Autoren-Bilder

Jane Clifton (1) (1949–)

Autor von Half Past Dead

Andere Autoren mit dem Namen Jane Clifton findest Du auf der Unterscheidungs-Seite.

4 Werke 31 Mitglieder 3 Rezensionen

Werke von Jane Clifton

Half Past Dead (2002) 14 Exemplare
A hand in the bush (2005) 6 Exemplare
Flush (2013) 3 Exemplare

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Wissenswertes

Geburtstag
1949
Geschlecht
female
Nationalität
Australia
Wohnorte
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Berufe
actor
novelist

Mitglieder

Rezensionen

Listening to the radio recently I heard Jane Clifton talking about the thought process behind FLUSH. The end of a long term drought in Melbourne, watching a river running fast, and thinking "What If...". What if a body flushed into the river? What if the cover up of a murder can be derailed by an extreme weather event? What if that body, and that weather event, could provide a pointer to a location, and from there a killer?

The exploration of "What If" can be as interesting for the reader as the why and who. In real life as in fiction, it seems a lot of the undoing of the best laid plans can be luck. It's very bad luck that the disposal of the body of Oleg Kransky's wife was undone by something as simple as a massive rain storm. From there, however, there's a lot more to the story than luck for any of the participants.

Clifton deftly unfurls a complicated and uncomfortable background for Kransky and his now deceased wife as part of the investigation. Whilst the death initially seems to investigators to be a simple domestic dispute, as more unexpected details about the pair are revealed, it's clear that nothing is simple at all. Along the way, Decca Brand finds herself pulled into the investigation. Firstly as a witness testifying to Kransky's mindset, then as a more active participant.

As in the previous book, Brand is a central character who holds up to that focus, although there is some spreading of the load in FLUSH with a new policeman working on the murder case, and providing, not surprisingly a bit of romantic tension for Brand. Given the twist to Kransky's life, everything else being sunshine and roses wouldn't have felt right however, and Clifton keeps everything up in the air and not quite as some might hope.

Clifton does an excellent job in creating a readable, entertaining and engaging story in FLUSH, with just an edge of the darker. Whilst this is a book about the who, the why is important. Complicated on the one hand, not on the other. The clever touch here is that there are all sorts of possible reasons why. There's the impact of past actions in war, the difficulties for people moving on, the sadness of the lives that so many people struggle to stitch back together. There's big consequences. It's delivered with a deft and lighter touch so it's not immediately obvious, but there's a lot more to the why here than the immediate resolution.

And then there's the way this series seems to be heading. It's happened in some other favourites. Starting out as entertaining and extremely readable books, they've morphed into something extra. Something that looks more extensively at the why, going a little deeper and a little darker. Clifton is apparently working on the next book in the series and it will be fascinating to see where it heads.

(Standard Disclaimer: I wrangle the bits and bytes for Clan Destine Press and had no input on the editorial or selection aspects of these books).

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/flush-jane-clifton
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austcrimefiction | Oct 23, 2013 |
A HAND IN THE BUSH is the second of Jane Clifton's books that we (Clan Destine Press) have re-released as ebooks. Cleverly, albeit loosely connected to HALF PAST DEAD by one of the supporting characters, the focus of this book is Decca Brand, psychologist, divorcee and woman with attitude.

Whilst all of Clifton's books rely heavily on realistic female characters, and could possibly be classified as on the lighter side of crime fiction, they aren't fluffy or overtly cosy. In the second book from this author, there's a real sense of somebody who is hitting their writing straps. The central character here, Brand, is somebody with a past that's knocked some edges off her, and left her with some emotional baggage, but that aspect is nicely balanced against a woman who is also moving forward. Getting on with life. And dating.

Alongside that there is a mystery that has echoes back to Decca's own past, in the seventies, in Sydney in the main, now insinuating itself into the current, in Melbourne.

As with HALF PAST DEAD, this is a reread for me, and again I was struck by the feeling of a series in the making. Decca Brand is a good character, and she comes to mystery and mayhem with an interesting perspective. Not just that of the older, wiser woman, but also from the point of view of a psychologist, and a woman whose romantic ambitions aren't dead yet! Plus she rides a motorbike and takes the occasional risk.

Part of the reason that the first two of Clifton's books have been re-released is that the third FLUSH is now also available (in paperback and as an ebook). I hope the third follows on with Decca's story and we've finally got the ongoing series that I'd hoped was coming all those years ago.

(Standard Disclaimer: I wrangle the bits and bytes for Clan Destine Press and had no input on the editorial or selection aspects of these books).

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/hand-bush-jane-clifton
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austcrimefiction | Oct 23, 2013 |
Having originally read this when it came out in paperback form in 2002, it was no chore to re-read ... oh good grief ... 11 YEARS LATER. Now I've got an excuse for not remembering the entire story!

It's always interesting to see how something stands up over the years since publication, allowing of course, for changes in technology, fashions, attitudes and social norms. In HALF PAST DEAD, there's not a lot of need for too much allowance though as there's a timelessness to the central themes. Marriages that are suddenly fraying at the seams, cut-throat business shenanigans and people at their best and worst. Ronnie's a strong central character, very real, slightly idiotic and extremely resourceful all at the same time. Whilst the focus is on her, and a lot of the problems or doubts in her life are seen through her eyes, there is a supporting cast some of whom, are equally well done. In particular this is a book with some vivid female characters - from the receptionist at work, through to the ex-girlfriend of Ronnie's husband Boyd. Even the local doctor has a good cameo appearance. It also doesn't hurt that this is often funny - not hysterical laughing sort of funny maybe, but clever and smile inducing more than once.

The mystery is quite an interesting idea - as for much of the book it's all about the supposed death and definite disappearance of a business colleague - or at least Ronnie saw what she thought was a dead body, and he's definitely not at work anymore. This is further complicated by the possibility of business espionage, a lot of inter-office romancing and relationships and a hefty dose of secrecy and over the top personalities.

This version of romance (with the errors and the missteps and the crashing around making mistakes) is my sort of romance I will admit, but it's also nicely balanced with an unusual sort of a murder mystery. HALF PAST DEAD was a really enjoyable read 11 years ago, and it was again now. It was so fantastic to find local stories, written by local writers all that time ago and that feeling just simply doesn't go away.

(Disclaimer: I wrangle web and ebook things for Clan Destine Press but the editorial side remains a slightly confusing mystery that happens "over there").

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/half-past-dead-jane-clifton
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austcrimefiction | Oct 16, 2013 |

Statistikseite

Werke
4
Mitglieder
31
Beliebtheit
#440,253
Bewertung
2.8
Rezensionen
3
ISBNs
15