Editorial Reviews: 'The Trivia Man'

Cover illustration by Cheryl Orsini

'Deborah O'Brien has crafted and polished another gem for readers to cherish, impossible to put down and guaranteed to warm your heart and fire synapses in your brain.' 

Christine McGuigan in the Kensington Review  

Read the entire review at the Kensington Review website.  

'O'Brien uses a light touch laced with humour and sensitivity to create a bright and charming read.' 

 Hastings District Libraries NZ

'O'Brien avoids using the word "Asperger's", just as Maggie avoids reading psychological assessments of "special needs" students until she gets to know them. . . For this reason both Maggie and O'Brien get a thumbs-up from me.

'. . . a bright, light read and hard to put down.'

Read the entire review at the Caught Up in a Book website.

'This is a warming story of friendship and family - and fitting in - even if you are a square peg.'

Reading Stack (Sandy Fussell)

Read the entire review at the Reading Stack website.

'This book is full of beautifully drawn characters.
Revealing the characters by using a trivia competition, played every week, was pure genius ... Deborah O'Brien's understanding of people, and what makes them do what they do, is spectacular.' 

Terry R. Barca
Read the entire review at the Araneus1 website. 

'Look out for this one as you're in for a treat. . . A cleverly told, beautifully written story... I couldn't put it down.'

Margareta Osborn

Number 1 bestselling author of 'Bella's Run' and 'Hope's Road'  

'I did enjoy "The Trivia Man". It's a sweet uplifting read about friendship, acceptance and love.' 

 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out

Read the entire review at the Book'd Out website

'Today I have a tale for you that is just darling and guaranteed to warm the cockles of your heart like some sort of handmade heart-cockle-cosy that your granny might have knitted.'

The Bookshelf Gargoyle
Read the entire review by Bruce Gargoyle at the Bookshelf Gargoyle website. 

'... a charming novel about the search for one's place in the world and finding love in unusual places ... Deborah has a wonderful knack of drawing the reader into the fiction world with interesting and unusual characters.'

J. F. Gibson 

Read the entire review at the J.F.Gibson website.  

'A worthy reminder of the value of our differences, Deborah O'Brien's 'The Trivia Man' is a very enjoyable read that leaves you with that old-fashioned warm and fuzzy feeling.'

Read the entire review at the Booklover Book Reviews website.  

'This is a terrific book with lots of comedy, great insight into people and relationships  and some heartbreaking moments. Plus some trivia questions!' 

Karen Crook, Luvz Alkemy

Read the entire review at the Luvz Alkemy website.

'The characters are all really engaging and I found myself keenly turning the pages...  'The Trivia Man' is ultimately an uplifting story with a positive ending, easy to read and thought-provoking too.'

Laraine Fisher, 'Starts at Sixty'

Read the entire review at the Starts at Sixty website.  

'An appealing and easy to read book from one of my favourite Aussie authors.Indeed it has encouraged me to pick up "Mr Chen's Emporium" again, and re-read the series.'

North Melbourne Mum blog

'Let me confess. I watch 'Eggheads' and 'The Chase' every weekday. But even if you're not a UK television quizzer, you'll embrace this tale of a team who wants to win a trip to the Hunter Valley ... ' 

Annabel Lawson, 'Country Style', June 2015

'For a rich and satisfying read, this book comes highly recommended.'

Annie Seaton

Read the entire review at the Annie Seaton Romance website. 

'This book is one quirky, fast and funny read.'

Duffy the Writer
Read the entire review at the Duffy the Writer website.

'The Trivia Man' will appeal to fans of charming, heartwarming character novels.'

'Books and Publishing' (Rebecca Butterworth)

‘The Trivia Man' is an agreeable way to spend a few hours – entertaining and affable.'

'Books in Print'

A relationship- and character-driven story, 'The Trivia Man' is a must for people who love trivia competitions and romance.

Nalini Haynes, Dark Matter Zine

‘I adored reading this... It is a touching and must-read novel.'

'Sweet Little Pretties'

‘New book is no trivial achievement.'

'St George and Sutherland Shire Leader'

'Kevin is thoroughly engaging as the achingly vulnerable forensic accountant who works for the Taxation Department.  His occupation and name are so perfect that he must have existed in a parallel universe, plodding away there for years, waiting for the author to stumble upon his story.

'Maggie is the embodiment of some women I know, and I have the same engagement with her as I do with Kevin. I want her life to be successful, but as I turn the pages I am afraid that it won't be, that she will be hurt, and I want to call out and warn her before she is wounded.

'Elizabeth, as Kevin's sister - and Patrick's mother - is also a very believable character. She is the perfect counterpoint for Kevin - her need to belong in the schoolyard, and Kevin's all-encompassing understanding that he will never belong anywhere, are wonderfully complementary.'

Carrolline Rhodes (used with permission)