Harper's mysteries read like twisty character-driven Westerns set in Australia, and things aren’t always what they seem. I thought this was great.
Nathan and Bub have always had their differences, but they come together to grieve the loss of their brother Cam. Cam had been bothered by something before he died unexpectedly in the Australian outback desert, but was his death really the out-of-character suicide it was meant to look like--or did someone kill him? Nathan is no detective, but he owes it to Cam not to give up until he figures out what happened.
Harper skillfully builds the pool of potential culprits for Nathan to examine in this story of uncovering truths, family history, loyalty, stubbornness, and love.
Her books read like Westerns to me, and her sometimes spare tone suits the setting, the stark situations in which she places her characters, and the straightforward characters themselves.
Things aren’t what they seem in The Lost Man, but Harper isn’t manipulative or tricky, either. I thought this was great.
What did you think?
Harper has also written two books in her Aaron Falk series so far, The Dry and Force of Nature.
I listed this book in the Greedy Reading List The Six Best Mysteries I Read Last Year.