The Lost Summers Of Driftwood

'Like the slow-moving river that flows through the story, this compelling mystery will creep up on you and pull you in.' Josephine Moon An absorbing drama about broken dreams, first love and the mystery of a lost sister, for all fans of Hannah Richell and Kate Morton. 'A cracking read' Maggie Alderson Is it more dangerous to forget ... or to remember? Phoebe's life has fallen apart and there's only one place left to go. Alone and adrift after a failed marriage proposal, she flees Sydney to her family's abandoned holiday cottage. On the slow-moving river Phoebe is confronted with the legacy of her older sister's suicide, a year before. Why did Karin leave a note written in flowers and walk into the water? Phoebe's childhood love, Jez, has moved back to the beautiful old house, Driftwood, one jetty down. He's married now and the home has become a refuge for an unlikely little community. As the river begins to give up its secrets, Phoebe finds herself caught up in old feelings and new mysteries. The Lost Summers of Driftwood is a story of lost loves, rekindled passions, tragedy and betrayal set against the backdrop of an idyllic south coast town. Praise for The Lost Summers of Driftwood: 'This tender and evocative story of the power of love, grief and memories will resonate with so many readers thanks to the power of Vanessa McCausland's storytelling and her understanding of human nature.' Sophie Green, author of The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club 'McCausland is a natural storyteller who weaves love, loss, mystery and secrets into a satisfying tale' Herald Sun 'You'll be on the edge of your seat as surprising secrets unfold on every page' Woman's Day 'Full of mystery and romance, this is the perfect atmospheric summer read' Who Weekly 'Pure reading pleasure! Evocatively written and with beautifully realised characters whose loves and losses play out against a lush and mysterious backdrop, I kept turning the pages, desperate to know what would happen, but also wishing it would never end.' Cassie Hamer, author of After the Party

She remembered this part of the trip during the day time. Her sisters on either side in the back. The sunlight flickering through branches was like looking through a kaleidoscope. How could that be so long ago? How could so much have gone wrong? Phoebe's life has fallen apart and there's only one place left to go. Alone and adrift after a failed marriage proposal, she flees Sydney to her family's abandoned holiday cottage. On the slow-moving river Phoebe is confronted with the legacy of her older sister's suicide, a year before. Why did Karin leave a note written in flowers and walk into the water? Phoebe's childhood love, Jez, has moved back to the beautiful old house, Driftwood, one jetty down. He's married now and the home has become a refuge for an unlikely little community. As the river begins to give up its secrets, Phoebe finds herself caught up in old feelings and new mysteries.

Beautiful, beguiling and treacherous ... Big Little Lies meets Picnic at Hanging Rock in a secluded valley over the Blue Mountains. Four women and their children are invited to the beautiful but remote Capertee Valley, west of the Blue Mountains. Once home to a burgeoning mining industry, now all that remains are ruins slowly being swallowed by the bush and the jewel of the valley, a stunning, renovated Art Deco hotel. This is a place haunted by secrets. In 1948 Clara Black walked into the night, never to be seen again. As the valley beguiles these four friends, and haunts them in equal measure, each has to confront secrets of her own: Nathalie, with a damaged marriage; Emmie, yearning for another child; Pen, struggling as a single parent; and Alexandra, hiding in the shadow of her famous husband. But as the mystery of what happened seventy years earlier unravels, one of the women also vanishes into this bewitching but wild place, forcing devastating truths to the surface. Praise for The Lost Summers of Driftwood: 'McCausland is a natural storyteller who weaves love, loss, mystery and secrets into a satisfying tale' Herald Sun 'Full of mystery and romance, this is the perfect atmospheric summer read' Who Weekly

