Winifred is a small town full of prejudices and assumptions. Meg and Lily are outsiders who live on its margins at Magpie Beach, where they’ve managed to keep out of each other’s – and everyone else’s – way for years. That is, until Rosemary comes along and draws them into an unlikely friendship.
When nine-year-old Jessie Else goes missing, the residents of Winifred begin locking their doors, and fingers soon start pointing towards Magpie Beach. Questions threaten to undo Meg, Rosemary and Lily’s quiet existence, and the women band together to protect themselves, and to protect each other, but all three are holding secrets that are too big for them to keep on their own.
It’s only a matter of time before they start to unravel–and nothing will ever be the same again.
Read some great 5-Star reviews from our Preview readers here:
What a pleasant surprise this book was. From the cover I was expecting a murder mystery, but in reality it was beautifully written literary fiction. The writing is incredible – the characters are so intricately portrayed and the setting is delightfully described. If you are expecting a murder mystery, you might find yourself a bit frustrated by the slow pace in the first half, but it picks up the pace in the second half with revelations and action aplenty. It does get a little dark, but not for long and most hardy souls should be able to handle it. I’d be keen to follow this first time author as she has great talent and I can’t wait to see what else she produces. Vanessa, QLD, 5 Stars
Wow! The first half of this story gave off Where The Crawdads Sing vibes. The second half was just one twist after another, every single chapter revealed something that changes everything you thought from the first half. Amy, WA, 5 Stars
An Afterlife for Rosemary Lamb is a story that slowly unfolds, the layers slowly stripped away to reveal the secrets of Meg, Rosemary and Lily. In the outside town of Magpie beach – where there were no magpies and no beach, an unlikely friendship is formed between these interesting women. The story is told from the perspective of these women, who have loneliness in common, are reclusive, however have different backgrounds. They each carry secrets and make choices they shape their lives. I enjoyed uncovering their secrets. At times I was so immersed in the characters and their secrets that I forgot about the missing girl, Jessie Esle Beautifully descriptions and literary prose kept me engaged. Louise Wolhuter has a well written first novel and is a writer to watch. Teresa, VIC, 5 Stars
This book covers the friendship of three very different women. We get to live out and connect with the story of each character as they intertwine to form the overall plot. The storyline throughout the novel remained captivating and unique and left us wanting to learn more about the background of each character. I absolutely loved the writing style and the imagery which was used throughout the novel not to mention the plot twists I definitely could not have predicted. Anna, NSW, 5 Stars
Applause to Louise Wolhuter. I loved the story of Meg, Lily and Rosemary, an unlikely friendship, bound together by hidden secrets, love, loss and redemption. A mystery a love story and moments of disturbing hurt and torment. I could not put this book down. I cried with them, I laughed with them and I hurt with them. An intriguing masterpiece written with witty humour and funny anecdotes, characters you love and sometimes hate, characters that remind you life is not all it seems and sometimes we fall by the wayside. Thank you Louise. Loved every minute of their journey and highly recommend your novel for others to enjoy as I did. Can’t wait for the next. Jenny, QLD, 5 Stars
This is a beautiful book that I didn’t want to end. Set in a small North Queensland coastal town, three houses at isolated Magpie Beach contain three very different women whose lives are altered first by their unlikely friendship and then by the missing child case that encroaches on their quiet existence. An Afterlife for Rosemary Lamb is more than the sum of its parts. The words “A mystery” are on the cover, and the missing child is pivotal to the plot. But the tagline could also be referring to other mysteries of life: who we love, why we lie, where we put our trust and what our secrets say about us. And how do we recognise those moments that will change our lives. Told in multiple POVs by the three key women, the book dances between past and present, so that you gradually learn more about each woman from their internal dialogue and the observations of the others. This is an elegantly constructed tale, woven from beautiful descriptions, lyrical passages, and gentle moments. However, there are sections that are brutal and heart-rending (check content warnings). I wholeheartedly recommend this book. Lisa, QLD, 5 Stars
