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Georgie Harvey & John Franklin #2
Dead Again
It is almost two years since wildfires ravaged the tiny town of Bullock, and Melbourne journalist, Georgie Harvey, is on assignment in the recovering town to write a feature story on the anniversary of the tragedy.
In nearby Daylesford, police officer, John Franklin, is investigating a spree of vandalism and burglaries, while champing to trade his uniform for the plain clothes of a detective.
When Georgie’s story and Franklin’s cases collide, she not only finds herself back in conflict with the man she’s been trying to forget since their first encounter, but she uncovers the truth about how the fires started – a truth no-one is wanting to believe.
“Sandi Wallace has mastered rural crime.”
B. Michael Radburn, author of The Falls
“A gripping twist on the bushfire threat all Australians live with.”
Jaye Ford, author of Darkest Place
In nearby Daylesford, police officer, John Franklin, is investigating a spree of vandalism and burglaries, while champing to trade his uniform for the plain clothes of a detective.
When Georgie’s story and Franklin’s cases collide, she not only finds herself back in conflict with the man she’s been trying to forget since their first encounter, but she uncovers the truth about how the fires started – a truth no-one is wanting to believe.
“Sandi Wallace has mastered rural crime.”
B. Michael Radburn, author of The Falls
“A gripping twist on the bushfire threat all Australians live with.”
Jaye Ford, author of Darkest Place
328 pages, Paperback
First published April 21, 2017
71 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
About the author
Sandi Wallace
10 books81 followersSandi Wallace is an award-winning Australian crime writer and avid reader of good crime reads. Her latest publication is psychological suspense-thriller What You Don’t Know.
‘Tense, twisty, terrific.’—Vanda Symon
‘An unsettling claustrophobic tale of small-town secrets.’—Alan Carter
‘A deliciously tense and suspenseful journey.’—Nikki Crutchley
Sandi’s ‘writer’s apprenticeship’ included gathering fodder for her stories from stints as banker, paralegal, cabinetmaker, office manager, executive assistant, personal trainer, journalist… and life. She nearly joined Victoria Police but instead, chased her writing dream. Sandi has won a host of prizes for her short crime fiction including several Scarlet Stiletto Awards. Her debut rural thriller Tell Me Why won the Davitt Award Readers’ Choice and was shortlisted for the Davitt's Best Debut.
Sandi lives on Millowl / Phillip Island off the southern coast of Victoria, Australia with her husband where she is at work on a new thriller. She loves to hear from her readers. Stay in touch by joining her on her socials or her website.
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sandi.wallac...
Website https://www.sandiwallace.com
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/author/sandiwa...
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sandiwallac...
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sandi...
‘Tense, twisty, terrific.’—Vanda Symon
‘An unsettling claustrophobic tale of small-town secrets.’—Alan Carter
‘A deliciously tense and suspenseful journey.’—Nikki Crutchley
Sandi’s ‘writer’s apprenticeship’ included gathering fodder for her stories from stints as banker, paralegal, cabinetmaker, office manager, executive assistant, personal trainer, journalist… and life. She nearly joined Victoria Police but instead, chased her writing dream. Sandi has won a host of prizes for her short crime fiction including several Scarlet Stiletto Awards. Her debut rural thriller Tell Me Why won the Davitt Award Readers’ Choice and was shortlisted for the Davitt's Best Debut.
Sandi lives on Millowl / Phillip Island off the southern coast of Victoria, Australia with her husband where she is at work on a new thriller. She loves to hear from her readers. Stay in touch by joining her on her socials or her website.
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sandi.wallac...
Website https://www.sandiwallace.com
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/author/sandiwa...
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sandiwallac...
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sandi...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 13, 2017
3.5★s
When Melbourne journalist Georgie Harvey was assigned the feature story on the two year anniversary of the terrible wildfires which almost completely destroyed Bullock in Victoria, she had no idea how deeply she would be drawn into the town and its people. The heartache and grief which still rippled through the town was intense – Georgie wondered if she could do it to these people; cause them suffering once again.
John Franklin, police officer in the nearby town of Daylesford was up to his neck in burglaries and vandalism – a spate of crime which the small town hadn’t seen in many years. As Franklin and his team got closer to the criminals they were determined to catch, Georgie was also moving closer to her goal with the story that could prove to be outstanding. But Georgie was putting herself in danger – her dogged following of the leads in her story was bringing out someone who would do anything to stop her getting to the truth…
As tensions heightened, Franklin and Georgie realised their cases had collided. But would they find the person they were after before it was too late? And would the town know resolution or would the heartache continue?
Dead Again by Aussie author Sandi Wallace is the long awaited book 2 in the Georgie Harvey & John Franklin series. Slow to start, nevertheless the action ramped up in the second half of the book, with the pace escalating until the satisfying conclusion. I was disappointed by the unnecessary over-use of profanity, as well as the heavy use of the Australian ockerisms (some of which I had no idea what they meant!) But I loved the characters of Norman and Dawn; I felt empathy and a closeness to them. Dead Again is one that could be read as a stand-alone for anyone who hasn’t read the first book. Recommended for fans of police procedurals and crime novels.
With thanks to Atlas Productions for my digital copy to read and review.
When Melbourne journalist Georgie Harvey was assigned the feature story on the two year anniversary of the terrible wildfires which almost completely destroyed Bullock in Victoria, she had no idea how deeply she would be drawn into the town and its people. The heartache and grief which still rippled through the town was intense – Georgie wondered if she could do it to these people; cause them suffering once again.
John Franklin, police officer in the nearby town of Daylesford was up to his neck in burglaries and vandalism – a spate of crime which the small town hadn’t seen in many years. As Franklin and his team got closer to the criminals they were determined to catch, Georgie was also moving closer to her goal with the story that could prove to be outstanding. But Georgie was putting herself in danger – her dogged following of the leads in her story was bringing out someone who would do anything to stop her getting to the truth…
As tensions heightened, Franklin and Georgie realised their cases had collided. But would they find the person they were after before it was too late? And would the town know resolution or would the heartache continue?
Dead Again by Aussie author Sandi Wallace is the long awaited book 2 in the Georgie Harvey & John Franklin series. Slow to start, nevertheless the action ramped up in the second half of the book, with the pace escalating until the satisfying conclusion. I was disappointed by the unnecessary over-use of profanity, as well as the heavy use of the Australian ockerisms (some of which I had no idea what they meant!) But I loved the characters of Norman and Dawn; I felt empathy and a closeness to them. Dead Again is one that could be read as a stand-alone for anyone who hasn’t read the first book. Recommended for fans of police procedurals and crime novels.
With thanks to Atlas Productions for my digital copy to read and review.
February 4, 2017
Dead Again is the second book in the rural crime series which features Georgie Harvey and John Franklin, by award-winning Australian author, Sandi Wallace. It’s eight months since writer, Georgie Harvey almost died in Daylesford, and now she’s back there to put her demons to rest. Just a quick trip before she heads off to the town of Bullock for the story her editor expects. She wasn’t planning to see John Franklin, but in their chance encounter, she makes it clear there is no future for them.
