Book Review: The Survivors by Jane Harper

The Survivors by jane harper
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: 21st January 2021
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Source: Publisher
Add it: Goodreads
Rating:

Kieran Elliott's life changed forever on the day a reckless mistake led to devastating consequences.

The guilt that still haunts him resurfaces during a visit with his young family to the small coastal community he once called home.

Kieran's parents are struggling in a town where fortunes are forged by the sea. Between them all is his absent brother, Finn.

When a body is discovered on the beach, long-held secrets threaten to emerge. A sunken wreck, a missing girl, and questions that have never washed away...

It’s no secret that I’m a massive fan of Jane Harper, and I had to get my hands on The Survivors as soon as I saw it was up for request from NetGalley! The Survivors holds up to Harper’s previous books. It’s not quite in the same league as The Lost Man, which is my all time favourite of hers, but I loved it just as much, if not more, than The Dry.

The Survivors has elements that I don’t normally look for in a thriller, but Jane Harper manages to pull them off so wonderfully that I can’t not mention them. The Survivors is atmospheric. Harper always does an incredible job with her settings that really make you feel as though you’re there with the characters. In this one, I felt like I was in the stormy town in Tasmania and that the ocean was creeping in.

The Survivors also has relatable characters, who have lots of complex relationships and small town drama. I always enjoy this in Harper’s books, and it was especially great here. Her characters are always outsiders, normally coming back to their home towns, and here I really felt for Kieran, the main guy.

I can’t wait to marathon all of Jane Harper’s books again soon, and I really look forward to seeing what she comes out with next as, along with Ruth Ware, I think she’s one of the strongest mystery/thriller writers out there today.