Fran hates Ash Mountain, and she thought she'd escaped. But her father is ill, and needs care. Her relationship is over, and she hates her dead-end job in the city, anyway.
She returns to her hometown to nurse her dying father, her distant teenage daughter in tow for the weekends. There, in the sleepy town of Ash Mountain, childhood memories prick at her fragile self-esteem, she falls in love for the first time, and her demanding dad tests her patience, all in the unbearable heat of an Australian summer.
As old friendships and rivalries are renewed, and new ones forged, Fran's tumultuous home life is the least of her worries, when old crimes rear their heads and a devastating bushfire ravages the town and all of its inhabitants...
Simultaneously a warm, darkly funny portrait of small-town life - and a woman and a land in crisis - and a shocking and truly distressing account of a catastrophic event that changes things forever, Ash Mountain is a heart-breaking slice of domestic noir, and a disturbing disaster thriller that you will never forget...
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['If you want Fran to die, add two. That's zero-two if you would like to say goodbye to Francesca']***
(@OrendaBooks, 14 March 2020, 400 pages, e-book, copy from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed, #BlogTour 28 May)
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I've read a few of the author's books and have found them to be generally excellent so I was excited about taking part in this blog tour. This is a great read. I loved the way the story moves effortlessly between present, with the fire and its impact on the community and past events for Fran that shaped her life and the community in general. Non-linear narratives are my favourites and I enjoy authors who use this device. This book tackles quite dark subjects in such a way they don't become too dark or depressing and even uses humour at times. This is a skill not every writer is capable of. Ash Mountain felt so realistic I felt I was reading a memoir. I'm pretty sure this was inspired by the terrible bushfires in Australia as the author lives in a bushfire region. I found out after reading the book that the amazing cover image is a real photo taken during the fires. That gave me chills. I enjoyed this so much. A must read!
