June 2023 Releases - Other

When I research the list of UK/Translated titles coming out I often stumble across titles of interest which are from other English speaking countries. Here are some that piqued my interest from June. Do let me know if you've read any of them and what you thought.

[Blurbs & Covers from Amazon]

Agatha Christie in Space?

The Launch Party by Lauren Forry (US)

THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME. YOU'D DIE TO BE THERE.

Ten lucky people have won a place at the most exclusive launch event of the century: the grand opening of the Hotel Artemis, the first hotel on the moon. It's an invitation to die for. As their transport departs for its return to Earth and the doors seal shut behind them, the guests take the next leap for mankind.

However, they soon discover that all is not as it seems. The champagne may be flowing, but there is no one to pour it. Room service is available, but there is no one to deliver it. Besides the ten of them, they are completely alone.

When one of the guests is found murdered, fear spreads through the group. But that death is only the beginning. Being three days' journey from home and with no way to contact the outside, can any of the guests survive their stay?

We're seeing lots of Australian writers doing well in the UK. I've added this one to my wishlist.

Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor (Aus)

Twelve year-old Esther Bianchi disappears on her way home from school in the small town of Durton – and the truth will not come easily. Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor is an atmospheric crime novel set in rural Australia.

Dirt town. Dirt and hurt – that’s what others would remember about our town . . .

THE DETECTIVE

As the community is thrown into a state of grief and suspicion, Detective Sergeant Sarah Michaels begins her investigation into the disappearance of Esther Bianchi. She questions those who knew the girl, attempting to unpick the secrets which bind them together.

THE MOTHER

The girl’s mother, Constance, believes that her daughter going missing is the worst thing that can happen to her. But as the search for Esther develops, she learns that things can always get worse.

THE FRIENDS

Ronnie is Esther’s best friend and is determined to bring her home. So when her classmate Lewis tells her that he saw Esther with a strange man at the creek the afternoon she went missing, Ronnie feels she is one step closer to finding her. But why is Lewis refusing to speak to the police?

And who else is keeping quiet about what happened to Esther?

This one comes recommended by Alexander McCall Smith.

A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao (Fijian Indian Australian)

1914, Fiji: Sergeant Akal Singh would rather be anywhere than this tropical paradise - or, as he calls it, 'this godforsaken island'. After a promising start to his police career in Hong Kong, Akal has been sent to the far-flung colony of Fiji as punishment for a humiliating professional mistake. Lonely and embarrassed, he dreams of solving a big case, thereby redeeming himself and gaining permission to leave. Otherwise, he fears he will be stuck in Fiji for ever.

When an indentured Indian woman goes missing from a sugarcane plantation and Fiji's newspapers scream 'kidnapping', the inspector-general reluctantly assigns Akal the case, giving him strict instructions to view this investigation as nothing more than cursory. But as soon as Akal arrives on the plantation, he identifies several troubling inconsistencies in the plantation owners' stories, and it seems there is more to this disappearance than meets the eye . . .