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bookstorian's review
4.0
After being in a massive reading slump for the past few weeks I immediately opened this read when it arrived from Hachette. A thriller always helps me claw out of a slump and this one didn't disappoint.
Probationary officer Tara returns to her roots to begin her career in the police force, what she doesn't count on is a double homicide on her first day. The prime suspects are two American back packers Beth and Lauren, sorority sisters who have recently ended their three month contract at the problematic local pub The Gold Rush.
There were many classic thriller elements that I liked about this story such as the redemptive character who returns to their home town, duel timelines, multiple narrators, historical tensions, an action packed ending and oh so many cliff hangers to end the chapters. The mystery was certainly multi layered and I was constantly guessing what the truth was as well as how reliable were each of the narrators, I really didn't pick where the plot was going at all.
I think what was the most surprising about the novel was the exploration of intergenerational trauma from multiple characters and cultures as well as the influence colonialism still has on many remote communities and the problems that the white population are still capable of fueling.
Although the sexual abuse was not explicitly described it was confronting and I think that trigger warnings should be something normalised in the publishing industry. Although this is not something triggering for me, there would be many people who could be triggered by it and when books are new and limited reviews exist for the title it can be difficult for people to know what they are reading.
If you enjoy a fast paced thriller in a rural Australian setting (think The Dry) then this is your next read.
Similar to The Dry
Probationary officer Tara returns to her roots to begin her career in the police force, what she doesn't count on is a double homicide on her first day. The prime suspects are two American back packers Beth and Lauren, sorority sisters who have recently ended their three month contract at the problematic local pub The Gold Rush.
There were many classic thriller elements that I liked about this story such as the redemptive character who returns to their home town, duel timelines, multiple narrators, historical tensions, an action packed ending and oh so many cliff hangers to end the chapters. The mystery was certainly multi layered and I was constantly guessing what the truth was as well as how reliable were each of the narrators, I really didn't pick where the plot was going at all.
I think what was the most surprising about the novel was the exploration of intergenerational trauma from multiple characters and cultures as well as the influence colonialism still has on many remote communities and the problems that the white population are still capable of fueling.
Although the sexual abuse was not explicitly described it was confronting and I think that trigger warnings should be something normalised in the publishing industry. Although this is not something triggering for me, there would be many people who could be triggered by it and when books are new and limited reviews exist for the title it can be difficult for people to know what they are reading.
If you enjoy a fast paced thriller in a rural Australian setting (think The Dry) then this is your next read.
Similar to The Dry
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Racism