Final Draft - Great Conversations

Amongst all my summer reading good intentions I knew that I wanted to find something pacey and fun in a good old fashioned edge of your seat kinda way.

Pip Drysdale has a way with pacey thriller’s. She’s the author of The Sunday Girl, The Paris Affair and The Strangers We Know. She’s been shortlisted for a Ned Kelly Award and most importantly she’s got a new novel out called The Next Girl. 

So let me read you the byline on the cover of my copy of The Next Girl;

“The only way to protect his next victim is to be his next victim…”

How could you not want to read this book with that intro?! It promises a morally upright hero who's going for a proper takedown of some sticky predator. A badass girl boss of a protagonist whose moral introspection never hides the fact that she’s a stone cold predator slayer, and I was absolutely here for it.

Hero Billie is working her way towards becoming a lawyer. Only hitch is it looks like her actions may have blown her latest case, letting abusive douche Dr Samuel Grange go free. Drinking away her sorrows should have helped but instead Billie has woken up in a strange apartment with less than the desirable amount of memory from the night before.

Putting that seemingly trivial mystery to the side Billie has to figure out how to pay her rent now that her job’s on the line. Oh, and she also has to figure out how to serve some serious extrajudicial justice onto Samuel Grange before some other woman becomes his next victim.

Cue… Billie is going to be The Next Girl (That’s the name of the book!)

I’m having fun with this review because I had fun reading The Next Girl.

Billie’s earnest first person, confessional style narration keeps you going with her heartfelt backstory, overindulgence in naming dropping band names and ridiculously low key revelation of Billie’s vigilantism.

Billie has her own utility belt of gadgets and tricks for taking down the bad guys, which are either annoyingly convenient or frighteningly widespread (and we all need to fear for our data and safety - not necessarily in that order).

Pip Drysdale’s storytelling is designed to hook you in and it does just that. Billie sets us up with all the right plot points so she can knock them down later in the novel. The story gets pretty convoluted whilst still keeping its lightness as Billie flirts with a danger, that as our protagonist we know she likely won’t fall victim to.

With a lot going on the reader gets the satisfaction of watching multiple douchebags get their just desserts. And even at its most convoluted The Next Girl doesn’t go full Keyser Soze on the reader, giving us a fair chance at both keeping up and even guessing the twist.

With plenty of summer still left to enjoy, The Next Girl is a solid read for lazy weekends spent at the beach. Toxic men beware because The Next Girl continues Pip Drysdale’s run of protagonists who are done with your shit.

The Next Girl is available from Simon & Schuster

Loved this review?

You can get more books, writing and literary culture every week on the Final Draft Great Conversations podcast. Hear interviews with authors and discover your next favourite read!

Book Club is produced and presented by Andrew Pople

Want more great conversations with Australian authors?

Discover this and many more conversations on Final Draft every week from 2ser.

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The Final Draft podcast is all about books, writing and literary culture. We're dedicated to exploring Australian writing, looking into the issues that drive our storytelling to discover more from the books you love.

These are the stories that make us who we are.

Tom is a playwright, performer, sound designer, pianist and band leader. He’s joining us today with his first novel Electric and Mad and Brave.

Matt is in a Mental Health Facility. He is there to rest, recover, come back to himself.

On the suggestion of his therapist he begins a journal. In it he records his memories of the past; his adolescence with Christina and hoping maybe somehow by looking back he can find a way to move forward. 

Join me as we discover Tom Pitts’s Electric & Mad & Brave

Final Draft is produced and presented by Andrew Pople

Want more great conversations with Australian authors?

Discover this and many more conversations on Final Draft every week from 2ser.

Get in touch with Andrew and Final Draft. We love to hear about what you’re reading!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/finaldraft2ser 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/finaldraft2ser/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/finaldraft2ser/ 

The Final Draft podcast is all about books, writing and literary culture. We're dedicated to exploring Australian writing, looking into the issues that drive our storytelling to discover more from the books you love.

These are the stories that make us who we are.

Holly Throsby is novelist and musician and whether it’s a three minute folk pop tune or three hundred page novel, she knows how to spin a yarn. Holly’s novels Goodwood and Cedar Valley have been nominated for Ned Kelly, Davitt and Indie book awards and her new novel Clarke is destined to continue the tradition of exploring the warm welcomes, community and dark underbelly of 90’s regional Australia..

