Having read the author's previous two mysteries, I was very pleased when NetGalley and Flatiron Books provided me access to the eARC of The Lost Man. I found the novel engrossing, and the descriptions of the Australian outback evocative. The sheer size, the depths of the country, largely empty of human inhabitants, would be overwhelming to most of us, and yet some hardy souls do live there. This story of the hardships of such a life, the family drama, and yes, the mystery of how one of three brothers came to be discovered dead on the fringes of his property, kept me reading long after I should have been asleep.

The Lost Man by Jane Harper is an emotionally character driven novel about families and abuse. Nathan returns to his memories of his troubled childhood growing up with an abusive father to try to find out what happened to his brother Cameron.

Cameron Bright is found dead in the dry dessert nine miles from his abandoned car. Cameron was dehydrated.... it looks like it may be a weird suicide. No one knows for sure and the whispers continue to pass across the town "What happened to Cameron?" "Do you think he did it?"

Nathan knows something isn't right with his brother and is not convinced Cameron committed suicide... too many details aren't adding up.

Jane Harper does an amazing job with the setting and the beautiful descriptions of Australia. Her words leave you haunted and aching for more. Jane Harper explores the dark side of human nature and the secrets upon secrets that families keep hidden.

I was conflicted with this novel because on one hand... the story is so beautifully written but I found my interest swaying in and out. There was just something missing here and I struggled with the pacing. There wasn't enough action for me... and was annoyed at hearing about family drama associated with the land constantly.

Despite my issues, I enjoyed this but have to say isn't my favorite. I felt the same with The Dry... all of the hype and it just wasn't that satisfying for me.

Overall, 3.25 stars for The Lost Man

Huge thank you to Flatiron Publishing and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Expected pub date: 2/5/19
Published to GR: 12/26/18

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

This is my second book by Jane Harper, I read her first book The Dry and loved it.
The Lost Man is a very good, engaging story. I read the book in one day, that’s how much I enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down. I wanted to know what happened so badly that I just kept on reading until the very last page. The ending was satisfying. I liked the writing and the characters, I thought the plot was interesting and intriguing.

Thank you to Flatiron Books and Netgalley for the advanced ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

If you haven't yet read Jane Harper, stop what you're doing and pick up one of her books. She's that good.

I've read her Aaron Falk books--both excellent--and was admittedly a little disappointed this novel was a standalone. Well, that will teach me. The Lost Man is superb. It's a labyrinth of a book that makes you follow the breadcrumbs until you find all your answers. It's heartbreaking, in a number of ways. And, like Harper's first book, The Dry, this makes you feel the setting in a way that's visceral. I knew little about what day-to-day living would be like on the Australian Outback before reading this book, but Harper takes you there. The open, endless space, the unrelenting heat, the dust. Her description of place alone provokes anxiety.

This is a great book. It's a mystery and a drama about family. It's about struggles with the past and how we do (or often don't) overcome it. I highly, highly recommend this one.

This book threw me though a loop. For about a third of it, I wasn't sure if I'd like it at all. It felt very slow getting started and I wasn't feeling very invested in the mystery yet. However, having read and loved Jane Harper's previous work, I stuck it out, and I'm so glad I did. If you pick up this book and it doesn't grab you right away, do yourself a favor and keep reading, because I can promise it's worth it.

Like Harper's prior two novels, The Lost Man is richly atmospheric. The Australian outback almost seems to be another character in the novel, with heavy emphasis on the ways the harsh wilderness impacts the daily lives of each of the characters. There is a strong sense of community by necessity. Nathan, the protagonist, for reasons that are revealed later in the novel, has been cut off from this community, and it takes its toll in various ways, from the practical to the psychological.

Harper has done a remarkable job of writing morally grey characters in this novel. We know early on that Nathan has done something horrible enough to warrant being shunned by his community, but we spend a lot of the novel not knowing what this is. As the plot progresses, Harper reveals not only Nathan's past mistakes, but those of many of those around him. The story explores the many ways that humans can be flawed, how we excuse one another's flaws, and the ways people lash out when hurt. Nathan starts out viewing many of those around him through rose-colored glasses, but by the end, his perception feels raw and real.

This review is brief and kind of vague, because I truly feel it's best to go into this book as blind as possible. The blurb gives you very little idea what to expect other than some sort of mystery surrounding Cameron's death. What follows is a really interesting blend of mystery, suspense, and family drama. The characters within this story and the moral questions they raise will stay with me for a long time to come.