Her reception in Bullock is less than friendly: her story about the fires that devastated the small community almost two years ago is seen as “you’re here to pick off our scabs”. Georgie wants to “manage this sensitively and write a feature that’ll do your community proud” but forty-six lives were lost in Bullock to fires that were deliberately lit, and feelings remain raw. As she searches for an angle that will give her an original story without completely alienating this tight-knit community, she learns of a possible missing person case.
Ally Goyne’s grief for the loss of her dad, Warren is compounded by the absence of a body to bury. Talking about Warren to those who knew him, Georgie starts to wonder if he actually died in the fire. And if not, where is he now? If not, why has no one heard from him? Is this the story she is looking for?
In Daylesford, Senior Constable John Franklin is kept busy with break-ins, burglaries, vandalism and graffiti. And a pub brawl that escalates into a nasty vendetta, as these things can tend to do in small towns. On top of this, he has to sensitively manage a young female probationary constable with a serious case of Franklin-hero-worship.
Once again, Wallace gives the reader an original plot with plenty of action and a heart-thumping climax. The narrative is split into three: Georgie and Franklin carry the bulk of the story; an unnamed older male living rough, obviously carrying a huge load of guilt, provides a different perspective. She manages to include a bit of good detective work, plenty of examples illustrating aspects unique to small town country policing, and even a bit of romance.
Her characters are appealing: these are the ordinary people one encounters every day in a country town. They are essentially good folk, for all their human failings. Franklin may, on occasion, be disappointed in his own behaviour, but it is easy to award him respect for his professional integrity and his dedication as a single parent.
The banter between characters is natural and often funny, as is the inner monologue of the main characters. Wallace captures the feel of country Victoria beautifully both with her descriptive prose and the local characters that inhabit Daylesford and Bullock, many of whom are an absolute delight, in particular the serial prowler reporter, the very resourceful schoolkids and the stationmaster.
In this story, Wallace raises several thought-provoking and topical themes: how the devastation visited upon a rural community is further complicated for survivors when the damage proves due to arsonists, loading suspicion on top of survivor guilt; whether rebuilding should happen in fire-prone areas; the long-term effect on surviving family, friends and neighbours of losing absolutely everything, including those often forgotten things (photos, memorabilia) that we rely on to jog our memory; the lack of closure when missing remains preclude a funeral.
As this is the second book of a series, events in the first book are referred to, but there are no spoilers and this one can easily be read as a stand-alone. Of course, readers who enjoy this book are bound to want to go back to the brilliant first book in the series, Tell Me Why. And while sequels to brilliant first books are often fraught with expectations, readers can be assured that this is another five-star read.
With thanks to the author for this uncorrected proof copy to read and review.
Her reception in Bullock is less than friendly: her story about the fires that devastated the small community almost two years ago is seen as “you’re here to pick off our scabs”. Georgie wants to “manage this sensitively and write a feature that’ll do your community proud” but forty-six lives were lost in Bullock to fires that were deliberately lit, and feelings remain raw. As she searches for an angle that will give her an original story without completely alienating this tight-knit community, she learns of a possible missing person case.
Ally Goyne’s grief for the loss of her dad, Warren is compounded by the absence of a body to bury. Talking about Warren to those who knew him, Georgie starts to wonder if he actually died in the fire. And if not, where is he now? If not, why has no one heard from him? Is this the story she is looking for?
In Daylesford, Senior Constable John Franklin is kept busy with break-ins, burglaries, vandalism and graffiti. And a pub brawl that escalates into a nasty vendetta, as these things can tend to do in small towns. On top of this, he has to sensitively manage a young female probationary constable with a serious case of Franklin-hero-worship.
Once again, Wallace gives the reader an original plot with plenty of action and a heart-thumping climax. The narrative is split into three: Georgie and Franklin carry the bulk of the story; an unnamed older male living rough, obviously carrying a huge load of guilt, provides a different perspective. She manages to include a bit of good detective work, plenty of examples illustrating aspects unique to small town country policing, and even a bit of romance.
Her characters are appealing: these are the ordinary people one encounters every day in a country town. They are essentially good folk, for all their human failings. Franklin may, on occasion, be disappointed in his own behaviour, but it is easy to award him respect for his professional integrity and his dedication as a single parent.
The banter between characters is natural and often funny, as is the inner monologue of the main characters. Wallace captures the feel of country Victoria beautifully both with her descriptive prose and the local characters that inhabit Daylesford and Bullock, many of whom are an absolute delight, in particular the serial prowler reporter, the very resourceful schoolkids and the stationmaster.
In this story, Wallace raises several thought-provoking and topical themes: how the devastation visited upon a rural community is further complicated for survivors when the damage proves due to arsonists, loading suspicion on top of survivor guilt; whether rebuilding should happen in fire-prone areas; the long-term effect on surviving family, friends and neighbours of losing absolutely everything, including those often forgotten things (photos, memorabilia) that we rely on to jog our memory; the lack of closure when missing remains preclude a funeral.
As this is the second book of a series, events in the first book are referred to, but there are no spoilers and this one can easily be read as a stand-alone. Of course, readers who enjoy this book are bound to want to go back to the brilliant first book in the series, Tell Me Why. And while sequels to brilliant first books are often fraught with expectations, readers can be assured that this is another five-star read.
With thanks to the author for this uncorrected proof copy to read and review.
January 12, 2019
Dead Again is the second title in the rural crimes series, set in Victoria. Senior Constable John Franklin has served for many years in the spa town of Daylesford: (according to the motoring atlas, about 2 hours’ drive NW of Melbourne, with the Convent Gallery). He harbours ambitions to be a detective and is a single parent, bringing up well-adjusted teenage daughter Kat, works with kids in the community in his spare time and is mentoring probationer officer Sam, who has the hots for him. We follow the pair and other officers rostered as they deal with the escalating feud between two families and a spate of break-ins, robberies and vandalism, as well as the more prosaic dealings over the Christmas-New Year period.
Georgie Harvey is a freelance journalist based in Richmond: (according to the motoring atlas, a suburb east of the CBD and Melbourne Cricket Ground, where they play a tribal form of football with a strange ball, 4-goal posts at each end and the refs dress up as meat inspectors). She is in Bullock, a fictional town somewhere near Daylesford, and the scene of horrific wildfires two years earlier, to do a follow-up story, but meets with resistance from the survivors.
Harvey and Franklin have a “history”, which seems strange that an all-round good guy would be attracted to a chain-smoking, whiskey-drinking clichéd journalist. Even boyfriend AJ is growing tired of her, but to her credit she prefers to follow up the story rather than go Christmas shopping. In Bullock, Harvey meets with teenager Ally and her mother Deb, the father presumed perished in the wildfires but his body was never found.
Inevitably the two tales twist and meet, and romance blossoms. Author Sandi Wallace has produced a well-balanced crime novel, just the right length, slow at the start but ramps up the tension as Harvey uncovers the truth and has to fight for her life. The last chapter was a bit weird, leaving some loose ends. I found the “blokey” dialogue a bit wearing, limiting it a largely Australian readership, but overall not a bad read.
