the designs he had already made. When Mary finally produced an heir in young George, Fripp soon lost interest and it was when she was pregnant with her second child that Fripp suddenly dies in a tragic (but rather fortuitous) accident.

Upon hearing of Fripp's demise, Greenway pays Mary a condolence visit and thus hears of the difficulties he had with her husband. Mary shares Greenway's vision and offers to sponsor him but then she learns of the dire financial straits Fripp had left them in, squandering her inheritance and requiring the sale of her beloved home her father had loving built her. Greenway's business falls into bankruptcy and upon declaring his love for Mary, the couple marry but their financial woes are far from over.

Francis adores Mary but he can be arrogant and stubborn, so when a client also refuses to honour their contract, Francis tears the place apart searching for his copy to produce as evidence of their agreement. When he does so, he is then arrested for and convicted for forgery of the said document. As forgery is a hanging offence, he is sentenced to death but only through the social influence of certain people saves him from the gallows and he is transported for a term of 14 years to the Colony of New South Wales where he will be given the position of government architect under Governor Lachlan Macquarie.

Devastated by the sentence but relieved he will not hang, Mary determines that she and her sons will follow Francis out to the colony to make a life there as free settlers. The sea journey is tough and upon arrival at Sydney Town there are yet even more challenges. Mary soon learns to navigate the rough and ready streets of the colony, discovering unwritten rules as well as tensions that arise. But her unexpected friendship with Elizabeth Macquarie, wife of Lachlan Macquarie, soon proves to be an advantage through his designs as the government's architect and his ticket of leave as a convict. Sharing her love of architecture with Elizabeth, Mary finds that her ideas are soon incorporated into many of Francis' designs that become peppered throughout the colony and beyond.

Tea Cooper delivers a wonderful engaging story that weaves fact with fiction in this tale of the little known Mary Greenway with the sights, sounds and smells of colonial Australia. From the affluent cities of Bath and Bristol to the primitive colony of Sydney, Cooper paints a vivid picture of the undeveloped primeval dusty streets littered with sewage and rats to the hot and humid climate so foreign to that which she was familiar with. She also depicts Francis as hot headed and sometimes arrogant, clashing with his superiors in defence of what he terms as "his art" whilst the strength behind the man responsible for so many of Sydney's earliest buildings was that of his wife Mary. The talented Mrs Greenway.

The title comes directly from the words of her husband Francis, published in the Sydney Monitor after her death as "the mild unobtrusive but talented Mrs Greenway".

A light read that is as delightful as it is captivating. I devoured it in a day and I think historical fiction fans will enjoy. The author's historical notes at the end also made for interesting reading as well which helped to make sense of her depiction of Mary Greenway and what endeavoured to be her story.

Map of Sydney Town in 1824 during the Greenway's time

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Téa is an established Australian author of contemporary and historical fiction. In a past life she was a teacher, a journalist and a farmer. These days she haunts museums and indulges her passion for storytelling. She is published by HQ, a division of HarperCollins, in Australia and New Zealand and since 2020 by Harper Muse in North America.

For many years writing remained the stuff of fantasy. Her family, a herd of alpacas, a protea farm and a full time teaching job kept her occupied until one day she decided it was time to do or die. No more procrastination. The characters and plots that had lived in her head for so long were clamouring to escape.

In August 2011 Tea joined Romance Writers of Australia and her debut novel The Horse Thief was published in November 2015. She  she has become enmeshed in twisty historical mysteries that mix fact and fiction. 

Tea is a member of the Historical Novel Society of Australasia, The Australian Society of Authors, and Sisters in Crime. She is currently working on her next historical mystery. 

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REVIEW: Hannah by Raymond W. Clarke

Hannah by Raymond W. Clarke

Genre: Historical, Colonial History, Fact with Fiction, Australia

Read: 19th January 2025

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Amazon

Published: 3rd July 2011

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Hannah is based on the life story of Hannah Stanley, a convict woman who is sentenced to death for Grand Theft before her sentence is commuted to transportation for life to New South Wales.

She survives the brutality and filth of English prisons and the long six months in the convict ship Canada before arriving in Sydney Cove in September 1810.

After many adventures in the wilderness of the early colony, she raises a large family and takes a rightful place in the society of the new world.

She never again saw the shores of England but learnt to love the beauty and the uniqueness of the Australian bush.