Jane Harper hit it out of the park with this one guys! 🙌🏼This is so different from her previous books. The Lost Man is an atmospheric family drama with a side of mystery. No Aaron Falk in this one folks, this standalone introduces us to the Bright family. The Bright family lives on the outback, far away from civilization. The weather is temperamental, the sun and heat relentless. Middle brother Cameron is discovered deceased at the stockmans grave, a landmark on the vast property and the only shade for miles. He grew up on the outback and would never have been out there unprepared. So...why was he? This slow burn novel slowly unravels the mystery surrounding his death and the conclusion left me shocked, as I never saw it coming. For me, The Lost Man was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. Thank you @flatiron_books for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

Everyone has been heaping (well-deserved) praise on Jane Harper's sophomore novel, FORCE OF NATURE, but just wait til you get your hands in her newest addition. THE LOST MAN, a standalone, grabbed me from the very first paragraph, and never let me go. I was determined to find out what happened to the middle brother of this Aussie clan, found dead out on the edge of their property, adjacent to an infamous grave. Why would he be alone with no provisions? How could this have ever happened to him? Harper's writing evokes the desolate and isolated nature of Queensland, and holds up a mirror to those brave souls that choose to live and work on this land. It's an area of the world I'm unfamiliar with; Harper's writing has me wanting to learn more.
I highly recommend this book for both those drawn in by her Falk novels, and those that are new to her writing. She has knocked it out of the park with this atmospheric and tantalizing mystery.
I received a digital copy of the book thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books in exchange for an honest review.
www.thelithaven.com

This book was absolutely fantastic and hooked me from the beginning. I was immediately invested in Nathan and all the different characters. Their different stories and connections were woven together perfectly and kept me interested in everyone throughout the whole book. The ending definitely took me by surprise and I was absolutely thrilled with how everything turned out. I will definitely be reading the rest of Jane Harper's books soon!

The Lost Man by Jane Harper now has me obsessed with reading more about living in the outback of Australia. This book opened my eyes to just how unique an experience it would be. This novel begins with the death of one of three brothers in a family living in the outback region. At first, the brother's death does not make sense as Cam knew how important being prepared for any situation is in the outback. Only as the family begins to dig deeper do secrets begin to reveal themselves. Lots of great character and plotline development in this book. What a treat it was to read! Read and enjoy!

Jane Harper does not disappoint. A family, living in the Outback of Australia, must come to terms with secrets long hidden when one of its members turns up dead. Strong characters and descriptive writing make this a solid story.

Jane Harper just gets better and better. She is inching close to Louise Penny as my favorite mystery/suspense writer.
The Lost Man is an awesome book. When you begin it, make sure you are comfortable, since you will not be able to put it down.
This book is not part of her Aaron Falk series (The Dry and Force of Nature). But just like in those books, the setting become its own character. Her descriptive writing draws you into the Outback and you get the eerie sense that you are there, in the moment, with the Bright family.
The characters, conflicts and conversations are authentic. Family secrets slowly unfold. The Stockman Legend casts an ominous dust cloud over the entire family. Compellingly suspenseful when every character has motive and opportunity. Or did Cameron simply snap and walkabout alone.
LOVED this book!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Did you read Force of Nature or The Dry? I read both of those novels written by Jane Harper and really liked them. She is an incredibly gifted writer and I was beyond thrilled to see The Lost Man. Whenever an author I like comes out with a new book, its like Christmas morning for me!

I wish I had more time in my days to read because there is nothing better than curling up with a good book, day or night. Because I enjoyed Jane’s other books and her atmospheric writing, I know I will devour this one.

Here’s what you’ll want to know about this novel:

They are at the stockman’s grave, a landmark so old, no one can remember who is buried there. But today, the scant shadow it casts was the last hope for their middle brother, Cameron. The Bright family’s quiet existence is thrown into grief and anguish. Something had been troubling Cameron. Did he lose hope and walk to his death? Because if he didn’t, the isolation of the outback leaves few suspects…

Jane Harper’s previous novels centered around detective Aaron Falk, I thought this one was part of the series but it is a stand alone. It takes place in Australia and I know from her other books that the authors writing will take the reader to the outback with incredibly vivid descriptions. I am super excited!

Due out in February 2019.

The Lost Man by author Jane Harper. Yet another fabulous book by Harper! This gem is intense and fast paced, gripping to say the least! Three brothers, one dead. The whodunnit begins!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc copy of The Lost Man in exchange for an honest review. Full review to come closer to pub date of February 5 2019!

I am a big fan of Jane Harper's books and was super excited for this newest release. Her books are my favorite kind of thrillers...slow burners with always a totally surprising ending. They aren't gory but they are suspenseful and always have amazingly detailed characters and scenes that suck you right in. The way she presented the rural Australian property was just amazing and totally helped set the scene for this family drama thriller.

