I wasn’t able to access this audiobook, but the publisher was kind enough to send me a link for the ebook.

The Survivors was an atmospheric mystery that centered around a past disappearance and a current murder.

Kieran has returned to his hometown, Evelyn Bay, after many years of avoiding setting foot in the place filled with tracing memories. Kieran’s brother Finn and his business partner/friend Toby lost their lives in a terrible accident at sea during one of the worst storms the town had ever experienced. On that same day, a young teenage girl went missing, assumed to have been swept out to sea during the storm- the only thing ever recovered was her backpack.

Kieran has always blamed himself for the deaths of the two men since it was his cry for help that had them out on their boat that day. And now as he’s come home to help pack up and move his parents, a murder occurs on the beach. As Kieran tries to piece together the events of the past, something is needling him. He can’t shake the idea that what he’s always believed to be true about that day, isn’t true at all. There seems to be a link between the missing girl from many years ago to the present day murder of a young woman. And by digging up long buried secrets, more and more suspects come to the surface.

This story has a slow build up without a lot of action. It focuses heavily on the characters and their relationships. I was kept guessing until the very end so that was a plus. However, when all was said and done I was still left with a lot of unanswered questions.

Thank you Netgalley and Flatiron Books for this advance reading copy. This book will be published 2/2/21.

First I want to thank Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read and review this story.

I was so happy to hear the voice of Stephen Shanahan narrating this story, I have heard him narrate all the other books by Jane Harper and I love to listen to his voice! This was a wonderful twisty turny mystery that involved not only a current murder, but also one that happened many years ago. I loved all the red herrings and it kept me guessing until almost the very end! I will absolutely read any book that Jane Harper writes and as long as Stephen Shanahan is narrating them, then I will always buy the audiobook!

I love Jane Harper's books--I've now read them all, and while each is different, there are a few threads that run through her work. One is the community exile who is brought home by some sort of crisis and must then grapple with a past he tried to forget. Kieran Elliott is that character in Harper's latest mystery, "The Survivors." returning home for the first time in years to Evelyn Bay, a small vacation town on the Tasmanian Coast, with his girlfriend Mia and their newborn baby. Old friends Ash and Sean welcome Kieran back, but not everyone is happy to see him, continuing to blame him for his part in the drowning of two men from the town over a decade ago during a sudden storm --which also led to the disappearance of a young girl. Almost immediately, however, the town is dealing with a new crisis: The body of college student and photographer Bronte Laidler is found on the beach, and police quickly determine foul play is involved. As the investigation progresses, connections between that earlier storm, the missing girl, and Bronte's death begin to emerge, connections which will force Kieran to reckon once and for all with what happened on that fateful afternoon twelve years earlier.

I listened to the audiobook version of "The Survivors," and I thought the straightforward, unadorned reading style of the Australian narrator worked very well for both the content of the story and in communicating the setting, which is always an important part of a Jane Harper book. There's a full complement of possible suspects among the town's residents and plenty of twists and turns on the way to the slightly abrupt ending which, if it wasn't quite as satisfying as I would have liked, was still well-plotted and believable. Another winner from Harper; I look forward to her next novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an Advance Audiobook of this title in return for my honest review. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

This book just wasn't for me, I'm not sure if it was the narration or just me but I couldn't get into it. I had a hard time staying in the story and had to restart 3 times. I'm sure many many people will love this, I actually plan on buying it for a friend. But unfortunately I didn't love it.

This was a good mystery just slower than I myself like. This is my second book by this author and I need to admit her writing is a bit slow for me I like my mystery/thrillers to be edge of my seat from start to finish this one was too much exposition. I would classify it as Literary Mystery. (I am not a fan of literary fiction either).
I do have patrons that will like this book so I will buy it for my library.
Stephen Shanahan’s narration was very well done each voice was delineated and his male and female voices were good.

3 stars
I received this book from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a fair and honest review

The Survivors is a mystery and suspense story with a slow build that kept me guessing right until the last chapter. When a body is discovered on the shore of a small coastal town in Tasmania, it leads to an investigation which stirs up secrets from another incident on this beach years ago. Jane Harper does a great job of setting the eerie, haunting mood of the story as the mystery develops and draws the main character back to reflect on his brother's disappearance and dig deeper to find out what really happened to everyone involved. Stephen Shanahan's dramatic narration and Australian accent really contribute to setting the scene for the story. It was a bit difficult to follow the descriptions of where people were in the sea, caves and on trails in the audio book though, I think it might be easier to understand the details of the story in a written book where you can go back and forth more easily.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advance copy of this audio book in exchange for my honest review.

The story had its ups and downs. It seemed slow in the beginning and the characters were hard to get to know. There were a lot of characters as well. I liked that Kieran’s perspective was shared most. I enjoyed seeing him care for his daughter and view his relationships. The setting was enthralling as well. There were lots of details that seemed to throw us off the primary mystery. In the end, I was left with unanswered questions.

This was my 2nd Jane Harper book and I don't think she is the author for me. I received the audiobook. I have come to realize that I am not a fan of Male voices in audiobooks. Plus add an Australian accent made it hard to follow along. Not to mention the story was slow and I was really bored at times.

