Reviews

The Lost Man by Jane Harper

ashleyehooker's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Love this author. This book was one of their most captivating. Eager for more!

annarosereads's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

This is a slow moving character driven mystery. The characters are complexly wrought with complex backgrounds and motivations. Harper does such a great job of giving her novels a sense of place. The landscape of Australia is like another character in the book.

jocelyngammie's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

I love the way she writes. I love the descriptions of the characters and the landscape and the Australian lifestyle. Great addictive read. Not my favourite ending. But a great book.

sunflower1007's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

I started this book in May. Then life got busy and my ebook on Libby expired and the hold list was long and I never got back to it. All summer I have struggled to find a book that really fits and leaves me feeling like I had a great reading experience. I started this again this week when it came available on Libby. This time I couldn’t put it down. Jane Harper has become one of my top authors with her first two books. This one did not disappoint. I’m anxious to see what else she writes.

j_rowley's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

One of three brothers dies in the Outback. Father had been particularly brutal. Eldest married young. They got a bad piece of property from father-in-law. Probably helped doom the marriage. Nathan, after having a really good night with the bartenter Isle, bumped into ex-father-in-law. They have words. Later he passes exFIL on side of the road having heart attack, and he doesn't stop to help which is a no no in the Outback. Town ostracizes him. He's lived alone, not seeing anyone for years.

Middle brother Cam takes over the homestead and marries bartender, Ilse. They have two young girls. Youngest brother Bub lives there with mom, Liz. Cam seems to be a great guy -- find out he's controlling with a mean streak. He might have hurt one of the girls. He might be a serial rapist. Looks like one of the early rapes coming back to haunt him. Suspicion she was killer.

Everyone worried about Nathan on his own. Teen son Xander is worried about him too.

Turns out mom killed him. Saw he was turning into his dad, and she wouldn't allow it.

Nathan leaves us with suspicion that after the car accident which killed dad, that mom wasn't unconscious for that long. That maybe letting someone die is easier the second time around.

jennitarheelreader's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

The Lost Man is my first read from Jane Harper and what a read! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

The Bright brothers live on enormous adjacent cattle properties in the Australian outback. The Lost Man opens with two of the brothers, Nathan and Bub, meeting at the stockman’s grave landmark where their brother, Cameron, has passed away. Was there foul play, or did Cameron intentionally allow himself to die from dehydration in the brutal outback desert?

There are several suspects (in my mind) right away even in this sparsely populated area. Was it Nathan or Bub, the competitive brothers who may have wanted Cameron’s property or possibly a need for revenge?

Was it one or both of the drifters living and working on the property?

Or was Cameron’s wife, Ilse, somehow involved? The way things transpire, the spotlight blinks on each person in time, and I never knew who the red herrings were because there were several!

Now I know why Jane Harper’s writing is first described as atmospheric. YES, it absolutely was. Suspenseful? Another big yes. Dark and gritty? Uh huh!

If you enjoy mysteries, stories of family dynamics, easy-to-read, perfectly paced slower burning suspense, this book has your name all over it.

The Lost Man is an epic, deeply emotional story that will keep you on your toes, and its slower momentum will allow you plenty of time to analyze and explore what you think happened; that is what kept me invested all the more.

I buddy read this with my friend Beth at Bibliobeth, and it was an amazing book to analyze and dissect with a dear friend. ♥️

I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com

yak_nika's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Гарний детектив, до того ж атмосфера пустель Австралії заворожує та додає сюжету своєї особливості

dugoutdug23's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Interesting book about a family in the outback and three brothers who are struggling with their past and their future.
One brother dies under mysterious circumstances at the grave of a stockman out in the wilderness; while his vehicle is found a short distance away fully stocked and operational.

busher03's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

I've been recently enamored of stories from the Australian Outback, and this book was a quite enjoyable read. Jane Harper does a great job of bringing the atmosphere and isolation of this cattle station to the page. I look forward to reading more from her.