Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Macmillan Australia (2020)
Description
"Coming home dredges up deeply buried secrets in The Survivors, a thrilling mystery by New York Times bestselling author Jane Harper Kieran Elliott's life changed forever on the day a reckless mistake led to devastating consequences. The guilt that still haunts him resurfaces during a visit with his young family to the small coastal community he once called home. Kieran's parents are struggling in a town where fortunes are forged by the sea. Between them all is his absent brother, Finn. When a body is discovered on the beach, long-held secrets threaten to emerge. A sunken wreck, a missing girl, and questions that have never washed away.."--
User reviews
LibraryThing member shelleyraec
The Survivors is Jane Harper’s much anticipated fourth novel, a stand alone, slow burning mystery set on Tasmania’s coast.
Kieran Elliot, his girlfriend, Mia, and their infant daughter, have returned to Evelyn Bay to help his parents pack up their family home. It’s an uncomfortable homecoming
When a young woman’s body is discovered on the beach the day after they arrive, it seems the sea has claimed yet another victim, but investigators soon determine she was murdered, and as the search for her killer begins, the secrets of the past begin to unravel.
While the present day mystery in The Survivors revolves around the murdered girl, an art student/waitress with only a tangential link to Kieran, it’s her unwitting connection to the events twelve years previously amid the storm that marks her as the catalyst of this story. Unfolding from Kieran’s perspective, the story moves between the present and memories of the past. Well-considered red herrings distract as the plot takes unexpected twists, slowly revealing tightly kept secrets. But while I was intrigued by the story, and really had no idea who would be found responsible for the murder, I felt there was a distinct lack of tension in the novel, not helped by the conservative pacing, leading to what was an anticlimactic conclusion.
Harper’s characterisation of Kieran is compelling though, with a nuanced portrayal of a man burdened with grief and guilt. The supporting characters are sufficiently fleshed out to suit their role in the story, though few feel like active participants. I thought the dynamics of a small community under stress were well illustrated, and uniquely communicated through the town’s online forum.
The story is undeniably atmospheric, with Harper masterfully conjuring a brooding seaside town during the off-season, perched above deserted cliff-side beaches and dark, echoey caves slowly filling with cold, creeping waves. The sea becomes a pitiless thing, claiming the innocent and guilty alike.
The Survivors is perhaps not as thrilling a mystery as I had expected, but it is involving, evocative and affecting.
Kieran Elliot, his girlfriend, Mia, and their infant daughter, have returned to Evelyn Bay to help his parents pack up their family home. It’s an uncomfortable homecoming
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for Kieran who still blames himself for the death of his older brother Finn, and Finn’s best mate, in a tragic accident during a violent storm. The same storm during which a fourteen year old girl disappeared, and was never found. When a young woman’s body is discovered on the beach the day after they arrive, it seems the sea has claimed yet another victim, but investigators soon determine she was murdered, and as the search for her killer begins, the secrets of the past begin to unravel.
While the present day mystery in The Survivors revolves around the murdered girl, an art student/waitress with only a tangential link to Kieran, it’s her unwitting connection to the events twelve years previously amid the storm that marks her as the catalyst of this story. Unfolding from Kieran’s perspective, the story moves between the present and memories of the past. Well-considered red herrings distract as the plot takes unexpected twists, slowly revealing tightly kept secrets. But while I was intrigued by the story, and really had no idea who would be found responsible for the murder, I felt there was a distinct lack of tension in the novel, not helped by the conservative pacing, leading to what was an anticlimactic conclusion.
Harper’s characterisation of Kieran is compelling though, with a nuanced portrayal of a man burdened with grief and guilt. The supporting characters are sufficiently fleshed out to suit their role in the story, though few feel like active participants. I thought the dynamics of a small community under stress were well illustrated, and uniquely communicated through the town’s online forum.
The story is undeniably atmospheric, with Harper masterfully conjuring a brooding seaside town during the off-season, perched above deserted cliff-side beaches and dark, echoey caves slowly filling with cold, creeping waves. The sea becomes a pitiless thing, claiming the innocent and guilty alike.
The Survivors is perhaps not as thrilling a mystery as I had expected, but it is involving, evocative and affecting.
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LibraryThing member arubabookwoman
Harper is pretty hit or miss for me. Of the 3 I've read, I really liked 1, liked 1, and disliked 1. A large part of the appeal to me is the outback Australia settings. This book has a different setting, a Tasmanian beach town where the ocean is cool and treacherous, but I really enjoyed the setting
Kieran, his wife Mia and their infant daughter have returned to Evelyn Bay, their hometown, to help Kieran's parents, who must move due to his father's worsening dementia, pack up. Early on we learn that Kieran's older brother and another man had died in a tragic accident during a severe storm 12 years previously, an accident for which Kieran blames himself and for which some people in town also blame him. During the same storm, Mia's best friend Gabby, then 14, also went missing. Gabby's body was never found, but her backpack washed up on shore and she was presumed drowned.
When Bronte, a waitress (and artist) is found murdered a few days after Kieran and Mia return to town, we can assume that the murder and the mysterious events in the storm 12 years previously are going to be connected in some way.
