WAKE audiobook

What an incredible debut novel from Shelley Burr. Aussie crime fiction is one of my favourite genre's to read and I was absolutely thrilled to be selected to get a copy through Better Reading. There is something about a crime thriller set in a small, remote Aussie town. The town of Nannie in NSW is where we find ourselves. Everybody knows everyone's business - or so they think. When PI Lane Holland comes to town to investigate the case of missing girl Evelyn McCreery, nobody wants to talk to him. Eventually, Evelyn's twin sister Mina starts to open up to him and the pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place. But is Lane there for the huge reward, or does he have an ulterior motive? I read Wake in 2 sittings and I can absolutely see why there is so much hype for this book. The atmosphere of the small outback town where the Royal Flying Doctors are the best solution for a snake bite, and the vast distance they must travel just to shop. I just loved every minute of it.Published in Australia April 27th, it is going to be a massive hit. Thanks to Hachette Australia for my advanced copy to read. So very highly recommended.

Almost twenty years after her disappearance, the mystery of what happened to nine year old Evelyn McCreery remains unsolved and the topic of speculation in a small dying town in Australia. Evelyn retired for the night with her twin sister Mina in the bedroom they shared on their parent's expansive farm, but come morning she was gone. There were no signs of forced entry, no strange tire tracks in or out of the secluded, gated property, no fingerprints, no evidence to indicate what happened to the happy youngster. Over the years, theories ranged from an unknown stranger abduction to an inside cover up by family to the young girl wandering lost over the deadly Australian outback. All these years later, Mina McCreery continues to be haunted by her sister's disappearance as well as hounded by the media and the notorious, accusatory internet chat rooms. While locals have become protective of her privacy, she can't ignore the way they avert their eyes and whisper on the rare occasion she ventures into town for supplies. The perpetual aftermath of her twin sister's disappearance shaped Mina's life into adulthood as the incessant influx of reporters and bounty seekers refused to grant her the opportunity to bury the past and live her life in peace. As a result, Mina's become a recluse, existing alone on the now barren and destocked family farm - one that's almost as dead as she feels inside. Her daily routine includes walking sections of the massive family acreage in search of any tiny thread of evidence that might point her in the direction taken by her sister and abductor. It's at this point that Private Investigator Lane Holland intrudes upon her solitude with a request for an interview. Lane's life is shadowy at best, but he's had success in solving other cold cases especially abductions of young girls. Mina reputes his offer of assistance and writes him off as another bounty seeker, but when he proves his skills by helping another local family she relents and begins cooperating with him. However, readers soon learn that Lane is driven by more than the lure of reward money. He, too, is haunted by nightmares of a dark past that could entail imminent danger to his younger sister if he doesn't find a resolution. The story that ensues is dark, complex and twisted.Set in New South Wales, the harsh reality of the landscape and climate play a prominent role in Wake. After years of drought, the small farmers in the community of Nannine are desperately struggling to hold on to property that's been in their families for years, but is no longer profitable. A sense of loss is prevalent throughout - both of the people and the land. Burr expertly exploits the desolate setting, triggering an overwhelming sense of pure isolation that sets a dire tone and propels the pace and ever increasing tension forward. The story is rendered through two points of view, Mina and Lane, allowing readers firsthand knowledge of what each are thinking, plotting and hiding - while sowing seeds of doubt as to the validity of each one's version of events. There's a growing sense of doom and death permeating the hot, deadly space that is engulfed in this story that becomes more inauspicious as the story unfolds. Wake is the story of a splintered family - one torn apart by guilt, grief, and the after effects of trauma suffered in the public eye. There's an alternate plot line weaving in and out of the main story line, teasing readers with hints of a sinister connection, but it remains just out of grasp until the final revelation. Some may lament the ending as things are not necessarily wrapped up in a big, neat, happy-ever-after bow the way some prefer, but the ending provides much needed answers and in my opinion is simply stunning . . . a brilliant move by author Shelley Burr. I'm amazed this is Burr's debut novel because this story is precise and well-crafted in the manner one comes to expect of more widely published authors. Burr finesses characters, plot lines and setting with apparent ease, affording readers a taut, highly addictive story that this reader couldn't put down. Highly recommended to fans of mystery and suspense. This is Aussie Noir at its finest. I'm a fan!Many thanks to Publisher William Morrow for a copy of this book. My review published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and on my blog, Cross My Heart Reviews.

