Diggers Rest Hotel by Geoffrey McGeachin, 2010, kindle ebook, 336p.
Quite a while ago I read the third book in the Charlie Berlin series, St Kilda Blues, and reviewed it. After my overwhelmingly positive experience with that book, I picked up the first one, Diggers Rest Hotel, on kindle. It was strange for me to read a first in the series after reading a later book first, I feel like I have missed out on some of the character development that McGeachin executes so well.
In Diggers Rest Hotel Charlie Berlin is certainly an unliked detective, which is similar to St Kilda Blues, but in his debut outing, he has yet to really prove his skill in solving crimes. Throughout this book, you get to see Berlin become enthralled in his case, and juggle being in an unfamiliar environment and a new romantic interest.
Like last time, one of my favourite parts of the Berlin series is the authentic Australian feel – so much of the small town revolves around AFL, which is very accurate, even today. I read so much British and American fiction that when I visit Berlin’s Australia I get a little bit angry – why don’t I read more Australian fiction? Why isn’t there more thrillers set in Australia? I’m to blame, I pick up an established British author over a little known Australian one, and I should be doing the opposite.
I’ve got the second book in this series from the library, and am looking forward to visiting my own country once again – and hopefully I can refrain from getting too angry in the process.
Ranty Runt of a Reader 