“Mole Creek” is a twisty Australian thriller, novelist James Dunbar’s first venture into the genre. He’s produced a novel that will please many readers.
Journalist and true crime author Xander learns that his grandfather, a retired cop, has committed suicide in the small Tasmanian town of Mole Creek. But Xander doesn’t believe his grandfather would kill himself, and on arrival in Mole Creek, finds plenty of facts that he believes back up his theory.
The police don’t believe him, but plenty of people do seem to believe that Xander knows something – and want to shut him up about it. Xander’s search for the truth is punctuated with mysterious warnings, violence, and threats.
The novel crosses two timelines, modern Australia and Vietnam in the 1960s during what we call the Vietnam War. Both are evoked differently and strongly, and readers will have no difficulty seeing them as different times and places.
Xander was the only character I strongly engaged with, but to some extent, I think that was Dunbar’s intent. In keeping other characters a little too shallow for the reader to empathise with, he makes it all the harder for us to determine who’s on the side of good or evil.
Recent events in the US may cause some readers to feel that a central pillar of the unwound plot no longer has credibility – it certainly made me snort cynically! This is an unfortunate coincidence of timing. It still makes sense in the context of the novel.
The ending of the book may divide readers. As is common in the genre, multiple twists are piled on, in both the final action scenes and the quieter final unwinding and closing.
I’m on the fence; not every twist was credible to me, and the sheer number saved till close to the end made it harder to follow. But, on the other hand, you don’t want things to be too simple. A book that makes you think isn’t a bad thing.
Overall I enjoyed this and would recommend it to readers who like crime or spy thrillers.
ISBN: 978-1760688974
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading Mole Creek by James Dunbar. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
I’ve loved books for as long as I can remember, and I love sharing that joy.
I’ve been an avid reader for as long as I can remember, across all genres. There’s not much I won’t at least try. I’ve been an enthusiastic book reviewer for years. I particularly enjoy discovering writers new to me, and sharing good writing with others.
My career has included time spent writing and editing technical documents, but it’s fiction that really moves me. I’ve reviewed for a number of different outlets over the years, and have been a judge in literary competitions.
I’m now raising little bookworms of my own, which brings a whole new kind of joy to sharing books.
More of my reviews can be found on my review blog www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog .
Kept me guessing the whole way through. I loved this book. It’s not often I read a thriller and can’t figure out how it will end until the actual end. The twists and flashbacks between what happened to Pete in Vietnam and the present with his grandson kept the story moving and kept me engaged.
I really loved this story and all the twists and turns. At times it was hard to know who to trust which was great as I was kept guessing.
I was taken with the story that once I started reading I hated to put the book down when life got in the way. I finished it very swiftly and have put it aside4 to pass on to my daughter who loves books like this.
Its great to have stories set in Australia.
This book is an excellent read which keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Xander, Pete McAuslan’s grandson refuses to believe his grandfather has committed suicide. Xander is a journalist and true crime author and he starts his own investigation.
Pete, a retired Australian cop and Vietnam veteran has started to write his memoirs. They will contain secrets that he has never shared with his family.
Just what did happen 50 years age, that someone from Pete’s past will not stop at anything to prevent the truth from coming out.
Xander is in danger as he puts the pieces of the puzzle together, expose the truth and stay alive.
As well as the suspense and mystery, I found the historical aspect of the Vietnam War most interesting to read.
Mole Creek by James Dunbar (Echo Publishing) is a crime and espionage thriller. Although it is largely set in current time rural Tasmania, it also draws upon what went on in the Vietnam War, and the ongoing relationships that were made there.
Journalist and crime thriller author Xander McAuslan, receives the news that his grandfather Pete, a retired policeman and Vietnam Veteran has committed suicide, with disbelief. Local police are not interested in looking at what appears to be a straight forward suicide. So Xander travels to the small Tasmanian town of Mole Creek to investigate. Once there Xander uncovers a side of his grandfather that he never knew and a strange series of ‘coincidences’ emerge…
I found the dual settings of the story – current time Tasmania and Vietnam during the war – somewhat confusing at first, and the parade of characters( some central to the story, some not) in both environments hard to keep track of. However as the pace of the story quickened, so too did my ability to piece together what was and had gone on.
I enjoyed Mole Creek overall and despite some somewhat implausible situations (and lots of deaths) it had sufficient plot twists needed to keep me reading.
Thank you for allowing me to read “Mole Creek” by James Dunbar.
This book is set in dual times in rural Tasmania, sometimes reverting to the time of the Vietnamese war. Xander’s grandfather Pete served in the war and is a loner, until he dies. Xander believes his death was murder not suicide and sets out to prove it.
I enjoyed this book immensely.