Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book and I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Eliza is a true strong female character, constantly let down by the men around her in her determination to find her father at any cost. I thought the depiction of 19th century Western Australia was vivid, and the characters jumped off the page. I also thought the ending was particularly well done.

What first drew me to Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter was the shiny cover that is brimming with clues to the story within.

Once inside the book, Victorian-era Australia comes alive in vivid descriptions of both the beautiful and the ugly – of Eliza’s father’s study and the objects within that spark her memories and the harsh, Western Australian desert where the dust is inescapable.

Eliza is a fantastic and complex character. She’s a woman of intelligence, but this brings her up against the restrictions placed on her because of her sex, and also into opposition with the women of Bannin Bay, with whom she is unable to fit in. She carries a huge amount of guilt for events in her past, but perhaps her search for her father can free her of this guilt.

The background of the novel, its setting among the Australian pearl industry, is completely new to me, so it was interesting to find out more about it – the beauty and value of natural pearls, weighed up against the human cost of the industry. There’s much more to read about this!

The main focus of the book is Eliza’s father’s disappearance, and the mystery there unravels in unpredictable ways, but there are so many layers to this book; family, colonialism, racism, feminism all weave seemlessly into the story with such a delicate hand, it’s incredible that this is a debut novel!

A fantastic book with its historical setting and atmospheric descriptions. This had me hooked right in and with the characters.

Lizzie was also a fantastic heroine trying to navigate her way and the different things/people/events she encounters.

This book was so beautifully and lyrically written. I couldn't put it down. Its not what I would usually go for but I am so glad I picked this book up! I can't wait to read more by this author!

This was a fascinating tale filled with mystery. I loved Eliza and her determination to step out of the social norms and find out what happened to her father. Her childhood was a heart breaking story and it was clear that she harboured a lot of guilt over the events that took place. Full of tension, in the final moments I felt myself holding my breath, hoping and praying that all would be okay.

An interesting book which investigates the love of a daughter for a father who has gone missing and is presumed dead. It is a thriller and a mystery.It deals with the hardships of life in Bannin Bay in Australia in 1886.
It is a gritty read and at times in comfortable but it is well worth the read

This was a very strange story. Brutal in parts and rather disconnected. The underlying story of the Pearlers and the history of pearling was interesting but it all seemed a bit disconnected. I couldn't seem to get involved .and the conclusion was even more strange, as though I had missed a part of the narrative.

What lengths would you go to save someone you love?

Set in Banin Bay, Australia during the pearl diving boom of the 1800s, ten-year-old Eliza Brightwell and her family land on the shores of Western Australia, ready to embark on their new adventure, having left smoggy London behind.

Over the next 10 years, her father, Charles Brightwell’s pearl company has built up to be one of the wealthiest in Banin Bay, but when he doesn’t return on his ship from its latest diving voyage, Eliza’s world begins to fall apart around her. She does not believe her father is dead as there were no witnesses, just the whispering of various rumours from the townspeople. But as with all towns in this era and in this industry, corruption is rife along with prejudices and racism, everyone is after one thing, wealth, and they will do anything to get it. Who can Eliza trust to help her come to the bottom of this mystery and find her father?

I, unfortunately, have to admit that I was not enamoured by this story as I had expected it to be. There wasn’t enough to have me gripped and eager to pick it up as the theme is not uncommon. I was missing character development as I didn’t feel like I was standing behind Eliza rooting her on, I don’t think I believed she would or could follow through with her mission to find her father. I know there wouldn’t be a story if she didn’t, but something just fell flat for me. Her relationship with her brother was also incredibly predictable, I wanted/needed more from them both. Overall, for me, there wasn’t enough creativity, atmosphere or individuality. Maybe I have just read too many historical fiction books of this type so don’t take my word on it, as I have seen many brilliant raving reviews.