“An Afterlife for Rosemary Lamb” is a deep dive into the small community mindset and the characters which can be found there. In a small town on the central Queensland coast, a girl goes missing, but no one is sure who to blame. Local papers and constabulary think they have it solved, but all is not what it seems. This book is full of descriptive passages which act like the layers of an onion, gradually revealing the core of the characters within. The three women, central to the story, are flawed, each in their own way, but their actions and reactions are easy to identify and sympathize with. This book will make you feel happy, sad, uncomfortable, and angry, but you won’t be able to put it down. Louise Wolhuter keeps the reader guessing until the very end of the book. This is a masterful murder mystery, well worth reading. Karina, QLD, 5 Stars
The holes we dig. The lies we live, this novel is undoubtedly one of the best reads of 2022. It’s addictive, mysterious, and will keep you guessing and questioning yourself as to why! Beautiful set in outback Australia Wolhuter descriptive writing gives you a sense of actually being there watching it all unfold. Thank you Better Reading for the opportunity to review this novel, this novel will stick with me for sometime to come. Sally, NSW, 5 Stars
One thread unravelled to reveal many mysteries – some solved, some not… a well written and entrancing story you can’t put down. Jacquelyn, NSW, 5 Stars
What an extraordinary read this was, four and a half stars for me. The novel covers a time in the lives of three women, Meg, Lily and Rosemary all living on the outskirts of a fictional town in Queensland. Dual timelines are used which is very helpful in explaining some of the individual characteristics of each woman. The writing style is very beautiful and descriptive, and very easy for the reader to picture each setting. The content is quite varied including child abduction, relationships, small-town gossip, individual and community expectations as well as the gender gap. The issues are not covered specifically but in a general and gradual way, which is very skillfully done by the author. By halfway through I felt I knew the characters well and really wanted to keep reading into the early hours. Each chapter manager to share something more about the person, usually very unexpected, which in turn meant I needed to read another chapter. I think this is a wonderful first book, one that would translate well to a movie or series. Well done to the author and I’ll be watching closely for her next novel. Thanks Better Reading for the opportunity to read a preview copy. Toni, QLD, 5 Stars
Mysteries are not my most beloved genre so I was pleasantly surprised when this book captured me from the first chapter and kept me hooked. Louise Wolhunter took me on a journey with beautiful complex characters, ones that I easily identified with. The story is filled with beautiful prose and I found myself hunting for a pen to jot down many phrases that resonated. Each chapter, narrated by one of the three main characters was easy to follow and just when I thought I knew where the story was going the author added another twist and took me down a different path to keep me guessing. I highly recommend this book for readers who enjoy tales set in small towns with the secrets they keep and the prejudices people have to overcome. Sharyn, QLD, 5 Stars
“An Afterlife for Rosemary Lamb” is a great read! It begins slowly, letting the reader start to know the main characters- three women with their own reasons to be solitary or at best, keeping their distance from others. Their relationships develop gradually and the author writes beautifully, giving a sense of their solitude, and the tropical heat and humidity of the relatively isolated area they all call home. And then suddenly, things happen, and secrets explode into the open- but are all the secrets told? What will happen to the women who have led such different lives but have come together to form an unusual friendship… This tells their story. It’s an excellent read and kept me turning the pages to discover what happens! I loved it. Marilyn, NSW, 5 Stars
An Afterlife for Rosemary Lamb reminded me of an Aussie Where the Crawdads Sing with the rugged Queensland coastline playing a key role to bring this mystery to life. Great characters with lots of depth make this a page turner for sure. One of the best books I have read this year. Totally recommend it as a summer read or great Christmas present. Put it on your lists! Traci, NSW, 5 Stars
Wow! The perfect blend of mystery, friendships and things best left behind. A great read! Rebecca, TAS, 5 Stars
Magpie Beach, where there are few magpies and no beach lies just outside of the close community of Winifred. Meg lives there alone and then Lily arrives. The two women live separate lives that is until Rosemary and Eddie Lamb build a house there. Rosemary draws the other two women into an unlikely friendship. When Jessie Else a nine year old goes missing everything changes for the town of Winifred and Magpie Beach where everyone thought that they knew every thing about everyone. The tragedy draws the three friends closer to each other but do they really know each other? And do they know their secrets? Liz, VIC, 5 Stars