Georgie Harvey is a freelance journalist based in Richmond: (according to the motoring atlas, a suburb east of the CBD and Melbourne Cricket Ground, where they play a tribal form of football with a strange ball, 4-goal posts at each end and the refs dress up as meat inspectors). She is in Bullock, a fictional town somewhere near Daylesford, and the scene of horrific wildfires two years earlier, to do a follow-up story, but meets with resistance from the survivors.
Harvey and Franklin have a “history”, which seems strange that an all-round good guy would be attracted to a chain-smoking, whiskey-drinking clichéd journalist. Even boyfriend AJ is growing tired of her, but to her credit she prefers to follow up the story rather than go Christmas shopping. In Bullock, Harvey meets with teenager Ally and her mother Deb, the father presumed perished in the wildfires but his body was never found.
Inevitably the two tales twist and meet, and romance blossoms. Author Sandi Wallace has produced a well-balanced crime novel, just the right length, slow at the start but ramps up the tension as Harvey uncovers the truth and has to fight for her life. The last chapter was a bit weird, leaving some loose ends. I found the “blokey” dialogue a bit wearing, limiting it a largely Australian readership, but overall not a bad read.
October 26, 2025
Dead Again is the gripping second instalment in Sandi Wallace's series featuring investigative journalist Georgie Harvey and Daylesford police officer John Franklin.
I had the pleasure of meeting Sandi Wallace (she was my workshop partner!) at last year's Terror Australis Readers & Writers Festival, and have enjoyed catching up with her back catalogue since then. Her Georgie Harvey & John Franklin series features well-developed and unique characters, an evocative regional setting in country Victoria enhanced by her attention to detail throughout intriguing storylines.
Warren, Deb and Ally Goyne Bullock (fictional)
I had the pleasure of meeting Sandi Wallace (she was my workshop partner!) at last year's Terror Australis Readers & Writers Festival, and have enjoyed catching up with her back catalogue since then. Her Georgie Harvey & John Franklin series features well-developed and unique characters, an evocative regional setting in country Victoria enhanced by her attention to detail throughout intriguing storylines.
Warren, Deb and Ally Goyne Bullock (fictional)
September 26, 2017
Loved it!!
Dead Again by Sandi Wallace
After reading and very much enjoying Tell Me Why(https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) I have been eagerly awaiting this second book in the series by award-winning Australian author Sandi Wallace...and it does not disappoint.
When police officer John Franklin and journalist Georgie Harvey meet up again during her forthcoming assignment, you might say "sparks fly".
Set in the beautiful Daylesford district of Victoria after the savage fires which are now known as Red October swept through the town taking the lives of 46 people, friends and families alike.
Now, almost two years later, Georgie Harvey has been assigned to do a feature story for the two year anniversary of those terrible wildfires.
She has been commissioned to write a story about the fire and how the people of the town worst affected are recovering two years on.
Georgie's presence in the town, and her role as a journalist looking to dig up still very painful memories for her magazine article are met with belligerence and disdain from the locals as they perceive her role as purely sensational tabloid journalism. Many people refusing to have anything to do with her and her enquiries.
Adding to the pressures of this role is the fact that Georgie has just bumped into an old flame...so to speak...from a brief but unforgettable encounter in a previous visit to Victoria...which may be construed as a case of unrequited love.
*Readers will have to read the first book, Tell Me Why to find out more of that story...although it is not necessary as this book can easily stand alone.
As Georgie persists with her digging, she starts to recognize some anomalies in the various accounts of that time and the relationships between certain people...even among the most affected victims.
In her efforts to better understand the events of the time, and in the absence of cooperation from the locals, Georgie starts to envisage various scenarios using the known facts as well as a few possibilities.
As she pursues her investigations with these new alternate possibilities in mind, she is made painfully aware that she is treading on toes and that her unwelcome line of enquiries are starting to put her in danger.
Are things not really as they were meant to appear? Could it be that this devastating fire holds more tragic secrets than the obvious?
After reading and very much enjoying Tell Me Why, the first book in this series I have been eagerly awaiting this second book and am happy to say that it is every bit as good as the first and that Sandi Wallace is an Aussie crime writer to watch out for.
What I love most about Sandi Wallace's writing is that it is evocative, she has a real knack for capturing the essence of a moment or thing and transporting the reader there. Sometimes I find myself reading a line or phrase over again just to experience that 'sense' all over again. One such line that I was really taken by is this simple yet moving observation: ‘If I try really hard, I can smell him. He used to wear a yummy aftershave. It smelt like cuddles.’
I just love when an author can do this for my reading experience and it is a trait that I look for in authors I like to follow, so I look forward to more great reading in the future from Sandi Wallace.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5.
..............................
Dead Again by Sandi Wallace
After reading and very much enjoying Tell Me Why(https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) I have been eagerly awaiting this second book in the series by award-winning Australian author Sandi Wallace...and it does not disappoint.
When police officer John Franklin and journalist Georgie Harvey meet up again during her forthcoming assignment, you might say "sparks fly".
Set in the beautiful Daylesford district of Victoria after the savage fires which are now known as Red October swept through the town taking the lives of 46 people, friends and families alike.
Now, almost two years later, Georgie Harvey has been assigned to do a feature story for the two year anniversary of those terrible wildfires.
She has been commissioned to write a story about the fire and how the people of the town worst affected are recovering two years on.
Georgie's presence in the town, and her role as a journalist looking to dig up still very painful memories for her magazine article are met with belligerence and disdain from the locals as they perceive her role as purely sensational tabloid journalism. Many people refusing to have anything to do with her and her enquiries.
Adding to the pressures of this role is the fact that Georgie has just bumped into an old flame...so to speak...from a brief but unforgettable encounter in a previous visit to Victoria...which may be construed as a case of unrequited love.
*Readers will have to read the first book, Tell Me Why to find out more of that story...although it is not necessary as this book can easily stand alone.
As Georgie persists with her digging, she starts to recognize some anomalies in the various accounts of that time and the relationships between certain people...even among the most affected victims.
In her efforts to better understand the events of the time, and in the absence of cooperation from the locals, Georgie starts to envisage various scenarios using the known facts as well as a few possibilities.
As she pursues her investigations with these new alternate possibilities in mind, she is made painfully aware that she is treading on toes and that her unwelcome line of enquiries are starting to put her in danger.
Are things not really as they were meant to appear? Could it be that this devastating fire holds more tragic secrets than the obvious?
After reading and very much enjoying Tell Me Why, the first book in this series I have been eagerly awaiting this second book and am happy to say that it is every bit as good as the first and that Sandi Wallace is an Aussie crime writer to watch out for.
What I love most about Sandi Wallace's writing is that it is evocative, she has a real knack for capturing the essence of a moment or thing and transporting the reader there. Sometimes I find myself reading a line or phrase over again just to experience that 'sense' all over again. One such line that I was really taken by is this simple yet moving observation: ‘If I try really hard, I can smell him. He used to wear a yummy aftershave. It smelt like cuddles.’