Pook has a very distinctive writing style - highly alliterative with a heavy use of adjectives and metaphors. Whether intentional or not, she also uses a lot of words with double vowels and consonants, giving her sentences a particular and unusual rhythm. I found this a bit distracting at first; I had trouble focusing on the substance of the novel over the style. But after the first few chapters, I was able to sink into the storytelling. It's highly picturesque - I could easily visualise the colourful landscape and characters. While the story itself is enjoyable enough, I had a few quibbles with the execution. I appreciate the inclusion of multicultural characters, but they feel underdeveloped. Knife feels tacked onto the narrative, with the surprise twist basically ignored after the initial reveal. Balarri's quest is a shallow inversion of Eliza's. Min is nothing more than a foil to Eliza (like an Asian "black best friend"). The plot seems like it's building up to become a sailing adventure story, only for Eliza to take to the sea 70% of the way through the book, with her travels wrapped up very quickly. Charles's diary entries obviously foreshadow key plot points and their inclusion was a bit heavy handed. It's a solid first novel that would have been stronger by cutting some of the adjectives (surprising for a former journalist!) and fleshing out more of the side characters. Final assessment: good beach read. 3.5 stars

Set in late 19th century Australia, this book captured a moment in time that I’ve not come across before in historical fiction. I knew nothing of the pearl prospectors who flocked there from across the world in the hopes of making their fortunes,

When Eliza’s father and brother go missing during a pearling expedition she’s left to assemble the scant clues her father left behind in order to understand the reasons for their disappearance, and hopefully bring them back home to her. Eliza embarks on a journey of discovery which will test her to her limits,

Eliza is a feisty heroine and she handles all of the situations she’s thrown into with aplomb. There’s an interesting cast of characters in this book but I did feel that Eliza is the only one really fleshed out enough to be able to relate to and understand. Axel in particular felt a little one-dimensional despite being quite a significant part of the story,

I didn’t quite connect to the characters in this book in the way that I would hope, but I did enjoy it for the setting and the adventure. If you’re a fan of historical fiction and looking for something a bit different from the usual themes then I’d certainly suggest you give it a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter is a historical fiction mystery set in 19th century Australia and tells the story of Charles Brightwell, a Master Pearler, who mysteriously disappears off his lugger while out pearling with his crew. Charles is presumed dead and already the corrupt, cruel police have their suspect, the aboriginal Balarri. Determined to save the life of an innocent man and find out what really happened to her father, Eliza Brightwell sends out to find the truth.

This book is set in a particularly cruel time in Australian history in which indigenous communities were exploited, and the practise of blackbirding in which aboriginal men, women and children were kidnapped, traded and forced to work on early pearling vessels. Alongside this, many hundreds of Japanese men lost their lives to the pearling industry from diving and drowning. The main plot is of Eliza finding her father however this brutality is a dark shadow over the book in a very menacing, effective way; the exploitative, cruel white men in this book who value money and not the lives of aborigines, the misogynist undertones of women ‘knowing their place’, particularly indigenous women, the fear and oppression of indigenous people … This mistreatment is, in my opinion, handled respectfully and not gratuitously, as frustrating and enraging as it is to read.
Alongside this aspect of Australian history, which I knew of but not to this extent, this book has excepts of Charles’ journal detailing Australian wildlife which I found particularly interesting and I enjoyed how the book introduced these elements into the plot. Overall I think the author did a great job in shaping 19th century Australia for me to create in my head.

The true heart of this book is Eliza’s defiance as she goes against expectations of her status and sex to find her father, she gets her hands dirty, she investigates, she goes out to sea, she’s just a wonderful feminist creation and both incredibly empowering and likeable.

In other news, this isn’t related to story but I have to say the cover for this book is stunning!,

Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review

I had really high hopes for this book as the plot sounded so mysterious and interesting. However this felt like a case of a lot of style over substance to me.

The story is set in 1886 Australia where we follow our protagonist Eliza whose father goes missing and is presumed dead after his most recent voyage in search of pearls. Eliza does not believe the accounts given by his shipmates on their return and decides to start her own investigation into what has happened to her father. She teams up with a young man named Axel and together they embark on an adventure full of danger and secrets.

