Kieran and Mia, young professionals from Sydney, have returned to their childhood home town on the East Coast of Tasmania. This is partly because they have a new baby and partly because his father is suffering from dementia and his mother is packing up the house prior to transferring him to a care home in Hobart. They, and the whole town, are haunted by the memory of the Devastation caused by ‘The Storm’ more than a decade ago.
Having taken a foolish risk, Kieran, then in his late teens, had been swept into the sea and had almost died; sailing to rescue him, his brother, Finn, and Toby, co-owner of their diving business, had died when their boat overturned. This had happened near an artwork installation called The Survivors, referring to a shipwreck at that point many years before. Kieran carries the guilt for what he sees as his responsibility for their deaths. Mia, a few years younger, is more concerned with the disappearance and presumed death of her friend Gabby, last seen on the beach by Kieran’s father just before the storm struck.
They re-establish their friendship with Sean (Toby’s younger brother who now runs the diving business), Olivia (who had been with Kieran as the storm hit the coast) and Ash (Kieran’s oldest friend). A visiting Art student, Bronte, staying with Olivia for the summer becomes part of the group. But a few days later Kieran’s father finds her dead on the beach.
The small, rather isolated, town provides a good backdrop against which to explore the nature of memory, of friendship. of family and of guilt, while providing a satisfactory mystery for those who merely want to try and beat the author to the solution. Jane Harper is a skilful and experienced writer and this book will please her fans and probably add some new ones.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

I loved this book. Although it was more dialogue-heavy than some of her other books, Jane Harper's way with language, both spoken and non-verbals, the scene setting, the tension between characters and the lies they tell make this book another hit with me. The small town mentality still hanging onto events of years before, the heartbreak of moving on yet staying the same inside, the misconceptions that characters hold about others, about events and about the intentions of their community are well captured in this novel. While it is a much smaller landscape than in the The Dry or The Lost Man, the sense of the small town community, with all of its pros and cons, comes across well in this book too. I am very excited to see where the author choses to focus her lens in her next book.

The sea contains the answers in this latest Jane Harper read set in Evelyn Bay in Tasmania, a small coastal town with an old tragedy hanging over them that has never been fully answered and then a new one further throws the spotlight on it. Jane Harper’s reads never disappoint as you are kept wondering and suspecting everyone till the very end. Many thanks to Netgalley and the Little Brown Book Group UK for the ARC.

I have previously adored Jane Harper's unsettling thrillers and this one was no exception. Set in the claustrophic atmosphere of a small town in Tasmania, The Survivors centres on Kieran, who has returned with his girlfriend and newborn daughter to help his mother with clearing out her house before his father, who has dementia, is moved into a care home. Interacting with all his old friends and neighbours, the discovery of the body of a young student on the beach leads to suspicions in the community, and the revival of discussion about the death of Kieran's older brother Finn, for which Kieran was partly responsible. Harper is a real expert at these small communities full of secrets, and The Survivors kept me guessing until the end. If you love a good mystery thriller, or have read any of Harper's other novels, you will love this.

This is a slow burn thriller that really allows Jane Harper's fantastic writing to shine.
Despite being slow paced this book had me hooked throughout and i was very invested in the story.

Thank you for allowing me to receive an early copy to enjoy.

Thanks to Net Galley and Little Brown Group UK.
Another great read from Jane Harper, so many layers to the story, a lot of strong characters who come up against each other.
Kieran has returned to his home town, the body of a young girl is found in the morning on the beach. It brings back the trauma from 18 years ago when his brother and his friend were drowned trying to save Kieran and a young girl went missing that day too, her body never having been found. The finger of suspicion is pointed at a few people even Kieran’s father who has dementia but was on the beach.
As the story unfolds as the truth of the past and the present comes to light and some hurts can be mended.
Jane Harper is an expert at weaving a story and drawing her reader in as the pages turn. 4.5 stars

This latest book from Jane Harper is an atmospheric, twisty mystery set in Tasmania.  Twelve years ago a terrible tragedy happened in the coastal resort of Evelyn Bay.  Kieran was at the centre of the disaster and now he has returned home to visit his mother and ailing father.  It seems that some of the residents of the Bay have long memories and Kieran is not welcomed back by everyone.  Then things go from bad to worse when another tragedy strikes the town and old secrets that were once buried begin to float to the surface. 

Another great read from Jane Harper, perhaps a little slow in pace but a great story in a fantastic setting with some very memorable characters.

