Member Reviews
I loved the narrators voice for the audiobook. It really gave the book an authentic feel hearing the story being read by someone with an Australian accent.
I wanted to really love this book, but in all honesty, I found it quite boring. I thought it was very atmospheric, which I overall enjoyed. But, I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters and that's one thing I really look for in a book.
I think readers who enjoy an atmospheric, slow murder mystery will enjoy this book.
The Survivors was another fun thriller by Jane Harper. I have become quite the fan of Jane Harper's books. Kieran and his wife travel back to Evelyn Bay to help his mother support his ailing father. It has been years since Kieran has been back to his hometown, and returning starts to bring back old memories of a past worth forgetting. In fact, returning stirs up old emotions from some of the locals who do not want to see Kieran return. Within days of Kieran's return, a body is found washed up on the beach. And suddenly, investigating foul play starts to happen. Is Kieran's return to Evelyn Bay simply a coincidence to this horrible tragedy? Or is the past and truths bubbling back to the surface for a reason?
All of this excitement and add a wonderful narrator, and you have a well done audiobook. I have the pleasure of listening to The Survivors, and I would most definitely recommend the listening experience of this fast paced novel.
I have loved all the Jane Harper books, this one is no different. She brings a voice to this genre that helps American readers find themselves in the outback. This author has a huge following at my library with a long hold cue, so this book will be no different! This would make the best beach read for those who love a who dun it set on the coast. Remember that your history can come back to haunt you!
Thanks for the free ARC from NetGalley.
I was excited to start this audio book, as I've seen great reviews on Jane Harper's books. I do like a good slow burning mystery with backstory so you get to know the characters and their relationships. But, sadly, this book didn't work for me. The shifting of past to present so much had me confused and I had to re-listen quite a few times to get them straight. There was so much talk about each characters life, I started to get bored and kept waiting for the story to get going.... So sadly I finally gave up. I don't like giving up on books, but this one just wasn't for me.
I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator did a good job. A very special thank you to Macmillan Audio via NetGalley for the advanced audio/readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
Boy can this woman tell a story. Great mystery that I enjoyed listening to on my daily walks. Harper's mysteries are almost like a closed room type only they are in the closed atmosphere of a small town. This stand alone mystery takes place in. a small town on the coast of Tasmania. When a young summer worker is found dead it brings up old wounds and it seems anyone in the town could be the murderer. Each piece of this puzzle fit so well together I was constantly switching my suspicions and was still somewhat baffled that I did not see culprit for who it was. No spoilers here. Harper has done it again. A wonderful fun and intriguing read. Highly recommend if you love a good, well told mystery.
I did not finish this book. I could not connect with the characters and the story took too long to get going
Kieran Elliot lives with the guilt of a devastating accident 12 years ago. Now he's back in his small coastal town when a body is found on the beach. Long past secrets start to emerge as the community works to find who is responsible. This was a really compelling read. Until you find out how all these events started 12 years ago. It just seemed a bit silly and immature to me. I was all in until the big reveal and the ending. I wouldn't turn away another Jane Harper novel though.
I really enjoyed this book by Jane Harper. It was the second book I’ve read by this author! It took e a bit to get into the story and I had a little trouble at first with the narrator’s accent. I did get used to the accent and the story did improve. I enjoyed the twists in the story and was surprised by the outcome! I would not hesitate to pick up another Jane Harper book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book!
I listened to this book and I wish I had read it instead. The narrator was so monotone that I kept drifting off in my mind.
This is the first book by Jane Harper that I’ve read but I won’t let this stop me from reading more.
Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the chance to listen to the audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.
Jane Harper's careful setup of the atmosphere and setting leads to the tone and mood really leaping off the page. The setting on the Tasmanian coast was so well done. You could feel something ominous "in the air" when you were reading.
It took a little while for me to get into the book as the beginning was really slow. However, I know that this is Harper's style - a slow burn. A prelude or epilogue would have been great to hook me in; but again, that is just my personal preference and I wouldn't dissuade anyone from reading this book because of that.
I’m certainly in the minority on this one, but I just didn’t feel that Jane Harper magic with THE SURVIVORS. The atmospheric setting is wonderful, but I found the mystery at hand didn’t quite grip me like the others did. I was left wanting more and more--wish there were more questions answered.
Twelve years ago, a tragic accident meant the death of two beloved young men and the disappearance of a teen girl. Today, Kieran has to go back to that town to help his mom and dad for a while. When a woman turns up dead on the beach, old wounds and suspicions resurface.
4 stars! This book was not what I expected, but it was really good!
