Jane Harper is an incredible author and The Survivors, her fourth novel, continues a sublime run of amazing work.

Another smart and twisty slow burn tale which is heavily reliant on character and place. The writing is smart and hugely enjoyable but it is the plot that really pulls the reader in and keeps them wanting more. As the blocks begin to fall into place, you continue to be wrong footed until the conclusion unfolds.

Jane Harper is one of the few authors whose new releases I mark the date of and pre-order (or hope beyond hope for an ARC). The Survivors is another crime classic and deserves to break out of any genre snobbery.

With thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an ARC in consideration of an honest review.

YES!!! This was everything I wanted!

You can rely on Jane Harper to deliver a spectacular book. Great characters, suspense, intriguing crime and I loved how the happenings from the past interwove with the present issues.

I was really excited to receive an advance copy of this book (thank you netgalley) and it didn’t disappoint. Set in Tasmania, in a coastal community, characters whose lives were turned upside down in a storm are once again dragged through the emotions of shock and loss. Restitution to events of the past brings resolution to events of the present. A really enjoyable easy read that keeps sucking you in and strips bare the best and worst of what people are capable of.

The Survivors is another gripping novel from Jane Harper. The way she weaves an enthralling crime narrative around the historic relationships between family and friends in a small community must be commended. Each of her novels has an entirely original storyline, with believable characters and enough subtle hints to keep you guessing throughout each chapter.

Kieron, Mia and baby Audrey have returned to their hometown in Tasmania to help Kieron’s parents pack up their house. Kieron’s father, Brian is suffering from dementia and is a shadow of his former self. Kieron hasn’t been home for sometime, and the guilt he feels after surviving an accident twelve years ago when his brother Finn didn’t, is the main reason. When the body of a young woman is found on the beach, the investigation into her murder begins to merge with a case from 12 years ago involving a missing teenager.

I am full of admiration for Jane Harper’s work and am sure her writing would appeal to many people. There is no distracting gratuitous drama in her writing, and all the characters feel completely natural and relatable. The conversations between them add important detail to the storyline, both verbal and non verbal.

I cannot recommend this novel enough and having read Jane Harper’s previous three novels, feel this book is of the same high standard. She is absolutely one of my favourite authors and I would like to thank NetGalley for this advanced reading copy.

Within the opening pages, Harper sweeps you away into the world of Evelyn Bay, a fictional town situated in Tasmania, an island state of located, south of the Australian mainland. Seamlessly weaving the events of twelve years ago with the present days, Harper tells her tale through the eyes of Kieran Elliott. Kieran is a local man who has recently returned with his partner and baby has an extended absence of two years from the town. They have reluctantly returned to help Kiernan's mother pack up the house and prepare for his father to move into a care home. Understandably, this is not an experience that the family welcome. But Kieran has other reasons for his disclination to visit.
Twelve years ago, a horrendous storm hit the Bay and Kiernan’s older brother Finn and his business partner, Toby died while trying to rescue Kiernan who was caught in the local caves. A young girl called Gabby also went missing during the storm and was never found. The rumour mill has never quite stopping running and Kiernan moved to Sydney to escape, now he is back in the middle of it all again. And to add to his troubles, a young student called Bronte has gone missing – this time around Toby’s son and his father are the prime suspects. With tension building and old secrets threatening to unravel, Kiernan and his partner Mia are faced with the horror of discovering both the true behind what truly happened 12 years ago and who really killed Bronte.
Harper has a gift for painting such a vivid picture of the locations that she creates and this time around is no different. I can actually imagine myself in Evelyn Bay and smell the salty, cold sea air. The images that she crafts of small town life, where tourism is the main industry, seem to echo those that I know and the reader can easily find themselves becoming increasingly drawn into the storyline. The characters are also very likeable, which helps here and the portrayal of Brian’s descent into dementia and the impact on the family is both accurate and painful to read. With such a thoughtful and nuanced approach, I find Harper’s work is moved from being one of the more ‘pulpy’ thrillers and into a more literary work. She also leaves us with a fundamental question – while we ‘meet’ the Survivors sculpture of the novel, who really are the survivors of this tale. That’s a thought that will stay with me for some time.
Another amazing tale from the award-winning Australian author Jane Harper.

I’m a fan of Jane Harper and really enjoy her style of writing! Her descriptions are so accurate you can feel the burning heat of Australia etc. I enjoyed this book but found it slower paced and a simpler storyline! There were still plenty of twists and turns and an unexpected ending!

Jane Harper’s books always have a strong sense of setting through the place and the weather. This story was no exception. The book had twists and turns that were believable and I didn’t guess the ending.