Latest news with #Marybeth
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
A gripping new thriller from the author who gives pulp fiction a good name
In Battle Mountain, he's 51, having aged along with the series since it began in 2002 with Open Season (when he was 32). Wife Marybeth, an active presence in every book, is now the director of the Twelve Sleep County Library, her research expertise regularly assisting Joe's investigations. And the little girls who sat on his knee in the early books are now young women making their ways in the world, away from home, their situations periodically foregrounded. Box's books can be read as stand-alone stories, but the series works best as a chronologically ordered account of Joe's life, the characters around him, and the changing face of rural America. Unlike Reacher, Joe is a stickler for the rules and his 'Dudley-Do-Right reputation' precedes him wherever he goes. That he is an honourable man can readily be seen in how he goes about his work and his life. When he comes across the state governor fishing without a licence in one of the early books, he tickets him the same way he would anybody else. When interviewing somebody he suspects of stepping out of line, he's learnt that a friendly opening – 'I guess you know why I'm here?' – is far more effective than a confrontation. He has a special dislike for trophy hunters, poachers, eco-terrorists and those who hunt out of season. Loading Again unlike Reacher, he's not skilled in the martial arts. He's not even a good shot when he grudgingly finds himself forced to take up arms, and he always needs help when the serious shooting starts. Which is where master falconer, former special forces operative and survivalist Nate Romanowski comes in. Introduced in Winter Kill (2003), he serves more or less the same function as Reacher does in Child's books. When he's accused of a crime he didn't commit, Joe stands by him, winning his undying loyalty. Simmering away beneath the surfaces of the stories is Box's dismay with the peculiarly American chaos that is also known as the state of the nation: the dangerous secret organisations festering around the fringes of its everyday life; the corrupt public officialdom that tarnishes its democracy; the plight of army veterans who've been exploited in hopeless foreign incursions; the hostility to migrants. In Battle Mountain, Marybeth's online investigations reveal that an FBI agent who has been asking after Joe and Nate had been engaged in several significant domestic terrorist events that have remained unhealed wounds on the American psyche (and that include the January 6 riots in the nation's capital). Nate is at the heart of the new book. Joe doesn't appear until page 51, although he and Marybeth are still central to the plot. Nate is bent on tracking down and wreaking vengeance upon Axel Soledad, a fellow special forces soldier gone rogue, who first appears in Shadows Reel (2022), and has been lying in wait ever since. As Box calmly and capably winds together the various plot threads, events unfold in a savage terrain littered with small towns, isolated farmhouses and shacks, and a tourist haven for privileged easterners known as the B-Lazy-U Ranch. At stake is what is described early on as not just a threat to the characters but dangers that could 'possibly alter the trajectory of the nation itself'. And like most of the preceding books in the series, it's unputdownable.
The Age
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
A gripping new thriller from the author who gives pulp fiction a good name
In Battle Mountain, he's 51, having aged along with the series since it began in 2002 with Open Season (when he was 32). Wife Marybeth, an active presence in every book, is now the director of the Twelve Sleep County Library, her research expertise regularly assisting Joe's investigations. And the little girls who sat on his knee in the early books are now young women making their ways in the world, away from home, their situations periodically foregrounded. Box's books can be read as stand-alone stories, but the series works best as a chronologically ordered account of Joe's life, the characters around him, and the changing face of rural America. Unlike Reacher, Joe is a stickler for the rules and his 'Dudley-Do-Right reputation' precedes him wherever he goes. That he is an honourable man can readily be seen in how he goes about his work and his life. When he comes across the state governor fishing without a licence in one of the early books, he tickets him the same way he would anybody else. When interviewing somebody he suspects of stepping out of line, he's learnt that a friendly opening – 'I guess you know why I'm here?' – is far more effective than a confrontation. He has a special dislike for trophy hunters, poachers, eco-terrorists and those who hunt out of season. Loading Again unlike Reacher, he's not skilled in the martial arts. He's not even a good shot when he grudgingly finds himself forced to take up arms, and he always needs help when the serious shooting starts. Which is where master falconer, former special forces operative and survivalist Nate Romanowski comes in. Introduced in Winter Kill (2003), he serves more or less the same function as Reacher does in Child's books. When he's accused of a crime he didn't commit, Joe stands by him, winning his undying loyalty. Simmering away beneath the surfaces of the stories is Box's dismay with the peculiarly American chaos that is also known as the state of the nation: the dangerous secret organisations festering around the fringes of its everyday life; the corrupt public officialdom that tarnishes its democracy; the plight of army veterans who've been exploited in hopeless foreign incursions; the hostility to migrants. In Battle Mountain, Marybeth's online investigations reveal that an FBI agent who has been asking after Joe and Nate had been engaged in several significant domestic terrorist events that have remained unhealed wounds on the American psyche (and that include the January 6 riots in the nation's capital). Nate is at the heart of the new book. Joe doesn't appear until page 51, although he and Marybeth are still central to the plot. Nate is bent on tracking down and wreaking vengeance upon Axel Soledad, a fellow special forces soldier gone rogue, who first appears in Shadows Reel (2022), and has been lying in wait ever since. As Box calmly and capably winds together the various plot threads, events unfold in a savage terrain littered with small towns, isolated farmhouses and shacks, and a tourist haven for privileged easterners known as the B-Lazy-U Ranch. At stake is what is described early on as not just a threat to the characters but dangers that could 'possibly alter the trajectory of the nation itself'. And like most of the preceding books in the series, it's unputdownable.
