Jane Harper continues to impress

 

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑  Another brilliant novel from one of my favorite Australian authors. Jane Harper has a deft touch when it comes to dramas wrapped tightly in personal struggles that, more often than not, involve a dead body or two. There's nothing like murder to dig up long buried secrets in a close-knit community, and here, in Evelyn Bay, Tasmania, that is the case. With the return of adult Kieran to his childhood home, he is reminded of the guilt he has carried for 12 years after an accident left scars on the town that have not healed.

What makes Jane Harper novels such tried and true gripping reads, for me, is the subtle baring of souls and the tender examination of the reasons behind fear, guilt, anger and the ill effects that often come as a result of such strong emotion. It is the gentle peeling of each layer, like an onion skin, that brings the story into the light. Rarely is it harsh and abrupt, like a punch to the face, but more a thoughtful examination of feelings, reactions and piecing together of the facts known at the time that eventually blend to expose the murderer and the dark reasoning behind the resultant death. It's a magical effect that makes the final reveal a touching one rather than one of, 'ah, gotcha'. Beautifully done here.