Reviews & radio
The Secret Son one of 10 Vic books for the State Library Victoria Summer Reads 15/16
This link has disappeared, so screenshots above
Australian Book Review (part is here, but rest behind paywall)
The Australian newspaper, Saturday 3 October 2015, by Peter Pierce
The Spectator UK by Derek Palmer, 10 December 2015
In case this disappears as well, here are some screen shots (click on the images to enlarge):
Quadrant, a long review also by Derek Palmer (see P82)
Michelle McLaren reviews The Secret Son for The Newtown Review of Books
Review from Luke May, at Readings
Review from Lisa Hill of ANZLitLovers
Shark Tank and RedBalloon’s creator Naomi Simson, in an article about the four critical traits of highly successful people, mentions me and my book. (Disclosure: yes, we went to school together.) She posted it on her LinkedIn page and it’s gone nuts with more than 140,000 views. Hopefully some of those people are readers of fiction!
Australian Women Writers featured The Secret Son in their September fiction round up
Otago Daily News, New Zealand – Complex Web as Family Mysteries and Secrets Unfold:
From North & South Magazine, NZ November 2015 issue:
Australian ‘outlaw’ Ned Kelly still captures our collective imagination today, and this inventive novel exploits this lasting fascination to create a thought-provoking story about loss, belonging and truth. [Ackland] weaves an entirely believable tale across two time frames, incorporating real-life characters with those from her imagination. From a remote Victorian bush town to the battle at Gallipoli, Ackland manages to join not just the dots of a modern-day mystery but also the sometimes destructive bonds that tie families together.
From The Gisborne Herald, NZ, Friday 18 September, 2015 review:
Many stories have arisen from the two world wars. The two conflicts have been the source for countless novels, histories, biographies, even fantasy fiction, all revolving around horrific events, the people and the culture.
In The Secret Son, Ackland has created another beautifully crafted story, borrowing from history and Turkish culture.
THE SECRET SON reviewed in Australia’s most prominent Ned Kelly forum website
A mention in Arts Review, 1 September 2015
Small first review in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald
Radio podcasts
I spoke with Kate Evans on RN’s Books + Arts (16 October)
Great chat with 3CR’s David McLean on Published or Not (24 September)
Speaking with Andrew Pople at 2SER about THE SECRET SON and twin narratives (4 September)
Other radio interviews (not podcast):
Radio Northern Beaches (Sydney) with David Harris (15 September)
Radio Southern FM – Write Now (Melbourne), with Gaytana Adorna (17 September)
ABC 612 Afternoons (Brisbane) with Kelly Higgins-Devine (22 September)
96.5 Inner FM (Melbourne), with Lucille Hughes (23 September)
Arts Breakfast (Adelaide), with Cath Kenneally (8 October)
Cover in print
The Secret Son cover appeared in Sunday Life magazine on 27 September.
SERAGLIO