There’s something about mystery novels set in Australia. In part it’s the size of the place, with its cities dotted around the perimeter of this vast island and then not much other than a seemingly endless expanse of intimidating and largely uninhabitable land once you venture into its interior. Then there’s the fact that just about any creature that can do you serious harm seems to thrive here. And I haven’t even mentioned the people who live here yet. Yes, on the face of it they’re just like us – and yet in these novels they seem different: hardier, more outdoorsy, tough talking in a take no prisoners kind of way. I think this is why I gravitate to these books; they seem to offer escapism in a way that those set in either Europe or America just can’t match.In this standalone tale, we are introduced to a man, Lane Holland, who arrives in a small outback town in New South Wales intent on solving a mystery surrounding the disappearance of a girl who once lived in this remote place, nineteen years ago. We don’t initially understand (or at least not fully) his motivation and it’s fair to say that his presence is not exactly met with open arms. And yet he’s dogged and even somewhat desperate to pursue his investigation. There’s not a lot to go on and with the locals reluctant to give up what little relevant information they might hold it really looks like he’s embarking on what promises to be a fruitless enterprise.What follows is a story that really couldn’t be told in a place lacking the physical elements present in a country such as this. As the few available facts start to become made known a number of possible scenarios are presented, each equally plausible and yet none offering up hard evidence to fully justify further pursuit. The atmosphere is broody throughout, the characters prickly and the cause seemingly hopeless. But then the author stealthily lands a series of shocks and surprises that caused me to question many of assumptions I’d mentally filed away. It’s a complex tale that unfolds slowly and as I approached the story’s end I genuinely had no idea how it would finally play out. I’m already manically attempting to track down my next Aussie fix, I really loved this one.

⭐️5 Stars⭐️Wake by Shelley Burr is compelling Aussie crime fiction, it’s superbly written and surprisingly it’s a debut! This haunting and suspenseful mystery will keep you gripped to your seat and turning the pages!The setting is a fictional Australian remote farming community town in NSW, it’s the perfect location for this story.Almost twenty years ago nine year old twin, Evelyn McCreery disappeared from her bedroom during the night. Her twin sister Mina sleeping in the same room is left behind. The missing persons case became a true crime media sensation and is still talked about almost two decades later on social media and true-crime chat rooms.Lane Holland is a Private Investigater, he’s a police academy dropout and sole guardian of his younger sister Lynnie. Lane specialises in missing children and cold cases and he’s determined to solve this cold case….he has his personal reasons for doing so.Mina has lived in the public eye since her sisters disappearance and has become somewhat of a recluse that struggles with anxiety. She still lives on the same property with her father. The huge two million dollar reward to find Evelyn has never been claimed. What really happened to Evelyn McCreery?I’ll sum this book up in one word ‘brilliant’! I can’t wait to see what this talented new author brings us next!Publication Date 27 April 2022Publisher Hachette Australia Thank you so much Hachette Australia for my gifted copy.

Thank you Hatchette for sending me this book to review.This book moves at a meduim pace and moves fast towards the end as the hunt goes on for the killer. This book is told by two main characters one being Mina whose twin Evelyn went missing and Private Investigator Lane Holland who wants to help solve the crime. The plot is about a young girl Evelyn McCreery who goes missing 19 years ago and her case has never been solved. Here enters Private Investigator Lane Holland who wants to help solve the cold case . Does he have an ulterior motive ? Lots of twists and turns in this one. You are taken on a journey where you think several people may have had a hand in the murder.This is a cracker of a debut. Ticks all my boxes.1/ Rural Australian setting2/ Crime3/ Cold cases4/ SuspenseI really enjoyed the writing style of Shelley Burr , never once did it falter and kept my attention the whole way through.The timeline is centred on 19 years ago to the present day.This book had me flipping through the pages. I couldnt stop thinking about it.The ending was gripping and had you gasping when the final outcome was revealed.This book is set in the fictional town of Nannine, NSW Australia.

*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr**4.5 stars**Wake by Shelley Burr. (2022). The small town of Nannine is in the harsh red interior of New South Wales. After years of drought its a tiny town and its sinister claim to fame is the still-unsolved disappearance of Evelyn McCreery 19 years ago from the bedroom she shared with her twin sister, with a million-dollar reward still on offer. Mina's life has been defined by the intense and ongoing interest in her sister's case which has resulted in an anxious and reclusive adult. Enter Lane, a private investigator who makes a living cracking cold cases. Lane has his eye on the unclaimed money but he also has darker motivations for wanting to solve the case... After seeing this book rated quite highly, I was happy to discover that all of the positive reviews are not exaggerated - this is an excellent debut for the author. The narrative is told primarily alternating between the two lead characters of Mina and Lane. After having the public eye on her and her family for years, Mina is justifiably weary of Lane being interested in the unsolved case of her missing twin sister. Lane has his own motivations which are gradually revealed as the book goes on. With plenty of twists, this story is a gripping read as Lane tries to get to the truth of what happened to the missing girl. Overall: Any reader of Australian crime will find this a real treat, and I look forward to future novels from this author.

