Aussie Author Challenge: Book 8

This book wasn't an original pick for the challenge, but I'd seen many recommendations for it (plus the two books that follow it in the series), I decided I needed to move it up my "to read" list.

Hades by Candice Fox - Impossible for me to "rate". Sometimes, it is a 2 star, other times a 4, even 5 star. Or it could be ZERO stars for taking a well-known literary and television character and re-writing it.

Is this fan fiction? 

The parallels to Dexter Morgan are painfully obvious. Child witnesses brutally violent death of parent. Subsequently, the father figure role model that steps in to raise child(ren) recognizes violent tendencies. Child (then teen) is abnormally intelligent. Father figure develops a plan and way for kid(s) to function undetected and contribute to society ultimately working in homicide police department. Brother and sister work in homicide together.  

Yes, the parallels are that close, but enough things have been changed that the story is possible to enjoy, I suppose.  I couldn't get past it.  I couldn't stop thinking "how did this win an award for Australian debut author in crime fiction in 2014?"  Shouldn't a winner of such an award be a little more creative than take the outline of the Dexter series and change it up enough for it not to be plagiarism? 

I can't be the only person to notice this, am I right??  After reading the book, I scanned some goodreads reviews.  Yes, others have noticed the Dexter parallels as well. 

If you can get past the Dexter similarities (or you never read/watched Dexter previously), you will probably enjoy this book.  If not, give it a pass. 

It's the 7th year for the Aussie Author Challenge, and my 2nd year participating (click on the picture/link to take you directly to the site for more information).  My working book list is as follows:

Female Authors:

• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks - COMPLETED 23 April 2016
• What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty  - COMPLETED 25 March 2016
• The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
• Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington (non-fiction) - COMPLETED 17 January 2016

Male Authors:

• Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey
• Life or Death by Michael Robotham
• Guilt by Matthew Nable - COMPLETED 3 February 2016
• The Street Sweeper by Elliot Perlman

Authors New to Me:

•  Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett - COMPLETED 12 March 2016
• This House of Grief by Helen Garner (non-fiction) - COMPLETED 25 February 2016
• Hades by Candice Fox - COMPLETED 21 May 2016
• Resurrection Bay by Emma Viskic - COMPLETED 14 April 2016