I must send great thanks today to Little, Brown for the chance to be on Jane Harper's blog tour to launch The Lost Man. It is a fantastic read and manages to surpass her first two novels, The Dry and Force of Nature. To check out my reviews on those, just follow the links here: The Dry | Force of Nature.
He had started to remove his clothes as logic had deserted
him, and his skin was cracked. Whatever had been going through Cameron's mind
when he was alive, he didn't look peaceful in death.
Two brothers meet at the remote border of their vast cattle
properties under the unrelenting sun of the outback. In an isolated part of
Australia, they are each other's nearest neighbour, their homes hours apart.
They are at the stockman's grave, a landmark so old that no
one can remember who is buried there. But today, the scant shadow it casts was
the last hope for their middle brother, Cameron. The Bright family's quiet
existence is thrown into grief and anguish.
Something had been troubling Cameron. Did he choose to walk
to his death? Because if he didn't, the isolation of the outback leaves few
suspects...
My Thoughts
As soon as I started the novel, I felt like I was in good hands. Jane Harper has a wonderful writing style which can blend descriptive passages, dialogue and plot points seamlessly. Each elements adds up to a terrific read. You learn so much about her characters as the story unfolds. I can honestly say that I did not guess the twist at the end until it was revealed. There are some many red herrings and you find your opinions on the family members and others changes as you learn more.
The searing heat and grit of the Outback is stifling and an ever present reminder of the menace behind everyone's lives there. You sense all the time that there is a threat to life and wonder which way that will work out. Most of all, I found the characterisation to be superb. You feel that you are living on the farm alongside the family. Each member has their own subtlety and working out the dynamic between them adds to the story. Nathan's isolation and selective memory of his childhood makes him a fascinating character but there are some secondary characters who also seem vivid and alive to us, including some we do not meet. So precise is the writing, that you still can envisage them all.
In short: A stunning read where the atmosphere is scorching.
About the Author
Jane Harper is the author of the international bestsellers
The Dry and Force of Nature. Her books are published in more than 36
territories worldwide, with film rights sold to Reese Witherspoon and Bruna
Papandrea. Jane has won numerous top awards including the CWA Gold Dagger Award
for Best Crime Novel, the British Book Awards Crime and Thriller Book of the
Year, the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year and the Australian
Indie Awards Book of the Year. Jane worked as a print journalist for thirteen
years both in Australia and the UK and now lives in Melbourne.
You can follow Jane here: Website | Twitter | Instagram
Thanks to Jane Harper and Caolinn Douglas of Little, Brown Book Group for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
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