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Saturday, April 17, 2021

Harper's Newest Another Twisty, Atmospheric Page Turner

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Returning to his Tasmanian hometown is never easy for 30-year-old Kieran Elliott.  He still gets the stink eye from Evelyn Bay locals, who blame him for the drowning deaths of two men—one of whom was his older brother, Finn—twelve years ago.  It's only fair since Kieran also blames himself for the accident that stole his idol, rocked his small town, and created a barrier of sorrow and guilt between him and his parents that has never gone away.  Kieran's reluctant to go back, but his father's dementia is worsening, necessitating a move to a nursing home, which means his mother needs help packing.  She also wants to spend time with her only grandchild, Kieran's infant daughter, Audrey. 

Kieran hasn't been in town long when a body washes up on shore.  The dead woman is Bronte Laidler, an art student from Canberra in town for the summer.  Although she drowned, there are some distressing signs that show Bronte's death might not have been an accident.  What really happened to Bronte?  Are the police correct in their suspicions that Kieran's father might have had something to do with her death?  Is this newest drowning connected to the events 12 years ago that turned Kieran into the town pariah?  The more questions he asks, the more Kieran is sure that the secrets of the past are the key to figuring out what—or who—caused Bronte's death.

I love Jane Harper, so it's no surprise that I enjoyed this book, her newest. The author is skilled at creating atmospheric settings and The Survivors' moody, broody Tasmanian backdrop is no exception. Evelyn Bay is a well-drawn small town with plenty of secrets and drama simmering under its surface. Kieran, Mia, and the other characters are sympathetic and likable, without being super memorable or unique. Still, their story is compelling. It moves a bit slowly, but it's still suspenseful and engrossing. I realized who the killer was about halfway through the book and yet I wasn't totally sure of their guilt until the very end. Overall, then, I found this an engrossing, satisfying read that kept my attention throughout.  While I tend to enjoy Harper's series books more than her standalone fiction, I'll read anything she writes.  I'm a fan.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Harper's other novels)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:


for language (no F-bombs), violence, depictions of underage drinking, and mild sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

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Reading

<i>Reading</i>
End of Story by A.J. Finn

Listening

<i>Listening</i>
My Contrary Mary by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows



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