I originally planned to put in this review why the solution here is so stupid, but I won't. If you want to know, I can write it in a PM. Suffice it to say, the actions and motivations the author relies on as the solution to the mystery are not credible or believable, and as a motive for murder simply underwhelming. For me, this is a fail.
2 stars
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here too. Unfortunately, the mystery is substandard, and the solution is facile and unbelievable, so this is not one I recommend.Kieran, his wife Mia and their infant daughter have returned to Evelyn Bay, their hometown, to help Kieran's parents, who must move due to his father's worsening dementia, pack up. Early on we learn that Kieran's older brother and another man had died in a tragic accident during a severe storm 12 years previously, an accident for which Kieran blames himself and for which some people in town also blame him. During the same storm, Mia's best friend Gabby, then 14, also went missing. Gabby's body was never found, but her backpack washed up on shore and she was presumed drowned.
When Bronte, a waitress (and artist) is found murdered a few days after Kieran and Mia return to town, we can assume that the murder and the mysterious events in the storm 12 years previously are going to be connected in some way.
I originally planned to put in this review why the solution here is so stupid, but I won't. If you want to know, I can write it in a PM. Suffice it to say, the actions and motivations the author relies on as the solution to the mystery are not credible or believable, and as a motive for murder simply underwhelming. For me, this is a fail.
2 stars
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LibraryThing member AKBouterse
This was so good! This is my first Jane Harper novel and I'm very excited to read more from her.
Right off the top, my favorite thing about the book was the relationship between Kieran and Mia. This might seem like an odd place to start but I just loved the way it was written. It really read like a
The mystery was really good to me as well. This is pretty slow paced but I really enjoyed that here because it makes the growing tension even more noticeable and really ramped up the suspense for me. I thought the pacing of this book was basically perfect. The ending is wrapped up a little quickly but I was still satisfied by the way it wrapped up. This is the first book in a while where I was completely sucked in. If I hadn't had to go to work yesterday, I would have flown through this. Typically after reading for an hour, I can get restless but with this book I could just keep reading. I think this really shows how engaging the plot was and how good the pacing was. This was definitely a plot that I really like. I love a good small town mystery where everyone knows each other. The fact that it is a small town really did play a part into the plot, which I think really is the best way of having a well rounded plot and cast of characters.
I loved the characters in this book. I already talked about Kieran and Mia but all the other characters were great too. They all felt really fleshed out, including even the most minor of characters. I loved the way these people felt like real people with real flaws. I really felt like I could visualize them and I was trying to solve the mystery right alongside them. Having a good cast of characters is something I really want in a small town mystery and that was executed super well here.
Jane Harper's other books have definitely moved their way up my TBR. I really enjoyed this book and I've heard lots of good things about her other books so I'm very excited to see if they work for me too. I would definitely recommend this book if you like mystery/thrillers with compelling characters.
Right off the top, my favorite thing about the book was the relationship between Kieran and Mia. This might seem like an odd place to start but I just loved the way it was written. It really read like a
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true partnership and I really loved that. The inner thoughts that Kieran had about his relationship with Mia just made me smile and it really showed me that Harper can write really good relationships. The mystery was really good to me as well. This is pretty slow paced but I really enjoyed that here because it makes the growing tension even more noticeable and really ramped up the suspense for me. I thought the pacing of this book was basically perfect. The ending is wrapped up a little quickly but I was still satisfied by the way it wrapped up. This is the first book in a while where I was completely sucked in. If I hadn't had to go to work yesterday, I would have flown through this. Typically after reading for an hour, I can get restless but with this book I could just keep reading. I think this really shows how engaging the plot was and how good the pacing was. This was definitely a plot that I really like. I love a good small town mystery where everyone knows each other. The fact that it is a small town really did play a part into the plot, which I think really is the best way of having a well rounded plot and cast of characters.
I loved the characters in this book. I already talked about Kieran and Mia but all the other characters were great too. They all felt really fleshed out, including even the most minor of characters. I loved the way these people felt like real people with real flaws. I really felt like I could visualize them and I was trying to solve the mystery right alongside them. Having a good cast of characters is something I really want in a small town mystery and that was executed super well here.
Jane Harper's other books have definitely moved their way up my TBR. I really enjoyed this book and I've heard lots of good things about her other books so I'm very excited to see if they work for me too. I would definitely recommend this book if you like mystery/thrillers with compelling characters.
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LibraryThing member bookworm12
This one pulled me in slowly, like the tide creeping up without me noticing. A man returns to his childhood home in Tasmania when his father’s dementia worsens. He and his wife and baby are shocked by a murder that happens during their stay. They’re also haunted by the events of a horrible
There’s a lot to process. There’s so much grief and blame that has broken relationships. Harper manages to create a whodunnit without it ever feeling that way. There are possible suspects and red herrings, but it’s always about the characters. It reminds me so much of the BBC show Broadchurch. Harper has become a much-read author for me.
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storm years earlier. There’s a lot to process. There’s so much grief and blame that has broken relationships. Harper manages to create a whodunnit without it ever feeling that way. There are possible suspects and red herrings, but it’s always about the characters. It reminds me so much of the BBC show Broadchurch. Harper has become a much-read author for me.
