Review of Flinder's Crossing

[joshfee77]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Flinder's Crossing" by Rod McKeough.]

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Flinders Crossing is a crime thriller by Rod McKeough. When Liza Hagen's dead body is found dumped in the bush, her sister, Sherie, vows to bring her killer to justice. But is it Liza's rich boyfriend, Jordan McKenzie, who believes himself untouchable? Could it be Michael Stewart, Liza's ex-boyfriend, or Billy Jack Collins, the hermit with a drawer full of stolen female underwear? Could it be someone else entirely? As more bodies are found, Sherie's investigation endangers both her and Michael. Can they expose a serial killer before they become victims themselves?

McKeough drops us right into the action with the discovery of Liza's body. His prose is simple and enjoyable to read; the chapters fly by. His descriptive writing is generally good, especially his succinct character introductions. Character banter is also strong, with plenty of conflict, humour, and personality development. Flinders Crossing is generally punchy and fast-moving, which are essential ingredients in a modern murder mystery. It is an enjoyable read with a well-paced murder investigation and plenty of action.

The book does have some minor negatives. Commas are occasionally missed when needed or used when not needed. The descriptive writing is also questionable at times, such as the use of "upper edge" instead of "upper hand" or "edge". There is nothing wrong with inventive writing, but changing commonly used phrases for the sake of it just sounds bizarre. Some of McKeough's sentences are also unwieldy: "The fear in his chest sat like an angry ball, propelling him toward an anxiety he didn't want." In this instance, the initial clause should be the entire sentence; the second half adds nothing of value. There are similarly lengthy sentences in a fight scene, which is where they should be short and punchy.

The author's descriptions of a character's grief after a tragic event seem a bit cheesy and contrived. The sentiments are fine, but McKeough tries too hard to express them poetically. Some more straightforward prose showing the character's anger and denial through their actions would have worked better. The dialogue also doesn't ring true to the characters at times. Sherie and Michael sometimes speak too formally for young people. By contrast, one of the police detectives says, "His mind is screwed... deranged." This is very colloquial, not the sort of terminology I would expect from a detective. Some of the other police dialogue seems a bit stilted, wooden, and explanatory.

Despite its issues, I enjoyed McKeough's story and the pace at which he told it. Therefore, I rate Flinders Crossing 3 out of 4 stars. With input from a professional editor, it would be an excellent thriller. I believe this book would appeal to most fans of murder mysteries.

******
Flinder's Crossing
View: on Bookshelves

[Amy Luman]

I enjoy murder mysteries and trying to figure out who the killer is. This novel seems to have no shortage of suspects.

[Eze Michael]

When a family member makes a vow to avenge someone or something, it can turn out to be quite disastrous. I love the plot of this book, and I will love to read it. Thanks for your honest review.

[joshfee77]

I enjoy murder mysteries and trying to figure out who the killer is. This novel seems to have no shortage of suspects.

Murder mysteries are definitely among my favourite books. Trying to puzzle out the killer is a very satisfying challenge. Thanks!

[joshfee77]

I enjoy murder mysteries and trying to figure out who the killer is. This novel seems to have no shortage of suspects.

Yep, definitely a good "whodunnit". I also really enjoy trying to work out who the killer is in these books.

[joshfee77]

When a family member makes a vow to avenge someone or something, it can turn out to be quite disastrous. I love the plot of this book, and I will love to read it. Thanks for your honest review.

Yep, the plot definitely evolved quickly once Sherie involved herself in the investigation. Thanks for commenting!

[NetMassimo]

I have mixed feelings about this novel because it seems like a good murder mystery but I don't like when character get cheesy. Regardless, thank you for your great review!