Clarke

Clarke is illuminated with such wonderful, vivid characters. Rarely have I felt so deeply invested in a story - I loved this book so much. Throsby is a supremely gifted storyteller, and Clarke truly is a wonder.

On a hot morning in 1991 in the regional town of Clarke, Barney Clarke (no relation) is woken by the unexpected arrival of many policemen: they are going to search his backyard for the body of a missing woman.

Next door, Leonie Wallace and little Joe watch the police cars through their kitchen window. Leonie has been waiting six years for this day. She is certain that her friend Ginny Lawson is buried in that backyard.

But the fate of Ginny Lawson is not the only mystery in Clarke. Barney lives alone in a rented house with a ring on his finger, but where is Barney's wife? Leonie lives with four-year-old Joe, but where is Joe's mother?

Clarke is a story of family and violence, of identity and longing, of unlikely connections and the comedy of everyday life. At its centre stands Leonie Wallace, a travel agent who has never travelled, a warm woman full of love and hope and grief, who would do anything in the world for Joe.

Praise for Holly Throsby:

'Throsby understands that the greater mysteries are those that unfold quietly behind the closed doors of every small town.' Australian Book Review

'This is a masterful novel...readers who loved Goodwood will find even more to love here.' Books + Publishing on Cedar Valley

'So much truth, so much aching and pain by humour. What a wonderful book.' Lindy Morrison on Goodwood

'Stunning...a distinctly Australian coming-of-age story...balancing carefully evoked dread with genuine warmth, it's an assured and singular debut.' The Big Issue on Goodwood

'Sparkles with humanity and descriptive power...By the end of the beautiful and humble Cedar Valley, you may yearn for another dot on the map of Throsby's imagination.' - Sydney Morning Herald

'Throsby's rich characterisation leaves you feeling as though you'd made lifelong friends by the final page.' - Sunday Times on Cedar Valley