MY THOUGHTS:

This book has been sitting on my kindle for some years and I finally decided to check it out yesterday. It's a quick read, having devoured it easily in a day. 

The story of Hannah Stanley/Clarke is based on facts on the life of the author's great great grandmother who, ostracised from her own family in Kent, took up a maid's position nearby. Influenced by her fellow maidservant Hannah Porter, the pair attempted to steal some clothing from their employer with the intention of selling it on. But having been caught, the two Hannahs were arrested and convicted for grand theft and up before the visiting justice of the Kent Assizes and thus sentenced to death. Their sentences were later commuted to transportation to New South Wales, Australia for life and thus began their journey.

We follow Hannah's stay in Maidstone Prison and then on the Prison Hulk before boarding the convict transport ship Canada for the long six month sail to Sydney Cove. Upon arrival, the convicts are then subject to a selection process during which each are selected - by age, appearance and ability - as servants to landowners or the like to work out their sentences. The remaining are sent up the river to the Female Factory in Parramatta. Hannah was given the latter due to her "condition", a result from the voyage across the seas.

Hannah, and her partner in crime Hannah P, befriended a young Irish lass on the journey over named Rosie O'Donaghue who was barely 14. She was fortunate enough to be granted a kind landowner to work for whom she later married. Hannah P. continued to be feisty which landed her in a world of trouble. She was selected for work in Sydney Town at the ouset but after an altercation with an officer she was sent to Newcastle. Hannah was sent up river to the Female Factory where she befriended Sarah. After a year in the Factory she was granted a Ticket of Leave supported by the local vicar who became her sponsor and she lived with them at their home in Parramatta for the next three years before returning to Sydney Town to seek out her friends. Having a Ticket of Leave gave the convict some freedom in which they could move around freely and earn a small wage but they had to remain in the area, seeking approval to move to another area. Hannah had to gain approval to return to Sydney Town with a job and lodgings already lined up before it was granted.

In Sydney Town, she met Daniel Clarke who remembered her from the selection process upon her arrival four years before. He had never forgotten her and was thrilled to happen upon her again. A seaman by vocation he was prepared to give it all up for Hannah, marry her and raise a family. But their path to marriage was not an easy one, thwarted by an officer who had his sights on Hannah. a convicts required permission to marry. But with references and a close friend of Macquarie on side, their path to marriage was paved and the couple settled on the Hawkesbury, South Creek near Windsor, where they remained for many years raising their family. 

The story continues following their move to the Southern Highlands where Hannah bore four more children and rasied them until her sudden death. There is a summary of the family with a short description of Hannah, Daniel and each of their children detailing their births, marriages and the ages they lived till. The book ends with an epilogue of the author visiting Hannah's grave in Suttons Forest, where she lived out her remaining days.

Based on fact, the author has given embellishment through detail and dialogue without really knowing what exactly transpired and thus giving Hannah a good life, if not an easy one, here in Australia. I have always been fascinated by Australia's colonial past and how the town and places I know and frequent were once penal colonies, built on the blood, sweat and tears of many many convicts that came to our shores.

There was a discrepancy in the facts of this story (and it is a big one). In the book, Hannah is sent up the river to the Female Factory in Parramatta BUT the Female Factory wasn't built until 1817 and not opened until 1821 by which time Hannah and Daniel were already married and living in South Creek near Windsor with their children. Hannah was said to have been there in 1810 which is impossible as it wasn't built yet and the architect who designed it, Francis Greenway, hadn't yet been transported. All female prisoners were sent to Parramatta Gaol where they were housed until the Female Factory was opened. I feel as though the author should have known this.

I would have loved to have rated this book higher but I feel it could have benefitted from better editing as there were many typos and scenes seemed to change mid-paragraph without any break or warning. It made it hard to follow at first and having just a simple embellishment to break between scenes would have made it much easier to follow. But that aside, it was an easy read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

An enjoyable journey into Australia's convict past and tribute one of the women who birthed an entire generation and thensome as a result of her petty crime which saw her transported for life.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Raymond W Clarke was born in Sydney and is the author of material for the Australian Government archives, five novels and two non-fiction books. As a lover of early history, his articles have been published in a variety of magazines, journals and newspapers. He served in the Australian Army for nine years and travelled extensively as a Radar Senior Technical Officer with the Australian Government as a Supervisor of major electronic installations.

