BOOK REVIEW: The Lost Swimmer by Ann Turner

THE LOST SWIMMER by ANN TURNER

The Lost Swimmer by Ann Turner
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
Publication date: Jun 1 2015
Genre: Fiction

BLURB

Rebecca Wilding, an archaeology professor, traces the past for a living.

But suddenly, truth and certainty are turning against her. Rebecca is accused of serious fraud, and worse, she suspects – she knows – that her husband, Stephen, is having an affair.

Desperate to find answers, Rebecca leaves with Stephen for Greece, Italy and Paris, where she can uncover the conspiracy against her, and hopefully win Stephen back to her side, where he belongs. There’s too much at stake – her love, her work, her family.

But on the idyllic Amalfi Coast, Stephen goes swimming and doesn’t come back.

In a swirling daze of panic and fear, Rebecca is dealt with fresh allegations. And with time against her, she must uncover the dark secrets that stand between her and Stephen, and the deceit that has chased her halfway around the world.

A stunning debut about trust from a new Australian voice.

ADD TO GOODREADS

PURCHASE

AMAZON

*MY BOOK REVIEW*

DISCLAIMER: The books/eBooks being reviewed were provided free of charge in return for an honest review.

The Lost Swimmer by Ann Turner starts with such dramatic descriptives that I was convinced I would end up disliking this book! But, once I settled into it and the author relaxed a little on these wild descriptions, I found myself falling in love with this book.

I originally picked up this novel to review because it had a main character who was an archaeologist and novels with that as an occupation are few and far between! However, I was disappointed to find that even though the story moves across the world and covers some areas of the character’s field, this novel is not really an archaeology novel. If you are expecting Time Team or Indiana Jones, than you can walk away now.

But I am certainly glad I picked up this novel. The characters are so rich they burst from the pages and the reader gets a real sense of living in their world and feeling all their pain. About the only character I couldn’t quite get into was Stephen, the main character’s husband. While he is a main part of the story, he just feels a little hollow to me. I think the author was too busy trying to develop an air of mystery and ‘did he, or didn’t he’ that she forgot to make him human.

Even though Stephen lost it for me a little, the characters are what makes this book. The way the author displays all their faults and all their normality to the reader is what made me devour this novel in only two sittings.

Overall, I am giving The Lost Swimmer by Ann Turner 4 out of 5 stars.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ann Turner is an award-winning screenwriter and director, avid reader, and history lover. She is drawn to salt-sprayed coasts, luminous landscapes, and the people who inhabit them all over the world. She is a passionate gardener.

Her films include the historical feature Celia starring Rebecca Smart — which Time Out listed as one of the fifty greatest directorial debuts of all time, Hammers Over The Anvil starring Russell Crowe and Charlotte Rampling, and the psychological thriller Irresistible starring Susan Sarandon, Sam Neill, and Emily Blunt. Ann has lectured in film at the Victorian College of the Arts.

Returning to her first love, the written word, in her debut novel The Lost Swimmer Ann explores themes of love, trust and the dark side of relationships. She is currently working on her second novel, Out of the Ice, a mystery thriller set in Antarctica.

Ann was born in Adelaide and lives in Victoria.

AUTHOR LINKS

WEBSITE | GOODREADS