I just love when an author can do this for my reading experience and it is a trait that I look for in authors I like to follow, so I look forward to more great reading in the future from Sandi Wallace.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5.
..............................
July 9, 2017
4.5★s
Really enjoyed this well-written Aussie crime novel, set in my former home town.
Really enjoyed this well-written Aussie crime novel, set in my former home town.
October 17, 2017
Oh no, I finished!!!! I so wanted this to last a little longer. Sandi Wallace has once again delivered a ripper of a thrilling journey through country Victoria. Georgie and Franklin come to life once more as they are once again embroiled in another crime/mystery. This time though Sandi has given us much more to get our teeth into. I feel that the characters of Georgie and Franklin are more fleshed out and we are able to become more involved in their lives and personal dramas, as well as all the troubles they find themselves involved in. Georgie is still as gutsy as ever and Franklin is a dream but more than that we are able to relate to the all the characters and the Victorian country towns of Daylesford and Yandoit. Even the fictional town of Bullock is quintessentially Australian. Sandi Wallace's description of the lake, the convent, the markets in Daylesford is so accurate and she had me walking along with Georgie and others. I could picture the town as though I had photographs in front of me. The characters we meet are familiar and we are instantly drawn into their lives and their stories. Many of us can relate to the threat of bushfire and understand only too well the devastation this can cause...and when there is the possibility that this may have been deliberate it is even more traumatic and tragic. Do Georgie and Franklin finally get together? And what or who is threatening Georgie? It is definitely worth reading this heartstopping, page turning, teaser of a novel to find out. Sandi starts with a slow burn ( no pun intended) and teases us and takes us to the edge of our seats and then we are too committed to turn back and we end up on a rollercoaster ride to the nailbiting finale. I honestly cannot recommend this book highly enough. For the writing, the characters, both those we love and those we cannot wait to see get their 'just deserts'. For the eloquent description of the Victorian countryside and for the down to earth, Aussie spirit that comes through so clearly with this novel. I'm not sure what I will do now as I wait for the next installment of the Rural Crime Files but I know the wait will be well worth it as it was with this one. I wonder too what Georgie will have to say next time about Franklin's beloved Tigers? I guess we have to wait and see.
January 9, 2020
4.5 stars
I've had this book, Dead Again by Sandi Wallace (Rural Crime Files, Franklin and Harvey #2) out of my library for 6 months, which is a ridiculous amount of time to have had it sitting next to my bed. I don't know why I finally picked it up now, but I'm very glad I did as it was so good, I had trouble putting it down to go to sleep each evening. It was a 'one more chapter' book, but because the chapters are nice and short, I'd think, well maybe just one more.
Considering the fires all over our country right now, it was also quite a fitting read being about the aftermath of a terrible wildfire in Victoria 2 years beforehand and the search for the truth about those fires. I didn't know this before starting reading as I didn't read the blurb, I had it out because I read book one in 2018 and really enjoyed it. I'm now waiting for the library to get hold of book 3 for me.
In this novel, Melbourne journalist Georgie Harvey is on an assignment in the small rural town of Bullock 2 years after wildfires tragically nearly wiped out the town and killed 46 people. She is there to find a story, but she finds more than she bargained for. This novel asks the questions what are the long term after-effects of a tragedy like this on the people and the town? Should people rebuild in such an area? And why would they want to? It also asks the question if it is arson and the person is caught, what would justice look like for a crime like this?
As Georgie gets to know the people in the town and builds trust with several of the characters, she starts to uncover a mystery about a missing man, is he missing or is he dead, and if he is missing, then why? Her investigation leads her to work with police officer John Harvey from Daylesford, who we met in book 1 and who Georgie had an emotional connection with. This book takes place 8 months after book 1, and that connection is still there for both of them, but can anything come of it this time since Georgie is still in a relationship. For me, a big part of my enjoyment of this book was the connection between these two characters and the relationship and banter that builds between them. I can't wait until book 3 now to find out where this possible relationship goes.
Franklin has his own issues in his town, with vagrants, vandalism, and break-ins to investigate as well as a love triangle that may prove dangerous to all involved.
The characters are all very real and very Aussie and I could relate to many of them and see the behaviours of others as very understandable, both the good and the bad.
I really loved meeting Georgie, Fraklin and his daughter Kat, as well as the other police officers from Daylesford. I wasn't really a fan of Georgie's partner AJ in books 1 and that didn't change in book 2, I admit to having my fingers crossed the whole time that they would break up.
There was plenty of intrigue and twists and turns to keep me interested throughout this novel, and I enjoyed it even more than book 1.
I've had this book, Dead Again by Sandi Wallace (Rural Crime Files, Franklin and Harvey #2) out of my library for 6 months, which is a ridiculous amount of time to have had it sitting next to my bed. I don't know why I finally picked it up now, but I'm very glad I did as it was so good, I had trouble putting it down to go to sleep each evening. It was a 'one more chapter' book, but because the chapters are nice and short, I'd think, well maybe just one more.
Considering the fires all over our country right now, it was also quite a fitting read being about the aftermath of a terrible wildfire in Victoria 2 years beforehand and the search for the truth about those fires. I didn't know this before starting reading as I didn't read the blurb, I had it out because I read book one in 2018 and really enjoyed it. I'm now waiting for the library to get hold of book 3 for me.
In this novel, Melbourne journalist Georgie Harvey is on an assignment in the small rural town of Bullock 2 years after wildfires tragically nearly wiped out the town and killed 46 people. She is there to find a story, but she finds more than she bargained for. This novel asks the questions what are the long term after-effects of a tragedy like this on the people and the town? Should people rebuild in such an area? And why would they want to? It also asks the question if it is arson and the person is caught, what would justice look like for a crime like this?
As Georgie gets to know the people in the town and builds trust with several of the characters, she starts to uncover a mystery about a missing man, is he missing or is he dead, and if he is missing, then why? Her investigation leads her to work with police officer John Harvey from Daylesford, who we met in book 1 and who Georgie had an emotional connection with. This book takes place 8 months after book 1, and that connection is still there for both of them, but can anything come of it this time since Georgie is still in a relationship. For me, a big part of my enjoyment of this book was the connection between these two characters and the relationship and banter that builds between them. I can't wait until book 3 now to find out where this possible relationship goes.
Franklin has his own issues in his town, with vagrants, vandalism, and break-ins to investigate as well as a love triangle that may prove dangerous to all involved.
The characters are all very real and very Aussie and I could relate to many of them and see the behaviours of others as very understandable, both the good and the bad.
I really loved meeting Georgie, Fraklin and his daughter Kat, as well as the other police officers from Daylesford. I wasn't really a fan of Georgie's partner AJ in books 1 and that didn't change in book 2, I admit to having my fingers crossed the whole time that they would break up.
There was plenty of intrigue and twists and turns to keep me interested throughout this novel, and I enjoyed it even more than book 1.
April 13, 2017
4.5*
A detective novel with a difference and a beautiful sense of place.
