About
Meet Mary
Curator of Books, Literary Event Specialist, Marketing and Management Expert and avid reader.
Mary spent the first four decades of her working life in the book trade in Melbourne, Australia.
Dedicated and passionate about books and literacy, she ran, in succession, the three largest bookselling outlets in Melbourne, a UNESCO City of Literature.
During that time, she initiated annual literary festivals, hosted hundreds of events, welcomed local and international authors launching their new books, and nurtured twenty-two booksellers who had an average tenure of twenty-five years.
The cultural heartbeat of our great city was aided by her endeavours. She was instrumental in bringing a major exhibition to the State Library of Victoria, donated to the restoration of the famous Reading Room in that library, and gifted a James Joyce Seat of Learning to the library forecourt.
Mary commissioned the installation of Hands in Print at The Melbourne Athenaeum Library, the rendering in sculpture of the writing hands of twelve prominent authors including international and local award winners.
With a personal library of thousands of books with emphasis on the crime fiction genre, and the history and culture of Ireland, she addresses audiences on books, genres, trends and undertakes book reviews for radio and social media.
She immersed herself in the world of bookselling, doing two terms as president of the Australian Booksellers Association; was shortlisted for the Telstra Business Woman of the Year award in 1996 and for the Melbourne Business Awards in 2010; and her bookstore, Reader’s Feast, was runner-up in the Victorian Small Business Retailer of the Year award in 2013.
Over the decades she developed several strands of expertise - marketing, business development, event management, public relations and leadership skills, all of which are transferable to other fields of endeavour. Mary currently works with libraries and undertakes freelance projects in proofreading and events consultancy and management. She is also a book reviewer on radio. Go to the "Engagement" tab to learn more.
Follow me on social media: @booksbydalmau
areas of Expertise
Proofreading
Book reviews
Speaking engagements
Interviews
Business development
Leading, Developing and Motivating Work Teams
Strategic Library Collection Management
Project management
Marketing & Promotion
Management of people and resources
Event Management
From small groups to audiences of thousands, I can organise your event.
Specialities: author interviews, “In Conversation”, Launches, Exhibitions, Commissions, Public events.
From the back catalogue of events:
Festivals:
Melbourne Writers’ Festival Bookseller
Writers at Como
Writers at the Convent
Crime & Justice
Author Events and Interviews:
Charles Salzberg
Ian Rankin
Sir Roger Moore
Jo Nesbo
Rod Laver
Camilla Lackberg
Graeme Simsion
Cultural Events:
Catalan St. Jordi Day / World Book Day Celebrations
Translation Awards (AALITRA) Ceremony
Ned at the Dead Exhibition – Dublin, Ireland 2006
Public Events:
Harry Potter releases – State Library of Victoria and Federation Square
Luka Bloom Concert – National Theatre, St. Kilda
Steve Waugh autobiography launch – Queen Victoria precinct
Book Launches:
Maureen McCarthy
Ben Albrecht
Paul Filev
Judith Lucy and Denise Scott
In Conversations:
Phillip Adams
Stuart Macbride
Scott Bevan
Readers’ Theatre:
84 Charing Cross Road
Voices of Democracy
A Christmas Carol
Literary Seasons
Proofreading
Proofreading service available for all types of documents, including manuscripts, essays, articles, design briefs. Rate is $80.00 AUD plus GST per hour or part thereof. Minimum engagement 2 hours. Payment 14 days from invoice.
Mary has worked with Balarinji on numerous occasions delivering editing and proofreading services. Mary is reliable, thorough and competent. She is accommodating and punctual and saves a lot of time in our Studio. Mary is our go-to Editor and I would highly recommend her. Rachel Taylor, Balarinji.
Latest Reviews
Read current reviews here. For more reviews, click on the Archived Reviews tab.
Desert Star
Michael Connelly
Allen & Unwin 2022
This Ballard & Bosch novel is yet another fabulous book from Michael Connelly. Invested in Harry Bosch, as I and millions of other readers have been since his first appearance in 1992 (and now across more than twenty titles featuring Bosch), it is remarkable that Michael Connelly has introduced other characters such as Renee Ballard who, in their own right, carry a storyline. Be it Bosch, Ballard or Mickey Haller, a Connelly novel never disappoints. He is a master at character development, physical place description, and plot creation.
In Desert Star, Renee is heading up a new unit and has carte blanche to choose her team albeit that they will be ‘volunteers’; in this context, she feels free to bring Harry Bosch out of retirement. Intending to look at cold cases over many decades, the first task is to uncover the truth of Councilman Pearlman’s sister’s murder. This takes priority because the councilman’s support was the catalyst for this Open-Unsolved Unit that Ballard is heading up. Bosch agrees on the proviso that he can work a specific case that has haunted him – the murders of the Gallagher family, taken in 2013 and buried in the Desert.
For those who don’t read crime fiction or dismiss it as formulaic, it is an author such as Michael Connelly who might just whet the appetite. Bosch has always been a maverick within the police department which was less about any particular antipathy towards the department and more about his personal moral code. In this, Connelly exemplifies why we avid crime fiction readers commit to these characters – they reflect the complexities of each person and the motivations that drive us to take particular paths or embark on what otherwise might seem foolish actions.
In Desert Star, Harry is true to form – the Gallaghers must not be forgotten, and he cannot rest until he discovers the truth, even if that search places him at odds with Ballard, jeopardises the team, and potentially puts his life in danger.
The books have only grown in stature as Harry Bosch, played by Titus Welliver, hit our screens. He is, for me, the living, breathing Harry – perfectly cast, and the translation to the screen has in no way diminished my enjoyment of the books.
Having many favourite authors from the cohorts of British and European crime writers, Michael Connelly, along with Daniel Silva, are the American authors of this genre who I admire most and who have never produced anything other than the highest quality novels. It is a testament to Mr Connelly that he has sustained this excellence over so many years and so many publications.
Head over to the Archive for earlier reviews. And visit:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/booksbydalmau
Twitter: www.twitter.com/booksbydalmau
Instagram: www.instagram.com/booksbydalmau
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contact
If you wish to contact Mary please use the contact form.