What if you’re scared you committed a crime but can’t remember?
Family. It means everything to Sheridan. She has missed having her brother around. At last, Lachy is back in Australia, and Sheridan can’t wait to spend the Easter holidays all together in the mountains with their kids.
But, on Good Friday, something devastating happens that rips their two families apart, and now she can’t imagine ever forgiving him. Lachy knows he’s not coping, but his sister doesn’t have the full story. And, terrifyingly, nor does he. There are some critical gaps in his memory. How is he connected to a missing woman, a hit-and-run, and a request for DNA?
To untangle the truth, Lachy must decide who he can trust. His sister? His friends? Even himself?
Petronella McGovern is fascinated by what makes us tick, the lies we tell, and the secrets we keep. She is the bestselling author of Six Minutes, The Good Teacher and The Liars. Her books have been nominated in the Ned Kelly Awards, the Davitt Awards and the Australian Independent Bookseller Awards. The Liars was selected in Better Reading’s 2023 Top 100 Books. Among other adventures, McGovern has worked on a summer camp in America and travelled in eastern Africa, which partly inspired The Last Trace, her fourth novel.
From the first page, McGovern creates an eerie atmosphere that is perfect for this mind-bending family-centric thriller. The writing feels as though it is not being truthful to the story, which is very similar to the mystery that Sheridan and Lachy uncover. It’s clever and completely gripping. Truth is a key element to understanding the siblings and their complex relationship as they find more and more evidence, which often leads to many intense arguments. I was hooked the whole way through.
Who is the innocent one? McGovern perfectly illustrates the frustrations of the characters, especially Lachy, as he and Sheridan face a mix of obstacles – like the request for DNA. Between the chapters, it is difficult to know who is lying, and with the twists in the second half, the main suspect often changes. This adds to the tension and will have you turning the pages eagerly.
The Last Trace is a story about family, and McGovern has developed a familial and relatable love between Sheridan and Lachy. This relationship puts The Last Trace in its own unique category of thriller; would you lie to keep the ones you love safe? I couldn’t get enough of this excellent twisty novel. You’ll be staying up late with this one!
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