Well this went backwards and forwards and ended in a place I didn't expect!
Set in the outback of Australia, Mina's sister Evelyn disappeared from their shared room one night. She has never been seen again nor has a body been found. But now a stranger has turned up, Lane Holland is a private investigator and specialises in missing children. Can he and Mina reach an agreement and trust each other?
This book really interested me, I couldn't see where it was headed. There are several chapters with comments from twitter, speculating on what really happened. I didn't feel these added to the story and they irritated me.
A good read.

Wake was an absolutely gripping and thoroughly satisfying page turner of a read. I'm a fan of Jane Harper's The Dry and this novel and author are absolutely up there with the hauntingly eery atmosphere created in the Australian outback: the remoteness, the harsh realities of the Bush and then the people ...
Mina's twin sister Evelyn disappeared 20 years ago when they are both kids. Her mother ensured (and courted) the media. It matt that even when Mina's mother died she was still harassed by journalists on the hunt for a story. Private investigator Lane has his own reasons for turning up and trying to find Mina's sister. There is still reward on offer that he is determined to claim. The pages turn as the two end up trusting one another as Lane attempts to find out what happened to Evelyn. Brilliant read - inhaled it on two nights!

This book is set in the Australian outback where the “local” town is an hour’s drive away, and the nearest neighbouring farm is a long way from yours, small communities where everybody knows each other.
Mina McCreery’s life was changed at the age of 9 when her twin sister, Evelyn, disappeared, and she has always had to live in the shadow of the ongoing interest in the case, especially as there is a substantial reward for its solution.
Lane Holland is an investigator who has solved some cases and received rewards, and now wishes to look at the disappearance, which could solve all his money problems.
It soon becomes clear that Lane’s history is as complex and dysfunctional as Mina’s, he is responsible for his much younger sister and there has been violence in his past.
This is a very atmospheric book, the wide open spaces, the heat, the hidden danger is all hinted at, along with the insidious disrupting effect of social media.
The growing trust between Mina and Lane is developed well, and there are so many unexpected connections, twists, that the book is a compelling read to the very end.
A brilliant read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read this book.

Set in an extremely remote rural area of Australia, this tells the story of missing Evelyn McCreery who disappeared from her home almost twenty years previously. Just a child, who went to bed one night and the next morning was gone. Her twin sister Mina has become something of a recluse while still managing the family farm and keeping prying journalists and others at bay. Private Investigator Lane Holland takes it upon himself to find answers. Having always had an interest in this case that had nationwide publicity, he feels he can solve the mystery but finds it extremely difficult to speak to anyone locally about the case as a wall of protection seems to exist. With demons of his own they threaten to overtake his thought process and put himself and others in danger. Mina herself has seen it all before and has no interest in this latest newcomer. Eventually they speak and the story gradually unwinds to reveal its truths. A good story that encapsulates the bleak remoteness and small town community that is at the heart of this mystery.

This is a good twisty thriller. With plenty of twist and turns that will keep you guessing along the way. It is a well written book.

As private investigator Lane goes after the cash reward for Evelyn, who’s been missing for 20 years, the layers of lies and deceit start to unravel. Against the atmospheric setting of the outback, this Australian thriller doesn’t fail to entertain with its gripping story. Small town life is accurately depicted. Lane also has his own family mystery to solve. .I strongly recommend this book.

Who doesn't love a good twisty thriller? There was plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing and keep you interested. Just when you think you have it sussed you get smacked in the face with another plot twist. Loved this book and will be looking out for more from this author.

I really enjoyed this book - more character driven than an all out exciting plot I would describe it as but these are my personal favourite type of books. There is enough mystery though to keep you hooked and would recommend

I’d like to thank Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Wake’ written by Shelley Burr in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Mina McCreery’s sister Evelyn disappeared nineteen years ago and Mina now lives in seclusion on the family’s old farm away from public scrutiny. When Lane Holland, a Private Investigator who specialises in cold cases, makes her acquaintance she doesn’t want anything to do with him but after researching the success he’s had in previous cases she decides to trust him.

‘Wake’ is based in Central New South Wales where the nearest town of Nannine is a three hour drive away. From the description I was expecting a fast-paced and exciting thriller and am disappointed that the story is slower than I like and I’ve found it hard to keep my concentration on what’s happening. It’s well-written with a strong plot and colourful characters and I've enjoyed reading the description of the Australian Outback which in itself is an education, but I've found it hard to keep involved perhaps because life there is so different to what is normal for me. It’s a good solid read and just because this one wasn’t for me it won’t stop me from reading another thriller by this author.