Dead Again picks up the lives of senior police officer John Franklin and freelance journalist Georgie Harvey a few months after the gripping events of Tell Me Why. It has been a little while since Sandi Wallace released the first in her Rural Crime Files series and it is great to see the quality continue in book 2.
Wallace has an approach that takes the novel from standard police procedural to something more. The procedure is spot on and John Franklin and his colleagues are totally believable in their roles as they chase down a gang doing-over local businesses. Yet Georgie is the true protagonist. Flawed, determined and vulnerable, it is her search to find meaning in the aftermath of a devastating bushfire that drives this story forward. And it is Georgie’s efforts to make sense of what happened during the fires that leads to the real mystery in this story.
Dead Again is as much an homage to beautiful Daylesford, Victoria, as it is a crime novel. The quiet pace of the story builds as Georgie and John circle each other pursuing leads that will lead them to confront their own limitations and desires. The ‘who’ of the central mystery isn’t hard to figure out, and I think we are meant to, but it is the ‘why’ that is the biggest revelation.
An intriguing mix of professional and amateur detective, Dead Again proves Sandi Wallace is a talent to watch.
*My copy courtesy of the author
A detective novel with a difference and a beautiful sense of place.
Dead Again picks up the lives of senior police officer John Franklin and freelance journalist Georgie Harvey a few months after the gripping events of Tell Me Why. It has been a little while since Sandi Wallace released the first in her Rural Crime Files series and it is great to see the quality continue in book 2.
Wallace has an approach that takes the novel from standard police procedural to something more. The procedure is spot on and John Franklin and his colleagues are totally believable in their roles as they chase down a gang doing-over local businesses. Yet Georgie is the true protagonist. Flawed, determined and vulnerable, it is her search to find meaning in the aftermath of a devastating bushfire that drives this story forward. And it is Georgie’s efforts to make sense of what happened during the fires that leads to the real mystery in this story.
Dead Again is as much an homage to beautiful Daylesford, Victoria, as it is a crime novel. The quiet pace of the story builds as Georgie and John circle each other pursuing leads that will lead them to confront their own limitations and desires. The ‘who’ of the central mystery isn’t hard to figure out, and I think we are meant to, but it is the ‘why’ that is the biggest revelation.
An intriguing mix of professional and amateur detective, Dead Again proves Sandi Wallace is a talent to watch.
*My copy courtesy of the author
March 11, 2017
This is the second book involving Georgie Harvey and John Franklin. I enjoyed it as a stand-alone novel. You don't need to read the first book to understand this one, but if you have the chance, I'd recommend reading book one first.
I grew up in country Victoria and loved the familiar setting for this rural Aussie crime novel. A journalist and a cop make a great crime solving team even when they don't realise they're working together. I loved following all the different threads of the story and seeing them all interweave. I reviewed a complimentary copy.
I grew up in country Victoria and loved the familiar setting for this rural Aussie crime novel. A journalist and a cop make a great crime solving team even when they don't realise they're working together. I loved following all the different threads of the story and seeing them all interweave. I reviewed a complimentary copy.
September 5, 2017
The second in Wallace’s rural crime series, Dead Again is a fast-paced thriller set in the fictitious town of Bullock in the Yarra ranges east of Melbourne, and in the historic spa town, Daylesford.
Dead Again opens with a perpetrator consumed by guilt for a crime he doesn’t reveal. From the first, the reader knows a little more than city journalist Georgie Harvey and Daylesford cop John Franklin. What unfolds is a flawlessly plotted unravelling of a heinous truth. The plot, jump cutting between the two protagonists, never stumbles. The story architecture that leads to a dramatic conclusion is convincing and plausible. Sub plots provide pleasing texture, driving the story forward, affording the necessary complications and frustrations. The result is a rich and satisfying tale.
Catch up on the novel’s predecessor is deftly handled. Georgie and Franklin have history, one that is unresolved. Franklin is consumed by an unwavering passion. Georgie is conflicted, her relationship with hot shot lawyer AJ, on the rocks. Wallace develops her characters with considerable finesse. It isn’t easy creating emotional character arcs in a novel heavy with plot. It appears Wallace has a hunger for Wallander in rural Victoria. Both Georgie and Franklin are introspective, troubled, frustrated and hurt. They are mirrors of each other, yet distinct. Wallace applies the same character-developing care in her antagonist. The reader will be forgiven for feeling some initial sympathy for a figure who has plainly committed some terrible act.
Dead Again is a brave book. The theme, termed Red Victoria in the narrative, concerns the Black Saturday bush fires of 2009. The horrors of that day cannot be erased from collective memory. The trauma lives on. Stepping into this terrain is dangerous, the author will inevitably be accused by some as cannibalising the tragedy of others for personal gain, a vulture, picking over trauma as though it were carrion. Worse, misconstruing or trivialising real events. These are unfair accusations. Authors travel where their muse takes them. Besides, Wallace is well aware of the dangers. The author treads lightly, defensively, tentatively, as does her protagonist, Georgie, the city-dwelling outsider on an assignment to write a magazine feature.
“’It’s impossible to describe. It’s a unique sound. Terrifying. And I hear the death screams of humans and animals.’ Gravelly, she added, ‘Ever heard that?’
Not trusting her voice, Georgie shook her head.
‘I feel the ghosts of my friends. This is stuff that I wouldn’t believe if it hadn’t happened to me. It keeps me awake at night.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Hour upon hour, every single night. And the smells…’ Kelly shuddered.
It felt cruel to want more, but Georgie hung on each word.”
In this fashion, the wildfire theme is handled with respect and consideration, like an artefact held in the hand and turned over, sensitively scrutinised.
All the incidentals in the story are carefully researched, adding to the social realism that the author strives for. With wit and a sharp eye for the essentials, Wallace has built a story world that feels real. A page turner with much to savour, Dead Again is a moving and highly engaging read.
Dead Again opens with a perpetrator consumed by guilt for a crime he doesn’t reveal. From the first, the reader knows a little more than city journalist Georgie Harvey and Daylesford cop John Franklin. What unfolds is a flawlessly plotted unravelling of a heinous truth. The plot, jump cutting between the two protagonists, never stumbles. The story architecture that leads to a dramatic conclusion is convincing and plausible. Sub plots provide pleasing texture, driving the story forward, affording the necessary complications and frustrations. The result is a rich and satisfying tale.
Catch up on the novel’s predecessor is deftly handled. Georgie and Franklin have history, one that is unresolved. Franklin is consumed by an unwavering passion. Georgie is conflicted, her relationship with hot shot lawyer AJ, on the rocks. Wallace develops her characters with considerable finesse. It isn’t easy creating emotional character arcs in a novel heavy with plot. It appears Wallace has a hunger for Wallander in rural Victoria. Both Georgie and Franklin are introspective, troubled, frustrated and hurt. They are mirrors of each other, yet distinct. Wallace applies the same character-developing care in her antagonist. The reader will be forgiven for feeling some initial sympathy for a figure who has plainly committed some terrible act.