‘An Afterlife for Rosemary Lamb’ by Louise Wolhuter’ is one of my favourite books for this year. Set in a small tropical coastal Queensland town, it follows 3 female characters, who with varied reasons prefer to settle away from town at Magpie Beach. Friendship blossoms brought on by a weekly trip to the film club in town. This book had me from the first page, the characters and their reasons for settling in a remote area have stayed with me. This book is a gem and I would highly recommend it! Julie, VIC, 5 Stars
“An Afterlife for Rosemary Lamb” by Louise Wolhuter is a beautifully written novel. The story is told in chapters voiced by the 3 main female characters. This book is so exquisitely written, every sentence is carefully thought out and nuanced. Little by little more details are teased out of the 3 narrators, they are rich in details and character. The chapters shift slowly through their days until suddenly revelations are brought to the surface and examined in the cold light of day. I really, really enjoyed this book by debut author Louis Wolhuter, I very much look forward to her next novel. Leigh, VIC, 5 Stars
An Afterlife for Rosemary Lamb is a mystery novel set in a small Australian town, Magpie Beach. Meg and Lily have mostly kept to themselves, but then Rosemary enters into their lonely lives, and they form an unlikely friendship. Things take a drastic turn in the quiet town when nine-year-old Jessie Else goes missing and the police hold Rosemary’s husband, Eddie as the main suspect. The author, Louise Wolhuter has written an intriguing story told through Meg, Lily and Rosemary’s eyes. I enjoyed reading through each of the characters’ own perspective. This is a thrilling novel, with plenty of surprises as secrets held by all 3 women start to unravel. A beautifully written and enticing mystery that captures you from the very beginning, this novel is recommended for lovers of crime and fiction. Thank you very much Better Reading for the opportunity to read and review this novel. Christine, QLD, 5 Stars
Three unique women come to live at Magpie Beach, where there are few magpies and no beach, and gradually become true friends. Each has her secrets and as we learn, secrets are never properly kept. Not forever. This is a wonderful tale of friendship and secrets and how they gradually unravel after 9 year-old Jessie Else goes missing, setting off a cascade of events. It is a beautifully written story with a sense of place and time to savour and the development of characters we come to care for and struggle to farewell as the story ends. I thoroughly enjoyed Louise Wolhuter’s first novel and am so pleased to have received a preview copy from Better Reading. Marlies, VIC, 5 Stars
The book begins with the disappearance of a child. The story is of three very different women, all living with secrets, who live on a remote beach and whose lives become entwined. Each of them tells their own story and version of events. This not confusing and actually adds to the suspense. The characters are very real and relatable to. It’s a story that makes you think and be a little less judgemental. I loved this book. Couldn’t put it down and then wished it continued. Kerry, WA, 5 Stars
An Afterlife for Rosemary Lamb by Louise Wolhuter is a slowburn which becomes unstoppable as you are lulled into the lives of Rosemary, Meg and Lilly, each outliners harbouring their secrets. Loneliness, tragedy, dreams for lives not lived and the promise of friendship bring these women together in a unique tale that has many twists of the heart as secrets are exposed in the rawness of Magpie’s Nest. Anyone living in a rural town will recognise Meg’s chatty rambling of the meat and potato town of Winifred and those who live there. Wolhuter cleverly uses the too much information about people not yet met in the introductory chapters to create an atmosphere of the town. Slowly she weaves this information to make sense and thicken the layers as the voices of Meg, Rosemary and Lily unfold throughout the story. This is a gripping read with more than one mystery, where everyone is all too human and souls laid bare. Jennifer, QLD, 5 Stars
