Reviewed By Christian Sia for Readers’ Favorite 5 Stars
Ferry to Williamstown by Colin Heston is the second book by this author that I have just read, after the hilarious Holy Water. And the entertainment only gets better as I meet the quirky, fully drawn, and memorable characters in this story. Babs Malley runs the kitchen for the men in her house, including Sandy, her husband and union boss on the wharf, Bobby Malley, her younger brother and ferry driver, and Ryley. Her daughter Lizzie entertains her clients in her Winnebago parked on the old Williamstown Ferry, and she has no time for her mother who calls her the “daughter from hell.” She gets involved in kinky stuff that delights her powerful clients, who include the Mayor of Melbourne. When dead, shaven, and disfigured faces begin to be fished out of the Yarra River, detective Paul Striker finds himself enmeshed in a mystery and a complicated plot as he tries to solve the murders in a world that functions on its own terms. But there is more to the Malley family than meets the eye and when Lizzie gets engaged to her Uncle Bobby and her mother throws a party, things that were hidden before begin to come into the light in a surprising manner.
Ferry to Williamstown is a suspenseful story deftly written for fans of humor, mystery, and comedy. It has an equally strong appeal to suspense and murder buffs. The cast of characters is interesting and the Malley family sits in the middle of the plot. They have strong ties to the leader of the communist party, Lennie Stalinsky, while Babs is bewitched by Father Zappia. The author writes about the eccentricities of the characters in a beguiling manner, pulling readers irresistibly into their worlds. The suspense is written with intelligence and strengthened by the superb writing of the subplots. The setting is a world with its own peculiarities and mysteries and I adore the way the characters evolve. Great world-building, a riveting plot, dialogues filled with humor, unusual satire, and liveliness are elements that blend together to make this story an enthralling narrative. Ferry to Williamstown is a story that will give readers the laugh of a lifetime, and I must say that it takes great storytelling skills to do what Colin Heston seems to do effortlessly.
Reviewed By Romuald Dzemo for Readers’ Favorite 5 stars
Ferry to Williamstown: A Novel by Colin Heston is a fun read, and that is an understatement because the humor fills the pages and the plot invites readers on a ride that is as rollicking as any can be. Lizzie Malley entertains her clients in her Winnebago parked on the old Williamstown Ferry. They are a select and interesting set, including the Mayor of Melbourne. Her mother, Babs, runs the kitchen, and she has the characteristics of a virago; she is a woman enthralled by the eccentric Father Zappia. When disfigured bodies begin to emerge from the Yarra River, Detective Striker knows he has a complicated case to handle in a town with its own rules. Lizzie announces her engagement to her uncle, Bobby the ferry driver. The body of Stalinsky’s wife, Monie, is washed ashore from the river, deepening the mystery. Then in a sendoff party organized by Babs for Lizzie, secrets get revealed. Who is the culprit? The answers will surprise readers.
Colin Heston is an entertainer of the highest caliber and readers will find themselves absorbed by the excellent writing and the authenticity of the characters. They are quirky, boisterous, and living in a world that is strangely familiar. While the author ensures that readers get a great laugh, he doesn’t fail to grip them with suspense, and readers will find themselves guessing and suspecting different characters for the murders. The characters are well-developed and they are as real as they are funny. The dialogues constitute a unique savory element with voices brimming with sarcasm, situations that are humorously written, and characters with unique perspectives on life. Lizzie was my favorite character and I enjoyed the way she speaks with Babs and how lightly she talks about her 'trade.' Ferry to Williamstown is one of the best stories I have read this year in drama and humor and the setting has a life of its own. Great writing, strong plot, and characters that live in the reader’s mind.
Reviewed By K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite 5 stars
Ferry To Williamstown is a raucous Aussie drama with louder than life characters, penned by author Colin Heston. At its very opening we meet Babs and her husband Sandy, learning of their typical strained relationship and Babs’s estrangement from her daughter, Lizzie, who has taken herself off in a Winnebago parked on the titular ferry, and hardly ever comes home. It turns out that Lizzie has clients visiting her little home from home, and more sinister than this, bodies are starting to pop up in the nearby Yarra River. As the investigation gets underway, myriad weird and wonderful characters get involved and embark on quests of their own.
Fans of gritty but comedic family dramas like Shameless or Outrageous Fortune will totally get the vibe of this ensemble cast caught among many hilarious scrapes and over the top capers in their own personal quests for happiness. I particularly liked Babs’s entrancement by Father Zappia and the mock religious quest that spawned from that relationship, as well as the poor detective stuck in the middle, trying to unravel the complex knot of lives around him. There’s a lot of stories going on, which makes the reading experience feel like a very amusing soap opera, complete with authentic and humorous dialogue that characterizes the cast well and moves the story forward with true Aussie humor and blunt wit. Overall, author Colin Heston has produced a satirical drama with many threads to unravel, and Ferry To Williamstown will reward those who can untie its hilarious Gordian knot.