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63 of 63 copies available
63 of 63 copies available
In the sleepy, scenic Southern Highlands of New South Wales, a beautiful young woman goes missing.
Six years later, recently divorced historian Rose McHugh leaves the city to start a new life in the Highlands and finds a roll of film buried in her back garden. On it are photos of the missing woman. Against the advice of an enigmatic detective, she uses her powers of persuasion and her knack for deciphering clues to pursue the case. As Rose searches through tangled secrets and hidden places haunted by the past, she realises there is a killer at large. As she makes new friends, and dangerous enemies, Rose closes in on a suspect-but will she solve the mystery too late to save herself?
Set in the atmospheric villages and forests of the Southern Highlands, Echo Lake is a compulsive read that will keep you guessing until the very end.
'As cosy as it is compulsive, Sauers brings the eerie beauty of winter in the Southern Highlands to life. A highly recommended, vivid read!' JACQUELINE BUBLITZ, author of Leave the Girls Behind
'Not just a whodunnit, Echo Lake also contemplates what makes for a good life, reminds the reader of the importance of historical truth and throws in a ghost story for good measure.' MARYROSE CUSKELLY, author of The Cane
'Move over Miss Marple. With its indefatigable heroine, mist-shrouded setting, cast of quirky characters and as many trips to the pub as there are mysteries to solve, Echo Lake is cosy crime at its dynamic, atmospheric best - and Sauers is certainly a writer to watch.' ANNA DOWNES, author of The Shadow House
'Full of atmosphere; the very landscape echoes both freedom and foreboding. Rose McHugh, middle-aged and newly single, is a convincing, compelling and intelligent protagonist who stumbles onto a mystery and won't let it go.' VIKKI PETRAITIS, author of The Unbelieved
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    • Books+Publishing

      March 21, 2023
      Set in the brooding wilderness of the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Echo Lake is the compelling debut thriller by author and screenwriter Joan Sauers. Sitting on the cosier side of crime, Echo Lake introduces us to a raft of small-town personalities who would fit nicely into an episode of Midsummer Murders. Recently divorced historian Rose moves to the Southern Highlands for a fresh start and becomes entangled in a missing persons case when she finds a roll of film buried in her backyard. When a woman dies mysteriously after being visited by Rose, she launches her own investigation in order to clear the cloud of suspicion that has settled over her. The landscape and characters come alive under Sauers’ penmanship, with striking descriptions of the region; however, at several points the novel loses momentum. The crime is often swallowed up by a series of sidebars and threads that are likely being introduced for potential sequels. While this adds contextual depth to the town, its residents and the life that Rose now has, any suspense or tension built in the preceding or subsequent action becomes diluted. For example, dramatic climax would have benefitted from receiving more airtime than Rose’s ghost-hunting exploits or the feud she has with Vi at the tartan shop. Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable thriller that fans of M C Beaton, Ann Cleeves and Richard Osman will find satisfying, offering the reader a captivating crime with a visually beautiful backdrop.

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  • English

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