Tess is walking the Camino de Santiago, but she’s not sure why. An acquaintance, Iris – a tutor from the elite Ravensthorpe Writing College she attended three years ago – has invited her, along with her three former best friends. She hasn’t seen Ethan, Jaz and Theo since her time at the college came to an abrupt and traumatic end with the death of their enigmatic teacher Lula. As she faces the seemingly endless walk ahead, and a web of mysteries (the first one being Iris’s no-show) she tries to uncover the truth of what happened on her last night at Ravensthorpe, the catalyst to her life changing forever.
This is an absolute page-turner. If I’d had the opportunity I would have read it in one sitting. In this perfectly paced thriller, Lisa Walker has created a fabulously intricate whodunnit with many unexpected dead ends and red herrings, as we try to unpick the past together with Tess. I loved the setting of the Camino, knowing very little about this pilgrimage and finding it a fascinating backdrop. I also really enjoyed the theme of being a writer, the burning desire inside the characters to be successful authors and the lengths people might go to in achieving their dreams.
There are some humorous moments to lighten the darker style of this book; all in all, a highly recommended read from me!
Book review by Amanda Brinkman
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa is the author of seven novels for adults and young adults as well as a radio play, plus many short stories and articles. Her novels have been called ‘Funny, charming and thoughtful’ (The Sydney Morning Herald), ‘An action-packed joyride’ (The Big Issue), and ‘Spiced with quirky humour’ (Herald Sun). ‘The Girl with the Gold Bikini’ was shortlisted in the 2022 Davitt Awards for Best Debut and Best Young Adult Novel. Her novels have been published in Australia, US, UK and Canada and she has a PhD in creative writing.
Her first psychological suspense novel, The Pact was published in January 2026.
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