The Lost Man Hardcover – February 5, 2019

This is one of the best books I've ever read. Even though it took me a little bit to get into it, once I did, I loved it! I think it's my favorite Jane Harper book so far, even though I loved "The Dry" and "Exiles". All along the way, more and more information is revealed about the Bright family, about their shared history, about who is a villain and who is decent, and about how strongly the past influences their present. I felt that I was still learning about what type of person the main character, Nathan, is up until the end. In some ways, everything is turned on it's head. The writing was beautifully crafted. Highly recommend.

This is the second book I've read by Jane Harper, and I have a third on my Kindle. She always spins a good murder mystery plot, along with a compelling Australian setting. This time around, the reader is treated to the remote solitude of the Outback, whose grit, dust and dry heat seem to permeate every scene. Brothers Nathan and Bub Bright meet up at a legendary gravestone dividing their properties, only to find their third brother, Cameron--in charge of the main family homestead--dead.Harper takes her time introducing the reader to an array of characters as well as family background issues that become key later on. I thought the beginning moved a bit slowly, but the msytery eventually took off. At that point, I couldn't flip pages fast enough. There was a continued reference to a particular item (no spoilers) that I thought much too heavy-handed (I get it, already!), but other than that this was a good read. I waffled back and forth on the identity of the killer and was proven right at the end, but not for the reasons I suspected. Jane Harper is on my auto buy list, and although I didn't care for this book as much as The Dry, it delivered a solid tale with an awesome ending.

This is a story of survival. Survival against the elements. Survival after a critical error in judgment. Survival of loneliness. Survival of abuse. Survival of divorce. Survival of family, connections and love. It is a story of survival as a choice. This book is a well thought out puzzle more than a murder mystery. It is not an action-packed, plot-driven rampage through the pages. But, make no mistake, it is totally engrossing, and you will want to start it when you have a bit of time. I did not want to stop reading. Thank goodness, I can keep reading my Kindle in bed and not disturb my sleeping husband! Jane Harper is an excellent writer. Her characters are complex and three dimensional people. You can believe them and care about them. And they are memorable. Her ability to render a setting is phenomenal. I was fully transported to the outback of Australia. I was reading it in the middle of winter, but I could feel the searing sun and the blinding thirst. I felt that I needed to pack survival gear in my car just to head out to the suburban grocery store. Never mind that it did not make sense here; it just seemed necessary. Life in this incredibly remote area and harsh, unforgiving environment, made a fascinating backdrop to the story. The story is centered on one family consisting of three grown brothers, their widowed mother, one wife, two young girls and one teenaged boy. The story begins with the death of one of the brothers, and it is told from the point of view of Nathan, a surviving brother. That death is the catalyst that begins Nathan’s reconsideration and investigation of everything that has gone before with the inevitable exposure of secrets, betrayals, and concealments. The writing is fluent, and the pacing is perfect for this story. While this book remains within the mystery genre, it would pass muster as a literary read as well. Jane Harper will join our list of mystery writers that we pre-order and eagerly anticipate such as Martin Walker, Louise Penny, Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling), Jean-Luc Bannalec, Cay Rademacher, Paul Doiron, Ann Cleeves, and Elly Griffiths. I have read all three of her books now. This book will stand alone, so you do not need to have read the other two first. Although, if you have not read The Dry (her first book) you won’t want to miss it.

he Lost Man by Jane Harper is an atmospheric tale about regrets, family secrets, isolation, and a man that is found dead by the gravestone of a local legend.She has done it again, folks! Jane Harper has created another captivating tale that will totally suck you in and not let you go until the very last sentence.This was one of my top most anticipated reads of 2019, and I am so thrilled that it did not disappoint.But of course it didn’t… It’s Jane Harper!This is another book that you really just need to read for yourself, so I’ll keep this light.The story begins in a very dark place; two brothers, Nathan and Bub, are standing near the body of their deceased brother, Cameron, who was found by a famous landmark on their property. It seems as though this may have been a suicide, that the stress of working the massive plot of land in the incredibly hot Australian outback was just too much for Cam. But Nathan isn’t convinced. There are just far too many things that don’t add up.Over the course of the novel, we are led along a wonderfully character-driven story line where little bits and pieces of the whole picture start being revealed.It’s a bit of a slow build leading up to the last few pages. But it certainly was not boring in any way! With each passing chapter, just enough information was given out. It was like the author was leaving us breadcrumbs, getting us to follow her through the story. Then when the very last bit of dust is wiped away from the big picture, and everything suddenly becomes clear… Amazing.When I got to the ending, I jumped up and immediately told Alex what had happened. I did NOT see it coming. Of course, now I need to go back and reread it to see if I can catch any dropped hints that I totally missed!

