Snake Island

Starred review from August 31, 2020
Australian author Hobson makes his U.S. debut with this bleak but powerful crime novel set in an unnamed town in rural Victoria. Vernon and Penelope Moore, a retired couple, haven’t seen or talked to their only child, Caleb, since he went to prison two years earlier for attacking and nearly killing his wife. But upon hearing that Caleb has been assaulted by Brendan Cahill, a friend of Caleb’s wife with anger issues and enough connections to bribe his way into the prison, Vernon reaches out to his son, and decides to see whether he can resolve things with a sit-down with Brendan’s father, Ernie. Things do not go well, because of the obstinacy of both Vernon and Ernie, and due to external events, including a car accident involving a kangaroo. Meanwhile, a compromised police officer becomes involved in the dispute, as does Brendan’s brother, who would rather focus on fatherhood than his family’s criminal activities. Little goes right for any of them, and the violence only escalates. Hobson does a terrific job of portraying multiple broken people unable to find ways out of their unhappiness. Noir fans won’t want to miss this one. Agent: Pamela Malpas, Jennifer Lyons Literary.

October 1, 2020
Vernon and Penelope Moore severed ties with their son, Caleb, when he was arrested for domestic violence, certain that their absence would send a stronger message than any prison sentence. But when Vernon is alerted that Caleb needs his help, he begins to regret his rigid stance. Caleb's trouble is worse than he imagined: the town bully, Brendan Cahill, has had Caleb beaten in prison. Vernon vows to end the attacks, convincing himself it's just a matter of talking to the Cahill patriarch, Ernie. Plans become complicated quickly, however, when Vernon finds himself confronting a major drug distributor who has the southwestern Australia town in his pocket. Vernon kicks off a brutal domino effect when he hijacks a Cahill delivery to a Melbourne gangland connection. Although driven by fairly relentless violence, this story rests on a well-developed foundation of complex relationships, strikingly honest self-evaluations, and quests for redemption. Recommended for Lee Child fans, who will savor the action and likely be left with lingering thoughts about conditional love.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)