I liked Jane Harper's Aaron Falk series but just could not get into this novel. I did love the narrator in the audio version - love the Australian accent. But I struggled with this one. There were too many characters - they all felt one dimensional and not well developed. It is definitely dialog driven - mostly all dialog which was too much for me. It was very slow going and not so much of an involved plot. With all the characters, I found myself confused - hard for me to follow. It could be that the print version would of been better for me when it comes to following the dialog and characters but I was not invested. I do like other of Harper's novels and will continue to follow the author. This one was just not for me.

This is my first book by Jane Harper. I felt really hyped up about this one because everyone was so excited. It was filled with beautiful descriptions about the location. I could feel the waves and wind. She did a great job putting me in the story. I just didn't really feel invested in the mystery aspect. I didn't connect to the characters, and I really think it reduced my connection to the story. The concept of the mystery was interesting, with a good plot, this just never got all that exciting for me.

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Jane Harper does it again. Set in Evelyn Bay on the Tasmania Coast, Kieran Elliot has come back to his hometown to help move his father into a care facility for Alzheimer’s. While home the murder of Bronte rocks the quiet coastal town, regrets, and opens up old wounds that were left from twelve years ago.

Twelve years ago, Evelyn bay suffered from one of the worst storms in it’s history. Aside from the phsyical damanage the storm also took 3 lives. When Kieran gets caught in the seaside cliffs during the storm, his brother Fin and partner set out on a rescue mission to save him, only to drown themselves. At the same time Gabby, a 14 year old girl, goes missing. It’s only when her backpack shows up days later that the town decides she must have been a causality of the storm as well.

Rocked by a sense of guilt at the death of Fin and Toby, Kieran heads to Sydney where he attempts to rebuild his life. It’s only when he returns though, that he sadness he’s not the only Evelyn Bay resident still coping with the tragedy of that fateful night.

The murder of Bronte, on the same beach as that storm, takes the reader back into the past to truly learn what happened during that terrible storm. Told from Kieran’s perspective, Harper’s, realistic depiction of grief and lost is overwhelming accurate. I could feel the sadness dripping from the story and the narrator’s accented and soothing voice gave such depth to Kieran’s character.

While Kieran is our narrator, each of the characters woven into this story are flawed and written with such depth. I felt that each of them had a secret, making each of them slightly unreliable, which of course adds quite a bit of mystery into the story. While character flaws tend to be overdramatic, Harper paints each person we meet with such care that you can’t help think this is based on her own raw emotions.

This book is heavy on grief. I felt that Harper really captured what lose is; which is a never ending battle of ‘what ifs’ and emptiness. Because of this, The Survivors is a slow burn thriller. It’s still page turning but you want to continue reading to continue your connection with the characters rather than just to find out whodunnit.

I’m a huge Jane Harper fan and The Survivors is probably my favorite book from her currently. Highly recommend picking this one up in February.


The Survivors hits shelves February 2, 2021. Huge thank you to Macmillan Audio for my Advanced Audiobook in exchange for my honest review. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books.

Kieran returns home to his coastal town of Evelyn Bay in Tasmania, Australia, after he realizes his parents are struggling. Kieran has been avoiding his hometown after a tragic accident led to his brother’s death when he was a teenager. When a woman is found drowned on the beach, Kieran’s past trauma resurfaces as the lead detective begins to dig into what really happened that night twelve years ago.

A lot of this story circulates around the characters and I just didn’t really connect with any of them. I found that made it harder for me to dive into the character development and slower pace of this novel. I listened to it on audiobook thanks to @librofm, @netgalley and @macmillan.audio. Harper is an expert at very slow tension building that sprawls across 90% of the story only to unfurl at the end. She is masterful at creating an atmospheric town and filling it with inhabitants and local haunts that leap off the page. This novel is a slow burn and I was looking for a faster pace. It kind of reminded me of Broadchurch (TV series because of the detail about the town and the suspicions you feel about the characters (with less red herrings). I know there will be people out there who love it - I’m just not one of them.

THE SURVIVORS: A Novel
by Jane Harper
Narrated by Stephen Shanahan
My Rating: 4 out of 5

I was apprehensive when I started listening to The Survivors. Audio books are as much about the narrator as they are about the author but as it turns out Stephen Shanahan is one of the best and with his Australian accent has been the perfect choice for all of Jane Harper's books. He understands the cadence of Harper's writing style.

THE STORY: Having left home for Sydney, Australia after a tragic event, Kiernan Elliott now feels compelled to help care for his father who suffers from dementia. After twelve years he finds himself back in Tasmania with a wife and infant daughter facing the emotional fallout and the friends he left behind.

When the body of a young girl is found washed up on the beach, it brings back memories of the terrible storm in which two young men were lost at sea. Back then another young girl was found dead on the beach as well.

Author Jane Harper's writing is so descriptive the reader can picture the coastal town of Evelyn Bay and the ocean, which is both friend and foe. The rocky caves created by waves are as much characters as are the monuments to the tragic event facing out to sea.

