The Reef, by Di Morrissey

Since witnessing her brother drowning as a child, Jennifer has been terrified of the ocean. So when her husband tells her they are going to live on an island, she is terrified. As well as her fear, though, she has other issues: being removed from her family and fiends, and having to continue her important studies from a distance.

Branch Island is home to a trendy resort, which Jennifer’s husband Blair will help to manage. It also houses a scientific research station. The two organisations do not always operate in harmony, and as Jennifer finds herself drawn to the station and its staff, she learns a lot about herself and about her marriage. As her self-confidence grows and she learns to conquer her fears, she also has to cope with watching her marriage crumble.

The Reef is a novel of self-discovery, but it also includes plenty of action, as the island shelters some secrets which are shattering to all involved. After a slow start, which lingers through Jennifer’s early life, university studies and developing relationship with Blair, the novel picks up in pace and explores the personal issues of both career versus relationship and mother/daughter relationships, as well as the wider issues of environmental responsibility and the impact of development.

There is some much explored here that at times the reader can feel a little overwhelmed and some of the plot points touched on are left unresolved, but overall this is a solid read.

The Reef, by Di Morrissey
Pan, 2005 (First published in Hardcover by Macmillan, 2004)

Kimberley Sun, by Di Morrissey

Lily Barton, recently retired and looking for a fresh challenge, is delighted to return to Broome, in the northwest of Australia. She has family links there, discovered only in her adult life, and loves the lifestyle of the town. Her thirty year old daughter, Sami, is not so thrilled. She is joining her mother in Broome for the first time, and has many reservations, not sure she wants to be drawn into this family she doesn’t know and this lifestyle so different to her own.

In Broome the two women will be drawn into adventures they could not have foreseen. Business opportunites arise, relationships blossom and unlikely friendships are formed. They also become entangled in the mystery of the murder of a German tourist.

Along the way to finding a new common ground, stories are told which reflect the multitude of cultures and backgrounds which converge in the town of Broome.

Kimberley Sun is the latest offering from popular Australian author Di Morrisey. Morrisey weaves the various stories into a rich carpet, providing a detailed sketch of the lifestyle and cultures of this part of Australia. Lovers of family sagas and Australian stories will find themselves enjoying this, Morrisey’s eleventh novel. Most readers will be able to overlook the occasional lapses in editing which can cause distraction in places.

An unforgettable adventure.

Kimberley Sun, by Lily Barton, recently retired and looking for a fresh challenge, is delighted to return to Broome, in the northwest of Australia. She has family links there, discovered only in her adult life, and loves the lifestyle of the town. Her thirty year old daughter, Sami, is not so thrilled. She is joining her mother in Broome for the first time, and has many reservations, not sure she wants to be drawn into this family she doesn’t know and this lifestyle so different to her own.

In Broome the two women will be drawn into adventures they could not have foreseen. Business opportunites arise, relationships blossom and unlikely friendships are formed. They also become entangled in the mystery of the murder of a German tourist.

Along the way to finding a new common ground, stories are told which reflect the multitude of cultures and backgrounds which converge in the town of Broome.

Kimberley Sun, is the latest offering from popular Australian author Di Morrisey. Morrisey weaves the various stories into a rich carpet, providing a detailed sketch of the lifestyle and cultures of this part of Australia. Lovers of family sagas and Australian stories will find themselves enjoying this, Morrisey’s eleventh novel. Most readers will be able to overlook the occasional lapses in editing which can cause distraction in places.

An unforgettable adventure.

Kimberley Sun, by Di Morrissey
MacMillan, 2002
MacMillan, 2002

Blaze

The anticipated announcement of Nina Jansous’ retirement as the Editor in Chief of internationally acclaimed magazine, BLAZE, is causing ripples of anticipation among younger, ambitious magazine staff, especially Ali Gruber. Ali is eagerly awaiting her chance to be editor of the magazine.

But Nina does not announce her retirement, instead deciding to head the setting up of an Australian edition of the magazine. To top it off, she wants Ali to come with her – to be the editor of this publication.

In Australia, Ali struggles to win the confidence of her staff. She also has to confront the demons of her youth, spent here in Australia before her escape to the States. Nina is not there to support – she is off on a quest of her own to confront her own past. Neither is Ali’s deputy, Larissa Kelly, likely to be an ally. Larissa finds herself trying to keep the magazine together in the wake of Ali’s failures.

Blaze, Di Morrissey’s ninth novel, provides a gripping expose of the cutthroat world of glossy magazines. The stories of the women at the center of the novel are different yet wonderfully intertwined. An excellent read.

Blaze, by Di Morrissey
Pan Macmillan Australia, 2000