In a nondescript street in Clarke, Barney Clarke (no relation) is woken by a knock on the door. A veritable platoon of police have arrived to execute a search warrant on his house and backyard.

Next door Leonie observes the police’s arrival, thinking to herself that they are six years too late to help her missing friend Ginny Lawson.

From these simple but compelling beginnings Holly Throsby weaves a story of the lives, community and institutions we come to rely on, and how they too often fall short in protecting those most vulnerable.

Final Draft is produced and presented by Andrew Pople

Want more great conversations with Australian authors?

Discover this and many more conversations on Final Draft every week from 2ser.

Get in touch with Andrew and Final Draft. We love to hear about what you’re reading!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/finaldraft2ser 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/finaldraft2ser/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/finaldraft2ser/ 

The Final Draft podcast is all about books, writing and literary culture. We're dedicated to exploring Australian writing, looking into the issues that drive our storytelling to discover more from the books you love.

These are the stories that make us who we are.

Kate is the author of more than twenty books (along with Jol) You will likely have seen her name on such covers as Bin Chicken and Yours Troolie, Alice Toolie. Today she is joining us, not with an ably firm toft at peek melt  but with a terribly dangerous, cake filled novel called The Dangerous Business of Being Trilby Moffat.

Discover more of Kate's work at katejoltemple.com

Final Draft is produced and presented by Andrew Pople

Want more great conversations with Australian authors?

Discover this and many more conversations on Final Draft every week from 2ser.

Get in touch with Andrew and Final Draft. We love to hear about what you’re reading!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/finaldraft2ser 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/finaldraft2ser/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/finaldraft2ser/ 

The Final Draft podcast is all about books, writing and literary culture. We're dedicated to exploring Australian writing, looking into the issues that drive our storytelling to discover more from the books you love.

These are the stories that make us who we are.

Eliza Henry-Jones is the author of novels including In the Quiet (2015), Ache (2017), P is for Pearl (2018) and How to Grow a Family Tree (2020). She’s made award lists including the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, Indie Awards, ABIA Awards and CBCA Awards.

Eliza’s latest novel is Salt and Skin.

Luda has arrived with her children Darcy and Min, to the storm-bruised islands of northern Scotland. The family have fled Australia in a storm of grief and recrimination seeking to find a new home and purpose to their lives.

Luda, a photographer, has been employed to document the impacts climate change is having on the islands. She almost immediately alienates herself from the local community when she publishes a photograph depicting a family's unimaginable tragedy in a landslide accident.  

Settling on the tidal island of Seanney the family are fascinated to discover an ancient history of witchcraft and religious intolerance. The island was supposedly home to witches and it’s said that in the evening light scars are revealed to those who have known tragedy in their life. 

The darker history of the islands is almost too close to the surface they realise, as they come to know the foundling Theo who was washed ashore as a child and whom the locals believe to be a selkie. Theo also exists both in and outside the community and must navigate acceptance as one who does not truly seem to fit in.

Final Draft is produced and presented by Andrew Pople

Want more great conversations with Australian authors?

Discover this and many more conversations on Final Draft every week from 2ser.

Get in touch with Andrew and Final Draft. We love to hear about what you’re reading!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/finaldraft2ser 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/finaldraft2ser/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/finaldraft2ser/ 

The Final Draft podcast is all about books, writing and literary culture. We're dedicated to exploring Australian writing, looking into the issues that drive our storytelling to discover more from the books you love.

These are the stories that make us who we are.

Chris Flynn is the author of Mammoth, Here Be Leviathans, The Glass Kingdom and A Tiger in Eden. Chris is Editor-in-Residence at Museums Victoria, and his writing can also be found in a range of publications across the world. 

Chris has a new short story collection out Here Be Leviathans. It continues his incredible ability to capture the uncanny and give voice to anyone, or anything.

Here Be Leviathans is out now from UQP

Final Draft is produced and presented by Andrew Pople

Want more great conversations with Australian authors?

Discover this and many more conversations on Final Draft every week from 2ser.

Get in touch with Andrew and Final Draft. We love to hear about what you’re reading!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/finaldraft2ser 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/finaldraft2ser/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/finaldraft2ser/ 

This year we're reviving an old tradition; the Final Draft Xmas Gift Guide.

Got a hard to buy for person in your life?