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LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
It is just past the hot summer season and Kieran Elliot, his partner Mia and infant daughter have returned to Kieran and Mia’s childhood home, the little coastal tourist town of Evelyn Bay. They are there to pack up Kieran’s childhood house in anticipation of his father, Brian’s move to a
Of course, being home after so long a time, Kieran and Mia meet old friends at the local pub, Surf and Turf, to catch up. Waiting on them is newcomer, Bronte, who has come to Evelyn Bay to get inspiration for her artistry of painting and photography.
When, the next morning, Bronte’s body is found washed up on the shore, news travels fast. The local constable, is aided by police from the Tasmanian capital of Hobart in investigating the murder.
Bronte’s murder brings back the town’s memory of several deaths that occurred a dozen years earlier. It was during an atypical storm that raged far worse than anyone anticipated. Kieran and another local, Olivia, were caught unawares in a coastal cave that flooded far faster than anticipated. While Olivia made it to safety, Kieran was stuck. Olivia’s emergency call brought Kieran’s brother, Finn, and his friend Toby out in the storm in a catamaran which overturned in the cove, killing them both. Additionally, Gabby, a shy 14-year-old girl went missing that day and Kieran’s dad was the last to see her alive. Several days later, her back pack washed up on shore near where Bronte’s body was recently found. The fact that Brian, in his current state, is prone to aimlessly walking the beach in the middle of the night and was also the last person to see Gabby alive, adds fuel to the town emotions, which is raging both in person and on the town’s online gossip mill.
Kieran’s 12 years of guilt for ‘killing’ Finn, along with his mother’s distance has plagued Kieran. As the investigation unfolds and the memories of the storm emerge, emotions run high.
Jane Harper is a more ‘literary’ writer and her books are both mysteries as well as psychological forays into people’s relationships. While there certainly is a police procedural within the book, it is the interaction amongst the townspeople that is at the crux of the book. As one reviewer said, “…(Harper) is the queen of writing about small, insular towns and the close-knit, often stifling, relationships that exist within them.”
She continues by saying, “As ever the star of the show though is the wild landscape. The sea is omnipresent, crashing upon the rocks, filling the caves which run under the cliffs and holding the secrets of the past.“ The title of the book refers to a life-sized statue erected at the end of the rocks leading to the sea that memorializes the survivors of a century old shipwreck and also the townspeople whose lives were shattered by the fatal storm 12 years earlier that claimed the lives of three young residents.
Harper deftly alternates between narratives of the past and the present. Another reviewer put it very succinctly. “Harper successfully brings together a winning combination of excellent setting, deep character studies and slowly but surely mounting tension in a story that combines tragedy both past and present.”
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care home since his mother can no longer care for him now that his dementia has progressed. His mother is moving to be close to Brian.Of course, being home after so long a time, Kieran and Mia meet old friends at the local pub, Surf and Turf, to catch up. Waiting on them is newcomer, Bronte, who has come to Evelyn Bay to get inspiration for her artistry of painting and photography.
When, the next morning, Bronte’s body is found washed up on the shore, news travels fast. The local constable, is aided by police from the Tasmanian capital of Hobart in investigating the murder.
Bronte’s murder brings back the town’s memory of several deaths that occurred a dozen years earlier. It was during an atypical storm that raged far worse than anyone anticipated. Kieran and another local, Olivia, were caught unawares in a coastal cave that flooded far faster than anticipated. While Olivia made it to safety, Kieran was stuck. Olivia’s emergency call brought Kieran’s brother, Finn, and his friend Toby out in the storm in a catamaran which overturned in the cove, killing them both. Additionally, Gabby, a shy 14-year-old girl went missing that day and Kieran’s dad was the last to see her alive. Several days later, her back pack washed up on shore near where Bronte’s body was recently found. The fact that Brian, in his current state, is prone to aimlessly walking the beach in the middle of the night and was also the last person to see Gabby alive, adds fuel to the town emotions, which is raging both in person and on the town’s online gossip mill.
Kieran’s 12 years of guilt for ‘killing’ Finn, along with his mother’s distance has plagued Kieran. As the investigation unfolds and the memories of the storm emerge, emotions run high.
Jane Harper is a more ‘literary’ writer and her books are both mysteries as well as psychological forays into people’s relationships. While there certainly is a police procedural within the book, it is the interaction amongst the townspeople that is at the crux of the book. As one reviewer said, “…(Harper) is the queen of writing about small, insular towns and the close-knit, often stifling, relationships that exist within them.”
She continues by saying, “As ever the star of the show though is the wild landscape. The sea is omnipresent, crashing upon the rocks, filling the caves which run under the cliffs and holding the secrets of the past.“ The title of the book refers to a life-sized statue erected at the end of the rocks leading to the sea that memorializes the survivors of a century old shipwreck and also the townspeople whose lives were shattered by the fatal storm 12 years earlier that claimed the lives of three young residents.
Harper deftly alternates between narratives of the past and the present. Another reviewer put it very succinctly. “Harper successfully brings together a winning combination of excellent setting, deep character studies and slowly but surely mounting tension in a story that combines tragedy both past and present.”