Be aware that the narrative goes back and forth in time. It's a little less obvious then it would be reading. I did find it hard to keep the many characters straight until I got further into the book when their individual stories come into sharper view.

It's highly likely you'll want to search out other books by Jane Harper.

BOTTOM LINE: How to travel when you can't travel! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of The Survvivors was provided to me by Macmillan Audio/Net Galley for an honest review.
Published: February 2, 2021 by Macmillan Audio
Unabridged Audiobook: 11 hrs. 56 min.
Author: Jane Harper
Narrator: Stephen Shanahan
ASIN: B0888TMYGZ

Jane Harper is an Award-winning Australian author. Her books include The Survivors, The Lost Man, The Dry and Force of Nature.

The Survivors is set in a small coastal Australian/Tasmanian town. A young woman has been murdered and it brings up many memories for the town, as 12 years earlier two men frown and one 14 year old girl went missing during a terrible storm. Kieran and his family and friends suffered so much and everything is coming to light now, after this new tragedy.

The Survivors has a very interesting premise and I adored the setting. I loved The Survivors statures, the swimming and scuba, the description and feel of the caves and the tides, and the whole small town vibe.

There were a lot of characters, and with the audio version, this was especially difficult for me to keep track of and certainly at first. I found myself pausing to make note of each character on a list, which was helpful.

I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters, and wish there was more character development. I also would have loved an epilogue at the end, as I would like to see what happened with some of the characters after the truth comes out.

This is perhaps an odd thing to mention, but Kieran’s baby is a huge part of the story and I know him being a father is important to his character and how he’s grown, yet it seems like a lot. There is so much time given to holding the baby, bouncing the baby, pushing or parking the stroller (pram), making bottles, etc. and it just seems unnecessary to the story. I also had a hard time envisioning someone leaving their baby in a stroller while they went for a swim in what we are consistently reminded can be a dangerous place during certain tides (not to mention a body was just found on the beach). Again, maybe that’s weird to bring up, and I LOVE babies, but I just thought it took up too much attention.

I would recommend this book to those that enjoy crime and mystery novels. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and netgalley for the ARC.

A slow burn, but an otherwise pretty good thriller to dive into. I love a good mindless thriller, when they’re written well & this one is, so it was perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for providing me with an audio-ARC in exchange for a review!

This one was definitely a slow burn! I’ll admit I had a hard time getting into it, but it got going I was really into it. Overall the twists were worth the wait and it was well written. I’ll definitely be checking this author out again.

One stormy day in a small town on the Tasmanian coast, two young men died and a girl disappeared. A decade later, another girl’s death brings up old wounds and everyone around town wants to point the finger.

The Survivors follows Kieran, who’s brother died on that tragic day so long ago. He carries intense guilt over the circumstances of his brother’s death that only grows when he has to return to his home town to help with his ailing father. When another body is found on the beach, all the memories start to resurface. I loved the premise of this story and the great whodunnit. There were a lot of characters that were difficult to follow at first, but they quickly became really well-developed and showed a lot of growth and change over the course of the book. Harper examines how blame and guilt can break someone down little by little until it takes over. The tension builds in a slow burn until the last few chapters when everything unravels.

This is my first book by Jane Harper and I've been itching to pick up something from her ever since The Dry became a sensation recently. This book felt very atmospheric and I could feel the weight of the environment through her descriptions. There were quite a few characters in the story, but it was easy to keep them all straight based on their descriptions.

This book was enjoyable. My interest was piqued the whole time, but there was quite a big buildup and the climax only happened for the last 10% of the book, which was a bit disappointing. There wasn't a huge twist like it seemed there would be. It wasn't completely unpredictable. But overall, I liked how the author wove together everyone's stories from various time periods to fit together. Reminiscent of Big Little Lies, but much more serious.

For me, this book started a bit slow. However, it is one of those stories that sucks you into it with the slow-building tension. The story is about a murder in a small Australian town that is relived by the locals each year on the anniversary of the event. There are relationships, intrigue, suspicion, loss and guilt. Each character is well fleshed out and has a story that is relatable. The narrator, Stephen Shanahan, adds to the enjoyment of the book by bringing the characters and location to life.
I usually need to be in the right mood for a slow burn of a book and this one was the perfect mix of suspense, small town gossip and relationships, all set in a stellar location.
Definitely recommend.
#TheSurvivors #NetGalley #MacMillanAudio #Stephen Shanahan

I truly enjoyed this intricate mystery! This is a slow burn, character building mystery that is brilliantly plotted. I adored the Australian coast town setting and the backstories of each character.

It kept me guessing until the very last chapter and for at least the last 100 pages I could not put it down. I read this book in a weekend. It touches on deeper issues of guilt, love, and moving on - and is a deeper read than most mysteries or thrillers today. I picked this as my BOTM pick of the month and I was not disappointed. What a great start to 2021 reading! Jane Harper will be a go to author for me from now on! Grab this mystery and you won’t be disappointed. The writing is superb!