This is one of those books where you go in expecting one thing and discover something else entirely, but in a very good way.

After the death of her teenaged daughter, Katherine moves to the sleepy village of Lowbridge where her husband grew up. Needless to say that after such a devastating event, Katherine is struggling to move on with her life. Most of it consists of pills and vodka. Until one day she ventures out and has a funny turn right outside the building of the local historical society. Katherine quickly finds a friend in Margaret and, in trying to find a way to pick up the pieces of her life, she decides to help Margaret with filing and archiving of old documents. It is in doing so that Katherine comes across the mystery of two girls who went missing in 1987 and were never seen again.

Sim, Tess and Luisa were three high school friends in Lowbridge in the late eighties. These three girls couldn't possibly be any more different if they tried. Tess comes from a loving and supportive family, Luisa is the daughter of the Italian immigrants who run the local trattoria, and Sim seems to have it all. Except maybe the love and attention of her parents, who are far too busy trying to make a mark. One of these girls will go missing without a trace. But she won't be the only one. What happened to them? And why?

There are plenty of secrets to discover. There are people who are hiding things, one or two who know more than they're willing to share. The disappearance of the girls happened during a rather tumultuous time for the town of Lowbridge. Sim's mother had plans to open a women's centre, a decision that left the residents extremely divided. Especially surrounding the topic of abortion. It's not quite a period many look back on fondly.

As so often happens, I was mostly interested in the chapters set in the eighties. I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with the three girls, watching them navigate the tough teenage years while still trying to have fun along the way. All this in a town where everybody knows everyone else's business. In the present chapters, Margaret and her friends, Colleen and Sylvie, were also quite likeable. But I couldn't at all connect to Katherine or her husband, although I'm not entirely sure why.

'Lowbridge' is not just a mystery and if you're going in expecting a thriller or a rollercoaster ride, this isn't it. It is not just about finding out what happened to the missing girls. This is very much a character driven story, which tackles some immensely difficult topics along the way. These are characters whose lives were turned upside down, who had to find a way to carry on somehow. 'Lowbridge' isn't full of twists to dazzle you, it doesn't require you to suspend disbelief, it doesn't rely on big theatrics or drama. It is "just" a really good story, with that small town setting I adore, with characters that feel realistic and believable, with a well thought-out plot, and a reveal that I didn't see coming.

A thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying debut by Lucy Campbell. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more from her.

I was recently auto-approved by Ultimo Press, a small Australian publishing house. This is the third book I have read from them and I have to say I have been very impressed so far.

In this novel, Kat moves to Lowbridge, her husband's hometown, after suffering a significant trauma. Retreating into depression and alcohol, Kat searches for something to give her life meaning and stumbles across the Lowbridge historical offices and becomes involved in various projects which highlight the history of the small town. One of these projects is the disappearance decades earlier of a young girl, but when investigating this disappearance, Kat stumbles across a second girl, one who no-one has really missed.

What happened to those two girls, what secrets are this small town hiding and what does her husband know about the missing girls?

Like I say, I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. The sense of the small town and its people really came through and the pacing of the novel was brilliant as it moved between past and present, bringing them together with an exciting conclusion. No great over-the-top drama, no suspension of realism, just a really good story, well told.

Definitely an author I will look out for in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ultimo Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Rounding up to three stars.


Sadly this one didn't really work for me.
I felt no sense of mystery or connection to any character.
I didnt predict the ending, so that's always good.


I just wasn't the right person, for this book at this time.