Love. Greed. Revenge. And a desperate search for answers… Against the stunning backdrop of the Great Barrier Reef, two women in different eras discover how their hearts and fortunes are swayed by the secrets of the sea.
2019: Bethany Kristensen faces her toughest challenge to date, skippering the family charter business. With rivals doing their utmost to undercut her prices and reputation, the Kristensens’ operation hangs by a thread. Winning the tender for a new scientific research program headed out to the farthest edge of the reef is her last chance to keep the business going. But when rumour and vandalism turn to outright sabotage, things take a drastic turn…
1934: Stella Booth flees a future of domestic drudgery in small-town outback Queensland, heading for employment and an independent life in Mackay. But fate has other plans and an accident en route sends her life spinning in a most unexpected direction…
Linked by a family mystery, decades apart, Bethany and Stella will both need to dig deeper than ever before they forge their place among the turbulent seas of the reef.
Australian author Annie Seaton applies her passion for conservation of our iconic landscape to a compelling mystery and family saga of belonging.
Annie Seaton’s Osprey Reef is one of those novels that you take to the beach and end up staying a lot longer than you planned as you’re swept away. Emotional, mysterious, and gripping from page one, Seaton transports you to two different timelines in one of the greatest Australian settings… The Great Barrier Reef and stunning north-east Queensland.
The story shifts back and forth between Stella in 1934 and Bethany in 2019. While Stella is ambitious and craves a life of her own away from rural drudgery, Bethany is struggling to hold onto what’s left of her family business which leads her to some very dangerous encounters. Seaton layers their history together seamlessly, blending Stella’s turbulent adventures with the unfolding dangers of Bethany’s scientific charter program. Both protagonists have strong, unique voices that complement each other as you are constantly moving back and forth each chapter.
One thing you can always expect from one of Seaton’s novels is her vibrant, colourful settings. Hailing from the Whitsundays herself, Seaton has previously written about the area in Whitsunday Dawn. So, it was no surprise to see her returning to this setting in Osprey Reef and diving deeper into the history of this stretch of coast. I’ve never been to the Great Barrier Reef, yet Seaton’s descriptions are so vibrant and enticing that I soon felt myself whisked away to this slice of paradise. Reading this was like picking up a travel guide for the Great Barrier Reef… only much better.
Osprey Reef is the perfect blend of historical fiction and adventure. If you’re looking for the perfect beach read this summer, look no further. Osprey Reef was an absolute delight.
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