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LibraryThing member techeditor
It’s not for nothing that Jane Harper is one of my favorite authors. I can pick up anything she’s written and know I’m going to love it. This has been proven true once again by her book THE SURVIVORS.
As with all of Harper’s books, this one is both character- and plot-driven. And there’s
The main character is Kieran, who has come back to Evelyn Bay with his girlfriend and their baby to help his parents pack to move. The very evening they arrive a murder occurs, and he and his old friends, who all still live there, become involved as either suspects or friends of suspects. Either way, all seem to be hiding secrets.
Could this have something to do with the possible murder in a missing-persons case that happened 12 years before? Gabby, the missing person, was Kieran‘s girlfriend's best friend and the younger sister of one of his old friends. (Can we call her an old girlfriend?)
(How convenient for the story that so many of Kieran‘s old friends still live in Evelyn Bay.)
Another theme running throughout THE SURVIVORS is the guilt Kieran has been carrying around since that day 12 years ago, when a big storm hit Evelyn Bay. It seems that Kieran‘s older brother went searching for him on his boat and drowned.
You should also note the repeated mentions of all the caves and the dangerous high tides. These play big roles.
The end was a surprise to me, but it makes perfect sense. I shouldn’t have been surprised.
As with all of Harper’s books, this one is both character- and plot-driven. And there’s
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so much going on in the small-town community of Evelyn Bay in Tasmania.The main character is Kieran, who has come back to Evelyn Bay with his girlfriend and their baby to help his parents pack to move. The very evening they arrive a murder occurs, and he and his old friends, who all still live there, become involved as either suspects or friends of suspects. Either way, all seem to be hiding secrets.
Could this have something to do with the possible murder in a missing-persons case that happened 12 years before? Gabby, the missing person, was Kieran‘s girlfriend's best friend and the younger sister of one of his old friends. (Can we call her an old girlfriend?)
(How convenient for the story that so many of Kieran‘s old friends still live in Evelyn Bay.)
Another theme running throughout THE SURVIVORS is the guilt Kieran has been carrying around since that day 12 years ago, when a big storm hit Evelyn Bay. It seems that Kieran‘s older brother went searching for him on his boat and drowned.
You should also note the repeated mentions of all the caves and the dangerous high tides. These play big roles.
The end was a surprise to me, but it makes perfect sense. I shouldn’t have been surprised.
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LibraryThing member miss.mesmerized
It’s been twelve years since that one day which changed Kieran’s life. Now, with his wife Mia and their three-month-old daughter Audrey, they come back to Evelyn Bay to visit his parents. His father’s dementia has been deteriorating more quickly recently and thus they are moving house and
I liked Janes Harper’s novels “The Dry” and “Lost Man” since she is brilliant at catching the atmosphere and transferring this in her novels. “The Survivors”, too, has a special ambiance which defines the novel. The small circle of characters who all share the memories of that disastrous day and who all, in their own way, still can feel the pain that is connected to the storm and its outcome. Thus, the murder case at hand quickly becomes much less interesting than the question if people are hiding something, if the narrative of the events has to be re-written.
At first, I was misled by the title which I thought referred to the people who had survived the aforementioned storm, however, it is something completely different yet decisive for the plot. Even though the investigation on Bronte’s murderer seems not really to advance, the novel gets increasingly thrilling with more aspects of the storm day being evoked. Many characters act highly suspiciously which I totally adored since it made me spin one theory after another about the events. In the end, Harper provides a credible solution and no questions remains unanswered.
It is the landscape and the people formed by it who move at their own pace and who make “The Survivors” a wonderful read. It is a novel about how you can survive when others have died and especially how you can live with the guilt of being a survivor. For some however, being alive does not mean having survived, it is a daily fight against death. For me, the strongest novel by the author so far.
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sorting out stuff. Only shortly after they have arrived do they also meet their old friends: Olivia and Ash, now a couple, then also victims of that fierce storm which not only took Kieran’s brother’s life but also Olivia’s sister. And they meet Sean and his nephew Liam who lost his father and who still holds Kieran responsible for that. When the young waitress Bronte is found murdered on the beach, the memories of that unforgettable day resurface and all the emotions, too. Will twelve years after the disaster, which brought so much suffering and pain, the same happen again to that small community?I liked Janes Harper’s novels “The Dry” and “Lost Man” since she is brilliant at catching the atmosphere and transferring this in her novels. “The Survivors”, too, has a special ambiance which defines the novel. The small circle of characters who all share the memories of that disastrous day and who all, in their own way, still can feel the pain that is connected to the storm and its outcome. Thus, the murder case at hand quickly becomes much less interesting than the question if people are hiding something, if the narrative of the events has to be re-written.
At first, I was misled by the title which I thought referred to the people who had survived the aforementioned storm, however, it is something completely different yet decisive for the plot. Even though the investigation on Bronte’s murderer seems not really to advance, the novel gets increasingly thrilling with more aspects of the storm day being evoked. Many characters act highly suspiciously which I totally adored since it made me spin one theory after another about the events. In the end, Harper provides a credible solution and no questions remains unanswered.
It is the landscape and the people formed by it who move at their own pace and who make “The Survivors” a wonderful read. It is a novel about how you can survive when others have died and especially how you can live with the guilt of being a survivor. For some however, being alive does not mean having survived, it is a daily fight against death. For me, the strongest novel by the author so far.
