Killing Adonis (J M Donellan, Pantera Press)

Freya’s lifelong dream of working in a Timorese hospital is put on hold when she is shaken by personal tragedy. Instead, she opts for life experience and adventure, and takes a job with the excessively cashed-up Vincetti family, who would give the Sopranos a run for their (substantial) money. Freya is given the task of caring for the favoured Vincetti son, who lies in a coma in the family’s labyrinthine mansion, and soon finds herself embroiled in a weird, chaotic and mysterious family saga. Farcical plotlines, secrets, surreal moments and eccentric characters populate the pages of this satirical black comedy, but as with most good satire explorations run far deeper than the words on the page. J M Donellan (A Beginner’s Guide to Dying in India, Interactive Publications) beautifully illustrates the oft-obscene power of corporations and the excesses and perversions of the very wealthy. His characters, while often outlandish, are believable despite the novel’s sometimes-absurd storylines, and the dialogue is excellent. This is a writer with a deft handle on his craft. Killing Adonis is an immensely pleasurable read and will have some appeal to fans of Wes Anderson’s films and readers looking to be entertained by something a little off-the-wall.

Deborah Crabtree is a Melbourne-based writer and bookseller