The Survivors by Jane Harper

A pall has been cast over the town of Evelyn Bay, Tasmania since the day twelve years ago when teenager Gabby Birch disappeared and two residents died in a storm--including Kieran's older brother, Finn. Kieran has now returned to Evelyn Bay with his girlfriend, Mia, and baby daughter, Audrey. They are there to help his mother, Verity and father, Brian, pack up the family's home. Brian and Verity are moving to Hobart to place Brian in a nursing home because of his dementia. When recent resident Bronte is found dead on the beach, the authorities and residents wonder what happened. For Kieran and all those in the town, Bronte's death brings the memories and hurt of the past immediately back to the surface. Will the town of Evelyn Bay be able to heal and uncover what really happened twelve years ago and to Bronte? The Survivors is the latest novel by best-selling author Harper. I admit that I had really, really high hopes for this one since her book, The Lost Man was one of my favorite books of last year. This one seemed to be a leisurely-paced re-tread of that book. Let's hope she's back on track with the next novel. The Survivors will be published in February.