Follows a woman who has to travel back to her hometown— a small, lakeside community outside Sydney, Australia—after her childhood friend is discovered drowned. Due to an ominous selfie the night before, the question is: foul play or suicide?
McCausland expertly weaves together multiple strands of a multilayered story ... McCausland is a thoughtful, subtle writer with a deep understanding of her characters’ psyches. What lends a special poignancy to the story are the chapters narrated by Paige, reflecting deep regret for her life’s mistakes. (The reader will have to suspend a bit of disbelief here.)
Intriguing ... Compelling ... The author expertly portrays influencers’ obsession with beauty and perfect photos and the way many social media users depend on their feeds for affirmation of self-worth ... , McCausland examines with a fresh eye the complicated and competitive relationships among teenage girls and their messy relationships with their parents ... It’s an emotional mystery that McCausland fires up with forbidden romance, the heartbreak of a motherless child, and a surprising denouement.
Mesmerizing ... The pace starts at a crawl, but McCausland gradually layers sizzling tensions and revelations into Jane’s investigation, which cast foreboding shadows on the sun-drenched setting. When the truth finally comes out, it’s a gut punch. This works equally well as a mystery and a warning cry against the dangers of social media.
