The latest offering from Trent Dalton is a gritty novel about how evil things can happen in seemingly perfect suburbs. It’s mixed with an almost literary look into relationships and families, and sprinkled with a touch of magical realism. A perfect storm of genres to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Our hero (or antihero), Noah Cork, is a crime writer from the suburbs who has had a sinister note delivered directly to his mailbox. This sets off a chain of events that leads Cork to begin writing a book that he hopes will be a bestseller. But at whose expense will this be – his neglected wife’s and daughters’, the victim’s family’s who are now suspects, or possibly Cork himself – as a killer remains on the loose?
Dalton describes this book as his most autobiographical novel yet, and you can certainly feel the honesty on the page, particularly in parts involving the family. I challenge anyone to read it and not picture Dalton as Cork in every scene. And as with his previous novels, Dalton’s love of Brisbane rings throughout almost every sentence with the location becoming a character of its own.
This book has been touted as his best novel yet, but it’s tricky to compare when they’re all quite different yet all have his very distinct style, particularly in the dialogue. You’ll need to decide for yourself.
Reviewed by Sarah Krause
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Trent Dalton is a two-time Walkley Award–winning journalist and the international bestselling author of Boy Swallows Universe, By Sea & Stars, All Our Shimmering Skies, Love Stories and Lola in the Mirror. His books have sold over two million copies worldwide.
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