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kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
4.0
When author Jonathan Macpherson sent me an ebook copy of OUTBACK CREED for review, it slipped a little down the queue as some pressing judging responsibilities got in the road. Having subsequently realised it was somewhere between a novella and novel in size, it snuck back in, as a palate cleanser / head clearing read was required.
Action packed, with a interesting idea at the core, OUTBACK CREED is well worth reading if you're a fan of action packed thrillers. The basic idea is that three lawyers, after a meeting in a small outback town, head out to a remote spot in the Kimberley region for a break before heading back to the big smoke. They certainly did not expect to be confronted by a young, local, Indigenous boy being held captive by a violent man who acts like he will kill anything and everything that tries to interfere.
Despite this, rescue young David these men do, and whilst Tom escapes with the boy, the others go in a different direction, trying to spread the trail to keep them safe and stay away from David's abductor and what turns out to be some unfortunate colleagues of his. It's during this mad scramble to get out of the bush and to safety that Tom discovers the original deal they were negotiating is just the tip of an enormous iceberg of corruption and nasty goings on.
OUTBACK CREED is about pace and action in the main. The threat is high, even in the early stages, as the reasons why all of this is occurring start out reasonably clearly, but become more involved, and more intertwined as it goes. To be fair, plot does get a little ropey in places, but the characters are strong, and the pace unrelenting, and often times, if plot is a little light on, the action will carry you through. Nothing a little editing and a little tweaking of transitions in particular couldn't sort out.
OUTBACK CREED does show a lot of promise though, and it's an excellent choice of subject matter. It's a good thriller tackling what should be a much bigger subject in Australia - local Indigenous peoples fighting to maintain their rights and land in the face of greed, corruption and a lot of breathtaking bastardry.
Action packed, with a interesting idea at the core, OUTBACK CREED is well worth reading if you're a fan of action packed thrillers. The basic idea is that three lawyers, after a meeting in a small outback town, head out to a remote spot in the Kimberley region for a break before heading back to the big smoke. They certainly did not expect to be confronted by a young, local, Indigenous boy being held captive by a violent man who acts like he will kill anything and everything that tries to interfere.
Despite this, rescue young David these men do, and whilst Tom escapes with the boy, the others go in a different direction, trying to spread the trail to keep them safe and stay away from David's abductor and what turns out to be some unfortunate colleagues of his. It's during this mad scramble to get out of the bush and to safety that Tom discovers the original deal they were negotiating is just the tip of an enormous iceberg of corruption and nasty goings on.
OUTBACK CREED is about pace and action in the main. The threat is high, even in the early stages, as the reasons why all of this is occurring start out reasonably clearly, but become more involved, and more intertwined as it goes. To be fair, plot does get a little ropey in places, but the characters are strong, and the pace unrelenting, and often times, if plot is a little light on, the action will carry you through. Nothing a little editing and a little tweaking of transitions in particular couldn't sort out.
OUTBACK CREED does show a lot of promise though, and it's an excellent choice of subject matter. It's a good thriller tackling what should be a much bigger subject in Australia - local Indigenous peoples fighting to maintain their rights and land in the face of greed, corruption and a lot of breathtaking bastardry.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
4.0
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.
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.
nickimags's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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!
Thanks to City Beach Books and NetGalley for the my digital copy via the NetGalley app.
Thanks to City Beach Books and NetGalley for the my digital copy via the NetGalley app.
gretel7's review against another edition
2.5
Love the remote outback Australian setting. Although the topic is important, I wasn't thoroughly engaged with the story or its characters.
thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
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 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.
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