Speechwriter and award-winning author Leah Swann’s debut novel Sheerwater is an interesting one that signals great future potential. It takes emotional subject matter – family violence and the abduction of two young children – and plays some elements out deftly and others in ways that don’t quite fulfil their promise.

It begins with a young mother Ava in the car with her two sons, Max and Teddy, as they flee from her abusive husband, Lawrence. When Ava witnesses a plane accident, she is torn between the desire to help (she’s had rescue experience before) and a deep need to remain with her sons. Her more compassionate nature wins out and she assists in the rescue of many of the passengers with a fellow driver, but when she returns to the car there is no sign of the boys.

Their fate is never a mystery, as the shifting narrative moves to many characters including Max the elder son. But not all information is revealed at once. We meet a young woman who knows both boys’ names and claims to know more, but we don’t immediately know why. We also meet Laurence, the husband, who paints a completely different picture of their marriage. Likely the best thing about this novel is how Swann suspends your judgement of all of these characters until she chooses to reveal the truth. There is also a tantalising hint of psychic influence throughout – but disappointingly nothing ever really comes from it.

The character voices are believable and there are plenty of parts that are finely crafted. I was kept engaged but not compelled to read throughout – although I will say the ending has genuine power that resonates after you put the book down.

Reviewed by Lauren Cook