Title: The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer
Author: Isla Evans
Release date: 1st September 2021

First of all, thank you so much to Netgalley AU and Harlequin Australia for the advanced digital copy!


I had the pleasure of reading an advanced digital copy of this book. It was a very immersive and empowering read. I love how the characters are very much connected; they are family by blood, by law and then finally by choice. Shirley, Beth and Winnie are aged and vulnerable but they prove to be the most brilliant – by being brave enough to tear the family bonds apart. On the contrary, the younger members of the family (in their 30’s or so) can be too busy with their own lives to be fully invested in the situation.

Characterisation is a strength in this novel; the author switches viewpoints every chapter and I found that the character's voices are all very quite distinct. The characters are flawed in a very real way. I don’t think I could be Shirley when I’m older – she takes far too much comfort in whiskey, wine and gin for me, yet she’s the one that notices the signs first while Brendan (her husband) is laissez faire. Beth starts off a bit stiff, but she embraces the adventure and she just becomes a solid rock to rely on. Winnie was just wild and surprisingly competent.

The grandmothers do face consequences for simply grabbing their granddaughter and leaving, which makes sense. We're encouraged to report to child protection services if we know abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, exposure to DV etc.) is happening to children under 18 in real life - but would you? There is  such a large amount of distrust in the authorities (partly why these grannies ran away). But this is why and how young adult novels are written (parents are evil, imprisoned or missing + distrust in authorities). This is the inverted version of this trope.

Overall, I did enjoy it. I'm currently studying individual support and empowering people, so I found it relevant to my studies. The empowerment of older people, domestic violence, mental health and child protection services are relevant issues today; the author delves into them lightly and sensitively.

Book: The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer
Author: Ilsa Evans
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication Date: 1st September 2021

TW: Child Abuse, Kidnapping, Abuse

Ilsa Evans has done an outstanding job with this novel. It drew me into this crazy world from the get go… I mean who wouldn’t want to read about the antics of two grannies and a great-granny kidnapping a four year old.

The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer follows the exploit of Shirley and Elizabeth who in spite of hating eachother make off with their four year old granddaughter Avery to save her from the trauma she was endearing at home with her dad. Shirley’s 89 year old mother and Beth’s dog Harth also join the party and jump on the bandwagon!!

Even reading back over what Ive written above it still all sounds buzzard but Ilsa Evans manages to make it all work, she makes the story laugh out loud funny and made me believe it was all really happening!!

As well as dealing with an outstanding plot, Evans also gives us an insight into the lives of lots of minor characters in the novel which I thought was a fantastic bonus and a huge plus from me!!

Thanks so much to @netgalley and @harpercollinsaustralia for the Advanced Reader Copy of The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer in exchange for an honest review ⭐️

The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer is an enjoyably original contemporary novel set in Victoria, Australia, featuring a type of heroine often neglected in modern fiction - grannies!
This was a new author for me but it was recommended by other reviewers and suited my current hankering for variety in my reading. It covers the serious topic of suspected child abuse sensitively and lightens the tone with some one-liners that at one point had me giggling uncontrollably in the middle of the night - the Cats’ Father thought I was having a seizure.

Beth Patterson, an upstanding and forthright senior citizen, is nonplussed by the arrival of her four year old granddaughter Avery in the early hours, escorted by her scatty other grandmother Shirley, who has discovered evidence of abuse by her belligerent but superficially charming son Daniel. Avery’s mother Cleo is in prison for violating the conditions of an Intervention Order, so the grannies - who don’t particularly get on but don’t trust the system to do the right thing - agree to protect the child by hiding out with her until Cleo’s release. They go on the run, along with Shirley’s prickly but surprisingly tech-literate 89 year old mother Winnie, and Beth’s gastricly challenged miniature schnauzer. Helped and hindered by their bemused families, and hunted by the police, they find themselves at the centre of a media storm - can they survive the boredom and privations of being outlaws, and each other, long enough to reunite Avery and Cleo?

“It might take a village to raise a child but perhaps it only took a couple of older women to protect one.”