Over the course of the story, family history and secrets were revealed. I connected with Nathan, the main character and enjoyed slowly taking in the family members that were also a part of this complex mystery. There had been tension in this family that has been simmering under the surface for many years and Cameron's death brought rang it all to the surface. I was kept guessing to what exactly happened to Cameron in the extremely dangerous Australian outback until the very end where it all came together in such fulfilling way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron books for a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Full review to be published online in late February.

THE LOST MAN is is a wonderful new novel by Australian author Jane Harper. As always, the Australian landscape is as big a star as the characters. A remote cattle station in Queensland, worked by three brothers. The land is dry, and the heat is relentless, dangerous. The wind is full of red dust and grit that lodges into everything. The story begins with the discovery of the body of one of the brothers. The questions are just beginning. With no sign of foul play, is it a suicide or just a terrible error in judgment?

THE LOST MAN is a wonderful tale; and it's good to be back in the Outback with Jane Harper. This is a story of family, first and foremost. These characters are fully fleshed out, the story line is intriguing, and the resolution of the mystery is quite well done. I will be looking for more works by this author.

Another great book by Jane Harper. I enjoyed The Dry and Force of Nature, so I definitely wanted to read this one. I found this book to be a page-turner with interesting family dynamics and a mystery that kept me wondering until the end.

I had read Ms. Harper’s previous two books and loved them. They were mysteries, and part of the Aaron Falk series. This is a stand alone novel and quite different.

What I loved about this book was Ms. Harper’s descriptive writing. Here is a sampling of her exquisite descriptions of the Australian outback: “ He couldn’t simply leave, for lots of reasons. And not the least because sometimes, quite a lot of the time, he felt connected to the outback in a way that he loved. There was something about the brutal heat, when the sun was high in the sky and he was watching the slow meandering movement of the herds. Looking out over the wide-open plains and seeing the changing colors in the dust. It was the only time when he felt something close to happiness.” There are so many beautiful descriptions of what can only be called a brutal place to live, and yet there is beauty there as Ms. Harper’s words convey.

There is a legend about “the stockman’s grave” and headstone, supposedly out in the middle of nowhere. Not close to a town or anyone’s home. This is where Cameron’s body is found and that is another puzzle to solve. Why did Cameron choose to come to this site without any supplies?

This book was very much about family. The Bright family with Liz and her sons, Nathan, Cameron and Bub. It is the middle son, Cameron, who is found dead at the beginning of the novel. It is a mystery as to why he was found dead apparently from lack of water and food in the unforgiving heat of the outback. His car was found miles away fully stocked with supplies. Cameron had lived here all of his life, why would he leave his car with all of the supplies and set out on his own, with nothing???? On questioning the family it becomes apparent that something has been off about Cameron’s recent actions and we are left to puzzle out why.

There is mention of a young woman named Jenna, who had gone to the police when Cameron was only 17, charging him with raping her. With the intervention of Cameron’s powerful father, the charges were dismissed and the woman and her boyfriend left town. Yet she had recently reached out for Cameron’s phone number and address, why??

There are many family secrets which come to light throughout the novel. Things went on in Cameron and Ilse’s life with their two daughters which were only talked about in hushed tones. What indeed had been going on???

I loved the interaction of Nathan with his son Xander, home for a school holiday. Nathan and Xander’s relationship grows quite a lot in the novel and it’s great to read about their increased understanding of each other.

This is still very much a mystery but with lots of familial relationships. The only thing a bit different from this book is that I didn’t feel the tension of solving the mystery that was present in her first two books. This is more of a slow burn but a great read!

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. The book will be published in February of 2019.

Will post to Amazon upon publication. Also posted to Facebook.

I really enjoyed Harper’s novel The Dry, and this one was a little slower paced for me. The premise is that one brother’s body is found inexplicably dead on an old grave far from his car. Two brothers come together to help one police officer—who covers a vast areas—to help solve the mystery. Having lived their whole lives in the outback of Queensland, Australia, why would Cameron not have used some form of communication or taken water or rations? He knew how to survive in the outback, so was he distraught about something and chosen to die alone in a miserable way? What other explanation might there be?

Nathan, the oldest brother, is still haunted by a mistake he made years ago, as well as grappling with the distance between him and his now-sixteen-year-old son.

This is a story about family secrets unraveling. I enjoyed the setting of the dry outback as a character.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES FEBRUARY 5, 2019.

Jane Harper is tremendous, and every book gets better and better. As someone who is a huge fan of the outback, and spent quite a bit of time there, her descriptions and observations of the area and people are top notch and fantastic.

Bravo once again!

A thoughrly good read.She really captures the landscape and puts the reader right in the middle of the story!!!