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A review by kris_mccracken
The Diggers Rest Hotel by Geoffrey McGeachin
3.0
Geoffrey McGeachin's "The Diggers Rest Hotel" is a historical crime novel that serves its purpose well enough but doesn't exactly light up the literary firmament. Set in late 1940s Albury/ Wodonga, it captures the era with a keen sense of atmosphere, even if the storytelling occasionally leans on convention.
The book introduces Charlie Berlin, a war-damaged ex-bomber pilot turned policeman, investigating a series of armed robberies. Charlie is an astute and reflective protagonist, though he's not breaking new ground for the genre. His internal monologue offers perceptive commentary on the post-war world, and his struggles with PTSD add layers, but the trope of the haunted veteran has been done to death (and better) elsewhere.
The supporting cast is a smorgasbord of archetypes seemingly plucked from the checklist of contemporary historical fiction. There's the fiercely independent woman bristling against patriarchy, the neurodiverse character providing a touch of left-field insight and the queer character whose narrative function feels half-hearted at best. Of course, this being Australian fiction, we also have the sagacious Aboriginal character, forced to keep his brilliance under wraps in a world hostile to his existence. While these figures reflect important and often neglected histories, their inclusion en masse feels both predictable and a tad contrived, particularly in a town this size.
McGeachin clearly did his homework; the period details - from jittery post-war tensions to the scent of rationed tobacco - are immersive. This meticulousness gives the book a sturdy framework, but it sometimes feels as though the research is doing the heavy lifting where the prose or plotting might otherwise shine. The dialogue, while functional, lacks the snap and bite of great crime fiction, and the mystery's resolution is more serviceable than surprising.
The novel does effectively explore the ripples of war trauma, not just for individuals but entire communities. Charlie's efforts to fit back into a world that has fundamentally shifted ring true - the dangers of his stoicism and the risk of even if the narrative takes a leisurely pace in unpacking these themes.
In the end, "The Diggers Rest Hotel" is a competent piece of genre fiction: easy enough to read, historically resonant, but unlikely to be remembered as transformative. It transcends the standard police procedural by offering a thoughtful examination of its hero's vulnerabilities, though it never quite finds the spark to elevate it beyond the middle ground.
⭐ ⭐ 1/2
The book introduces Charlie Berlin, a war-damaged ex-bomber pilot turned policeman, investigating a series of armed robberies. Charlie is an astute and reflective protagonist, though he's not breaking new ground for the genre. His internal monologue offers perceptive commentary on the post-war world, and his struggles with PTSD add layers, but the trope of the haunted veteran has been done to death (and better) elsewhere.
The supporting cast is a smorgasbord of archetypes seemingly plucked from the checklist of contemporary historical fiction. There's the fiercely independent woman bristling against patriarchy, the neurodiverse character providing a touch of left-field insight and the queer character whose narrative function feels half-hearted at best. Of course, this being Australian fiction, we also have the sagacious Aboriginal character, forced to keep his brilliance under wraps in a world hostile to his existence. While these figures reflect important and often neglected histories, their inclusion en masse feels both predictable and a tad contrived, particularly in a town this size.
McGeachin clearly did his homework; the period details - from jittery post-war tensions to the scent of rationed tobacco - are immersive. This meticulousness gives the book a sturdy framework, but it sometimes feels as though the research is doing the heavy lifting where the prose or plotting might otherwise shine. The dialogue, while functional, lacks the snap and bite of great crime fiction, and the mystery's resolution is more serviceable than surprising.
The novel does effectively explore the ripples of war trauma, not just for individuals but entire communities. Charlie's efforts to fit back into a world that has fundamentally shifted ring true - the dangers of his stoicism and the risk of even if the narrative takes a leisurely pace in unpacking these themes.
In the end, "The Diggers Rest Hotel" is a competent piece of genre fiction: easy enough to read, historically resonant, but unlikely to be remembered as transformative. It transcends the standard police procedural by offering a thoughtful examination of its hero's vulnerabilities, though it never quite finds the spark to elevate it beyond the middle ground.
⭐ ⭐ 1/2