Goodwood, by Holly Throsby

Two people go missing from a small country town a week apart. The disappearances of 18 year-old Rosie and salt of the earth butcher Bart unravel the fabric of Goodwood and ugly truths begin to surface. Told from the point of view of 17-year-old Jean and set in 1992, the tone is quirky and light despite the dark material. The novel has a strong sense of place and a reasonably strong sense of time. The characters of the town are brought to life, although there are possibly rather too many minor ones, who have little impact on the main tale, to keep track of. The story loses credibility when it increasingly switches to action Jean didn’t personally witness. Throsby clearly couldn’t find a way to provide necessary crucial plot detail without losing Jean’s voice and it damages the structure of the novel – either use first person or don’t, but be clear about it. The story of Jean’s emerging sexuality is an interesting counterpoint to the mystery, but its climax makes for an odd conclusion to a sad tale.