This is my first book of Jane Harper's and I enjoyed it very much. I liked the rugged outback setting and the complex characters. It's a slow burn mystery with a surprising twist at the end.

It arrived a little worn out at the edges, but nothing serious.The history is pretty amazing, really enjoyed, read it in less than a week

Mantiene el interés.

Family and murder story set in the wide outback. I simply loved to hear about the communities interactions and life in this harsh part of the world. Extremely interesting to learn about farmers' lives, excessive driving distances, necessary food stocks, backpackers used as temp workforce etc. Realistic and good dialogs. I simply couldn't put it down!

I really enjoyed the suspension and the story line unfolding. Also loved the unique scenery of the book. I will be trying more books from Jane Harper.

Jane Harper is a talented writer whose atmospheric descriptive style presents a vivid sense of place. The Australian Outback becomes visually imprinted on the reader’s mind. The searing heat, isolation which may lead to claustrophobia, long distances from the nearest small town and neighbours, the dust, the lack of rain; but there is a desolate and haunting beauty of the desert and scrubland. The plot contains an intriguing mystery, but it is mainly a character-driven story about family dynamics, dark secrets, abuse, mistakes, regrets, simmering resentments and long-held grudges. The story takes place at one of the immense cattle stations Burley Downs.The property consists of 3.5 thousand square kilometres with 3,000 cattle. Living there are Cameron, who runs the property successfully, his wife Ilse, and their two young daughters. His brother, Bub, who drinks too much and Is unhappy and angry when any of his suggestions about running the family business are ignored. Their elderly mother, Liza, a widow still lives there. Also present is ‘Uncle’ Harry, a longtime close friend who works on the property. Various stockmen and backpackers also come for temporary work. A third brother, Nathan, lives nearby (3 hours away) on an adjoining smaller property. His land is not good and he is failing financially, and he lacks Cameron’s success. He seldom visits his family at Burley Downs. Burley Downs had been divided into three equal parts, and he had sold part of his inheritance to Cameron to manage his growing debt. His ex-wife’s father had given them his present stretch of land, probably out of hatred and expecting the poor land to fail. His divorce started a long custody battle, and his son, Xander, age 16, now lives with his mother in Brisbane. Ten years earlier Nathan became an outcast in the nearest town. Businesses and townspeople have shunned him and he is not welcome there. Also, people have refused to work on his property.Nathan has become more and more isolated, but his son Xander is visiting for the upcoming Xmas holidays and they have been invited to Burley Downs for a family Christmas. Nathan, with Xander, meet his brother, Bub at an isolated place marked by an old gravestone. It is the burial place of a stockman who died there in the 1800s. Ghost stories and legends have grown about this site. They were expecting to meet Cameron, but instead, discover his dehydrated body near the grave marker. It looks like the brutal 45-degree heat killed him. His vehicle is discovered 9 kilometres distant fully equipped with food, water, medical kit, and emergency radio, and is in running condition. Why would he abandon the vehicle and walk out into the desert’s searing heat? Nathan and Xander want to find out. Steve, a nurse who also is the ambulance driver, and a new young policeman arrive at the death scene. Steve works part of the year as the only person locals can go to for medical advice. There is also a flying doctor service. The remainder of the year he works for the Red across in places like Afghanistan, Syria and Rwanda. I had to wonder if his time in the Outback was his most difficult post. Cameron’s death is considered suicide because he had seemed very stressed lately. Now there is Cameron’s funeral to prepare for just prior to the family Christmas. As the family gathers old grievances, jealousies, regrets and secrets begin to emerge. Highly recommended. A strong 4.5 stars. Beautifully written. Anxiously awaiting the author’s next book.