It’s been 12 years since Kieran made a reckless decision that led to fatal consequences and he’s lived with a heavy burden of guilt every day since. He rarely visits the small seaside town of Evelyn Bay in Tasmania that he once called home. But his father, Brian, is suffering from dementia and his mother, Verity, needs help to pack up the family home and move Brian into care. Kieran, his partner, Mia, and their baby daughter return to help.
Within a few days of their arrival, a young woman, Bronte, who had a summer job in Evelyn Bay, is found dead on the local beach. As the police investigate, they uncover long-buried secrets. Hidden sea caves, a sunken wreck, a missing girl, a deadly storm: is Kieran ready for the ghosts of his past to be dragged up again? And how is Bronte’s death connected?
This is an intriguing mystery, but a deeper layer is added by the well-drawn characters and their relationships. In a small town where everyone knows each other, suspicions are easily aroused. We care as much about what happens to the characters as we do about solving the crime. Like in her previous books, the setting is so strong that it’s almost a character in itself. For fans like me, a new Harper book is a treat and this is another cracking read.

Reviewed by Melinda Woledge