Hoping a slightly sardonic radio segment has the answers?

You're in luck then because this year we are selecting the perfect book to give to your loved ones.

How do we know what to pick?

The Final Draft team has trolled* the research searching for probing psychological insights into who we are and what we want. The last few years has really changed us, sometimes in ways we weren't expecting. So based on deeply insightful data and a meme about the ways we wear our masks, here are our picks for Xmas with different Covid personality types...

(Hopefully there's a banner directing you to reliable data about Covid-19 somewhere around because this is satire!)

For The Person Who Believes in the Science

‘Hogfather’ by Terry Pratchett

The Hogfather is the Discworld’s Santa, or as Pratchett would probably explain it; the manifestation of belief made corporeal.

When a mysterious group of celestial bureaucrats known as the Auditors of Reality decide that the Hogfather must die it’s up to DEATH to save the day. As DEATH’s Granddaughter races to the Tooth Fairies realm to stop the plot, DEATH dons a festive red suit and fake beard to make sure that children do not awake to no presents on Hogswatch.

I chose Terry Pratchett for the Believes in Science crowd because at its heart Hogfather, like so many of Pratchett’s works, explores the nature of belief and its power to unite us.

For The Person Who Denies the Science

‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens 

I’m not entirely certain this book needs an introduction but here goes;

A curmudgeonly old money lender discovers the heart of Xmas after being visited by the ghost of his old business partner and the anthropomorphised spirits of Xmas.

I chose it for the deniers of science because it’s a tangibly, intangible example of someone changing their mind in the face of evidence.

It’s Xmas, we can only hope…

For The Person Who Doesn’t Understand the Science

‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ by Roderick Thorp

Nothing Lasts Forever is the story of NYPD Detective Joe Leland flying out to LA on Xmas Eve to visit his daughter. As he waits for his daughter’s work Xmas party to end the building she works in is overtaken by terrorists. The terrorists are protesting the big corporations corrupt dealings and attempting to siphon off the profits of said corruption.

Joe’s not having any of it and goes in wearing no shoes and armed only with his service revolver. He proceeds to kill a whole lot of terrorists and foils their plan only to see his daughter die as the lead terrorist drags her off the building with him.

If this is sounding all too familiar, that’s because Nothing Lasts Forever is the novel which was later adapted into the greatest Xmas film of all time (arguably, by other people, not me) Die Hard.

I chose this for the Doesn’t Understand the Science crowd because much like them, our hero Joe Leland doesn’t fulling understand what’s going on and despite his best intentions his actions lead to a fair amount of damage and heartache.

For The Person Who Believes in Magic

‘A Merry Little Meet Cute’ by Julie Murphy

Full disclosure, I have not read this book. The synopsis sounds fun though; with an adult movie star being cast in a family Xmas movie opposite her childhood crush (a former boy band star). 

The title literally has ‘Meet Cute’ in it. A meet cute is a literary trope where the two main characters are thrown together in a way where the reader knows they will end up together even though they are oblivious, even hostile to each other.

Really any meet cute set at Xmas will do because you know this is going to be a fairly preposterous story of two people getting together (and staying together) in a way that’s not particularly realistic.

Perfect for the Believes in Magic crowd because you know what sometimes you really just want to hold on to the beautiful lie.

*No, we mean trolled. Not trawled.

The Final Draft Great Conversations podcast is all about books, writing and literary culture. We're dedicated to exploring Australian writing, looking into the issues that drive our storytelling to discover more from the books you love.

These are the stories that make us who we are.

Angela Meyer is an author, book industry professional and teacher of writing and publishing. Her debut novel A Superior Specter was met with critical acclaim garnering a slew of prize shortlists including the Aurealis Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. 

Her new novel is Moon Sugar

Mila was mourning the life she thought she’d have; house, family, the whole suburban dream, when Josh arrived to shake up her world.

Josh has this way of transfixing everyone he meets. Good look and with an easy manner that invites you to open up. Mila meets Josh through SugarMeetMe and though their relationship begins in a financial transaction it opens up into something so much more. Together they explore art and music and take part in a clandestine study to make some extra money.

Kyle is Josh’s best friend and he understands how special that makes him. Sure he often feels like a sidekick but because of Josh he’s growing, getting ready to explore the world.