The prose in this book felt very overwritten and the detailed imagery, while occasionally beautiful to read, more often than not felt like a hindrance to the pace of the story. Once you stripped away this element of the writing, there wasn't much left in the way of a story to keep me hooked. The central mystery is the only thing really going on and by the half way point my interest was waning.

Despite the detailed descriptions of settings and objects, there was a notable lack of depth to the characters and I didn't feel like Eliza had much personality. Overall there was not much in the story to keep my attention and I was left feeling rather underwhelmed unfortunately.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC.

The atmosphere in this book is incredible! I was instantly transported into 1886 Australia. I could smell the sea breeze and feel the nature around me! The descriptions of nature, fauna and flora and in particular aquatic life was just mesmerising and whimsical. The setting, habits and manner of speech were all very well done and I could feel the 19th century climate.
I cannot believe this is a debut novel! It is brilliant in the writing and the atmosphere!

The chapters are short and to the point with beautiful descriptions and nostalgic elements were necessary without being stretched out or overly detailed.

The father’s diary entries were really what sold it to me. They were realistic and informative, yet so magical and well woven into the story. He would mostly describe marine life, which really added to the atmosphere, by being poetic and appreciative of nature and yet real and even tragic at times.

The father-daughter relationship was really nice to witness. I just wish a few more of those nostalgic childhood moments were included in the story to really understand their relationship but it was nonetheless touching.

The story itself was well paced and the ending wrapped up very well all the plot lines. I really appreciate all the research done by the author whether it is in the creation of her characters or the geographical depictions. All of it feels so real, as it’s based on real places and people, while being completely fictional. I love it.

Would I change anything?

I don’t think so. I wish it was longer and that we spent more time at sea and navigating the islands! I also think that the eerie Victorian era ambience could have been upped a notch, but that’s just a personal preference as I love the fascination with spiritualism in those times (I’m referring to one specific moment in this book, so if you’ve read it you know what I mean. I just wish there was more than one of those instances but honestly it’s just me nitpicking right now).

Overall, an amazing book if you want something atmospheric, whimsical, and mysterious. If you’re a fan of historical fiction and nature (more particularly aquatic life or sea(side) settings), this one is definitely for you!



Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book and discovering this new author! I’ll definitely be on the lookout for her next book! (Also, on my way to purchase a physical hardcover copy as I need it on my shelves!)

Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter tells the story of Eliza and her family, who move to Western Australia in 1886 when her father and uncle decide to try and make their fortune in the dangerous world of pearl diving.

When Eliza's father doesn't return home after an expedition, she is convinced that he is still alive despite the opinion of her brother and his team, who all say that he has died at sea. Eliza realises that if she wants to find out the truth about what really happened, she will have to take matters into her own hands and solve the mystery.

Part murder mystery, part historical fiction, part social commentary and part botanical and animal field guide - this is a story like nothing else I have ever read. I was totally transported to Bannin Bay through the author's wonderful, yet brutal descriptions of the scorching hot days, swarms of cockroaches and misogynistic views of the local residents - this all swiftly destroyed the idealistic vision Eliza's father had for their move to the other side of the world.

It was Eliza's character that really carried the story for me. If 'Girl Power' had been around in the late 1800's, Eliza would have been leading the movement. She really is a true feminist icon and the embodiment of empowered female strength. She knows her own mind and is someone who won't be swayed by other peoples opinions or prejudices.

A detailed and atmospheric debut which took some unexpected turns, particularly with the romantic elements of the story. Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter highlighted an era that I previously had very little knowledge about and presented it in a convincing and thoroughly researched story.

The book started off ok but after a couple of chapters it just didn't grab me and I struggled to finish it. I'm sorry to say that I didn't enjoy it.