Wake is the debut novel by Shelley Burr - and what a fantastic debut it is! Set in a small community in the Australian Outback the story revolves around the disappearance of 9 year old Evelyn McCreery almost 20 years ago. Her twin sister Mina and private investigator Lane Holland are such well written characters complete with their own back stories and histories. It's an extremely well thought out, well executed and gripping mystery that pulls you in from the first paragraph and keeps your attention right to the very last line. Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this impressive crime novel. Will certainly look forward to more from this author.

I loved this book, it was well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters. I couldn't put this book down, I was gripped right from the sstart, it was twisty and unpredictable and had me on the edge of my seat

Love a good thriller/crime book. The disappearance of Mina’s sister, Evelyn is a big thing in a small community. The loner who protects her land from which her sister disappears let’s Lane in and helps him to work out who the perpetrator is.
Lots of twists and turns in the plot keep you engaged and just when you think you know what’s happened a new plot twist completely throws your ideas.
A fab page turned of a book
Definitely recommend

This is outstanding Aussie Noir by Shelley Burr, set in New South Wales and the small town of Nannine. Almost 2 decades ago, Wilhelmina 'Mina' McCreery's 9 year old twin sister, Evelyn, disappeared from their remote farm, the damage and trauma, and the repercussions going on to shape the life she now lives. Mina has become a recluse, living on her own, rarely venturing out, going out to collect groceries, occasionally making a 3 hour drive to the library to see her only friend, Alanna Rennold, who she inherited from her mother, Beverly. Alanna lost her sister, Christa, and is resentful that her disappearance barely got any coverage in comparison to Evelyn. Interest in Evelyn's case has not died out through the years, there is an online site MyMurder, with a active subforum dedicated to Evelyn, helping to turn the McCreery family tragedy into public property, making it impossible for the community and Mina to move on.

The cold case has a huge reward attached to it for information that leads to finding Evelyn, this attracts Private Investigator, Lane Holland, a damaged man with his own secrets, he has had some success in finding missing people, but is currently in dire financial straits, wanting to provide for his sister who has just started university. His father is in prison, and the imminent possibility of him gaining parole has upset him and increased his sister's anxieties. When he first expresses an interest in solving the case to Mina, she is not interested, particularly as there have been no developments through the years. Matters are exacerbated for Lane as the local community are determined to protect their own and lock him out, refusing to engage with his inquiries. However, as Lane demonstrates his abilities, Mina softens, letting him into her life in the hope of finally finding answers but will he be able to succeed where everyone else has failed?

This is a wonderfully atmospheric crime novel with a great sense of location, the sweltering and inescapable heat, the dense scrubland, the isolation and its dangers, including the presence of deadly brown snakes. This is a character driven story, of people, the buried secrets, the lies and deceptions, of family, life in remote small town communities, the despairing economic pressures, and crimes that shatter families apart. If you are a fan of Aussie Outback Crime, then this is a must read, it's a brilliant addition to the genre. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of WAKE but that has in no way influenced my review.

I am the biggest fan of Australian crime fiction and prioritise Aussie writers before everything else on my TBR at the moment. So it goes without saying that I was immediately drawn to WAKE when it first landed on my radar. It has the CWA's seal of approval winning the debut dagger back in 2019 and rightly so. I adored this book. So much so that I'm going to put my neck on the line here and say, as things stand (at the time of writing this review we're halfway through May), this is my book of the year.

Nineteen years ago Mina McCreery's sister, Evelyn, was taken from the family home never to be seen again. Australia's most famous abduction case remains unsolved to this day but, of course, everyone has an opinion about Evelyn's fate. Which is why Mina prefers to live a secluded life, away from prying eyes and the opinions of others. Following the success of a previous case private investigator Lane Holland turns up in the small town of Nannine offering to look into Evelyn's disappearance. But Mina isn't interested, not initially anyway. The hunt for her sister only caused her family more pain and sadness. But Lane gradually manages to convince Mina to accept his help. But what Mina doesn't know is that Lane has his own reasons for wanting to know what happened to Evie McCreery that fateful night nineteen years ago...

Oh. My. Word! I loved this book. Atmospheric, packed full of mystery and brimming with suspense. It's an absolutely glorious debut which consumed my days and had me blurry eyed in the morning after staying up far too late to finish it! I was well and truly gripped by this compelling piece of well-written crime fiction and I savoured every single second I spent in Mina McCreery's company. What a character! I was highly suspicious of her but I loved her standoffishness. As with all newsworthy unsolved crimes, everyone has an opinion. And many are not afraid to voice it! Particularly if that's with the safety of anonymity, hidden behind a keyboard. Mina is suspect number one according to many true crime fanatics and her aloofness only goes to prove their point. The investigation into Evelyn's disappearance damaged the McCreery family beyond repair, forcing them into the spotlight. Something the girls' mother blatantly used to keep Evie at the forefront of Australia's minds. But Mina's reluctance to participate in her mother's media sideshow only fanned the flames. Does Mina know more than she's letting on? And what exactly is Private Investigator Lane Holland's interest in the family? Why, following countless rebukes from Mina, won't he pack up and leave town?

