The Survivors by Jane Harper
Little, Brown
Publication date - 21 Jan 2021
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Thanks to @netgalley and @littlebrown for the ARC in exchange for an unbiased view.
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I am a big fan of Jane Harper and have read all of her other books and when I got approved for this I think I did a wee squeal! Once again she has not disappointed as this book was just a small town mystery mastered. There was tension, all the local intrigue that goes with this genre but all done to a level above the norm.
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Kieran has returned home with his girlfriend and new baby in order to help pack up his parents lives, as his father is moving into a home for dementia and his mother is leaving the family home to live in a flat nearby. Coming home though is always tinged with sadness and regret as Kieran’s brother died when they were teenagers and Kieran feels as if he was responsible.
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This is all brought back to the forefront of his mind when a young tourist who was staying in the town for the summer is found dead on the beach. All of Kieran’s social circle is involved or associated in some way both in this tragedy and also on the day Kieran’s brother died. Harper leads us through all these relationships with aplomb, especially when showing how people change and evolve and also how our self-perceptions change over time.
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There are a lot of scenes which were highly evocative, especially those in that are set in the local caves. They showed us innocence basically, as well as claustrophobia to scale where I was feeling mentally threatened. Always the sign of a good writer (in a good way)!
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I really enjoyed this book. It’s themes have resonated with me and I’m still thinking of it a couple of weeks later. Jane has another hit on her hands!

3.5 stars!
I'm a big fan of Jane Harper and I thoroughly enjoyed her 3 previous books. In her 4th novel, The Survivors, the author takes us to scenic Tasmania, to a fictional coastal town Evelyn Bay well known for its caves. Kieran and his wife are visiting Evelyn Bay, their hometown, when a body of a young woman is found on the beach. The dead woman is Bronte, an art student who came to work in the bay for the season and who Kieran met only a few hours ago. This terrible event reminds the locals of another tragedy from 12 years ago when another young girl lost her life and Kieran's brother and his friend tragically drowned during a violent storm. Bronte's death opens up new questions about the old case as there is a number of similarities between the two tragedies, including the group of people involved in both.

Like with her previous work, JH creates an atmospheric Australian setting in mysterious but gorgeous Tasmania. However, for some reason I struggled to like any of the characters in The Survivors which prevented me from getting absorbed in the story which I found repetitive in places. Nonetheless I found the mystery interesting enough even if not quite up to the standard I'm used to from Jane Harper.

Many thanks to Little Brown Books for my review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Once again Jane Harper showcases her ability to atmospherically evoke the faultlines in a small community, this time in the coastal town of Evelyn Bay in Tasmania. In this character driven, slow burn of a mystery, Kieron Elliot, a sports physiotherapist, returns home to help his mother, Verity, help pack up their home in preparation for his dementia suffering father, Brian, to move into a care home. Kieron never came back after tragedy struck 12 years ago during a savage and devastating storm in which his golden older brother, Finn, and Toby, Liam's father, died trying to rescue 18 year old Kieron from the dangerous caves. On the same day, 14 year old Gabby Birch went missing, her bag recovered from the sea later. A guilt ridden Kieron has never really got over what happened, but like the statues in the sea, The Survivors, commemorating the loss of life in a wreck, he has survived, thanks to his strong connection and love for partner, Mia, and for Audrey, his baby daughter.

Kieron is shocked to see just how much Brian has deteriorated, hard to care for, with a habit of escaping and going wandering in the town. On the first evening back, Kieron meets with Ash, a childhood friend, who persuades him and Mia to meet another friend, Sean, at the Surf and Turf, an evening in which Kieron crosses paths with Liam Gilroy, who still holds him responsible for the death of his father. The events of 12 years ago come back to haunt the Evelyn Bay community after young vibrant artist and waitress Bronte Laidler is found murdered the following morning. Local cop, Sergeant Chris Renn, is joined by Hobart DI Sue Pendlebury in the murder inquiry. On an online forum and with each other, locals let rip, deciding who is guilty, as malice, gossip, resentments, jealousies, secrets, grief and trauma rise to the surface, with people spilling their guts about each other. Kieron finds himself revisiting a past where he thought he knew what happened, only to discover all was not as it appeared.

Harper excels in her depiction of small town coastal life, with the wide range of characters, from recent additions like author George Barlin, to Trish Birch, a ghost of a woman that has never got over the disappearance of her daughter, Gabby, convinced the police investigation into her disappearance was inadequate. Kieron and Ash were far from role model teenagers, Kieron's parents have never got over the loss of Finn, and whilst overtly never blaming him, emotions can often be darker and harder to rationalise in practice. It is this depth of subtle and nuanced characterisation, no-one emerges without flaws, that marks Harper as a terrific and compulsive writer whose talent has ensured the large number of readers that now follow her. A brilliant read that I thoroughly enjoyed! Many thank to Little, Brown for an ARC.

