Anna Romer

As in Romer’s debut novel, Thornwood House, the past casts deep shadows over the present in Lyrebird Hill, a haunting story of family secrets, mystery and murder.

Ruby Cardel can’t remember the events surrounding the tragic death of her sister, Jamie. She knows only what she has been told, that Jamie died in an accident when they were children, slipping and falling into the river that bordered their property, Lyrebird Hill and that Ruby was found nearby, bruised and disorientated, her show more memory of the past year gone. Though Ruby has built a life for herself, opening a bookstore in Coffs Harbour and is in a relationship with handsome self help guru, Rob, her sister’s death continues to haunt her, and she is stunned when her mother is forced to confess that Jamie’s death was no accident. Despite a persistent feeling of dread, Ruby decides it is time to uncover the truth about that fateful day and returns to Lyrebird Hill in the hope of finding the answers she seeks.

As Ruby tries to unravel the mystery of Jamie’s death, a second narrative emerges telling the tale of Brenna Magavin. In 1898, nineteen year old Brenna was the carefree young mistress of Lyrebird Hill, owned by her father. When financial ruin threatened to force the sale of the property, Brenna agreed to marry a family friend, a peer of her father’s, in exchange for the clearance of the debt, only to discover she made a deal with the devil. When Ruby discovers a tin full of letters written by Brenna buried at Lyrebird Hill she learns her family’s history is blighted with tragedy, betrayal and murder and fears it is a legacy she has unwittingly perpetuated.

The dual narratives of Lyrebird Hill weave a captivating and complex tale as the mysteries surrounding Jamie’s and Brenna’s fate unravel. The atmosphere darkens as secrets are revealed and danger lurks. There is unspeakable violence, bitter regrets and shocking treachery but also a thread of redemption, of truth and even triumph.

The prose is lush and lyrical evoking both the landscape of Lyrebird Hill and the fraught emotions of Romer’s characters. There are distinct modern gothic undertones to the story, with a hint of fairytale morality. I did find the pacing a little slow, more so in the contemporary timeline, but the stunning twists presented in the conclusion of both narratives easily compensate for the small lag.

An absorbing and atmospheric tale, beautifully told, I enjoyed Lyrebird Hill and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. show less

I am an absolute sucker for novels that combine the past and present – even better if there’s a crumbling old house, a multigenerational family mystery and some skeletons in the closet. Anna Romer’s new novel, Beyond the Orchard ticks all of those boxes for me. After a slow start, I was rewarded for my perseverance with a rollicking mystery.

The book opens in Melbourne in the early 1990s. Lucy has returned home to think some things through. She’s engaged to a great man and her work show more life as an illustrator for her father’s books is going really well. But something seems to be missing and an evasive letter from her grandfather means it’s time to come home. There are quite a few demons from the past for Lucy to contend with at home – the death of her mother, awkward relationship with her father and the lost love of Morgan, who happens to be her dad’s friend and father to the boy who had a teenage crush on Lucy. (Who is now in a relationship with Lucy’s best friend Nina – yes, it’s tangled).

Lucy’s grandfather dies before she can ask him more about the mysterious letter. After her own father is taken ill, he asks Lucy to go to the family property, Bitterwood, to retrieve a photo album that holds memories for him. Lucy reluctantly goes, but it’s her own mystery that she’s particularly interested in. It’s not going to be an easy one to unravel and it will take assistance from Morgan and others. Will Lucy find her own peace by discovering the truth of her family’s history?

I did enjoy Beyond the Orchard, but it took me some time to get into. Initially I felt rather swamped by the relationships between Lucy, her father and Wilma, his new partner. Then adding in the awkward reunion with Morgan and the complex, teenage love backstory…it was almost a relief to get into the past with Lucy’s grandfather Edwin. I enjoyed that aspect of the plot – the history was beautifully brought to light and the character of Orah, shipwreck survivor, was delightful. Her friendship with Wirra and Nala as she blossomed with Edwin and Clarice was one of the highlights of the book for me. Reading about their fates made me quite emotional – it was truly heartbreaking.

