A Murder Unmentioned

By Sulari Gentill

A fascinating historical mystery by Sulari Gentill, author of #1 LibraryReads pick The Woman in the Library

Shortlisted for the Davitt Award for Best Adult Novel for 2015

Shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Novel 2015

Ever since the death of their wealthy, land-owning father a decade prior, Rowland Sinclair and his elder brother, Wil, have avoided any discussion of the event ever since—keeping secret that Sinclair senior was murdered… And the possible involvement of the teenage Rowly and his brother's intervention.

But now the finger of blame is pointing squarely at Rowly, the Sinclair black sheep, a man careless of what society and the authorities think of him. So he and the trio of artist friends who live in his Sydney suburban mansion, and generally have his back, avail themselves of a racing green Gypsy Moth plane (Rowland is a pioneer in air travel) and a yellow Mercedes sports car (another frightening mode of transport) to arrive in New South Wales' Southern Tablelands, bent on clearing Rowly's name.

With cameo appearances from historical figures—Bob Menzies in the Sinclair kitchen, Edna Walling in the garden, and Kate Leigh grinning lasciviously at Rowly in a jailhouse crowd—and a real sense of fun contrasting with the quite genuine tension, this is historical crime for those in the know and those who can barely remember what happened last weekend, a story of family secrets and fraternal loyalty. 

A terrific addition to the critically acclaimed Rowland Sinclair WWII Mysteries and sure to appeal to Rhys Bowen, Kerry Greenwood, and Jacqueline Winspear, this historical novel features a bohemian amateur sleuth, a wry sense of humor, and a crime that will baffle even the most ardent of puzzle lovers. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sourcebooks
• Release date: Feb 12, 2019
• ISBN: 9781464207006

Sulari Gentill

Sulari Gentill is the award-winning author of The Rowland Sinclair Mystery series, historical crime fiction novels set in the 1930s. She won the 2012 Davitt Award for Best Adult Crime Fiction and has been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. After setting out to study astrophysics, graduating in law, and then abandoning her legal career to write books, she now grows French black truffles on her farm in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales.

Reviews for A Murder Unmentioned

[vesper1931 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thirteen years ago in 1920 Henry Sinclair was killed, now accusations have been made that Rowland Sinclair killed his father. Old secrets are revealed but will they help to prove his innocence or not. Then another murder is discovered and the noose is tightened around Rowland.
An enjoyable and interesting mystery revealing more of the history of the Sinclair family.
A NetGalley Book

[jetangen4571 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Australia, murder, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-figures, historical-setting 1933 in Australia where the political scene is uncertain and the world around is polarizing into some frightening camps. Rowland shares his large home with fellow misfits and continues to grow as a artist. It is a family history, and by necessity it is also a segment of Australia's part in world history. Whatever else it is, it is a riveting book in a fascinating series! This one centers about the unpublicized murder of Rowley's father and the fallout from it. The author is awesome, the series is additive, and Rowley is just so lifelike. Hope the next one comes out soon! I requested and received a free ebook copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

[liz1564 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This mystery was sent to me by the publisher Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you.In this novel Rowland Sinclair and his friends are not traveling the world. In fact, the entire plot is focused on Rowly and his immediate family. During a vast gardening project on the family estate where Rowly’s elder brother Wilfred and his family live, the gun that killed their father 13 years earlier is discovered . Originally, the murderer of Henry Sinclair was presumed to be a burglar since some valuable silver went missing. But when the silver is found with the murder weapon, the police decide to reopen the cold case. Thanks to some anonymous calls that point the police to witnesses not interviewed in the initial investigation, it becomes apparent that an inhabitant of Oaklea is the most likely suspect and Rowly, fifteen at the time of his father’s death, had the best motive for wanting his father dead. While Rowly and Wilfred try to clear up the mess, another murder occurs which only seems to strengthen the case against Rowly. In addition, someone tries to shoot Rowly and injures his dog instead. Even Rowly’s personal life is in turmoil. He can’t seem to convince Lucy Bennett, his sister-in-law’s best friend, that he is not in love with her. His mother is even more delusional than usual. And Arthur Sinclair, his disinherited first cousin, seems intent on insinuating himself in the family circle and the family businesses.This, in my opinion, is the strongest novel in the Sinclair canon. Not only is the mystery outstanding, but the characters are really fleshed out. Rowly’s painful childhood is revealed in all of its horror and the strained relationship between Rowly and Wilfred is explained very satisfactorily. Highly recommended.