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LibraryThing member amcheri
I'm a bit torn on this review. On one hand, the characters had depth, the family drama was interesting, and the crimes were mostly engaging. But on the other hand, I felt like the telling of the story dragged. I didn't feel really into the book until it was more than a third through. I don't think
That said, around the half-way point, I didn't want to stop listening. I mean, it was still very slow going but by then I was too invested in the who-done-it aspect to quit. The focus moves to a cold case instead of the present day murder which kind of made if feel like the young woman had been mostly forgotten about by the author but it all comes together.
The biggest positive thing I can say about The Survivors is that I really wasn't sure who did it until the end. There were a few trails that could have been totally plausible and I felt good about how everything turned out.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen!
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it was helped by the very slow pace of the narrator. I nearly quit a few times.That said, around the half-way point, I didn't want to stop listening. I mean, it was still very slow going but by then I was too invested in the who-done-it aspect to quit. The focus moves to a cold case instead of the present day murder which kind of made if feel like the young woman had been mostly forgotten about by the author but it all comes together.
The biggest positive thing I can say about The Survivors is that I really wasn't sure who did it until the end. There were a few trails that could have been totally plausible and I felt good about how everything turned out.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen!
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LibraryThing member shazjhb
She writes amazing books set in Australia and they have interesting characters, different situations and do not disappoint. I hope she brings back her main character series.
LibraryThing member cathyskye
The central theme of The Survivors is guilt. Kieran Elliott has been living with it for twelve long years, knowing that his decision to ignore the weather cost the lives of his brother and his brother's best friend, both very popular young men in their small village. No one's come right out and
Jane Harper does some interesting things with this story. It's the first time I remember reading a book that involves a young father who spends a lot of time carrying his baby daughter strapped to his chest while he's conducting an impromptu investigation, and that one detail tells readers a lot about his character.
The Survivors also shows the corrosive power of guilt. Kieran isn't the only one feeling guilt over what happened over a decade ago, and each person has reacted to it in different ways. Although the resolution of the tale took me by surprise, it shouldn't have; Harper planted clues all along the way.
There is a lot to like about The Survivors, and I am a huge Jane Harper fan, but I just couldn't warm up to this book like I did the others. I found it hard to connect to the characters, and the plot didn't engage me until the artist's death made Kieran wonder if there were ties between it and what happened twelve years ago. No, it's not quite up to her others like The Lost Man, but even Hank Aaron didn't hit it out of the park every time he swung the bat. I look forward to her next book with great anticipation.
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
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said so, but Kieran knows they all believe he's the one to blame. When a young artist from Canberra is found dead on the beach, the stage is set for readers to find out exactly what happened to her and what happened on that fateful day of the storm. The village was hard hit because not only did two young men die, but a young girl went missing as well, and instead of digging for the truth, it seems they all banded together in silence to ease everyone's pain. Well... that didn't work very well, did it?Jane Harper does some interesting things with this story. It's the first time I remember reading a book that involves a young father who spends a lot of time carrying his baby daughter strapped to his chest while he's conducting an impromptu investigation, and that one detail tells readers a lot about his character.
The Survivors also shows the corrosive power of guilt. Kieran isn't the only one feeling guilt over what happened over a decade ago, and each person has reacted to it in different ways. Although the resolution of the tale took me by surprise, it shouldn't have; Harper planted clues all along the way.
There is a lot to like about The Survivors, and I am a huge Jane Harper fan, but I just couldn't warm up to this book like I did the others. I found it hard to connect to the characters, and the plot didn't engage me until the artist's death made Kieran wonder if there were ties between it and what happened twelve years ago. No, it's not quite up to her others like The Lost Man, but even Hank Aaron didn't hit it out of the park every time he swung the bat. I look forward to her next book with great anticipation.
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
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LibraryThing member fredreeca
Kiernan returns home hoping to expel his demons. Instead, a body is found on the beach and it brings back all his hidden secrets.
I am definitely in the minority on this one. I had a hard time with this read. I struggled to follow the narrator and to keep up with all the characters. The story was a
I did have trouble with the narrator’s accent. This usually doesn’t bother me. I just slow down the speed and I do pretty well. But for some reason, this was a hindrance for me.
I received this audiobook from the publisher for a honest review.
I am definitely in the minority on this one. I had a hard time with this read. I struggled to follow the narrator and to keep up with all the characters. The story was a
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slow burn and really did not grip me like I expected. That being said…the ending is worth getting there.I did have trouble with the narrator’s accent. This usually doesn’t bother me. I just slow down the speed and I do pretty well. But for some reason, this was a hindrance for me.
I received this audiobook from the publisher for a honest review.
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LibraryThing member brangwinn
When Kieren, his girlfriend and his baby daughter return to his childhood home in Tasmania to help his mother deal with his father suffering from Alzheimer’s, he knows old memories of guilt will be dredged up, but he doesn’t realize how deeply they will impact him. When teens, his brother died
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trying to save him from drowning during a horrific storm. Kieren has always blamed himself. Years later, the death of a college art student brings memories to life again when the small community becomes involved. The audio version brings the tension and emotion to life. Show Less
LibraryThing member fastforward
I'm a big Jane Harper fan and this book did not disappoint. It had her trademark atmospheric writing which made the setting like a character in the story. She also came up with a fairly complex mystery that had me constantly coming up with theories or reworking theories.
