For those of you who haven’t heard of Judy Nunn, she’s a cultural icon who writes quintessentially Australian stories that celebrate this country – the land, the history, and the people. Some of her previous bestsellers include Showtime!, Khaki Town and Spirits of the Ghan, all of which deliver a pitch-perfect combination of page-turning drama, relatable characters, and real historical events.
Her latest book, The Long Weekend, is a departure from recent novels. In this, she delivers six short stories, a mix of previously published and new, together in print for the first time. It is an intoxicating collection of suspense, history, romance, supernatural and mystery! One of the delights of this book is the message Nunn shares after each story, giving insight into the inspiration behind the tale. Many of the stories are mined from real life or, at least, inspired by her own experiences.
The first story, ‘The Long Weekend’, has Tracy, Eve, Jet, Mel and Danielle looking forward – if a little nervously – to an upcoming digital detox. No phones, no laptops – just a quiet weekend in a remote mountain shack. What could go wrong? With Nunn’s imagination at the helm, a lot.
In ‘The Wardrobe’ journalist Nancy buys a rundown terrace house. She knows nothing about the previous owner – until a discovery in an old wardrobe reveals the lives, loves and losses of Emily Roper. Nunn herself bought an old terrace in Sydney’s Surry Hills many years ago, and much of that experience is in this story.
‘The Otto Bin Empire: Clive’s Story’ is part of a series that will be published in the future. This enjoyable tale is about the enigmatic Clive who arrives at the docks, where the homeless people gather.
After finding a folder of notes she had made to herself over the years, Nunn wrote ‘Changes’, which follows Jackie, an actor turned film producer, who looks back on her seven decades – and all the many changes her life has taken.
‘The House on Hill Street’ is taken from a story a police friend told Judy about a house where a professor lived with his family. They were, by all accounts, a respectable family within the community, but the neighbours soon become concerned when Eileen Jameson and her boys aren’t seen for quite some time.
Finally, ‘Just South of Rome’ sweeps the reader off to Italy, the perfect way to end this enjoyable collection. On her way to England, actor Jane Prescott makes a quick stopover in Italy. When she stumbles upon the Hotel Visconti, a grand eighteenth-century villa, she has no idea that it will change her life. And yes, this is also inspired by a trip Nunn took herself.
While each of these tales is very different, they all share one thing in common: great storytelling. Do yourself a favour and pop The Long Weekend on your TBR pile – it’s the perfect read for any weekend.
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