Mali Waugh, Judgement Day

- If you're looking for an Australian crime thriller that's not another standard outback noir iteration then this is it. It's Mali Waugh's first novel and it's riveting. 

- It's set in Melbourne's CBD and upmarket eastern suburbs. As the police drive around, a lot of streets and buildings are constantly named and cafes visited. And houses are brought to life as vividly as in a real estate brochure. 

- Kaye Bailey, a senior family law court judge has been murdered during a gathering of her colleagues to honour the current Chief Justice who is retiring. Ironically, she was named as his replacement. 

- There's a taste of the Death in Paradise TV show in the set up - a close community, a small group of characters who are all suspects, and the murder happening during a get-together. 

- What elevates this book well above the usual trope however is the way Waugh enriches the drama with her characters' personal stories. Detective Senior Sergeant Jillian Basset, who is leading the case, is a fascinating and complicated new mother, desperate to get back to work to escape the psychological trauma she has experienced since giving birth. Her colleague, McClintock, a young man who was acting Senior Sergeant while she was on maternity leave, is a blokey, sports-loving, fairly arrogant and sexist pain in the arse. In fact, as Jillian sees it, there are sexist men everywhere, particularly in the court. They are elitist, imposing and self-entitled. Her pungent thoughts on them as the investigation proceeds are conveyed to the reader in italics: 'There'll be a press conference later too' he added. Of course you wouldn't want to deprive the public of your precious mug.

- The narrative is full of rich details about the everyday jobs of the court justices, their assistants and the police. And the personal drama and complications of motherhood. Jillian is sharply observant. And Waugh's telling intimate and sensitive.

- Like all crime dramas there are suspects and surprises, tangents and dead ends, but this novel pulls them all together and comes to an extremely satisfying resolution. 

- The Epilogue is emotional and beautiful and had me in tears.