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Jessica Gildersleeve

Jessica Gildersleeve

The Conversation

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Alphabet Lane is an unsettling new drama that rejects the myth of the idyllic country life

Alphabet Lane is an unsettling new drama that rejects the myth of the idyllic country life

A romantic country escape? No. James Litchfield’s Alphabet Lane is a horrifying commentary on the loneliness of rural living.

23.04.2026 5

The Conversation

Jessica Gildersleeve

Stories of beauty, mourning and ‘moments of being’ inspire in Claire Thomas’ On Not Climbing Mountains

In her latest novel, Claire Thomas spotlights the significance of the Swiss Alps to a wide range of authors, scientists, historians and artists.

02.03.2026 10

The Conversation

Jessica Gildersleeve

Kate Mildenhall’s fast-paced thriller The Hiding Place skewers middle-class pretensions

In The Hiding Place, the hollow ethics of Kate Mildenhall’s characters are exposed as exploitative and mercenary.

07.01.2026 20

The Conversation

Jessica Gildersleeve

Why Jane Harper’s ‘outback noir’ novels make for comfortable – and uncomfortable – reading

Jane Harper’s novels do not include any significant First Nations characters or perspectives. Nor do they acknowledge the deeper meaning and...

13.11.2025 10

The Conversation

Jessica Gildersleeve

Stepmums, alien mums, robot mums, vengeful mums: 7 films to watch this Mother’s Day

This year, why not celebrate with films that capture the beauty and chaos of motherhood.

09.05.2025 20

The Conversation

Jessica Gildersleeve

Manifesto, theory, rant: Yumna Kassab’s ‘post-novels ’ have a bit of everything

Yumna Kassab’s vignettes and fragments present a kaleidoscopic view of contemporary society.

28.03.2025 8

The Conversation

Jessica Gildersleeve