Barren Grounds (B Michael Radburn, Pantera)

Joseph ‘Joe’ Capello, the decorated detective at the centre of B Michael Radburn’s fifth novel, Barren Grounds, is haunted by The Cloakman and The Jeweller, two forces of evil who lurk in the shadows and get under the reader’s skin. After fleeing the horrors of Mussolini’s Italy into the arms of a different kind of terror, Joseph’s past, present and future become blurred. While The Jeweller terrorises the people of 1960s Sydney, The Cloakman plagues Joseph’s childhood memories of his time in an immigration camp in the 1940s. Although Barren Grounds delivers suspense and tension, there are moments in part one that could have taken place in any era, and the 1960s setting didn’t seem to play a significant role despite the historical references peppered throughout. While this section effectively sets the scene, the pace felt slow at times, particularly between the crimes. However, the demise of Joseph’s credibility as a reliable narrator in part two increases the momentum tenfold and leaves you guessing what really happened at Barren Grounds and if it is The Jeweller or his ghost that is stalking the streets again. With shades of Jonathan Moore’s The Poison Artist, and perfect for fans of Chris Hammer, Barren Grounds explores how the nightmares of your past can colour your future and destroy your present.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Kate Frawley is a former bookseller and librarian in training. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Category: Reviews