I very much enjoyed this variably heart-warming and thought-provoking exploration of the challenges, responsibilities and dilemmas of motherhood. Told from a large range of viewpoint characters (perhaps too many), all third person past, the book is longer than I expected for its genre, but kept my interest throughout. It also takes a good look at the way we view older women. The mismatched heroines - not all necessarily likeable but each admirable in her way, especially the hilarious Winnie - go from irritable co-conspirators to cautious friends. The side players were well developed, I particularly liked patient and sensible detective Elsa, struggling with her own difficult mother (oh my could I relate) and there are some good good boo-hiss characters too, like spoiled narcissist Daniel and vain ambitious TV presenter Zandra; others were fundamentally good but realistically flawed, like most of the rest of their dysfunctional family - trying to do the right thing, if only they knew what that was.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer is published on September 1st.

When Shirley finds evidence her granddaughter, Avery, is being physically harmed, and not for the first time, she decides she’s going to have to do something. And that something is taking her granddaughter and her 89 year old mother on the run. On the way she visits Avery’s other grandmother, Beth. Beth’s daughter is estranged from Shirley’s Son and in prison for breaching an AVO. Beth insists on coming along, with her miniature schnauzer, despite the women’s intense dislike for each other. As all three women buckle in to do what’s best for Avery, they’ll each need to confront their own family bias, their past and try to put their irritation with each other aside.

I’ve come to realise sassy old women characters are my absolute favourite thing and the great grandma, Winnie, was one of the best. Full of surprises, wisdom and hilarious sass, I want to be her when I’m 89.

For a book with such hard hitting topics (child abuse, prison and family drama), there were still plenty of laughs mixed in with the tears.

There were quite a lot of points of view to keep track of and I did have some difficulty remembering who some of the side characters were until I was part way through their chapters, but it didn’t detract from the enjoyment of the book for me. As well as points of view from the 2 grandmothers, great grandmother and Avery herself, there were chapters from Beth’s daughter Cleo in gaol, Avery’s father, his new girlfriend, his sister, a couple of police detectives, a few news reporters and maybe even more? 😅 It did keep the story interesting though and I enjoyed seeing what was happening from all corners of the unfolding drama.

I loved every second of the journey with this unlikely group of ladies and highly recommend giving this one a read!

The title of this book is perfect – it is all about an unusual abduction… two Grandmothers one Great Grandmother and a miniature schnauzer who go to great lengths to protect 4 year old Avery. When Shirley suspects her son is neglecting his daughter (Avery), she seeks the help of Avery’s other Grandmother Beth (who she doesn’t particularly like) to take Avery out of harms way. Where is Avery’s mother you might ask? Beth’s daughter Cleo is currently serving time in jail for contravening a family violence order.
The book takes the reader on an adventure with Shirley and Beth and Shirley’s mother Winesome… not to mention little Avery and the dog Harthacnut. The adventure brings the women together over a common goal – to protect their Granddaughter. While remaining hidden in a small town Air BNB, the three women learn about each other’s strengths and weaknesses and ultimately learn to to get along with each other. The time in hiding becomes quite the bonding exercise where many secrets are revealed. While they try to stick to a plan (albeit complicated) to stay hidden, will they slip up and be found by police?
While there are some heavy themes in the book there is plenty of light-hearted and funny moments and an exploration into relationships and the lengths people will go to protect the ones they love. Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for the opportunity to read and review this book – released 1 September 2021.

I loved this! The plot follows the actions of Shirley and Beth, who (despite hating each other) abduct their granddaughter Avery to save her from harm at home. The trio are also accompanied by Beth's dog Harthacnut and Shirley's supposedly senile mother Winnie... who might just play more of a part in their adventure than anyone expected.

I've genuinely never read anything like this novel, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Evans manages to take an outlandish idea to feel like a real story, and explores family tensions in a way that felt like true.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publishes for pre-approving me for this title however,I wasn't able to finish this book as I personally don't believe I am the target audience for this novel as this book seems to be content heavy and specialises on themes such as child abuse and being a teenager myself i didn't feel like this book was meant to read by me.

