Lowbridge (Lucy Campbell, Ultimo)

In Lowbridge, Lucy Campbell’s debut crime thriller, the people in the sleepy small town of Lowbridge seem to have moved on with their lives after the tragic events of the summer of 1987, when 17-year-old Tess Dawes went missing. However, 32 years later, when newcomer Katherine Ashworth is grieving the loss of her own daughter, she begins digging into what really happened and starts asking questions. The novel is filled with small-town tension and maternal grief, as Katherine becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind the disappearance of two girls and the dark secrets buried behind closed doors. Campbell richly paints the lives of small-town teenagers during the 1980s. The community is reeling from the socioeconomic divide of the region, as well as the political ramifications, associated protests and controversy of a planned Women’s Clinic that turn national attention onto the town. Campbell expertly moves from past to present and back again as the summer’s tragic events unfold, building tension between the characters until the very last page. Fans of Jane Harper’s Exiles, Shelley Burr’s Wake and Hayley Scrivenor’s Dirt Town will be hooked as Lowbridge brings a tragic small-town mystery and community divide into the spotlight, uncovering long-buried secrets and grief that lingers throughout the decades.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Kate Frawley is a former bookseller and librarian in training. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Category: Reviews