Oooo, this is a bit of a slow burner initially but once it gets over the peak it's a bit of a race to the end as all the secrets and lies which have been layered on during the set up are peeled back and the truth exposed. And what a truth...! But I get ahead of myself...
Kieran has returned to his childhood home to help his mum pack up to move after his dad's heath had deteriorated. It's a bitter sweet time for him as, on one hand, he gets to reconnect with his long term friends, but there's also the shadow of the death of his brother, in a storm. Together with partner Mia, also a local girl, they meet up with Ash and Sean at the diner where their other friend Olivia works. There they meet Bronte a student working her holidays near the sea to find inspiration for her coursework.
End of the evening they part, but they wake next morning to find a body has been discovered and Kieran starts to think it's connected to the disappearance of another girl, Mia's best friend who disappeared at the same time as the storm that took his brother and so begins an intricately plotted, expertly executed tale spanning the years, flitting between the then and now as finally the truth is exposed...
I loved this book. Yes it's a bit of a slower burn than I prefer but I don't mind that when there is a point. When it's all part of the setting up, as it definitely is here.
Pacing is perfect and fits the narrative every step of the way. Starting off at a steady plod as the layers of intrigue are built up, it slowly starts to ramp up and then really takes off as we race to the end where the truth is finally laid bare.
Characters are also well drawn and all play their parts well. They are easily differentiated and have their own voices. Kieran himself is easy to connect with which is a good thing as it's mostly told from his perspective. There is a lot of to-ing and fro-ing about in time both in the past past and also the near past. There are quite a few occasions where things seem to be missing but then a page or so later explained in flashback. Took a bit to get used to but once I twigged it was happening it was easy to follow.
Plot was interesting, intriguing, and kept my attention all the way through, spitting me out at the end wholly satisfied.
All in all a cracking read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I have read one other book by this author and I have others on my TBR. Time to bump them up methinks. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I've really enjoyed Jane Harper's previous books, particularly for their sense of place; often the dryness of the Australian outback, but I couldn't get a real handle on this small town in Tasmania.
The book was a very slow starter and I almost gave up, but it held my interest enough to find out what had happened.
Not one of my favourites by this author, but looking forward to her next one
Thank you to netgalley and Little Brown books for an advance copy of this book

It took me a while to get into this one unfortunately, I prefer a more faster pace in a book, however I did enjoy it once it got going. Great atmospheric settings and likeable characters.

When a young artist is found dead on a Tasmanian beach everyone is horrified. And they can’t help but remember the storm of long ago which left three dead. Suspicions abound, but no one seems to have any real reason to kill Bronte.
Oh my word I do love Jane Harper’s books. The Survivors is yet another fantastic read that drew me in immediately. This crime novel unfolds gently as we meet the residents of Evelyn Bay and learn of the horrific storm that hit twelve years ago, wreaking devastation and wrecking lives.
Don’t expect loads of action-packed excitement. No, this book gradually takes hold of you with its layers and layers of personalities, history, relationships, secrets and lies.
Kieran and Mia have recently returned to Evelyn Bay with their baby to visit Kieran’s parents, Verity and Brian. Jane Harper brings her characters alive, and we learn of Verity’s obsession with online support groups and self-improvement, as well as Brian’s advanced dementia. We meet Kieran and Mia’s friends from when they were growing up in Evelyn Bay, as well as a best-selling author who’s moved there and caused a few ructions. All the way through, the author teases us, hinting that we’re not quite getting the full story. Throughout, as the police investigate Bronte’s death, Harper sows little doubts – so while at first no-one seems to have motive, I soon began to suspect a whole lot of people.
I enjoyed Harper’s use of the language. It’s clever and subtle. Her writing enveloped me so that I felt I was there on that beach where the murdered girl was found. She has a way of doing dialogue perfectly, describing body language and conjuring up the surrounds in ways that make people and places come alive. I could see the caves, the sea and The Survivors – the stark iron memorial to a shipwreck.
Harper writes compassionately about the dementia that affect Kieran’s father, and its effect on families. There’s one hugely unsettling scene with his granddaughter, that broke my heart.
DI Pendleton, sent from the mainland to help local Detective Renn investigate, is a wonderful character, whose insight and persistence finally cracks the case. I hope we’re going to meet her again in the future.

The Survivors is another excellent book from the always reliable Jane Harper. Though it may be a slower burn than some of her previous books, I still found it to be a gripping read and one that I found difficult to put down.
Kieran and Mia return to their old home town to help Kieran's parents pack up the family home ahead of moving. Returning is difficult because of an incident from the past which Kieran feels a huge amount of guilt about as it caused the death of his older brother and another local man. When the body of a young woman is found in the beach it brings back more memories of that summer when another girl disappeared in the wake of a terrible storm. As the investigation into the current suspicious death begins to dredge up more memories for Kieran and the rest of the community tearing open a wound that never fully healed.
The author shows great skill in her use of the two timelines to reveal the full story and her characters are completely believable, even with the slower build up I found that I kept turning pages.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This is a slow burner but the author builds the suspense with real skill and keeps the reader engaged and intrigued. It deals with the complicated relationship each of us has with guilt and shame, and the way that tragedies live on for those involved long after others have moved on with their lives. The setting was beautiful and the landscape and weather became characters in their own right, driving the plot forwards.

