All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld

“He stomps out of the shed and comes back with a wild eyed sheep, the one with black spots on her nose.”

This winner of the 2014 Miles Franklin award ( and apparently a raft of other accolades) is a strange beastie that took me a little longer to finish than I would anticipate of a 240 page novel. This is a novel of mutilated sheep, upset birds and misery drifting back and forward in a non-lineal fashion to potentially reveal the sources of Jake Whyte’s (the girl with the boy’s name) torments.

Definitely a good book club choice as it is strange and unusual enough to foster discussion – as the publishers have hit on http://www.randomhouse.com.au/blog/all-the-birds-singing-book-club-questions-2090.aspx .

There are some harrowing scenes, incrementally revealed which go some way to explain Jake's flight to a remote island on the other side of the world. As a moody thriller, it is certainly sure to capture your attention, if you're like me, it just might not deliver the resolution you seek.

4 out of 5 lamb chops.