Louise Wolhuter tells a remarkable story about three women who’s journeys intertwine as they each deal with the decisions of the past, the present and the unknown future. The novel captures the unique relationship between women who find common ground to bond even in the harshest of circumstances and despite their differences. A friendship that is built from both lies and trust which somehow allows them all the strength to transform their life. Rosemary is the common link that brings these women together, and it’s easy to like Rosemary as she’s friendly, fun and vulnerable. In stark contrast however is Lily, a character which you sympathise with on one page then want to yell at her the next page! The story is at times confronting and makes you think about how different someone’s life could have been if they had made one different choice or not accepted certain behaviours and social norms of accepting what happens behind closed doors. This was a novel which made me want to keep turning the page to uncover more and left me reflecting long after I finished reading on the truths it uncovers. Pamela, SA, 5 Stars
An Afterlife for Rosemary Lamb is a rather insightful and perceptive tale of three women living a small sleepy seaside town as outsiders. Meg, Lily and Rosemary all spend their lives trying to fit in. I found the story triggering, as there are stories of child abuse and violent mistrustful adults to prepare yourself for. A 9 year old girl, Jessie Else, goes missing and the troubles begin for Meg, Lily and Rosemary. And soon all their hidden secrets are going to be blown open. One thing to remember is when you have secrets its not good to share too much with your new friends. I really enjoyed the book but it was disturbing and written so eloquently that the mystery pervaded the story. Preeya, QLD, 5 Stars
What a gem of a book! Not what I expected at all.. I was thinking it would be a whodunit-style story but it’s so much more. A fascinating exploration of three women’s lives brought together that seem so different on the surface yet all have their secrets that mean they understand and relate. Loved seeing the characters gradually develop over the course of the book. Recommend for those looking for an engrossing, character-driven read. Jane, VIC, 5 Stars
I really enjoyed reading this book – it had a bit of intrigue, some “who done it” and a little romance. I liked the way the author went into detail about things. It lets the reader get right into the book. The story line was interesting and had a good ending. I look forward to reading more books written by this author. Jan, NSW, 5 Stars
A mystery within a mystery, with richly detailed characters whose stories unfold gradually, peeling away the reader’s misconceptions one by one. A story that draws you in gradually, then doesn’t let go until the final page. Alanna, QLD, 5 Stars
Three very different women form an unlikely friendship cultivated over a weekly trip to the movies. As time progresses, we come to understand more about this fabulous trio and their quirkiness……….or so we think! So many twists and turns that I could never have predicted. The author constructs her story and creates her characters with such ease that you never see the punches coming! The Australian setting is easy to imagine and is the perfect backdrop. This book is a must read for lovers of the mystery/thriller genre! Kim, ACT, 5 Stars
A beautifully written page-turner with sudden twists I did not see coming. Louise Wolhuter has such a wonderful command of language that she is able to convey story, atmosphere, tension and mystery in one or two lines. Her characters are well defined and left me with the feeling that I have come across people just like these. Small towns do sometimes hide big secrets and these are revealed in a steady flow of believable events. I loved this book and will be waiting for her next one. Sharyn, VIC, 5 Stars
I love the 3 main character’s stories entwined together in this book, who knew the deep down secrets that they sheltered within themselves! I was especially surprised at the twist the story took, it was unexpected and not one that I had even conceived as possible. Louise is a very descriptive writer and her words transported you to Magpie Beach and the little town nearby, it was a charming story to read and visualise. It was unfortunately a quick read as I found I couldn’t put it down because I wanted to know so much more about these ladies. I can highly recommend if you want an easy read with a surprising twist and characters that are unique and interesting, then this is the book for you! Jodi, QLD, 5 Stars
An Afterlife for Rosemary Lamb – a title that is provocative and inviting. Daring you to open up and start reading. From the opening line to the last chapter, the lives of Meg, Lily and Rosemary are laid bare, drawing you in to their world in Winifred. I enjoyed that the story was written in the first person but from a different perspective each chapter – you felt as though you were there, listening in as Rosemary, Lily and Meg go about their lives within the dynamics that exist in all families. My favourite character was Meg – she seemed so sure of herself at times but was vulnerable beneath the surface. A complicated, troubled soul. For those who love a real mystery, a family tale, and with familiar landscapes thrown in, An Afterlife for Rosemary Lamb will tick every box. A true gem! Nicole, QLD, 5 Stars
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