Going to try and keep things
When I first started reading this book it felt somewhat different because it was a coastal setting. In some of the author's other books, after reading about heat and drought, it's almost like you feel like you are there. With this book you get that same type of feeling of being present in the setting but it does take longer to feel it. The strongest examples of it are in the second half of the story.
This book is more of a slow burn mystery but I was never bored while reading. There were a few times when I would read something and would make a mental note that it could be a factor further down the line and I was proven right. But yet I could never figure out on my own why a piece of the puzzle was important, just that it belonged somewhere in the overall picture. And that's why this was a fun read because I was unable to put it all together. There were also plenty of things I didn't see coming at all.
Definitely recommend checking this book out if you have enjoyed other books by this author and/or you like a good, solid mystery.
I received a free ARC of The Survivors by Jane Harper from Macmillan. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Going to try and keep things
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vague as the less you know ahead of time usually makes for a better reading experience. Kieran has come back to the small coastal town he grew up in to help his folks pack up and move. A body is found on the beach and that gets Kieran thinking about tragic events of the past.When I first started reading this book it felt somewhat different because it was a coastal setting. In some of the author's other books, after reading about heat and drought, it's almost like you feel like you are there. With this book you get that same type of feeling of being present in the setting but it does take longer to feel it. The strongest examples of it are in the second half of the story.
This book is more of a slow burn mystery but I was never bored while reading. There were a few times when I would read something and would make a mental note that it could be a factor further down the line and I was proven right. But yet I could never figure out on my own why a piece of the puzzle was important, just that it belonged somewhere in the overall picture. And that's why this was a fun read because I was unable to put it all together. There were also plenty of things I didn't see coming at all.
Definitely recommend checking this book out if you have enjoyed other books by this author and/or you like a good, solid mystery.
I received a free ARC of The Survivors by Jane Harper from Macmillan. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
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LibraryThing member SilversReviews
The locals have never forgotten the tragedy that most people believe was Kiernan’s fault because he shouldn't have been in the caves when the storm surged.
Kiernan had been with his girlfriend in the caves, and Kiernan was blamed for the the death of his brother and the father of seven-year-old
Just what was the intrigue of those caves?
Twelve years later Kiernan has come back to Evelyn Bay to help his parents pack up their house because his father has dementia and needs to be in a home.
A few days after Kiernan and his family arrive, tragedy strikes again on the same beach.
Will this current investigation be more thorough than the one many years ago that never did solve the disappearance of the local teenager?
Will it bring up things that were kept hidden?
Will this new tragedy bring the guilt and regret back to the surface and have everyone reliving the first tragedy?
THE SURVIVORS took a bit to connect with, but once you figured out who was who, what the town and the people who lived there were going through, and the magnitude of the first tragedy, the tension ramped up.
There were a lot of characters and quite a few that could have been the person who was responsible for the second death on the beach. Ms. Harper kept that a well-hidden secret.
I had a few people in mind, but was kept guessing until the end.
This was my first book by Ms. Harper, and she definitely keeps your interest with the subtle hints about the characters and who the responsible person could be as well as where the story line is going.
Her descriptive writing pulled you right into every place the characters were and into every situation.
I enjoyed trying to figure out the undertone of the town as well as the mystery.
THE SURVIVORS is a haunting mystery with revelations you won't see coming. 4/5
This book was given to me by BookBrowse and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Kiernan had been with his girlfriend in the caves, and Kiernan was blamed for the the death of his brother and the father of seven-year-old
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Liam for risking their lives to save him. A local teenager also disappeared during the storm.Just what was the intrigue of those caves?
Twelve years later Kiernan has come back to Evelyn Bay to help his parents pack up their house because his father has dementia and needs to be in a home.
A few days after Kiernan and his family arrive, tragedy strikes again on the same beach.
Will this current investigation be more thorough than the one many years ago that never did solve the disappearance of the local teenager?
Will it bring up things that were kept hidden?
Will this new tragedy bring the guilt and regret back to the surface and have everyone reliving the first tragedy?
THE SURVIVORS took a bit to connect with, but once you figured out who was who, what the town and the people who lived there were going through, and the magnitude of the first tragedy, the tension ramped up.
There were a lot of characters and quite a few that could have been the person who was responsible for the second death on the beach. Ms. Harper kept that a well-hidden secret.
I had a few people in mind, but was kept guessing until the end.
This was my first book by Ms. Harper, and she definitely keeps your interest with the subtle hints about the characters and who the responsible person could be as well as where the story line is going.
Her descriptive writing pulled you right into every place the characters were and into every situation.
I enjoyed trying to figure out the undertone of the town as well as the mystery.
THE SURVIVORS is a haunting mystery with revelations you won't see coming. 4/5
This book was given to me by BookBrowse and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member diana.hauser
THE SURVIVORS by Jane Harper.
Evelyn Bay on Tasmania’s south coast is the setting and also a main character in its own right in this psychological thriller by Jane Harper.
