Classic whodunnit from Australian author Vicki Tyley that keeps you guessing until the end. It was refreshing and a bit surreal to read about places, slang and names from my home town of Melbourne. I really enjoyed the writing and dialogue, between a richly developed cast of characters. I thought it took a while to build momentum, and felt that some of the the chapter transitions tended to be a bit jarring with a lack of continuity. However, the climax and ending was worth it. ( )

“Sleight Malice” was my second encounter with Vicki Tyley’s writing. Her debut novel “Thin Blood” was a truly captivating story with strong characters already, but early on, “Sleight Malice” makes it clear that it is superior in many ways. Once again, Tyley shows her prowess in creating dimensional characters that readers can latch on to very quickly. These characters make up the heartbeat of the novel, as her character-driven plot is more about what people say, think and feel, as it is about the unfolding of the actual events.In this case the events surround the mysterious burning down of her best friends house and the disappearance of said friend and her husband. Determined to find out what happened, the story’s main character, Desley, makes use of all the tools and information at her disposal as she goes down a path of self-discovery that ultimately solves the case.Tyley’s writing conjures up images of urban Australia, the lifestyle, the people, while always keeping it a bit edgy and unsettling, as the mystery evolves and the sense of danger grows. Nicely balanced and paced, the story is filled with surprises that keep the reader engaged. By the time the story reaches its third act it is practically impossible to put the book down and I found myself turning page after page to finally learn what really happened.What a great read! ( )

“Sleight Malice” was my second encounter with Vicki Tyley’s writing. Her debut novel “Thin Blood” was a truly captivating story with strong characters already, but early on, “Sleight Malice” makes it clear that it is superior in many ways. Once again, Tyley shows her prowess in creating dimensional characters that readers can latch on to very quickly. These characters make up the heartbeat of the novel, as her character-driven plot is more about what people say, think and feel, as it is about the unfolding of the actual events.In this case the events surround the mysterious burning down of her best friends house and the disappearance of said friend and her husband. Determined to find out what happened, the story’s main character, Desley, makes use of all the tools and information at her disposal as she goes down a path of self-discovery that ultimately solves the case.Tyley’s writing conjures up images of urban Australia, the lifestyle, the people, while always keeping it a bit edgy and unsettling, as the mystery evolves and the sense of danger grows. Nicely balanced and paced, the story is filled with surprises that keep the reader engaged. By the time the story reaches its third act it is practically impossible to put the book down and I found myself turning page after page to finally learn what really happened.What a great read! ( )