Kieran returns to Evelyn Bay, Tasmania from Sydney along with his wife, Mia and baby daughter to help his parents prior to their move from the town. Kieran is in a good place now, he has a happy family life, but he is finding it particularly tough coming back to the place where 12 years earlier his brother and his friend died at sea during a storm. After the first night meeting all his old hometown friends and a few new ones over a few beers at Surf n Turf the local diner/bar, old memories are immediately stirred up.

The next morning, a girl’s body has been found on the beach and they had all been speaking to her the previous night during her shift at Surf n Turf.

This narrative is from Kieran’s viewpoint going between the present and events surrounding the incident 12 years ago. After the discovery of the body, old secrets are dragged up and guilt rears its head.

I loved Ms Harper’s previous books, but honestly, I found that this one didn’t really hold my attention quite as much. I didn’t really develop a connection to the characters and it was a bit slow for me. The author’s writing style as usual is excellent and I know that The Survivors will appeal to many readers, I am absolutely sure of that.

Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A missing girl, a body on the beach, deep rooted friendships, deep rooted resentments, tragedies, fatalities, and a town that looks after its own..
An excellent story that leads us to the unpredictable, in fact, a 'Tale of the unexpected''.
Vibrant characters alive with emotion. A brilliant book.

This book was incredible. I felt like I was there with the characters, and the scenes were so descriptive and immersive. The plot kept me guessing, and there was plenty to surprise me along the way. I couldn’t put it down and read it within two days.

My first Jane Harper book, but definitely not going to be my last! The characters in this novel were made so real that I found myself worrying about them during the times when I wasn’t reading, every single one, to me, was a rounded person and all acted and reacted in ways that were totally believable. The scenery was described in poetic detail and I felt myself, if not in Tasmania, then on a similar Cornish beach facing the waves and being responsibly concerned about the tides. This was a family drama and a whodunit, I did not guess who did until the end, not saying any more, why spoil it for future readers.
Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Yet again Jane Harper offers us a completely different sense of place and circumstance which she writes utterly convincingly. Within pages we feel we know these people and this place and are completely swept up in their concerns and their history. Never predictable and always unputdownable another insightful exploration of fear guilt and love. Highly recommended.

First book I have read by Jane Harper and it certainly will not be the last. I really enjoyed the story. I loved the character of Kieran you could feel his pain, his love for his family and then his release of guilt. I really felt like I went on an emotional rollercoaster with him. Mia was a great character I did wonder if she had anything to do with Gabby and was so glad she didnt. Sean oh my god what he did by leaving Gabby was just horrific and poor Bronte did not deserve that either. Definetly will be recommending this book.

I have read all of Jane Harper's previous books and have enjoyed them. Her settings are always atmospheric. This one is set in a small seaside community in Tasmania. There was a sudden storm twelve years ago which ended in tragedy for two families and an unsolved mystery for another. Kieran, his wife Mia and baby daughter Audrey are visiting his parents to help them move away as his father Brian has dementia and needs extra care. The beginning of this book reminded me of episodes from Neighbours or Home and Away: the close community, intrigue, rivalries and gossip, the beach, a group of young friends meeting in the local cafe/bar/restaurant! The pace hots up when the body of young visitor to the area is found. There are many suspects and the back story of what really happened twelve years ago is told in sudden flashbacks often in mid chapter with no warning. There are possibly too many characters in this - some add nothing to the plot, others you feel you would like to to know more about. The baby is a bit of a prop - she is carted around everywhere, left on the beach while Kieran goes for a swim, taken down dangerous cliffs and left in her cot without telling Mia where she is. The author has a flowing style which sweeps you along, not wanting to stop at the end of each chapter. I did find the ending and reveal to be a little disappointing. She also has a device she has used in previous books, where a character (Kieran in this case) has a passing thought or idea that he can't quite grasp (which presumably would explain the mystery). This is repeated several times and is quite irritating. So, as with her previous books, it leaves you with questions, loose threads and annoyances, but it is still a good entertaining read.