I really enjoyed this book! The characters were complex and multi-dimensional, there were lots of red herrings, all of them equally possible and the resolution did not come easy or without sacrifice. I loved the desolate location it was set it, a very isolating feeling, together with feeling isolated not only by the internet sleuths and 'close friend'.. just what a claustrophobic atmosphere and tension! I cannot believe this is a debut book! I cannot wait for the next book by Shelley Burr! Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley!

Out of all the novels in the crime/mystery/thriller genre I have read this year, Shelley Burr’s Wake has been one of utter surprise and by chance.An unsolicited advanced reader copy was offered and after reading a description of the novel, I accepted the offer and am quite glad I did. Hopefully, Wake ends up on plenty of lists of favorite books of the year by other readers.Wake takes place during modern times in the dying and hardscrabble rural area of the fictional town of Nannine, Australia, and focuses on a more or less, high-profile cold case of a missing young girl.Nineteen years ago, young and first-born twin Evelyn McCreery disappeared from her family’s lucrative expansive farm never to be seen or heard from again.With no evidence of an abduction or any sort of violence ever found, and because of the advent of Internet sleuths and the high profile nature of the incident, over the years all sorts of rumors, conspiracies, and innuendos have haunted not only the region but the McCreery family as well. Still, with all the attention over the years, even with the rumors of the McCreery family’s possible involvement in the disappearance of Evylyn, the local community has stood by the McCreery family and is even protective of the family when interlopers trickle in nosing around the case.The notoriety of the missing Evylyn has also led to the establishment of a large reward for the discovery of what happened, which has been doubled by the McCreery family with their only stipulation being either she or her body is located. Lane Holland, once with hopes to become a police officer, now is a mostly self-taught private investigator with an interest in solving cold cases. With a reputation for solving a number of cold cases, Holland has decided to come to Nannine to solve the case of Evylyn McCreery.Mina McCreery is the younger twin and still remains on the family farm along with her widowed father. Mina is with a taciturn and defensive personality and when approached by Lane she is immediately skeptical of his motives and quite uncooperative with his investigative overtures. Even though locals are resistant to fully answer his questions, Lane refuses to be dissuaded and continues his investigation which causes ripples of discomfort to spread throughout the small, dying community in more ways than one.Shelley Burr’s Wake is quite an impressive debut novel. Like other Australian writers, Burr captures the atmosphere and landscape of the tough rural life of Australia, and in such a way that her words easily create mental imagery that enhances the reading of the book. Another thing Burr does well deals with the way the secrets of multiple characters are revealed. These tidbits are leached out in such a manner they sneak up on the reader like a stealth missile. Wake is highly recommended to fans of Garry Disher and television programs such as the Mystery Road series. William Morrow provided a copy of Wake in return for a fair review.This review was originally published at MysteryandSuspense.com

Debut novelist Shelley Burr has written an exceptional story in WAKE, a truly remarkable piece of Aussie Noir. Written with compassion, intrigue and superb atmospheric location, I was blown away by the fact this was a debut novel and devoured every page with fervour. When I started this book, it was with the intention of just reading a few pages but ended up chapters in and still not wanting to put it down. - Everybody thinks they know Mina McCreery. Everyone has a theory on what happened to her sister. Now it’s time to find out the truth. No forced entry. No fingerprints. No footprints. No tyre tracks. What really happened to Evie McCreery? I Imagined every scene clearly due to the authors excellently descriptive and taut writing. I was instantly transported to the small town of Nannine in New South Wales and the inhabitants, all slightly flawed with long buried secrets. Cold case investigator, Lane Holland, who specialises in missing children, has his own agenda in visiting the town and it intrigued me as to his relationship with his much younger sister and how his background story was integral to the development of the storyline. I felt very emotional at the denouement, a solid indication that the writer has achieved what they intended for the reader and I do hope that Shelley Burr writes more along the lines of this powerful and poignant thriller. Highly recommended if you like character driven novels with dark secrets at the heart of it. Set in a small town community with heat oppressed atmospheric landscapes, troubling economic changes and dangerous scrubland, this was the perfect setting for this mystery, which I thoroughly adored. Shelley Burr is the winner of the CWA Debut Dagger Award. When she’s not writing she works for the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. She lives in Canberra, Australia. ‘Wake’ is Shelley’s debut novel. #WAKE - 5 stars - THE literary thriller of 2022! Many thanks to Steven Cooper and Hodder & Stoughton for inviting me on the tour and for my copy of the book in return for an honest review.