The Lost Man

The blurb on Jane Harper's “The Lost Man” says it's suspenseful, dark, and atmospheric. I would add methodically paced, intriguing, and unique. It's equal parts family drama and mystery, where the setting is the Australian outback and desolation is in the hearts and minds of almost everyone for hundreds of kilometers.

Nathan, his son, and his brother Bub arrive at a grave site to find their other brother dead. No foul play is found, and his car is in full working order. How did the brother die? With no police or ambulance within three hours, the family must try and piece together what happened.

The book evokes the loneliness and vastness of the outback in such a beautiful way. Almost all of our time is spent outdoors in the rugged, dirt-filled landscape, but I found the setting unexpectedly refreshing.

// “A perfect sea of nothingness. If someone was looking for oblivion, that was the place to find it.” //

There is an underlying sinister tone that takes quite awhile to present itself. It lights a small bit of kindling in the mind, and it progressively whittles its way into a full-on conflagration towards the end. It's the epitome of a slow burn, but it's an impressive way to build the narrative. For example, the MC is pretty much banned from going into town, so he has been isolated from the world for the past 10 or so years. The only strong bits of interaction are when his son comes to town on vacation to visit. It makes you wonder if anyone in the family is a reliable witness. And the weirdness does not stop there. We have a few squatters that may be questionable, a mysterious painting that nobody can touch, and a police force that is understandably hard to reach when they are needed most.

// “The rules of the outback may seem brutal but they were written in blood.” //

The story has quite a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming, but everything is wrapped up at the end, for better or for worse. I'd say my favorite part is the overall tone. It makes you reflect on your own life and consider what could have been or ponder things you might have done differently. Not in the sense of what the family is going through, just in general.

The book was exciting, and I would recommend it if you are looking for a mystery that is off the beaten path. I'm glad my GR friends brought it to my attention.

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