Digging Up Dirt by Pamela Hart Published by HQ Fiction on 2021
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery
Format: Paperback
Source: Personal book collection
A significant life event a few years ago had the unexpected impact of making it difficult for me to focus on reading. Previously I had at least 4 or 5 books on the go at once, but since 2016 I’ve struggled to read anything longer than a newspaper article. About 2 years ago I started reading collections of short essays, but I continued to struggle to read anything longer.
The turning point came at the start of 2022 when I bought a copy of Digging up Dirt by Australian author Pamela Hart (HQ Fiction, 2021). After spending so many years unable to relax into a story, I found myself very quickly drawn into the world of TV researcher Poppy McGowan. From the first pages, this entertaining murder mystery set in Sydney was hard to put down. It features an engaging cast of characters, lots of plot twists, and a hint of romance. There is an appealing element of humour underlying many of the interactions balanced with some keen observations about human nature.
Poppy is an engaging narrator, offering some interesting reflections on her own behaviour and decisions as well as the behaviour of those around her. She manages to make her observations without descending into nastiness and is empathetic without being overly sentimental. The unfolding mystery of who killed Poppy’s nemesis, archaeologist Dr Julieanne Weaver. has enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the end.
Digging Up Dirt rekindled my enjoyment of reading after far too many years feeling disconnected from stories. I highly recommend this book and the sequel An A-List for Death (HQ Fiction, 2022) as well written, light-hearted mysteries with substance.
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