Wanderlust (Luke Bales Mysteries, Book 1)

There were several elements of Foster's first novel that I found fresh and compelling. First, as others have noted, is the free use of Australianisms. Lingo, terms and expressions that at first seem a bit of a puzzle to this American reader. But, after a few chapters and the occasional Google, it really adds to the authenticity of the story and taps into the writer's background. Some of the language is just damn fun.Second, is the way that Luke Bales is no professional or Sherlock. He muddles his way through the mystery and doggedly pursues the killer. Luke Bales' street smarts and insight are to be admired but in a regular joe (bloke?) kind of way. He's no Alex Cross, Robert Langdon or Harry Bosch. His motives are equal parts do-the-right-thing and save his beloved bar. And, that works for me.Clearly the novel leaves it wide open for more Luke Bales misadventures in future works. Looking forward to it.

Excellent book! The plot was fast-moving and engaging. The dialogue was well-written. I enjoyed the Australian expressions. There were lots of humorous touches (eg. "...her mascara made her look like a racoon with insomnia. ..") All in all, it made me look forward to his next book!

You know those books you can't wait to leave work to continue reading? Yeah, this was definitely one of them. The combination of suspense, crime and passion was a perfect recipe for excitement and the style of writing was brilliantly visual which brought the story to life while reading it. I'm not sure if other readers feel the same way but the twists and turns throughout really surprised me and kept me turning the pages. To top it all off, I too am an Aussie living in New York which made it that much more relatable...I want to meet Luke Bales now!Such a great read, highly recommend it!I'm hoping the author writes a follow up, I'll be rushing to buy it if he does!

I don't give out five stars lightly. It's usually to books over 500 pages or a series I can't put down. I loved the atmosphere and bits of culture comparisons. I particularly liked the Aussie expressions. Really looking forward to a series with these characters. Recommended.

I chugged this book down like it was one of Luke Bale's tasty Wanderlust cocktails. For anyone who lives in NYC, you will appreciate the sweaty realness of the bars, streets, nightlife, walk-up apartments....and shifty, dangerous characters. Throw in a huge dose of Aussie charm, unexpected turns, and a lighting fast pace....you are guaranteed to enjoy tagging along with Luke Bales.

Great read, I really got the feel of NYC as seen from an outsider. It was recommended to me by Jim Nolan (Forged in Buffalo) and it delivered as promised. I recommend t as a good mystery read. I liked the ex pat Australian characters and the bike riding. Great way to get around NYC. .

I read a lot of mysteries and many of them feel like they're paint by numbers- super detective with inhuman tolerance for pain and superhuman insight. Call it the Humphrey Bogart effect. But that's not what Wanderlust is. Instead, I was dropped into a normal "bloke's" life as something completely beyond his control happened and he makes sense of it as best he can. It reminded me a bit of James Crumley (and that's a high compliment in my world).

Simon Foster has clearly spent a lot of time in bars--for research purposes, I'm sure. Which is great for us readers. This is an auspicious debut, funny, exciting, fantastic dialog, and introduces a great new character, Luke Bales, to the crime solver pantheon. I can't wait to read the next one--this is the start of a very successful series.

‘Wanderlust’ is a brilliant – and very funny – crime novel. It’s full of fascinating characters and with a plotline that whisks us across New York at a superb pace. It’s amusing; it’s clever and it doesn’t disappoint. I was hooked with Luke’s story right from the start; I thoroughly enjoyed his ‘distinctive’ voice. I am in awe of Hannah and felt a weird maternal angst about the fate of Anchor. Simon Foster threw red-herrings into the mix, built up the tension and repeatedly stacked the odds against Luke solving this crime – yet he does. Thanks Simon for a great journey – and a very satisfying ending.

This book is the literary equivalent of a poppadum. Dry, snappy and incredibly moreish.Simon Foster has given the American crime novel a fresh, new twist. His unashamed use of Aussie slang lends a familiar genre wit and charm seldom seen in the modern era.I swallowed the whole thing in 3 days.The fact it’s an easy-read should not be frowned upon. This novelist has no ambition to become the next Agatha Christie. His stories are too absorbing and his characters are too comfortable in their own skin, to chase any lofty comparisons.Go read. But just like a poppadum, probably best consumed with a few cold ones.

Simon Foster writes with a similar style to Harlen Coben, but adds an Aussie flavour which I love. Hope to see more from this exciting new author soon!