Very atmospheric of small town Tasmania. Buried secrets, hidden angst and much guilt. Kieran and Mia visit the town that used to be home and slowly everything unravels and buried secrets reveal themselves gradually.
For me it was just too slow and too gradual to hold my interest and I did find my mind wandering.
The author does have a very distinctive way of writing which some will love but others, who prefer things a bit more tense and fast paced may not gel with

I appreciate it's an uncorrected copy and there are corrections that do need to be made including with layout (the book title scattered at random with added meaningless numbers for one) , also American spellings creeping in (maybe they use them in Australia)

Really intriguing murder mystery set on the Australian coast. A young waitress is found dead on the beach, and during the investigation memories of the young girl found 12 years ago during a storm are triggered. The story has many red herrings to throw the reader and keep involved with the plot. Would recommend this book.

I enjoyed this book. I have read other stories by Jane Harper and enjoyed them all but I thought this one was less tense and at a slower pace.
The story starts setting the scene in a small town where a crime happens, leading to a reinvestigation of a mystery from years ago. I really enjoyed the way the flashbacks are written and the way the connections were established. I liked the main characters and wanted things to go well for them. There are several side issues exploring eg:dementia, relationships, loyalties.
This is quality story telling. Thoroughly recommended.

Another page turner from Jane Harper, but she seems to be more comfortable in the Australian outback of previous novels than here in the wild coastline of Tasmania. This book was as well plotted as always but the characters didn’t quite take on a life of their own as they have in previous novels. Nonetheless, the descriptions of place were convincing, with the setting almost becoming a character in itself. Although the story was mostly told in dialogue, there was a bit too much of it for this reader, becoming a little tedious at times, especially in the middle. There was no shortage of twists and turns and the ending was suitably dramatic and a real surprise. Well worth reading, but perhaps not Harper’s best work to date - she’s still one of my favourite writers and her books will always be eagerly anticipated.

I read Jane Harper’s other books and really like her style. She delivering plot twists that do not insult the reader's intelligence. I also enjoy the settings that depict different landscapes in Australia and lend the stories heaps of atmosphere. The Survivors is no exception. Thank Netgalley

I enjoyed The Dry, but found this a bit of a disappointment. Although the small town Tasmania is depicted really well, I found the characters all rather dull and samey. Mia and Keiran seemed to be indifferent to their 3 month old daughter, not a jot of proud and anxious new parents - even leaving her alone on the beach while having a swim! To be honest, I've no idea why there had to be a baby at all in this. Also the ending, where you find out what happened, was both unrealistic and not terribly exciting.

Jane Harper has a skill for writing small town mysteries. The tension she can weave built on communities where tragedy strikes, tearing apart close knit communities, and leave decade long scars is incredible.

That skill is on show in The Survivors. Having left behind Aaron Falk, (the detective from her first two novels), Harper seems to now be focusing on amateur detectives. In this case Kieran Elliot and his partner Mia who return home to small town life in Tazmania with their new daughter. Mere days after arriving to help care for Kieran's ailing father, a murder happens yards from the family home and dredges up mysterious tragedies from the past that both Kieran and Mia had tried to put behind them.

The central mystery is compelling and engaging, the writing skillfully pulling in questions from the past and there are enough red herrings and unanswered questions to divert you from guessing any reveals before Harper intends. The central family relationships are rendered with tangible pain and grief, love and support. It lost a star because I still had one unanswered niggling question (very small and probably irrelevant but it bothered me) at the end and I would have liked to have known more about Mia's family so that she became more of a rounded character and not simply the thing that saved Kieran.

Once again Jane Harper gives a great insight into a small community in Australia in a great whodunnit. I could really visualise the beach and feel the cold ocean. Unusually for Jane Harper I felt the characters were somewhat two-dimensional, a bit flat. Having thought about it for a while now, I wonder if this was deliberate on the part of the author, showing the lasting effect of old trauma? Regardless, I really enjoyed The Survivors.
Many thanks to Jane Harper and NetGalley.

I’ve read (and enjoyed) all of Jane Harper’s previous novels and The Survivors didn’t disappoint. A current tragedy becomes entwined with a tragedy from the past and old feeling and animosities are dredged up in the process. The power of the sea is a constant theme, as are guilt and lies. An engaging read, set in Tasmania and with a credible cast of characters all living in, or linked to, a small bay by the sea.

I have read all of Jane Harper's books to date. The Survivors examines a microcosm of small town Australia.
We are introduced to Keiran and his family and his friends.
We know these characters have a shared history and that a tragedy has unfolded some years previously in this small town.
The current events in the area mingle with what has gone before and the reader is drawn in to this story.
I found the story dragged slightly in the middle, hence the rating, but overall Jane Harper delivered another detailed small town mystery.