I really enjoyed this novel. It’s full of heart and humanity, and manages the remarkable balancing act of being both very funny and taking the issue of domestic violence very seriously.

Avery Conifer is four years old and deeply loved by the diverse members of her family. Unfortunately, many of them don’t like each other all that much. Her mother is in jail for breaching an Intervention Order taken out by her father. Her father’s siblings loathe him. Her grandmothers loathe each other. Her great grandmother is rather eccentric and considered senile by the male members of the family.

And yet, when Shirley Conifer begins to suspect that her son Daniel – Avery’s father – is hurting Avery, she turns to Beth, Avery’s other grandmother, for help. This mismatched pair unite to protect the small girl they both love. Faced with limited choices, they decide the best solution is to abduct Avery.

Naturally, not many other people think that’s the best solution. Before long, a hunt for the fugitives is in full swing.

This is a novel about many things. Family, women’s perspectives, love, guilt, domestic abuse, and friendship, to name a few. There is a strong vein of humor running through the novel, but also a lot of sobriety. Whenever it touches on domestic abuse, the novel takes it very very seriously. It doesn’t explore the issues related to this in as much depth as some other novels, but nor does it shy away from them, or from the damage this kind of abuse does.

Although domestic abuse is what sets the plot moving, this novel was to me more strongly about women’s perspectives on life. Women who are overlooked and resent it; women who are overlooked and take advantage of it; the joys and struggles of motherhood; the rivalries and friendships between women. I loved this aspect of the novel. I loved the diverse characters, their different perspectives, and their ability to communicate them and ultimately come to understand each other (while not necessarily agreeing).

The writing style is lively but understated; it allows the characters to take the spotlight, and to switch between different perspectives smoothly. I found this easy to keep turning the pages because I wanted to spend more time with the characters and see what they would say next.

Evans treats some very sensitive subjects with delicacy and tact. She canvasses a lot in this novel, and some of it is hard. It is also very realistic.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable novel to read. Although difficult issues are covered, the novel feels more light than dark. Most readers will love the characters and care about the outcomes for them.

Despite the cosy looking cover and title of this book it covers some heavier topics. How lovely though to get another book set in Australia, in Victoria no less, the state that I grew up in.

Avery Conifer is a bubbly 4 year old whose mother, Cleo, is serving a four month jail sentence for repeated breaches of an AVO brought by her ex husband. Everyone was shocked at the sentence so the child is left in the care of her father who seems to be doing a less than stellar job of looking after her. Shirley Conifer, Avery’s paternal grandmother notices some bruises on the girl but her son Daniel, Avery’s father, has a plausible explanation. But when Shirley gets Avery dumped on her doorstep one afternoon so Daniel can go on a date and she notices a couple of nasty welts on her bottom and what looks like a cigarette burn she realises that something needs to be done.

Beth Patterson is Avery’s maternal grandmother and visits her daughter in jail every week. She is surprised to learn that Avery has not been brought to visit her mother for weeks. Very early one morning Beth is shocked to find Shirley on her doorstep (the two are not exactly friends) claiming she has kidnapped Avery and that Beth should come with them. Oh and Shirley’s mother - the 89 year old Winsome (Winnie) Cuthbertson is along for the adventure. The plan is to stay in hiding for the next 6 weeks and 6 days until Cleo is released from jail, all in the interests of protecting Avery. This is all at the start of the book so not spoilery.

The rest of the book tells the story of how the grannies manage to stay in hiding. But it is about so much more than that. The three older women have to learn to get along with each other and learn from each other. It turns into quite the bonding exercise. Along the way we hear some unpleasant truths about parenting and about all the different types of guilt that women tend to burden themselves with - consciously or unconsciously and we learn about the benefits of forgiveness.

Shirley and Beth and quite different people and got on each other’s nerves a lot to start with but as the angles got sanded away they started to rub along a lot better. A lot of this due, of course, to ensuring that Avery’s welfare came first. But for me, the star of the show was Winnie! Don’t write this 89 year old lady off yet. She is full of surprises, not least of which is her technological fluency which baffles the younger women. She is also brutally blunt at times when it is necessary. I’d love to be like Winnie if I ever get to that age.

