My first read for the Australian Women Writers Challenge is The Lost Man by Jane Harper. It just came out here in the U.S. on February 5, 2019 from Flatiron Books.

To say I was looking forward to this novel is an understatement. I know it’s only early February and I’m not a gambler, but I’d bet money that this will be a TOP NOVEL OF 2019 for a whole bunch of folks.

I had the pleasure of reviewing The Lost Man for Criminal Element. Here’s the beginning of my review:

British-born, Australian writer Jane Harper has quickly established herself as a writer you can trust to deliver a great read. Her first two novels, The Dry and Force of Nature, launched her series featuring Aaron Falk, an insurance investigator who is a bit of a loner. Her third novel, The Lost Man, is a standalone novel—and her strongest story yet (which is saying a lot). This is a solid mystery and a stunning family drama set in an unforgiving and unforgettable landscape. Harper takes her themes of emotional and environmental isolation to a whole new level.

At the center of this novel is Nathan Bright. He and his two brothers, Cameron and Bub, have all grown up on Burley Downs Station, their parent’s ranch, which is 3,5000 square kilometers. It’s home to 3,000 Herefords and just a half-dozen or so humans. For those of you, like me, who haven’t learned the metric system, that landmass translates into 2,175 square miles, an area of responsibility larger than the states of Rhode Island or Delaware.

Please CLICK HERE to read my full review on Criminal Element.