A story of guilt; a story of survival; a story of old friendships and small towns; a story of murder.
This title is very complex
I was completely absorbed in the telling. ****
Evelyn Bay on Tasmania’s south coast is the setting and also a main character in its own right in this psychological thriller by Jane Harper.
A story of guilt; a story of survival; a story of old friendships and small towns; a story of murder.
This title is very complex
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with a strong sense of place.I was completely absorbed in the telling. ****
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LibraryThing member booklovers2
Excellent quick family drama, set in a beach town in Australia, with a young women's body found on the beach, the search for the murderer uncovers past hidden secrets from a tragedy during a storm 10 years earlier that left 3 people dead and lots of guilt from the survivors. My 1st Jane Harper
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audio and already ordering her previous books. Loved the Narrator too! Show Less
LibraryThing member breic
More than readable and I liked the setting, but the characters didn't grab me as much as in Harper's previous books.
LibraryThing member waldhaus1
I discovered Jane Harper's work when I read the dry. I don't recall how I heard about that book. I appreciate the review that must have lead me to it.
The stories are cleverly plotted with unexpected outcomes. I enjoy the Australian flavor in her writing. Even little things like the word 'footy'
A lot of powerful emotion here.
The stories are cleverly plotted with unexpected outcomes. I enjoy the Australian flavor in her writing. Even little things like the word 'footy'
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for what this American calls soccer. A lot of powerful emotion here.
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LibraryThing member almin
The writing is not lyrical, there is no lovely prose, but the plot will keep you reading. It unfolds slowly in the beginning and takes off in the second half. Harper creates honest reactions and observations on the death of loved ones. Some of the best scenes are of Mia's observations and her
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effort to explain to Kieran the reality that wasn't his perception. The exchange between Verity and Kieran towards the end is explosive and honest. Slow build and the ending....well. Show Less
LibraryThing member oregongirl1985
There were parts of this book that seemed to drag for a while. There are things that I don't think the story needed. But I loved the mystery and the journey.
LibraryThing member smik
Twelve years on from when his older brother died in the sea in a storm in a small coastal town in Tasmania, there is another death. Kieran Elliott has carried the guilt of his brother's death all that time, and now his father may be accused of the latest death, so clearly a murder.
Kieran's father
A terrific atmospheric novel, some very interesting characters and many tensions.
Kieran's father
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has dementia and he has come home to help his mother pack up the house. It was Kieran that his brother was rescuing twelve years ago and he has always felt that his mother has blamed him for his brother's death. A local girl disappeared without trace that day too, but now it appears there were facts that were never revealed.A terrific atmospheric novel, some very interesting characters and many tensions.
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LibraryThing member SandyAMcPherson
The story involved a complex situation which intertwined a past storm-related tragedy and a current murder in an insular seaside town. The complicated relationships between various townsfolk and unresolved grief in the three families affected by past tragedy was a carefully plotted narrative.
There was a superficial quality to Kiernan, the remaining son in one family after the storm. He is painted as carrying the guilt for the tragedy which many in the community blame on him. This repetitive theme got rather old and tired after awhile. His partner, Mia and their baby held more interest as characters to engage the reader.
Despite the potential in the plotting, there was a curious disconnect in building the backstory of Olivia, the young woman whose younger sister disappeared around the time of the storm. If anything, Harper’s novel demonstrates the emotional toll that a devastating event can exact when families are unable to acknowledge their deep-seated feelings and unresolved grief. But given that, the novel was just not very compelling.
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Nevertheless, I was surprised how disengaged I remained throughout most of the story. Only at the very end, when one of the affected family members dominates the account, was there a sense of building tension. Ultimately, the dénouement, came across as a tad too unrealistic, with no feeling of completion.There was a superficial quality to Kiernan, the remaining son in one family after the storm. He is painted as carrying the guilt for the tragedy which many in the community blame on him. This repetitive theme got rather old and tired after awhile. His partner, Mia and their baby held more interest as characters to engage the reader.
Despite the potential in the plotting, there was a curious disconnect in building the backstory of Olivia, the young woman whose younger sister disappeared around the time of the storm. If anything, Harper’s novel demonstrates the emotional toll that a devastating event can exact when families are unable to acknowledge their deep-seated feelings and unresolved grief. But given that, the novel was just not very compelling.
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LibraryThing member pgchuis
This held my interest well, but ultimately felt a bit underwhelming. It is one of those books where everyone is constantly harking back to 'that storm' (here 12 years ago) and where events then turn out to be connected to a murder in the present. I never quite understood why everyone blamed Kieran
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so much for what happened during 'that storm' and why another character (trying not to give anything away) didn't share his sense of guilt. The identity of the baddie was not particularly satisfactory, as I don't think we could have deduced it. Well-written though. Show Less
LibraryThing member bfister
Jane Harper, who has taken her readers on a crime fiction tour of Australia, takes us to a small coastal town in Tasmania, a place where a ship once sank, taking over fifty people with it. The wreck remains a destination for divers, and a sculpture of three figures that stand above the waves, known
Kerian Elliot has returned to Evelyn Bay with his girlfriend and infant daughter to help his mother pack up the house he grew up in. His father’s dementia has gotten so severe she can no longer care for him. Kerian rarely visits and is shocked by how advanced his father’s condition has become. Visits have always been fraught, given the shadow hanging over the family. Kerian’s popular older brother drowned in a ferocious storm a dozen years earlier. Kerian is dogged by guilt about the drowning, and the attitude of townsfolk doesn’t help. They blame him for the death of three young men who set out to sea trying to rescue him from a storm-engulfed sea cave before the storm swamped their boat. Both Kerian and his wife Mia survived the storm, but each lost someone close to them: Kerian’s brother Finn and Mia’s friend Gabby, who disappeared on the beach, but whose body was never found.
