My Favorite Read of October 2021 -

book review, The Survivors by Jane Harper

I discovered Jane Harper when I was planning my trip to Australia in 2018. Harper does a great job of capturing the Australian terrain and lifestyle. Aside from the setting, I love that her books are character driven mysteries. Even minor characters feel real.

Kieran Elliott’s changed forever as a teenager when his brother and a family friend die in an attempt to rescue him from a storm. They weren’t the only casualties that day, all that was recovered of Gabby was a backpack.

Years later, Kieran returns to Tasmania to help move his father who is suffering from dementia when a woman is murdered. Everyone is shaken, and the citizens begin to turn on each other. This leads to questions about what really happened all those years ago.

I loved the setting and character development in this book. I think the mystery is not as strong as her other books. But, it’s a good balance if you want serious mystery without a lot of graphic detail.