Dead Again is a brave book. The theme, termed Red Victoria in the narrative, concerns the Black Saturday bush fires of 2009. The horrors of that day cannot be erased from collective memory. The trauma lives on. Stepping into this terrain is dangerous, the author will inevitably be accused by some as cannibalising the tragedy of others for personal gain, a vulture, picking over trauma as though it were carrion. Worse, misconstruing or trivialising real events. These are unfair accusations. Authors travel where their muse takes them. Besides, Wallace is well aware of the dangers. The author treads lightly, defensively, tentatively, as does her protagonist, Georgie, the city-dwelling outsider on an assignment to write a magazine feature.
“’It’s impossible to describe. It’s a unique sound. Terrifying. And I hear the death screams of humans and animals.’ Gravelly, she added, ‘Ever heard that?’
Not trusting her voice, Georgie shook her head.
‘I feel the ghosts of my friends. This is stuff that I wouldn’t believe if it hadn’t happened to me. It keeps me awake at night.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Hour upon hour, every single night. And the smells…’ Kelly shuddered.
It felt cruel to want more, but Georgie hung on each word.”
In this fashion, the wildfire theme is handled with respect and consideration, like an artefact held in the hand and turned over, sensitively scrutinised.
All the incidentals in the story are carefully researched, adding to the social realism that the author strives for. With wit and a sharp eye for the essentials, Wallace has built a story world that feels real. A page turner with much to savour, Dead Again is a moving and highly engaging read.
December 7, 2017
3 ½ stars
An entertaining sequel to “Tell Me Why” in which Wallace first introduced Georgie Harvey, a writer/journalist from Melbourne. Georgie is a gutsy young woman who inevitably draws attention if only because she drives a black “Spider”. She is still living with AJ her solicitor boyfriend and her dog and cat, but their relationship is not too steady and Georgie has never been comfortable with AJ’s class-conscious family.
The mystery begins when Georgie is given an assignment to visit a country town which had been totally devastated by bushfires the year before. As she interviews several less than willing survivors she uncovers an unsolved missing person who is presumed dead. The missing person scenario is not the only similarity to the first book as she also needs to return to Daylesford the location where she was involved in a murder mystery and was nearly killed the year before and where the attractive Detective John Franklin is based.
“Dead again” is an entertaining read but I was disappointed in its predictable outcome and kept hoping for an unexpected further twist. Nevertheless, I will look out for Rural Crime Files #3
An entertaining sequel to “Tell Me Why” in which Wallace first introduced Georgie Harvey, a writer/journalist from Melbourne. Georgie is a gutsy young woman who inevitably draws attention if only because she drives a black “Spider”. She is still living with AJ her solicitor boyfriend and her dog and cat, but their relationship is not too steady and Georgie has never been comfortable with AJ’s class-conscious family.
The mystery begins when Georgie is given an assignment to visit a country town which had been totally devastated by bushfires the year before. As she interviews several less than willing survivors she uncovers an unsolved missing person who is presumed dead. The missing person scenario is not the only similarity to the first book as she also needs to return to Daylesford the location where she was involved in a murder mystery and was nearly killed the year before and where the attractive Detective John Franklin is based.
“Dead again” is an entertaining read but I was disappointed in its predictable outcome and kept hoping for an unexpected further twist. Nevertheless, I will look out for Rural Crime Files #3
October 3, 2018
A solid sequel with a developing back story I’m keen to follow.
September 21, 2020
A truly captivating crime novel.
I read book one of this series and enjoyed the convoluting and engaging storyline. The end of book 1 left me wanting more, not least what would happen to the lead characters, Georgie Harvey, a nosy cow writer / journalist, trouble magnet and, Constable John Franklin, a straight laced country uniformed policeman, single parent, trying hard to steer a path for justice and being a strong dad for his teenage daughter.
I do suggest reading book 1 first as the style of the story generation and the Aussie colloquial language will set you straight for book 2. In Dead Again, as in book 1, Wallace takes time building a complex narrative that trust me, ends up as an explosive story with twists and turns to satisfy any crime reader.
Georgie is looking to do a background story on a devastating bush fire that all but destroyed a small country town in its wake. Certainly it left a significant death toll and left the small close community reeling in a mix of psychological damage, intense grief and a desire to seek out the pyromaniac who set the fire. Georgie starts to interview survivors and becomes aware of unusual discrepancies in the recording of the death toll; not unusual as many bodies had been burnt beyond all recognition or never found at all. This left many families not able to bury their lost loved ones, others not able to mourn until they knew for sure.
200 km away, John Franklin is faced with numerous seemingly disconnected burglaries and, a graffiti artist is at work, sometimes decorating the burglary scenes and sometimes illogical locations around the small town. Franklin, who has a desire to make detective one day, is not satisfied with the unenthusiastic Melbourne, CID investigation looking hard to dismiss what he sees as leading evidence.
No more plot spoilers as in both small towns events takeover the disparate investigations, Journalist and Copper unable to take NO for an answer.
The pace builds slowly but soon becomes a roller coaster of energy, emotions and violence. The clues are there and so Franklin and Harvey are reunited as the stories merge. What was a smouldering ‘cute-meet’ in book 1 has all the signals to become more than this if only Franklin can shake his conservative straight jacket and, Harvey can resolve just how she feels about her partner and his desire to stop her getting involved in what he sees as dangerous stories.
I love the way Wallace builds her stories, slow and methodical (get used to it because it is worth it) and how expertly she resolves all of the spider web of clues and leads as the reader’s adrenaline levels rise not knowing which way the story will go, wanting, wishing, hopes dashed and then revived. The ending? Well, save to say, I am looking forward to book three – 5 stars and a big recommend from me.
I read book one of this series and enjoyed the convoluting and engaging storyline. The end of book 1 left me wanting more, not least what would happen to the lead characters, Georgie Harvey, a nosy cow writer / journalist, trouble magnet and, Constable John Franklin, a straight laced country uniformed policeman, single parent, trying hard to steer a path for justice and being a strong dad for his teenage daughter.
I do suggest reading book 1 first as the style of the story generation and the Aussie colloquial language will set you straight for book 2. In Dead Again, as in book 1, Wallace takes time building a complex narrative that trust me, ends up as an explosive story with twists and turns to satisfy any crime reader.
Georgie is looking to do a background story on a devastating bush fire that all but destroyed a small country town in its wake. Certainly it left a significant death toll and left the small close community reeling in a mix of psychological damage, intense grief and a desire to seek out the pyromaniac who set the fire. Georgie starts to interview survivors and becomes aware of unusual discrepancies in the recording of the death toll; not unusual as many bodies had been burnt beyond all recognition or never found at all. This left many families not able to bury their lost loved ones, others not able to mourn until they knew for sure.
200 km away, John Franklin is faced with numerous seemingly disconnected burglaries and, a graffiti artist is at work, sometimes decorating the burglary scenes and sometimes illogical locations around the small town. Franklin, who has a desire to make detective one day, is not satisfied with the unenthusiastic Melbourne, CID investigation looking hard to dismiss what he sees as leading evidence.
No more plot spoilers as in both small towns events takeover the disparate investigations, Journalist and Copper unable to take NO for an answer.