Two best friends, one summer night, and twenty years of silence ... what happened at the lighthouse? The stunning, haunting new novel from the author of The Lost Summers of Driftwood. Sylvie is a lover of words and a collector of stories, only she has lost her own. She has no words for that night at the lighthouse when their lives changed forever. What happened to cleave her apart from her best friend and soulmate, Kase? Sylvie yearns to rekindle their deep connection, so when Kase invites her to the wild Tasmanian coast to celebrate her 40th birthday, she accepts - despite the ghosts she must face. As Sylvie struggles to find her feet among old friends, she bonds with local taxi boat driver Holden. But he is hiding from the world, too. Through an inscription in an old book, Sylvie and Kase discover their mothers have a history, hidden from their daughters. As they unpick what took place before they were born, they're forced to face the rift in their own friendship, and the question of whether it's ever okay to keep a secret to protect the person you love. Vanessa McCausland's enthralling new novel is about betrayal and forgiveness, the stories we tell, and the healing power of words. 'This evocative novel completely captivated me and I didn't want it to end. Vanessa McCausland is a remarkable storyteller.' Petronella McGovern 'Vanessa McCausland doesn't disappoint! Lyrical and evocative, the trauma and emotion rises off the pages along with the salt spray and the haunting cries of the eagles.' Fiona Lowe 'McCausland's poetic writing makes the heart sing. Graceful and glorious.' Alexandra Joel 'Reading a Vanessa McCausland book is like indulging in fine dark chocolate - her writing is decadent, dark, complex and luxurious. In this book she takes her lyricism to a new level, reveling in the power of words and stories to both heal and harm.' Cassie Hamer 'Rich with atmosphere and moral conflicts, The Beautiful Words sensitively explores the intricacies of two generations bound by secrets, with McCausland's trademark, hauntingly lyrical prose. It's a gifted storyteller that keeps me up way past my bedtime, but once again, I found myself unable to put Vanessa McCausland's novel down.' Maya Linnell 'Intriguing ... The Beautiful Words is a compelling story in a uniquely Australian setting for fans of Hannah Richell or Emily Bitto.' Books + Publishing 'Breathtaking ... Rich with atmosphere and written in haunting, melodic prose, The Beautiful Words is a powerful and timely work of fiction that celebrates the importance of female friendship and women's voices. Ultimately, though, it is a tale of healing, and a love letter to words and the power of storytelling.' Better Reading 'A clever and wonderful book' Herald Sun

Two women are watching each other. Phoebe Miller isn't sure when the rusty car started showing up in the cul-de-sac she calls home, or why its driver would be spying on her. What could be interesting about an unhappy housewife who drowns her sorrows in ice cream and wine and barely leaves her house? Only one knows why. When a new family moves in across the street--the exuberant Vicki, who just might become the gossipy best friend Phoebe's always wanted, and her handsome college-bound son, Jake, who offers companionship of a different variety--Phoebe finds her dull routine infused with the excitement she's been missing. But with her head turned she's no longer focused on the woman in the car. And she really should be... An addictive domestic thriller for fans of The Last Mrs. Parrish and The Couple Next Door, The Other Mrs. Miller serves up a delicious brew of dark secrets and stunning plot twists that will keep you captivated until the very last page.

'If you had your time over, would you fall in love with the same person? Would you live the same life twice?' After a car accident, Gracie loses all the memories that define her and is forced to examine the person she has become. Addictive and heartfelt reading from a new Australian voice. Dear Gracie, Here are some things you should know: The yellow toothbrush is mine. You sleep with your socks on. You set your alarm for 5:45 am every morning and then you go for a run. You and I were the closest thing to perfect I ever knew in my life. Love, Blake After an accident leaves Gracie with severe amnesia, she's forced to decide: live a life that is made up of other people's memories of who she was, or start a new life on her own. Leaving her fiancé Blake behind, she moves to the country where she takes on the task of reviving her late mother's abandoned flower farm. While attempting to restart a business with an uncertain future, she tries to decide whether to let Blake back into her life now that he's a stranger. What she doesn't count on is developing a deep connection with Flynn, a local vet who is her neighbour. Forced to examine the person she has become, Gracie confronts the question: if you had your time over, would you live the same life twice?

Summoned by their grandmother to a historic family home on Sullivan's Island, estranged sisters Carson, Eudora, and Harper share a summer of healing and forgiveness while exploring the tenacious complexities of sisterhood and friendship.

Two damaged people, one unlikely friendship and a way to find hope in the darkness. Anna has survived the worst. So has Nat. Two broken souls, struggling to find a place in a world they no longer fit. Anna is the victim of a terrorist attack in which 11 others were murdered. Nat is an Army veteran who fought in Afghanistan. They have so little in common. And so much. A friendship stirs between them, tentative and unlikely, its foundation the violence they have seen and the memories that stalk them. Together, they begin to search for a way back home. But when Nat's wife falls unexpectedly pregnant, terrible ghosts from his wartime past rise up and much more than a friendship is at stake. Here, in the After is a poignant and uplifting exploration of the legacy of trauma and the healing power of connection.