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The Lost Summers of Driftwood

By: Vanessa McCausland
Narrated by: Emily Taheny
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Publisher's Summary

"Like the slow-moving river that flows through the story, this compelling mystery will creep up on you and pull you in." (Josephine Moon)

An absorbing drama about broken dreams, first love and the mystery of a lost sister, for all fans of Hannah Richell and Kate Morton.

"A cracking read." (Maggie Alderson)

Is it more dangerous to forget...or to remember? 

Phoebe's life has fallen apart and there's only one place left to go. Alone and adrift after a failed marriage proposal, she flees Sydney to her family's abandoned holiday cottage. 

On the slow-moving river Phoebe is confronted with the legacy of her older sister's suicide, a year before. Why did Karin leave a note written in flowers and walk into the water? 

Phoebe's childhood love, Jez, has moved back to the beautiful old house, Driftwood, one jetty down. He's married now and the home has become a refuge for an unlikely little community. 

As the river begins to give up its secrets, Phoebe finds herself caught up in old feelings and new mysteries. 

The Lost Summers of Driftwood is a story of lost loves, rekindled passions, tragedy and betrayal set against the backdrop of an idyllic south coast town. 

Praise for The Lost Summers of Driftwood:

'This tender and evocative story of the power of love, grief and memories will resonate with so many readers thanks to the power of Vanessa McCausland's storytelling and her understanding of human nature.' Sophie Green, author of The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club

'McCausland is a natural storyteller who weaves love, loss, mystery and secrets into a satisfying tale' Herald Sun

'You'll be on the edge of your seat as surprising secrets unfold on every page' Woman's Day

'Full of mystery and romance, this is the perfect atmospheric summer read' Who Weekly

'Pure reading pleasure! Evocatively written and with beautifully realised characters whose loves and losses play out against a lush and mysterious backdrop, I kept turning the pages, desperate to know what would happen, but also wishing it would never end.' Cassie Hamer, author of After the Party

©2019 Vanessa McCausland (P)2019 HarperAudio

What listeners say about The Lost Summers of Driftwood

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
  • JR
  • 10-06-2023

Shallow and lame

Predictable: full of cliches and easy to guess the next event. Just a bit slow for me.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • M&M
  • 08-12-2021

Highly recommended

This is a great Australian novel! I really enjoyed the story line and the narration. The story keeps you hanging and wanting you to go back for more.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A slow burn

I enjoyed the story and read it whenever I could but there were no great surprises here and the revelation at the end was a bit predictable. Having said that, the characters were well fleshed out and relatable, the story moved at a reasonable pace and I found that I really did care if they got the happy ending they wished for.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Mixed feelings

It is hard to rate a book when you don't enjoy the narrator. This book felt like it was being read to me by as Eastern Suburb (Sydney) pretentious mother that took gasping breaths and over-the-top poignant pauses. You know the kind... the ones that accentuate the 'ssss'. She made everyone seem vapid and shallow.

The story itself was ok. Nothing amazing or memorable. I guessed what happened VERY quickly, but I suppose the mystery isn't really the point of the story. I did enjoy the interaction between Pheobe and Jez. I thought that was well done.
But some parts of the story were jarring, making me wince and pulling me out of the story. Like why would you give a blind woman a book about flowers? And why ignore all media during a nearby bushfire? Anyway, I am probably just being picky.
2.5/5 stars

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable

Well written all round with characters who drew you in with them as their stories unfolded.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Soulful and challenging

Welll written story of love and loss.. I was captivated by these characters and their journey. I didn’t always agree with their choices but they seemed so , well human. Really worth the read!

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book!

I really enjoyed this! Nicely written and very engaging. Likeable, rich characters. Read beautifully by Emily with distinctive voices for each character.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A great listen from a very talented writer.

I love Vanessa McCausland’s writing. She is a brilliant Australian writer who writes the best page turners that keep you guessing till the end. I really think she is one of the best thriller writers I have read in a while.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.