Keiran and Mia return to the small coastal community that they grew up in when Keiran's parents need help packing up to move house. The first night is spent meeting with their mates for a few drinks and catching up.
But the next day the body of one of the summer waitresses, Bronte, is found dead on the beach, rocking the whole community. It brings back a tragedy that happened during a storm a dozen years ago when Mia's best friend, Gabby and Keiran's brother, Finn died.. Old feelings resurface.
This story captivated me., full of twists and turns, the story cleverly woven before the reveal at the end.
Definitely recommend

A totally absorbing thriller. I loved the Dry and this new one was just as good. Harper is great at atmosphere - description without too much detail. Strong characters and a good plot.

Kieran returns to his hometown, Evelyn Bay, a place he hasn't spent much time in since a devastating storm nearly twelve years earlier killed his brother. He connects with old friends at a local restaurant before their waitresses' body is discovered on the beach not far from her house. This tragedy mirrors one from the day of the storm and opens old wounds in Evelyn Bay.

I have read and enjoyed all of Jane Harper's previous novels so I really looked forward to reading this one. This is definitely slower paced and I was well over half way through the book before I really got into it. I guessed the conclusion but it was still a solid, atmospheric, mystery.

Thank you to Little Brown and #NetGalley for an advanced copy.

A solid four star read. Great premise. Well written. Good characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing. Would definitely read her next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Jane Harper delivers another compulsively readable while down to earth mystery with her latest.

Once again, the sins of the past are dredged up by current events. While this is probably more sophisticated in its weaving of the two timelines than The Dry, I don't think I was quite as drawn to these characters. Still, she has done a fine job of creating memorable scenes and a very clever mystery with enough potential suspects and red herrings to keep me pleased.

Of particular note, is the way small things make lives turn of a dime in her stories. Everyday acts force terrible events into existence and everyone lives with the pain and the guilt.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. Now, to catch up on Harper's other novels.

Full of twists and turns this book was a good read. Lots of interesting characters and lots of suspects. Do we ever know our old friends as well as we think we do?

Jane Harper has cemented herself as a wonderful mystery crime writer, and her latest book The Survivors is a compelling story of grief, guilt and secrets that conceal the truth of events that rocked a community twelve years previously. Kieran Elliott has returned to Evelyn Bay, a small coastal town in Tasmania with his partner Mia and their daughter Audrey. Kieran has tortured himself since the day of the storm twelve years ago when his older brother, Finn and his friend, Toby died at sea trying to rescue him from a local landmark of sea caves and sculptures, called “The Survivors”. That same day, Gabby Birch the sister of his then-girlfriend, Olivia, and the best friend of his partner, Mia, went missing also presumed dead because of the storm. Guilt and suppressed blame, hang over so many characters and it lies in wait for the moment when feelings boil over.

Kieran and Mia have returned to Evelyn Bay to help his mother, Verity, move his father, living with dementia, to a care home. The return brings Kieran into contact with old friends and acquaintances, new residents, and holiday workers. The cast of characters is intriguing, full of light and shade, ensuring that unsettling undercurrents are fed with suspicion and hidden motives.

When the body of Bronte, a holiday worker at the Surf and Turf and an artist, and close friend Liam, of the group of friends, is found on the beach not far from her home, which she also shares with Olivia, the reflections of the past come flooding back.

“‘The guy with the baby?’ Bronte had said at last. ‘That guy? He killed someone?’ At least she sounded doubtful, Kieran had thought. Wrongly so, but still. ‘Yeah.’ Liam was annoyed now. ‘Two people actually. One of them was my dad.’”

There are several motives and scenarios developed to keep this an intriguing mystery. Who may be responsible and why this happened just as Kieran returned home?

The local policeman, Chris Renn investigates and murder along with DI Sue Pendlebury from Hobart. Renn is an interesting character because twelve years ago he was a rookie cop and was besotted with Olivia, now he is much more assured but there are misgivings that he harbours that may shed some light on the disappearance of Gabby years ago and the latest murder of Bronte. Kieran does as much investigating as the police and through his perspective, the story is told.

Jane Harper has a wonderful ability to paint the scene so vividly that the seaside location is suffused with sights and sounds, the wind and smell of the sea, the uneasiness walking across the beach at night, and the looming threat of being stranded in the caves as the tide comes in. This is a strong characteristic of Harper’s writing and the cliché of being transported to a place seems so much more real at her hand.

There were a few aspects of the story I baulked at, such as Kieran taking his three-month-old daughter harnessed to his chest into some dangerous situations for no real reason or consequence to the story, and some of the interactions between the characters.

I would recommend this book and I would like to thank Little Brown Book UK and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review