The pace builds slowly but soon becomes a roller coaster of energy, emotions and violence. The clues are there and so Franklin and Harvey are reunited as the stories merge. What was a smouldering ‘cute-meet’ in book 1 has all the signals to become more than this if only Franklin can shake his conservative straight jacket and, Harvey can resolve just how she feels about her partner and his desire to stop her getting involved in what he sees as dangerous stories.
I love the way Wallace builds her stories, slow and methodical (get used to it because it is worth it) and how expertly she resolves all of the spider web of clues and leads as the reader’s adrenaline levels rise not knowing which way the story will go, wanting, wishing, hopes dashed and then revived. The ending? Well, save to say, I am looking forward to book three – 5 stars and a big recommend from me.
December 12, 2021
This is the second in the Georgie and Franklin (or should I call you John now? - damn is that a spoiler?) rural crime series by Sandi Wallace. I fell in love with the characters in the first book and am totally hooked as to how their messy, complicated lives will sort amid the day-to-day getting-the-job-done of a rural cop and investigative journalist. The backdrop to the story is the aftermath of the Victorian wildfires, and I have to say it's harrowing reading at times. I confess I cried in parts. But I got as bad as Georgie, I just had to find out what happened and how the separate cases were going to collide (cause, you know, I'd be sad if they didn't). Sandi has her finger on the human fragility in us all and she's skillfully woven the what-if decisions we all make into this pacey mystery. More.
October 15, 2021
I LOVED THE WRITING STYLE MAKES ME WANT TO FIND OUT WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT. IT WAS SO SAD WHEN THEY TOLD THE STORIES ABOUT THE DEVASTATING WILDFIRES (HARD TO READ). I FIGURED OUT EARLY ON THE CONNECTION OF JOHN & GEORGIE’S CASES’. GEORGIE IS WAY TOO HARD-HEADED SHE DOESN’T LEARN FROM HER VERY SERIOUS MISTAKES. I’M SO SICK AND TIRED OF HER AND JOHN TRYING TO AVOID EACH OTHER. JOHN SAYS HOW BEAUTIFUL SHE IS WELL, SHE WON’T BE IF SHE KEEPS GETTING BEAT-UP. ;D
April 28, 2024
Book 2 is even more magic than book 1
This book had me hanging on page by page. I was at Elwood the week before it went up in smoke. Sandi has a style of writing that is so descriptive that you can visualise what’s happening. You will be caught up in this incredible story. Susie ♥️
This book had me hanging on page by page. I was at Elwood the week before it went up in smoke. Sandi has a style of writing that is so descriptive that you can visualise what’s happening. You will be caught up in this incredible story. Susie ♥️
June 21, 2017
Dead Again moves easily from scene to scene and mood to mood. Compassion, Curiosity and tension that had me on the edge of the chair, tempered with humour and a touch of romance made for a five star enjoyable read for me. Well done Sandi.
August 4, 2021
A great sequel
My review is positive this was a good sequel and Georgia ,Franklin and all of the characters so engaging, exciting, suspenseful, good romance as well as mystery!
Truly enjoyable, a really good read!
My review is positive this was a good sequel and Georgia ,Franklin and all of the characters so engaging, exciting, suspenseful, good romance as well as mystery!
Truly enjoyable, a really good read!
August 1, 2017
One of my favourites for 2017 so far.
September 12, 2020
Great crime story enriched with turns and twists that keeps you on the page until you reach the end.
September 12, 2020
I'm starting to really enjoy this series. I did find it different at first where you go from one main character to another rather that something that flows
March 30, 2021
Intriguing
Action was nonstop. Characters are likeable and realistic. I occasionally had trouble determining what the Aussie words meant in the USA. But by and large exciting throughout.
Action was nonstop. Characters are likeable and realistic. I occasionally had trouble determining what the Aussie words meant in the USA. But by and large exciting throughout.
May 28, 2024
Another great read from Sandi Wallace. The stories from the fictional town of Bullock and the town of Daylesford are cleverly woven together. The story is inspired by Black Saturday bushfires, the worst fires in Victoria in living memory. Franklin and Georgie's will they won't they romance finally sparks. For the information of the readers that think the locations are close by, they are a couple of hundred kilometres apart, not nearby towns. The Black Spur is nowhere near central Victoria. I surmised that Bullock was based on the town of Marysville.
September 7, 2022
Having friends who lost everything in the Victorian Black Saturday fires, I was impressed with how well Sandi Wallace conveyed the impact on communities. I've enjoyed this author's work immensely.
August 14, 2022
Review of Dead Again by Sandi Wallace.
I listened to most of this audiobook on a flight from Bangkok to Melbourne. It was great company and great listening. This is the second audiobook I have listened to by Sandi Wallace and Dead Again is the second book in her Georgie Harvey/Franklin series.
I try not to do spoilers but Georgie, a journo, is still smarting from injuries received in a bashing when she was in the Daylesford area looking into a crime. This is where she first came across Franklin, a tough, ornery country cop stationed in Daylesford. A single dad, thinking that life and career may have passed him by.
In this instalment Georgie goes to another town in rural Victoria to do a piece on the recovery from a major bushfire event that destroyed the town and the lives of many locals. They’re hesitant to talk to her as they think she’d doing a puff piece and is an interfering outsider, problems Georgie has to navigate to get her story.
She finds a story about a missing person and because she’s really a wannabe cop working as a journo she starts investigating this along with the story for her magazine about the bushfire event. She also still can’t stop thinking about Franklin in a romantic and sexual way even though she’s with her partner of several years, AJ, who she intermittently loves and loathes in equal measure.
Franklin meanwhile is breaking in a newbie female cop, showing her the ropes and deflecting the awe in which the new recruit holds him. He’s looking into crimes in his area and bringing up his daughter by navigating day to day life with her and doing nice dad things like trying to buy her a second hand car.
The tension builds slowly and beautifully as Franklin and Georgie go on a journey bound to collide again with each other. Throughout the novel, the sexual tension builds along with the tensions of a small country town trying to recover from a devastating bushfire, Wallace does it beautifully and if you’re looking for action this one ramps it up in all areas from the first book, as a good series should, get better with each book. The narrator also reads beautifully.
Georgie is a bit of a good sort who smokes and drinks and lives dangerously and that’s where the spoilers end and I hope I gave you enough to make you want to buy this one because it really is a great trip to take and there are another two books after this one.
I listened to most of this audiobook on a flight from Bangkok to Melbourne. It was great company and great listening. This is the second audiobook I have listened to by Sandi Wallace and Dead Again is the second book in her Georgie Harvey/Franklin series.
I try not to do spoilers but Georgie, a journo, is still smarting from injuries received in a bashing when she was in the Daylesford area looking into a crime. This is where she first came across Franklin, a tough, ornery country cop stationed in Daylesford. A single dad, thinking that life and career may have passed him by.
In this instalment Georgie goes to another town in rural Victoria to do a piece on the recovery from a major bushfire event that destroyed the town and the lives of many locals. They’re hesitant to talk to her as they think she’d doing a puff piece and is an interfering outsider, problems Georgie has to navigate to get her story.