Another serious aspect of the story was that, technically, the women had broken the law as Daniel had reported his daughter missing while he had legal custody of her. How does that get resolved? You’ll have to read the book to find out. The writing was brisk and witty and had quite a few laugh out loud moments. It was filled with pathos, humour, guilt and, most of all, love. A lovely heartwarming read. Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for the much appreciated ARC which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

Oh, how I loved this book! The three women characters, Shirley, Winsome and Beth, were so believable - more so from their points of view as the story was carried from one character to another. In fact, the action was fast, funny and poignant seen through the eyes and hearts of the characters who mattered. I suppose, being a Melbourne girl, the sense of place was vivid for me, but I feel that even an overseas reader would appreciate the surroundings and why they mattered.
Thanks for the great read, Ilsa; I'll be looking for more of your books!

I think this is going to be mde into a Netflix mini series. It's got the perfect amount of every.
First time I've read this author but will definitely be checking more books out on kindle

What a ride!
Right from the beginning this book grabbed my interest. Shirley and and Beth - both very different grandmothers who come together for the sake of their granddaughter... not to mention Shirley's mother Winnie, who comes along for the ride. It makes you wonder what you would do in the same situation these women face.

There's so much heart in this story, along with laughs a plenty. A few twists and turns as well.

However, I wasn't entirely satisfied when I turned the last page. I almost feel like I would have preferred it to end before the epilogue, yet on the other hand, I felt like I wanted more. More closure perhaps?

I'm still thinking about it though - and maybe I'll even go back and read that epilogue again to see if I feel differently a second time.

Thank you Netgalley & Ilsa Evans for this advance copy to review.

I feel like this is ripe for a tv adaptation. Nicole Kidman will probably play a mother role of some sort (perhaps not the grandmothers though)....

Anyways, the premise of the story is that there is a child in the middle of a nasty separation - her mother is in prison and her father is struggling. The family doesn't know how to broach the state of Avery, how she's got bruises, and their questions about where they come from.

When Daniel restricts access to Avery due to their concern, the family tread carefully not to set him off. But when things go too far, his mother has no other option but to take matters into her own hands... and the hands of the other grandmothers....

The conflict between the grandmothers is perfectly balanced, gentle ribbing and conflict are played out humorously, and it is thoroughly enjoyable.

The father, Daniel, is a character that lacks the balance of the relationship of the grandmothers. There is no light and shade. It's all grim. And I guess that makes sense reading the author's history and area of interest, but it is a thoroughly unlikeable character and I would have thought a few redeeming qualities would have gone a long way.

There was a great momentum in the book and good pace, but to a point where it was like ' what now?' it ended with a bit of a whisper, and I think it could have been stronger at the end.

Overall it was enjoyable !

A must read! Follow along the story of Avery Conifer taken by her 2 grandmothers and great grandmother to keep her safe. Travelling and moving secretly from town to town, finally hiding out in a little town many miles from anyone trying to pass the time getting to know each other in many different ways! Each character has their own story to tell. Wonderfully written. A great read!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Ok so I absolutely loved this book!! Even with the elements of abuse (not too much mentioned) I found it a heartwarming story of three older women finding friendship where they didn't believe it was possible.

This story showed that the love of a grandchild shows no bounds and that they will do anything to protect their precious grandbabies. All three main characters were different and all were lovable in their own ways.

I would definitely recommend this book to ANYBODY!!

I wondered what I’d find when I started reading this book, would it be terribly upsetting? NO, this book is written with such understanding, compassion and sincerity, an amazing gem that should be shared and enjoyed!
Shirley is concerned for her granddaughter Avery, there are signs that her son Daniel is mistreating his little girl! Shirley is a caring, kind soul who is not ‘listened’ to by her family, she decides to take Avery away until she’s heard!
Beth is Avery’s other grandmother, her daughter Cleo is in jail due to Daniel’s treatment of her.
Beth likes structure but agrees with Shirley, they head off to try and right wrongs, taking Shirley’s elderly mother Winnie!
The characters are adorable, quirky and totally relatable, what an adventure! An amazing book with all the family emotions, the translation is spot on! Sit back and enjoy this superb book that is hard to put down!