Even though there is a murder and there is an investigation to find out the identity of the killer, this didn't feel like a murder mystery. This book was more of a small town drama, with a murder on the side. It kind of reminded me of the show Broadchurch ar times! The story is quite slow to unfold and I think the journey is more important than the ending itself.
I half read and half listened to this book, and the narrator Stephen Shanahan did a great job.
I hope to read more by this author!
I really enjoy Jane Harper's books and The Survivors was no exception. Her bread and butter is definitely atmospheric mysteries and she does them well.
Wow. I finally had a chance to listen to this audiobook and I’m so glad I did. The Survivors is a story set in Australia and the narrator helps give it that feel. It includes straining relationships, guilt, secrets ,and great characters, all the elements of a great mystery. Jane Harper continues to turn out page turners. #NetGalley #janeharper #theSurvivors
*****5 Stars*****
Jane Harper is at the top of her game here with smart writing and such attention to detail in her character-driven novel about small town relationships and politics. The Survivors is an atmospheric, ocean-side setting in the beach town of Evelyn Bay, Australia. The townspeople know each other well, and have weathered many storms together, including one that claimed the lives of at least three young people about 12 years prior to the current story. Kieran, whose father has dementia, has returned home to help his mom pack up their family home on the cusp of a move. Kieran's older brother, Finn, along with friend Toby, perished in that storm years ago, and the tragedy still impacts everyone in Evelyn Bay in different ways. Luckily for Kieran, he's got a grounded girlfriend in Mia (who also grew up in Evelyn Bay) and a new baby.
All of the characters are interesting and believable. The tension is there from the start, as Kieran returns home to sullen parents and friends who have continued to live their own lives while he was away. The all-consuming guilt Kieran feels about the death of Finn and Toby gives the book deep, dark undertones. When a summer worker is found dead on the beach a day later, the tension continues upwards for the next 95% of the novel! It's a slow burn allowing the reader plenty of time to think about the story and try to figure out what happened. Of course, there are lots of interwoven mysteries that spill out as the pressure to solve the mystery increases.
Harper is a master of utilizing the setting to enhance the tension of the story and does this so very well here, with the ocean tide slamming in and out, rising and falling. The misty, stormy weather, the seaweed, the beaches and caves, and the darkness all contribute to a somber and mysterious undertone.
Stephen Shanahan was fantastic as the narrator and really brought the story to life! I highly recommend the audio version! Recommend for fans of Jane Harper and for those who like slow-burn, charcter-driven mysteries with LOTS of atmosphere. I am looking forward to whatever Jane Harper publishes next!
Many thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for providing an ARC of the audio book.
This was my first read by Jane Harper, and I must say that she has a clear talent for writing. The sense of place in this book was extremely well-established, and I felt like I could taste the salt in the sea air while reading. This book is a slow burn, with a rather abrupt ending. I liked the slow unfolding of the mystery, but I wanted more from the end of the story (and it felt a little long at some parts). The audio of this book was wonderfully done!
All told I enjoyed it, and will certainly be picking up The Dry by Jane Harper soon, but it wasn't my favorite.
This was my first Jane Harper book and I really liked it!! I was slow at first, but it picked up. I will definitely be reading more of Harpers books and recommending them. Thanks so much for the early copy.
This was my first book by Jane Harper, and I am glad I read some reviews by fans of hers. This is a slower-paced character study than fast-paced thriller. Still, the writing quality is strong, and Harper grips readers with this story of one man's return home to cope with past guilt.
When Kieran Elliott returns home with his wife and daughter to Evelyn Bay, he's a different man than when he left, but he's also carrying a lifetime of shame and guilt. He's there to help his aging parents, but there's both the past to deal with and present tragedies to deal with before Kieran or anyone else can find peace.
I was able to listen to the audiobook of this one, narrated by Stephen Shanahan. The run time is almost 12 hours.
Many thanks to the author, narrator, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.
I wanted so much more from this book. While I did enjoy it- 3.5/ 5 stars. The number of secondary characters made the story confusing. This was my first book from this author. Thank you for the Advanced Reader Copy!
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
This audiobook was a slow start for me and it took me a few tries to become engaged. The slow burn does eventually build up suspense so definitely stick with it. The characters and the setting are brought to life beautifully and you can really imagine yourself in the setting by the sea and the characters are full faceted with their own secrets and nuances that only Harper is able to deliver on. However, this is not my favorite book of hers. The slow pace and the allusions to the past as well as the ending all leave me wanting. Still fans of Harper will find many of the elements they have come to know and love.