Review
This was so good!
Last year I read Bronwyn Hall's debut novel Gone to Ground a non-stop, action-packed thriller/romance that I couldn't put down so I had high expectations for her second novel The Chasm and it did not disappoint.
This started off a bit slower than I was expecting as we meet the characters, and start to get some hints about why Andy left town 10 years before, what happened to her friend Will and why there were accusations that Andy herself killed Will despite there being no body or evidence to suggest this at the time. Once things started happening, this book didn't slow down and I was taken for a wild ride with Andy and Ethan as things become dire for the both of them and the past catches up with Andy.
Bronwyn Hall did a great job of making me feel like I have been to the Victorian Mountains and spent time there, breathed the air and felt the peace they could bring, and part of me understood why Andy had returned to help out her friend in his vet practice, because the mountains were where she felt a deep connection (like myself and the ocean), but the other part was yelling at her to just leave after her first run-in with Connor, a dangerous guy from the past.
We are trickle-fed hints, clues and snippets of the past as we learn about the reason for Andy and Will's disappearance and Andy starts to realise she's made a mistake in returning. But it is not only Andy who has drawn the attention of Connor and his friends. Ethan is also in their sights because they want to buy his farm and he refuses to sell. As Ethan and Andy start to get close, they also learn how dangerous Connor and his mates can be if you cross them, they just don't know exactly why.
Once the action starts I couldn't breathe as Andy and Ethan's lives are at risk and the criminals are not going to stop until they are dead. The hero of the story is a horse called Big Jack who plays a big role in saving the day.
I can't wait to see what Bronwyn Hall brings us next.
About the book
Atmospheric, thrilling and twisty - a white-knuckled mystery set among Victoria's most rugged mountains from an exciting new voice in Australian noir. Perfect for fans of Wake and Exiles.
Every town needs somewhere to hide its secrets. Andy King knew she should never return to Stonefield. Ten years ago, her boyfriend Will Hoffman disappeared without a trace and most people in the town thought she was to blame. But a decade is a long time to be homesick, and she isn't technically going back there. Only to Taplin, a small town in the neighbouring valley, far enough away from Stonefield she can stay under the radar, but close enough to the mountains that she can feel their pulse and breathe their special brand of oxygen. And it's only for four weeks, after all. But Andy didn't bargain on running into those who are still looking for Will, the ones who have the most to lose if he is ever found. Andy will go to her grave before she reveals what had happened back then, but when she realises that those same people have other secrets hidden in the mountains, it's clear she's once again in their way. And this time sending her to her grave is exactly their intention.
No comments:
Post a Comment