She finds a story about a missing person and because she’s really a wannabe cop working as a journo she starts investigating this along with the story for her magazine about the bushfire event. She also still can’t stop thinking about Franklin in a romantic and sexual way even though she’s with her partner of several years, AJ, who she intermittently loves and loathes in equal measure.
Franklin meanwhile is breaking in a newbie female cop, showing her the ropes and deflecting the awe in which the new recruit holds him. He’s looking into crimes in his area and bringing up his daughter by navigating day to day life with her and doing nice dad things like trying to buy her a second hand car.
The tension builds slowly and beautifully as Franklin and Georgie go on a journey bound to collide again with each other. Throughout the novel, the sexual tension builds along with the tensions of a small country town trying to recover from a devastating bushfire, Wallace does it beautifully and if you’re looking for action this one ramps it up in all areas from the first book, as a good series should, get better with each book. The narrator also reads beautifully.
Georgie is a bit of a good sort who smokes and drinks and lives dangerously and that’s where the spoilers end and I hope I gave you enough to make you want to buy this one because it really is a great trip to take and there are another two books after this one.
February 1, 2024
The second book to feature Georgie Harvey and John Franklin once more explores crime and mystery in rural Victoria. While the plot of this book features cases different to the first book, the plot itself has many similarities. Primarily, Georgie once more finds herself on the hunt for a possible missing person, and her case leads her to Daylesford, where John is a police officer. His local cases in the area also tie into Georgie's, as happened in the first book.
Character development and exploration takes precedence over action and high stakes in this book. In both protagonists, we have flawed characters, their emotions and expressions often mirroring their surroundings. Again, Sandi Wallace details the settings well, but not as vividly as the first book of this series. Themes of community and family are explored in this story, and how rural towns often survive on the strength of community ties. It is interesting to see how the author explores what a community still feels two years after a devastating event. In this book, a savage wildfire. I can understand the feelings expressed by the characters in this book, to close ranks and be wary. The theme of family, of what makes a family, is explored in both story lines, with John's story lines having more explosive consequences. But, I do think there are some over-the-top reactions and events detailed in this book, that don't fit the people who live in those areas. It's a shame, because it casts a negative light on those communities.
When I think of the two protagonists, I think of stereotypes in reverse. Georgie is a journalist, who smokes and loves a drink, and is emotionally unreliable. Traits I usually think of being attached to male journalist characters. John is more thoughtful, family oriented, and giving. Traits I usually think of being attached to female law enforcement officers. I'm not suggesting any of this is right or wrong, it's just what I've generally seen in crime fiction that I've read.
Sandi Wallace has cleverly turned the tables on those stereotypes.
While the book was worth a read, I didn't find this as engaging as the first book in the series, but I love that there is a crime series set in rural Victoria.
Character development and exploration takes precedence over action and high stakes in this book. In both protagonists, we have flawed characters, their emotions and expressions often mirroring their surroundings. Again, Sandi Wallace details the settings well, but not as vividly as the first book of this series. Themes of community and family are explored in this story, and how rural towns often survive on the strength of community ties. It is interesting to see how the author explores what a community still feels two years after a devastating event. In this book, a savage wildfire. I can understand the feelings expressed by the characters in this book, to close ranks and be wary. The theme of family, of what makes a family, is explored in both story lines, with John's story lines having more explosive consequences. But, I do think there are some over-the-top reactions and events detailed in this book, that don't fit the people who live in those areas. It's a shame, because it casts a negative light on those communities.
When I think of the two protagonists, I think of stereotypes in reverse. Georgie is a journalist, who smokes and loves a drink, and is emotionally unreliable. Traits I usually think of being attached to male journalist characters. John is more thoughtful, family oriented, and giving. Traits I usually think of being attached to female law enforcement officers. I'm not suggesting any of this is right or wrong, it's just what I've generally seen in crime fiction that I've read.
Sandi Wallace has cleverly turned the tables on those stereotypes.
While the book was worth a read, I didn't find this as engaging as the first book in the series, but I love that there is a crime series set in rural Victoria.
December 12, 2025
Journalist Georgie Harvey has been sent to the Victorian town of Bullock, near Daylesford to write a story on how the town is coping after the devastating bushfires of two years ago killed so many people and destroyed so many homes and businesses. Georgie knows the area well as she was there eight months ago working on another story that nearly saw her killed (see the first book in the series Tell Me Why).
Georgie finds the town’s people less than welcoming, as they just want to be left alone to grieve, rebuilt and forget that awful day. Georgie also isn’t sure whether she’s happy to reconnect with local police officer John Franklin, as she can’t deny the chemistry between them. However, she’s determined to remain loyal to her boyfriend, especially since their relationship is a bit rocky these days.
Georgie’s investigations will reveal a lot more than she expected and shock the town. Along the way she does meet some lovely people including Ally Goyne, the teenager grieving for her missing (presumed dead) father Warren, and is happy to talk to Georgie. Elderly couple Norman and Dawn are also friendly and tell her their own story of the fires. And then there is John Franklin, single father of a teenage daughter and very much attracted to Georgie.
Sandi Wallace writes a good domestic mystery, full of local atmosphere and the matters that are important to small town, although some of the Australian vernacular might be puzzling to other nationalities. The novel starts off slowly while setting the scene, the tension ramps up to culminate in a satisfying ending.
Georgie finds the town’s people less than welcoming, as they just want to be left alone to grieve, rebuilt and forget that awful day. Georgie also isn’t sure whether she’s happy to reconnect with local police officer John Franklin, as she can’t deny the chemistry between them. However, she’s determined to remain loyal to her boyfriend, especially since their relationship is a bit rocky these days.
Georgie’s investigations will reveal a lot more than she expected and shock the town. Along the way she does meet some lovely people including Ally Goyne, the teenager grieving for her missing (presumed dead) father Warren, and is happy to talk to Georgie. Elderly couple Norman and Dawn are also friendly and tell her their own story of the fires. And then there is John Franklin, single father of a teenage daughter and very much attracted to Georgie.
Sandi Wallace writes a good domestic mystery, full of local atmosphere and the matters that are important to small town, although some of the Australian vernacular might be puzzling to other nationalities. The novel starts off slowly while setting the scene, the tension ramps up to culminate in a satisfying ending.
May 21, 2017
The sequel to the award winning 'Tell Me Why', 'Dead Again' brings small town cop John Franklin and journalist Georgie Harvey back together again. Harvey is writing an in-depth story on the aftermath of a bushfire on a small time and ends up crossing paths with Franklin as they both end up on the trail of a homeless drifter who is not who he appears to be. In 'Dead Again', the author draws on the things that made her first book so popular - an understanding of the intricacies of small town life and the chemistry between her two lead characters, along with an engaging and thoughtful storyline. *Digital copy received from the author*
January 21, 2021
First rate adventures with quirky, engaging Georgie Harvey and her down to earth John Franklin. Captures the horror of the Australian bushfires while moving along a fast-paced plot that keeps you guessing!
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