New Straits Times
11-05-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Not all mothers deserve a tribute
EVERY second Sunday of May, social media floods with fancy breakfast photos and "best mum ever" tributes, while flower shops sell out and restaurants fill with reservations. But not every child looks forward to this day. And not every mother deserves to be celebrated. For some people, Mother's Day brings not celebration, but grief, resentment or longing. Not every mother fits the idealised image we're taught to honour. I know a young woman who had to escape her mother's home — a place where she was made to work instead of study, where she was struck in anger, kept from friends and emotionally wounded. She left with nothing but the clothes on her back and the hope of a better life. In many cultures — including Malaysia, where filial piety is deeply ingrained — speaking openly about painful relationships with parents can feel taboo, even shameful. The societal pressure to honour mothers creates a painful dissonance for those who endured neglect or cruelty. Forgiveness is often urged, yet the space to name and process the hurt is rarely offered. " Syurga di bawah telapak kaki ibu", we are told — Heaven lies beneath a mother's feet. But what if those feet have trampled on your spirit? We're used to acknowledging the grief of those whose mothers have passed away. But we speak far less about those mourning mothers who are still alive — or grieving the mother-child bond they needed but never had. Many are left aching for love, protection, and tenderness that never came — a hollow space where a nurturing relationship should have been. REDEFINING MOTHERHOOD True motherhood goes beyond biology. It isn't just about giving birth — it's about protection, care, and showing up with love. Sometimes, that mothering comes from the most unexpected places. A grandmother who stepped in without hesitation. An aunt who made room in her already full home — and in her heart. A teacher who saw your worth when your own mother couldn't. An older cousin who held you through tears or a big sister who quietly made lunches and stayed up late helping with homework. I count myself lucky to have been raised by many women in my family — each one helping me grow, each one offering love in her own way. BIGGER STORY We must make space for those who felt fear at the sound of their mother's voice — who still flinch at memories of slammed doors and words that cut deep. If that's you, know this: it's okay to feel grief. It's okay to step away from the flood of social media tributes, to skip the family brunch, to protect yourself by creating distance from a relationship that caused pain. You're allowed to honour this day differently. How about writing a letter to your younger self? Or maybe lighting a candle for the mother you needed but never had. Spend the day with someone who showed you love — someone who chose you, nurtured you and made you feel safe. "WORST MUM EVER" AWARD THESE women held the title "mother", but acted like a monster. 1. Marybeth Tinning, United States, 1970s Marybeth lost nine children over 14 years. Doctors suspected genetic illness until the pattern was too strange to ignore. Eventually, Marybeth confessed to smothering them. She was diagnosed with Munchausen syndrome (a mental disorder in which a person fakes illness) and was addicted to sympathy. 2. Mitchelle Blair, United States, 2015 Police discovered two small bodies in a freezer during an eviction. Mitchelle Blair confessed to killing them, claiming they had abused her other child. Her story, however, didn't make sense. She had a history of violence and unresolved trauma. 3. Yua Funato case, Japan, 2018 5-year-old Yua Funato was repeatedly beaten and starved by her stepfather, with her mother permitting the abuse. Yua left notes begging for the abuse to stop. She weighed only 12kg when she died of sepsis from starvation and abuse. 4. Azlin Arujunah, Singapore, 2016 Azlin and her husband abused their 5-year-old son for months, burning him with boiling water, beating him and locking him in a cat cage. He died with burns covering most of his body. 5. Foo Li Ping, Singapore, 2020 4-year-old Megan Khung suffered over a year of severe abuse by her mother, Foo Li Ping and boyfriend, Wong Shi Xiang. The abuse included physical beatings, starvation, and humiliation. MeganKhung died after Wong punched her in the stomach. Many of these mothers suffered mental health issues and trauma, but these don't justify their actions. No child deserves abuse. If you're in an abusive household or recovering from one, you're not alone. Help is available through Talian Kasih (15999) or Women's Aid Organisation (03-3000 8858).