The packing isn’t going well – the baby is making sleep elusive and the father’s confused efforts to help just make things harder. Then the body of a young artist is found on the beach, and the rumors of the past return to swirl around the investigation.
Harper takes her time developing the story, unfolding the close relationships that knit the town together, relationships that are becoming unraveled as the police struggle to solve the murder with few clues. A popular novelist who knows the town from summer visits has moved in permanently and has launched an investigation of his own. Everyone has a suspect, and Kerian is increasingly feeling the weight of his guilt bearing down.
The deliberate pacing gives Harper time to develop rich characters and fill in the town’s past, bit by bit. Always interested in the distinctive landscapes of her setting, Harper makes the people who live in the small town part of the landscape, people shaped by the sea and by their relative isolation, which means everyone has ties to each other, ties that are increasingly strained as the investigation drags on without a breakthrough. Though it wouldn’t be accurate to call this novel a thriller, it’s a compelling and deep examination of themes Harper has explored before: the long term scars of the past in small community, the tensions in families who have suffered a loss, and the corrosive effect that blame and guilt have on survivors of tragedy.
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as “The Survivors,” is both a memorial and a constant reminder that the sea, which gives the tourist town its livelihood, is both beautiful and cruel. Kerian Elliot has returned to Evelyn Bay with his girlfriend and infant daughter to help his mother pack up the house he grew up in. His father’s dementia has gotten so severe she can no longer care for him. Kerian rarely visits and is shocked by how advanced his father’s condition has become. Visits have always been fraught, given the shadow hanging over the family. Kerian’s popular older brother drowned in a ferocious storm a dozen years earlier. Kerian is dogged by guilt about the drowning, and the attitude of townsfolk doesn’t help. They blame him for the death of three young men who set out to sea trying to rescue him from a storm-engulfed sea cave before the storm swamped their boat. Both Kerian and his wife Mia survived the storm, but each lost someone close to them: Kerian’s brother Finn and Mia’s friend Gabby, who disappeared on the beach, but whose body was never found.
The packing isn’t going well – the baby is making sleep elusive and the father’s confused efforts to help just make things harder. Then the body of a young artist is found on the beach, and the rumors of the past return to swirl around the investigation.
Harper takes her time developing the story, unfolding the close relationships that knit the town together, relationships that are becoming unraveled as the police struggle to solve the murder with few clues. A popular novelist who knows the town from summer visits has moved in permanently and has launched an investigation of his own. Everyone has a suspect, and Kerian is increasingly feeling the weight of his guilt bearing down.
The deliberate pacing gives Harper time to develop rich characters and fill in the town’s past, bit by bit. Always interested in the distinctive landscapes of her setting, Harper makes the people who live in the small town part of the landscape, people shaped by the sea and by their relative isolation, which means everyone has ties to each other, ties that are increasingly strained as the investigation drags on without a breakthrough. Though it wouldn’t be accurate to call this novel a thriller, it’s a compelling and deep examination of themes Harper has explored before: the long term scars of the past in small community, the tensions in families who have suffered a loss, and the corrosive effect that blame and guilt have on survivors of tragedy.
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LibraryThing member froxgirl
In one small Tasmanian beach town: three formerly teenage buddies, now grown men. Two older brothers, drowned. A famous author, a lying police chief. And two dead girls and one missing body, twelve years apart. The author, a genius at simultaneously unraveling clues and ratcheting up suspense,
Quote: "I only take criticism from people I'd go to for advice."
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keeps her streak of four winners going in this gripping story of guilt and lies. The setting, with its dangerous underwater caves, is beautifully rendered. There's one tiny useless red herring, but Harper's reliable skills at creating a strong narrator and a population of memorable characters makes this the best of them all. Quote: "I only take criticism from people I'd go to for advice."
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Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2022)
Australian Book Industry Awards (Shortlist — General Fiction — 2021)
Margaret and Colin Roderick Literary Award (Shortlist — 2021)
The Indie Book Award (Longlist — Fiction — 2021)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — Hall of Fame — February 2021)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2021-02-02
ISBN
1760783943 / 9781760783945
Local notes
Kieran Elliott's life changed forever on the day a reckless mistake led to devastating consequences. The guilt that still haunts him resurfaces during a visit with his young family to the small coastal community he once called home. Kieran's parents are struggling in a town where fortunes are forged by the sea. Between them all is his absent brother, Finn. When a body is discovered on the beach, long-held secrets threaten to emerge. A sunken wreck, a missing girl, and questions that have never washed away.