When Josh goes missing in Europe Mila follows him to try and uncover what has happened and what she has lost. There she meets Kyle, and together the two follow in Josh’s footsteps and try to make sense of his final days… 

Join me as we discover Angela Meyer’s Moon Sugar...

Final Draft is produced and presented by Andrew Pople

Want more great conversations with Australian authors?

Discover this and many more conversations on Final Draft every week from 2ser.

Get in touch with Andrew and Final Draft. We love to hear about what you’re reading!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/finaldraft2ser 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/finaldraft2ser/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/finaldraft2ser/ 

Holly Throsby is novelist and musician and whether it’s a three minute folk pop tune or three hundred page novel, she knows how to spin a yarn. Holly’s novels Goodwood and Cedar Valley have been nominated for Ned Kelly, Davitt and Indie book awards and her new novel Clarke is destined to continue the tradition of exploring the warm welcomes, community and dark underbelly of 90’s regional Australia..

In a nondescript street in Clarke (a city since the seventies) Barney Clarke (no relation) is woken by a knock on the door. A veritable platoon of police have arrived to execute a search warrant on his house and backyard.

Next door Leonie observes the police’s arrival, thinking to herself that they are six years too late to help her missing friend Ginny Lawson.

From these simple but compelling beginnings Holly Throsby weaves a story of the lives, community and institutions we come to rely on, and how they too often fall short in protecting those most vulnerable.

Clarke is told through the alternating stories of Leonie and Barney. As the police scour Barney’s rental property for clues to the disappearance of Ginny, we learn that both Leonie and Barney have their own secrets.

Six years earlier Leonie and Ginny were neighbors. Leonie struggled to manage the expectations of her aging mother and awaited the infrequent return of her older sister. Leonie and Ginny would talk over the fence but rarely visited each other. Ginny’s husband wouldn’t allow it; didn’t think it was good for her.

Lou was an upstanding member of the community. Successful businessman and member of the local hunting club. They were the picture of the perfect suburban family and everyone thought how devastating it must have been for Lou when one day Ginny simply disappeared.

Across town Barney and Deb had their own picture of suburban idyll. Members of the hiking club and with their boy in high school, Deb and Barney formed the core of a large social circle.

So how is it that now Barney still wears a ring but lives alone. Why does Leonie mother Joe and where did he come from?

Clarke unfolds these stories with the question hanging over how we maintain the relationships that form our communities. Throsby shows us friendships hard won and worked on everyday and acquaintances that rely more on conjecture and hearsay. Into this space she leaves the fate of Ginny as open question; when nobody asks who will ever know the truth?

I love Holly Throsby’s novels for their mystery and for their warmth. Over three books she has crafted the wide expanse of the fictional Gather Region and populated it with people not dissimilar to ourselves. In holding up this mirror she is able to call into question the morals, the values, even the stories that seem fundamental to our sense of ourselves.

Clarke’s central mystery is not just ‘what really happened to Ginny Lawson’ but how it was allowed to happen. An open secret. 

A culture of keeping up appearances is called into question and through Barney and Leonie we see a blossoming hope that we are more than the events of our past.

I’m a fan of Clarke and I’d have to say that while the Jacarandas are still purple and the sun’s not too hot, it’s the perfect read for an afternoon sitting in the sun.

The Final Draft Great Conversations podcast is all about books, writing and literary culture. We're dedicated to exploring Australian writing, looking into the issues that drive our storytelling to discover more from the books you love.

These are the stories that make us who we are.

Siang Liu is the award-winning author of The Whitewash (UQP), and the co-creator of The Beige Index.

Brood Empire was meant to be a landmark for Asian representation in Hollywood. With a $350 million budget and a lead who looked like he'd been carved from stone this would be THE film that broke through and put all the subtle and overt racist stereotypes to bed.

Instead production was dogged from the start, the lead got pulped in an ill advised cage fight and the whole set leaked worse than Tom Holland on a bender. 

The Whitewash is the unofficial history of the rise and fall of Brood Empire detailing not only the film’s unseemly demise but its origins in the anals of racist representation of Asia and Asians throughout 20th century filmmaking.

Final Draft is produced and presented by Andrew Pople

Want more great conversations with Australian authors?

Discover this and many more conversations on Final Draft every week from 2ser.

Get in touch with Andrew and Final Draft. We love to hear about what you’re reading!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/finaldraft2ser 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/finaldraft2ser/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/finaldraft2ser/