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. WAKE is an absolute corker of a novel which I immersed myself in completely. It consumed my thoughts whilst reading it and I still, weeks later, think about it more than any other book I've read recently. Absolutely, categorically, my favourite book of the year so far. This is the type of crime fiction I want to read. WAKE is such a compelling, intriguing mystery with superb characters and a vividly drawn, remote setting. I lived and breathed this book alongside Mina and Lane, gripped by the mystery of what happened to Evie McCreery. Every single little thing worked. Beautifully tense, truly unforgettable and the ultimate page turner. A magnificent debut and I'm excited to see what the author has in store for us next. Gosh, I really loved this book! Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of WAKE. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. Set in the Australian outback Lane Holland is a private investigator who is interested in the biggest case, the disappearance of Evie McCreey. Evie went missing when she was nine and her twin sister Mina was left behind. Wake follows Mina and Lane as they navigate the case. It was a good pacy read and I would recommend it.

Evelyn McCreery disappeared nineteen years ago. Now a national mystery and a favourite among amateur sleuths, the disappearance is still unsolved and Evelyn has never been seen again. Her sister, Mina, lives alone on the family’s destocked sheep farm, living a reclusive lifestyle and avoiding unwanted attention from the media. When private investigator Lane shows up and approaches her with an offer to investigate the case, Mina is resistant. Lane’s unconventional methods show promise and he soon works his way into Mina’s trust, but his motivations could risk the entire investigation.

I was absolutely hooked to this book. It is a crime/mystery set in a small, remote Australian town, with good pacing and plenty of twists. The atmosphere is excellent, you can really feel the isolation of Mina’s property, and understand the conflict between wanting to know what happened to Evelyn but not wanting to be dragged back into a media circus. Wake is exceptionally well written and I couldn’t put it down.

Mina and Lane are both interesting characters because they both have some deeply unlikeable qualities, but they are both damaged in different ways and you can really understand why they are the way they are, which makes their less pleasant qualities more tolerable. I also thought they vibed well off each other and had a memorable companionship.

The ending was a little open for my liking, but it kind of works and certainly didn’t spoil anything. This is one of my favourite books of 2022 so far – I cannot recommend it more.

Mina McCreery's sister disappeared one night 19 years ago and has never been since since. Mina lives in the remote and secluded farm with her father and this one event has been with her ever since. she is still followed by the media and the interest in the case.
She is approached by Lane, a private investigator who wants to help her finally solve the case. He eventually wins her truat but what is his motive for helping and is he more closely connected to the incident that he is revealing?

What is it about a mystery thriller set in Australia that's so attractive to us Pommies? Whilst the human elements are the same the whole world over, the terrain, heat and isolation of outback Australia are so very different from our experience in the UK. This gives (what must be normal to some Australians) an edge to their writing which Brits like me really enjoy. Shelley Burr's debut novel Wake was intriguing and gripping from the first page and made compelling reading. A seemingly perfect abduction which attracted the attention of the media for years as despite a number of investigations, no trace had been found of the missing sister of Mina McCreery. That is until Lane turned up.
This story took many unexpected turns especially as it combined two missing person investigations. The police investigation in to Evelyn's disappearance was poorly handled by an inexperienced officer and a family who were economical with the truth. It could have been resolved very quickly.
There were some elements of the story which I thought amost impossible to believe. Two men, one being the biggest employer in a very small town somehow weren't seen eating together at the only restaurant in town. A body, decomposing rapidly, close to a spot which caught the wind, seemingly wasn't picked up by either sniffer or cadaver dogs.
There was a technical error. A shotgun fires shot and would be the weapon of choice for a farmer concerned with snake bites, it would spread a blast of shot at an aggressive serpent. The same shotgun Lane considerately aimed to avoid hitting Mina would not have fired bullets but shot.
I do hope Shelley Burr is spurred on to write further novels after winning the CWA Debut Dagger in 2019.
It has to be a well deserved five star review from me.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

Great read where all of the separate strands came together really well in the end. Loved how well the characters were written

Lane was a Federal Police Officer in Australia now a Private Investigator with a big secret. Mina’s twin sister Evelyn was taken. Lane specialised in cold cases but there is a reason why this case is important to him. Follow the winding path of secrets to a spectacular end.