Thanks so much Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to give an honest review of this well written, outstanding novel! Huge congratulations to Ilsa Evans, absolutely brilliant!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Two very different grandmothers who share a grandchild have concerns about the welfare of their grandchild Avery. Avery’s mother is in prison as a result of contravening an intervention order and Daniel appears selfish and lackadaisical about Avery’s care. Daniel’s mother, Shirley kidnaps Avery and enlists the help of Cleo’s mother, Beth to keep away Avery away from her father until Cleo is released from prison. The friction between the two women is amusing. But there are some quandaries in this book. Shirley is devastated at taking this action but sees no other way forward. She is filled with guilt that her raising of Daniel has led to the situation. For further light relief throw in Shirley’s 89 year old mother who is surprising tech savvy and chat show hosts who are loving the whole situation. It is a fun read but every now and then a situation develops that gives you pause, thinking what would I do if?

The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer is a stand-alone novel by Australian author, Ilsa Evans. To say that Elizabeth Patterson is surprised when Shirley Conifer turns up on her doorstep at 5.40am on a Sunday morning with their granddaughter, Avery, would be an understatement. And when she learns why they are there, she is incandescent with anger.

That Shirley has come to her at all is unexpected: rather than not getting on, they actively despise each other. But her motivation is concern for four-year-old Avery, and Shirley knows that Beth’s feeling in that regard is as strong as her own. Later it is pointed out to Beth just how difficult it must be for Shirley to concede that her own son represents a danger to his daughter.

With an eye on the long term, Shirley manages to talk Beth out of her initial impulse to call the police, and within hours, they have headed to a beachside AirBnB and sent Avery’s father, Daniel an ultimatum: seek counselling and live with Avery under the watchful eye of his parents. Beth is fairly confident that the man who put her daughter, Avery’s mother, into prison, will not agree, so makes contingency plans with military precision.

Soon they are on the run, with Beth’s salt-and-pepper miniature schnauzer and Shirley’s eighty-nine-year-old mother, Winnie, along for the ride, an Amber Alert on Facebook, and the cops, specifically DS Elsa Kaltenbrunner and her partner, DC Rebecca Flanagan, on their tail. Elsa is convinced that the matter will be quickly and efficiently sorted out, but she has perhaps underestimated the strength of feeling this trio of grandmothers has for young Avery.

In the process of reaching their hideaway, the grannies learn that anonymity cannot be found in an international airport, or on a city street, especially given how prolific mobile phones are. Then, confined together with a four-year-old, these three women discover a great deal about each other and themselves, about motherhood and the myriad of feelings and emotions it entails.

Evans gives the reader a tale that has elements of slapstick, but also addresses several topical issues, including ageism, the influence of breakfast TV, and trial by social media. Multiple narrators each contribute: snippets, or larger parts of the story. The dialogue, especially anything uttered by Winnie and Avery, is often entertaining. Her characters have depth and appeal, and all are very humanly flawed, giving this tale the seal of authenticity. Funny and thought-provoking, a delightful read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harlequin Australia

I had mixed views on this one. For me it started slow and took a bit for me to be interested in the characters. But eventually I was hooked and wanted to know what happened next. I usually like alternating voice, but felt there were a few too many voices in this one. Although I would have liked to have heard from Daniel's point of view. I felt the ending was a bit of an anti-climax.
On the plus side I really enjoyed the relationship building of Beth, Shirley and Winnie (the abductors) and how their characters grew over their time together. Winnie added in wit and humour. I liked how family dynamics and relationships were explored.
Overall I enjoyed the story.

A mixture of comedy and drama around a family where the grandmothers steal their four-year old granddaughter Avery. This novel brings forth the topic of domestic violence that is treated with sensitivity, drawing out the complexities, but acknowledging that whatever they may appear to be, action to prevent such violence is non-negotiable. At a time where domestic violence is an ongoing topic in the media and society,