Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
Loading... Voices in the Darkby Fleur McDonald (Author)
Work InformationVoices in the Dark by Fleur McDonald
None Loading...
Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. no reviews | add a review
When Sassi Stapleton receives a middle-of-the-night phone call to tell her that her beloved grandmother is unwell, she quickly puts her job on hold, packs her ute and sets off on the long drive home, knowing her grandfather will need her. Less than an hour away from Sassi's hometown, Barker, she swerves to miss a roo and her car rolls down an embankment. By the time Sassi is found, her grandmother has already passed away. On the other side of the world, Sassi's estranged mother, Amber, receives a similar call and shocks the whole family when she flies home from South Africa. With everyone under the same roof, tensions escalate as Amber's secrecy and odd behaviour become unsettling. What is she really doing at home with a father she's barely spoken to since she left years ago? And will Amber and Sassi ever be able to reconnect? No library descriptions found. |
Current DiscussionsNone
Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.92Literature English & Old English literatures English fiction 1900- 2000-RatingAverage:
Is this you?Become a LibraryThing Author. |
Informed that her grandmother is gravely ill, Sassi Stapleton doesn’t hesitate to make the long drive from New South Wales to the South Australian town of Barker, hoping for the chance to say goodbye to the woman who raised her. It’s just past dawn when a kangaroo causes Sassi to veer off the road, trapping her in her rolled car, and while she is rescued with only minor injuries, Sassi is devastated to learn that her beloved grandmother is already gone. Being back in Barker is not easy for Sassi, who is still disappointed that there was no opportunity for her to work on the family’s farm, and it becomes more difficult when her estranged mother, Amber, shows up, but Sassi has resolved to do whatever she can to support her Pa, who struggles with daily tasks after a crippling stroke.
As the main character, Sassi carries the story well, with the Stapleton family drama dominating the storyline of Voices in the Dark. McDonald explores the issues of family estrangement, farm succession, and racism, as well as some particular sensitive subjects such as rape, and elder abuse. Somewhat surprisingly there is very little suspense in the plot, though there are some tense incidents. There’s no romance either, but I enjoyed the blossoming of new friendships.
Though Dave doesn’t feature in Voices of the Dark, readers familiar with his character will enjoy the scenes in which he appears. While some simply involve him doing his job as a police officer, and mentoring his new constable, Mia Worth, others reveal glimpses of his personal life, including his relationship with his wife Kim, and his two, now adult, daughters from his first marriage.
An engaging novel, I spent an afternoon happy immersed in Voices of the Dark, and I look forward to the next book to feature Dave Burrows and the community of Barker. ( )