This is a beautiful book that deals with mystery and books. I love books that have to deal with books. This was a great story.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Well written, stylish and intriguing, the two timelines flow and converge at the right times. I realize that I hadn't read a novel set in Brisbane before -- it is an area of Australia I am not familiar with, but it came to light in the 1986 sections, as did late Depression New York and, earlier, small town Allentown. Two very likeable heroines plot their own fate 50 years apart, drawn together by love of an iconic book, the only one written by a genius author who died in a fire along with her second novel in 1939. Nothing is what it seems, and Jordan releases her clues and information in such a way that interest is held throughout.

The Fragments is the fifth novel by award-winning Australian author, Toni Jordan. For most of her life, Caddie Wilson has been enthralled by the story of her favourite author. In New York in 1935, Inga Karlson’s first novel was published and became a world-wide best-seller. Hounded by an adoring public, she withdrew into seclusion to write, but in 1939 every copy of The Days, the Minutes, her second novel, was destroyed in the warehouse fire that took her life and that of her publisher, the only people who had ever read it. Scorched fragments were all that remained.

In the first months of 1986 those Fragments are on display at Brisbane’s new State Gallery, and Caddie is waiting in a lengthy queue to see them. She knows each of them by heart, having read all there is to know about her idol. But she is stunned when another visitor to the exhibition quotes the words on a particular fragment with an extra line. It absolutely fits, but how could that be?

Almost fifty years earlier and quite by chance, nineteen-year-old waitress Rachel Lehrer meets the author of one of the few books she has loved enough to own, All Has an End. Incognito, Inga Karlson trails about New York City trying to escape the pressure from her publisher to meet the deadline for her second novel. An unlikely friendship between a farm girl and a Pulitzer prize-winner ensues.

The two narratives alternate between chapters, so Caddie’s efforts to discover the truth about the fire, the lost manuscript and that inexplicable extra line, run in tandem with the events that find rural Rachel in New York with Inga. With Nazi sympathisers, imposters, covert surveillance of a post office, and a posthumous letter, this is a gripping historical mystery with quite a few twists and red herrings to keep the reader guessing until the final pages.

Jordan’s depiction of the mid-eighties Brisbane summer is absolutely spot-on: not just the weather, the clothing, the food and drink, but also the social attitudes, the politics, the in-jokes, the leisure activities and the dialogue. And of course, the lack of mobile phones, digital records, internet and Google. It’s easy to forget how tedious doing research could be, with the microfiche being at the cutting edge of technology; and how inconvenient personal contact could be, tethered to a landline that was shared by many. Similarly, the nineteen-thirties are well-rendered with plenty of allusions anchoring it firmly in pre-war America.

Jordan gives the reader some excellent characters, most of whom have appeal despite their very human flaws; and of course a few suitably nasty ones who are meant to be despised. Caddie’s emotions affect her good judgement for a while, but she gets it right in the end. There’s some delightful banter between the characters as well as one or two lump-in-the-throat moments. Once again, Jordan shows she is a very talented author, with more than one string to her bow, and it will be interesting to see what she turns her hand to next. Recommended!
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by NetGalley and Text Publishing

Thanks to Toni Jordan, Text Publishing Company, and Netgalley for providing me with a digital advance copy of this novel. I was intrigued by the description of this novel, and it did not disappoint! Historical mystery, academic intrigue, a hint of romance, and a love of books — all mix together into a captivating read in The Fragments. I very much enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more from this author in the future! Highly recommend!

This novel's main strength is the alternating story timelines, set half a decade apart, but both sweeping towards the same revelation. Thought Caddie is the main character, it is Rachel's story which captures both Caddie's and the reader's interests. Though technically a novel of mystery, the literary and historical elements make it a more gentle type of mystery. Coming to the end I couldn't read it quickly enough.

As someone who loves books, and who appreciates characters (and authors) that also love books, The Fragments by Toni Jordan is the perfect combination of book-worship, welcoming writing and a page-turning mystery! I could not put it down, as I desperately tried to piece the puzzle together, and was happily surprised with each twist and turn.

In 1980s Australia, Caddie Walker is a relatively placid bookseller with one obsession -- Inga Karlson, who died tragically in New York City during the 1930s, leaving behind only scraps of her second and highly anticipated novel. Caddie and her father were devotees of Karlson’s first novel, All Has an End, and now that her father has passed, Caddie finds the novel, and Karlson, as one of her only tethers to him. After a mysterious woman, Rachel, hints that someone might have read the full manuscript, Caddie suddenly feels the thrill of something again -- perhaps a love borne beyond time, beyond an individual -- and makes it her mission to find out the truth about the existence of Karlson’s novel and, ultimately, her death. Accompanied by two men -- an old lover and a new one -- who could not be more opposite from the other, Caddie works to crack a literary case that has been examined for generations.

The novel explores themes of family, belonging and love, not with the saccharine sentimentality of a romance novel but with the quiet confidence of a much wiser source. Particularly, the novel emphasizes the sometimes troubled relationships between fathers and daughters. I wish the novel had gone deeper into that particular theme -- I’m curious about Inga’s relationship with her family and her father, as they are not mentioned throughout. The writing itself is brisk and to the point but not without imaginative and colorful descriptions of the places and people that Caddie encounters. The characters themselves are superbly believable, with convincing villains set on gaining academic success and practical romantic encounters with fumbling first moves.

Jordan does not set out to trick her readers, but to almost seduce them -- playing on their confidence that they can solve the mystery before Caddie, which I bought into several times, thinking I had all the answers, feeling my “a-ha!” moment had come prematurely and that I could put the book away with a self-satisfied grin. The hints are scattered wonderfully throughout the novel -- breadcrumbs can be found in the first few pages, a la Hansel and Gretel, if only you know how to find them. However, and no spoilers here, Jordan was able to defeat me with the final twist, which shocked and delighted me all at once. I’d definitely recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, especially if they appreciate a bit of history as well!

I really liked this. Caddie goes to an exhibition in her hometown in honor of her favorite author, who died in the 1930’s under mysterious circumstances. While she is there, she is mesmerized by the burned fragments of the author’s unpublished novel. An older lady walks with Caddie and tells her something that makes her think it is part of the burned book. Caddie works with both Jamie and Phillip to try to solve the mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Fragments is an unique and heart warming tale, that I thoroughly enjoyed. The plot line was refreshingly new and kept me enthralled from start to finish. Jordan has created endearing central characters in Rachel and Cadence. She skilfully moves from the past to present day and keeps the reader guessing to the very end. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book and look forward to reading more books from Jordan.

Thanks to a NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Unfortunately this one fell a little flat for me. I can't pinpoint why exactly - maybe it's because I've been reading so many thrillers lately they all blend together.
I may come back to this at a later date and give it another go when my mind isn't already full of thrillers.

I loved that it had a Brisbane setting, as I'm Australian myself albeit from Perth. Australian settings always draw me into books, especially thrillers.

I'd definitely read more from this author as I enjoyed the writing style and pace.

Thoughtful ~ Literary ~ Historical
tl;dr: The history of a near lost book shows how books can help people find themselves

This book takes place if a couple of places and time periods (Aus and US; now and the Depression). The storyline goes between the person solving the mystery of a nearly-lost literary masterpiece and then of the writer. The book is subtle. From the description, you might imagine a fast-paced mystery. Instead, this book tells a story of the power of books, even when life is near-impossible to life. Two people lives intertwine in the story in the way books connect readers and book lovers. At essence, this story is about the great power books.

3.5

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.