Total Days Travelled 31 (1307)
Total km for the month 1,329 (71,080)
Most km in a day 374 (447)
Average Daily Km 42 (54)
Monthly Budget $2,500 ($93,000)
Monthly Spend $2,658 ($93,241)
Accommodation Nights 31 (1307)
Family/Friends 4 (488)
Low/No cost 7 (380)
National Parks 0 (11)
Caravan Parks 17 (220)
Showgrounds 2 (49)
Station Stays 0 (1)
Pub Stays 4 (33)
Motel 1 (16)
House Sit 0 (58) Nature Park 3 (49) AirBnb 0 (2)
Books Read 12 (165)
Nothing but Trouble by Kerry Wilkinson
Excellent Crime Thriller. First one I have read from this author. There are plenty in this series.
Numbered by Amy Andrews & Ros Baxter
I dare anybody to read this one without shedding a tear. A 29 year old lady with breast cancer who wants to live life to the full despite her terminal condition. Funny, sad and everything in between.
The Dead Will Tell by Linda Castillo
Another crime thriller but with a very unique storyline. An intriguing mystery that gradually unravels as you put the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together in your mind as each layer unfolds with each chapter. Engrossing.
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan
Not too sure about this one. A bit strange for me. Certainly some underlying themes but when the basic story revolves around a young couple’s wedding night in 1962, it was at times torturous to keep reading.
Murder at Dusk by Ian Shaw
The Story of what was known as the Brownout Strangler. In May 1942 a US soldier, Eddie Leonski terrorised Melbourne after dark and killed 3 women over a 3 week period. He was the first and only US citizen to be tried in Australia under US law. For his crimes he was hanged at Pentridge Goal on 9th November 1942 following his court marshal. A fascinating read. Nothing like actual true crime.
Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin
Enjoyed this one. Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, a number of young girls are kidnapped and murdered. As police officer John Rebus and his fellow police try to catch the person responsible, John Rebus finally learns that he is the actual target as his past comes back to haunt him. When his own 12 year old daughter is kidnapped the race against time is on to find the killer.
Requiem for a Riot by John Stephenson
Sub Titled the Battle of Brisbane, the story is set in Brisbane during a 9 day period in 1942 during WW2 when General MacArthur and thousands of American Soldiers converged in the Queensland capital. Tensions were running high at the time between the Americans and Australians and caught in the middle was a war correspondent. An enlightening insight into the tensions and the argy bargy that went on at the time. And they weren’t even the enemy. Or were they in a sense?
Second Time Around by Colette Caddle
This was a bit liking watching a soap opera with so much happening with individual members of the Connor’s family. Light hearted with the inevitable romances it was a bit of a change from history and crime.
Mercy by Debra Anastasia
Best describes as dark, Mercy showed none. It certainly didn’t lack action in all forms of the word. Not one for the faint hearted.
The Vanishing by Tim Krabbe
Weird is perhaps the best way to describe this book. It’s been made onto two different movies over the years, neither of which I have seen so I don’t know how the movies ended. Normally, in fact every, crime thriller I have read ends up with the bad guy either getting caught or killed. Not in The Vanishing. Whilst we know who the killer is we don’t find out what happened to him in the end. Was he caught and if not what happened to him? Interesting but weird.
Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles
There’s a saying that says “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. I brought a heap of books, in fact a bagful, from Vinnies in Proserpine. It was advertised as a special. Buy a bag for $1 and fill it with as many books as you want for an additional $4. So I didn’t read the back cover of them all but rather just randomly selected. This was definitely random. Teenage girl gets pregnant and then adopts baby out. How “one mistake” can affect so many different peoples lives. The mother, the father, their families, friends and even strangers. The ripple effect of ramifications. Perhaps every teenager should read this. Before making “mistakes”. But then we all think it will never happen to us, don’t we?
I See You by Gregg Hurwitz
This was a really good crime novel. An authors insight played out under the spotlight. Action a plenty and leads expertly thrown to create doubt and intrigue in the readers mind. Keeps you guessing right up until the final pages. Great execution. Full marks!
rayaroundoz 