I enjoyed jumping backwards and forwards in time with the story. It was easy to keep track of what was going on in the past but I felt the complexity of Lucy’s relationships detracted somewhat from her story. Yes, she’s mixed up and got a lot of things to think through but having all her relationships in disrepair was a bit much for me. Sometimes it seemed like the only positive relationship she had was with her cat! I didn’t feel that I could always rely on her as a reliable narrator. Having the excerpts from her father’s book was an interesting concept as he tried to decipher his relationship with Edwin. There were also parallels with what was happening to Orah and Clarice at the time, plus the symbolism of the silkworms.

Beyond the Orchard is an ambitious book that tries to cover a lot and is for the most part, successful. I felt at times, especially in relation to Lucy, a bit overwhelmed with the complexities of the relationships between the characters. It is an easy read, and once you begin to find out more about Bitterwood, you’ll be engrossed.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the ARC. My review is honest.

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Beyond the Orchard is a sweeping saga of dark secrets, shameful lies, forgotten letters, undying love and devastating despair. Romer’s writing is rich and lyrical, her characters compelling.

I love stories told in dual timelines each linking up as the mysteries unfold. Romer’s execution is perfect; never giving away too little or too much, holding the reader captive until the very end.
The subtle introduction of the aboriginal teens was well implemented and Orah’s love for Warra felt show more real and not over exaggerated.

I never really warmed to the character of Lucy. She seemed bent on her own purpose never really considering other people’s feelings. Her relationship with Morgan was alien to me (not only the 16 year age gap but Morgan being a friend of Lucy’s father and knowing her since she was a young child) so I found it hard to want more from them, although I liked their closeness.

Edwin was intense and complex; everything he did was with great passion. You either loved him or hated him. I don’t think there was any middle ground.

The story within the story, a fairytale reworking with a foreboding atmosphere, pulled me in just as much as the main story.

If you enjoy family sagas with deep secrets that span time and generations you will not want to miss “Beyond the Orchard”.

I received my copy from Simon and Schuster via Netgalley. show less

An Australian gothic novel, Thornwood House is a haunting story of mystery and murder spanning four generations.

When Audrey Kepler inherits a neglected homestead in rural Queensland she decides to make it a home for herself and her eleven year old daughter. The childhood home of her daughter's late father, Anna is surprised to discover Thornwood House harbours a tragic history. In 1946, Tony's grandmother, Aylish was murdered in the grounds, a crime his grandfather, Samuel, was accused of show more committing. Two generations later, Tony's teenage sister Glenda died in the same clearing, though her death was ruled accidental. Plagued by vivid dreams, Audrey develops an obsession with the deaths and as she digs into the past uncovers secrets that may threaten any future happiness.

What particularly impressed me about Thornwood House was Romer's vivid descriptions of the Australian landscape, the contradictions of the bush, its dangers and its beauty, nurtures the haunting atmosphere of the story. I could easily visualise Thornwood House, and the other locations important to the story. Overall, I thought the writing to be expressive and evocative.

I think the mystery of Aylish and Glenda's deaths were well plotted, the author offers deft misdirection and clever twists, at least one I didn't see coming at all. Though Audrey is the primary narrator, Aylish and Glenda find a voice through letters, diary entries and dream visions.

Sadly I have to admit that I grew somewhat impatient with Audrey, I have never been a great fan of the gothic heroine despite finding the other elements of the genre appealing. For me, Audrey's obsessive nature was tiring after a while, seven years seems far too long to be pining after a man who treated her as Tony did and I found the way her obsession transferred to Samuel creepy, but not in a good way.

I did enjoy Thornwood House despite not really connecting with Audrey. It is well written novel, atmospheric with a well crafted plot. An impressive debut from Anna Romer and I will definitely be picking up her next book. show less