Midnight and the Pearler's Daughter by Lizzie Pook is a historical mystery set in the rough and tumble world of nineteenth century Australia. In 1886 Eliza Bright and her family emigrate from England to Western Australia, and while the ten year old is excited for her new life , her first impressions leave a lot to be desired, The book jumps forward a decade and we learn that the Bright family have done quite well for themselves, with a small fleet of vessels to their name. Eliza's father Charles is the most prolific pearler in Bannin Bay but when he disappears while out on a fishing expedition, she thinks it may be more than a tragic accident and soon whispers of murder are racing around the small town. Eliza is determined to find out the truth about what really happened at sea, but her questions bring her to the attention of some very dangerous people, who will not hesitate to harm her if it will keep her mouth closed.
This was a very quick read because I was so engaged by the character of Eliza, she is strong, determined , loyal and smart, if a little unworldly which is to be expected given the time the book is set in. The writing is very vivid, it really brings the setting to life, from the dusty and arid landscape to the sights and smells of a fishing fleet. I appreciated that the author did not shy away from talking about social history and the treatment of the indigenous population and other minority groups who worked as pearl divers, it is clear that she did a lot of research into the topic.
Overall I really found myself swept away to another place and time by this book and I enjoyed the adventure immensely.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Such an atmospheric debut, full of detail and descriptive writing of the dangerous but lucrative world of Pearl diving. The amount of research undertaken must have been extensive as we learn so much about the prejudices and struggles for all of the minorities in the hard Australian community.
I really liked our main protagonist, Eliza, such a strong, formidable character- unafraid of being different and making a difference. Her relationships with Knife and Axel so interesting.

This is one of the most atmospheric and beautifully written novels I have read in a long time. Set in 19th century Western Australia, it's the story of Eliza Brightwell who in 1886, with her family, has left England to join the pearl diving community. Ten years later, Eliza is waiting for her father and brother to return from a pearling expedition. Her father is not on the boat. Eliza is convinced that her father is still alive.

The historical period is so vividly described I was completely immersed in it. The author captures the sounds, senses, culture and behaviours perfectly. Eliza is a tremendous character; an early feminist she takes no truck from anyone. All the characters, good and bad, are created with complete realism.

The story telling is vibrant and first class. It's a mixture of mystery, social commentary and a little romance. It deals with the violence and corruption which surround the pearling industry and I found it fascinating.

I can't recommend this book highly enough. It is very difficult to believe this is a debut work.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Set in Western Australia, this tells the story of Pearl fishermen in the 19th century. It really coveys the dust and squalor of the shanty towns that spring up alongside the harbours and bays areas, and the wide diversity of peoples assembled in this trade. It tells us about the lifestyle of families, who have travelled, or been uprooted from England in this case, to live in a hostile country.
Eliza Brightwell is a young stubborn, independent and educated woman, with views that are way ahead of what is considered lady like behaviour for these times. Her father, Charles, has a pearl fishing fleet, and spends long periods away from home. Her Mother died in childbirth, shortly after arriving in Australia, so when her father later goes missing, Eliza and her brother Thomas, go looking for him.
Axel is a young German adventurer, who offers to help Eliza gain access to places where young women cannot easily go, without being put into danger.
This is a very atmospheric novel, of its time, we would find it extremely racist now, the way the native population is treated, they are forced into work, beaten and badly abused. People are keen on using the whip upon the slaves, their accommodation is scant, it is a disquieting read, but essential in order to understand the social attitudes of those days. The exotic and dangerous wildlife of the area, sharks, crocodiles, and box jellyfish are responsible for many deaths amongst the pearl divers. The use of pregnant women in this field, was surprising and alarming.
It took me a while to get into this novel, it was quite slow paced, but then I became utterly beguiled by the experiences of such an unusual woman, the environment and the people we meet. Good social history of colonial Australia, brilliant research, about an aspect I knew nothing about. The authors notes at the end, help with the overall context.
I wasn’t sure about the ending, I thought Axel was a better character than he was portrayed, it made him seem rather fickle.
One gripe, the maps were too poorly formatted to be of any use to me, hopefully this has been sorted before publication. As a debut novel, I look forward to see what else Lizzie writes.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Pan MacMillan, for my digital copy, in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion.
A four star read. I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon later.

This works best as a reflection of social history, not often seen in fiction, but for me, in parts the story flagged and struggled to keep my attention. But for a debut this covers some difficult subjects well, and I will definitely keep an eye open for future releases by Pook.