He lives in Brisbane, Australia and welcomes reviews and feedback on all his work. 

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REVIEW: The Pick-Pocket's Plight by Lindsey Hutchinson

The Pick-Pocket's Plight (The Pick-Pocket Series #2) by Lindsey Hutchinson

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas

Read: 19th January 2025

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Amazon

Published: 25th October 2024

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

They only had each other – now they’re being torn apart.

When thirteen-year-old Bertram Jordan is arrested and sent to a penal colony in Australia, his biggest regret is leaving behind his friend Alice Truelove. The children were each other’s comfort when they had to live rough on Wednesbury heath, surviving on whatever meagre funds they could pilfer from passing market-goers. Now they must face their futures alone.

While BJ is learning to survive and then thrive on a cattle ranch in Fremantle, surrounded by the hundreds of other men and boys who have been shipped from England, Alice is making her own way in the poverty-stricken Black Country. When a stroke of good fortune means that Alice can start her own business, she cunningly disguises her young age, and before long has established a thriving bakery. As her business grows, so do her responsibilities, and Alice relishes the opportunity to help those who helped her when she was down.

But every night as Alice and BJ rest their heads on opposite sides of the world, both go to sleep with the same last thought. Will they ever see each other again?

The Queen of Black Country sagas is back with a fascinating tale of bravery, forever friendship, heartbreak and joy. Perfect for all fans of Katie Flynn, Val Wood and Lyn Andrews.

MY THOUGHTS:

Will she ever see the boy who saved her again?

When BJ, Bertram Jordan, is sentenced to seven years transportation to Australia, his biggest regret (and worry) is leaving behind his friend Alice. An adept pick pocket, BJ took Alice under his wing when the pair lived rough on the Wednesbury streets, setting up camp on the heath ans surviving on the meagre funds they could pilfer and scavenging in the market.

But now, BJ was gone. And Alice must face the near future without him. At first, taken in by the Greens who always took pity on the pair, giving them leftovers from their bakery so that they wouldn't go hungry, Alice came to look at them as the parents she didn't have. They picked up where BJ left off and began teaching her how to bake. Until one night a fire tragically destroyed their bakery and claimed the lives of Alice's new found mentors. Alice went back to what she knew - pilfering and pick-pocketing. Until a surprising find offers her new hope.

Now Alice runs a small bakery on Russell Street, employing a family as sale assistants and cleaner as well as a couple of bakers. So successful does her business become that she finds herself having the means to buy new premises to open a second bakery, thanks to her "savings" found from her pick-pocketing days. Going from strength to strength, Alice can barely keep up the demand and begins looking for a third larger premises. But is she biting off more than she can chew? Would it be the success her other two are?

Meanwhile in Australia, BJ is well into his seven year sentence serving on a cattle station out of Fremantle. The owner of the station, Mac, is a fair man and sees a potential in BJ taking him under his wing and training him up for bigger things. Soon the uneducated boy from the Black Country finds himself getting an education, learning to read and write and overseeing the hundreds of convicts on Mac's land. The boy is whip-smart, coming up with some good ideas which bode well for not only Mac, but the rest of the convicts under his watch.

Though it's been four years since he left England, neither BJ nor Alice have forgotten the other. Both continually write full of news of their plights while each are secretly counting down to when BJ gets his Certificate of Freedom. But what then? BJ has made a life for himself in Australia. He enjoys the work and Mac is like a father to him. He longs to return to Alice but what will that mean for him?

Another heartwarming easy read from Lindsey Hutchinson. I loved it from beginning to end. I found I slipped back into BJ and Alice's story with such ease and though I didn't want to leave, it ended all too soon. I look forward to the third book which I'm sure will be equally endearing.

As this is the second book and follows on from the first, I recommend you read "The Pick Pocket Orphans" first. BJ and Alice are to warm your hearts.

I would like to thank #LindseyHutchinson, #Netgalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #ThePickPocketsPlight in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lindsey Hutchinson was born and raised in Wednesbury, West Midlands and is a bestselling saga author whose novels include The Workhouse Children. Tying up the manuscripts for her her mother, the multi-million selling Meg Hutchinson, rekindled her love for storytelling and it seems she was always destined to follow in her footsteps.

Lindsey lives in Shropshire with her husband and Labrador, loves to read and enjoys photography.

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