The latest novel by one of my favourite Aussie author from whom I usually found myself gasping after being punch in my gut but not this time... While it didn't quite deliver the usual sensation I expected from her, The Fancies was still a fascinating read as we switch perspectives between Abigail, Old Dick, and "Them" (other town people who are not part of the Fancy family). I found Old Dick's point of view to be most touching, however, as he is struggling with dementia and yet holds so many secrets in his mind which his family and friends are trying to keep as secrets. He presents such contradictory emotions for me because he is hilarious though sometimes, that's because he just couldn't control his mind and/or mouth. His perspective is told without any quotation marks which I found irritating but probably represent his mind better in that he couldn't determine whether he's thinking these thoughts or speaking them out loud himself.

The Fancies is actually a fairly easy novel to read in relation to the prose and could easily be a page-flipping novel but yet, it wasn't for me because it borders on a trope I'd avoid. In the end, though, as I stepped back for the read, I can appreciate how a past can haunt a person and/or town and when it all comes rushing back, people are prone to just lash out despite having grown/changed since. I'm happy that the ending was appreciably hopeful for everyone.

And I must just say that I adore this cover so much!!

Abigail Fancy left her hometown at 16 declaring never to return but life has her returning years later. This colourful story has a brilliant cast of characters and the story is funny and lighthearted with touches of real life challenges.

A far darker story than Kim Lock’s last release, The Other Side of Beautiful, The Fancies was a surprising, twisty read.

There was great potential in this story of unlikeable characters in a small town with big secrets & a long history, but sadly it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The narrative structure could be a little confusing at times & the surprise twists that hit at the conclusion was a little unsatisfying.
Saying all that, what I liked about the story was the cast of characters - all incredibly complex and interesting - and the jumps in POV strengthened the story as it truly me guessing about what was a truth and what was a lie.

Don’t go into this expecting a feel-good read like The Other Side Beautiful. But do give this Aussie fiction a go - it might just be the gem for you!

Kim Lock has done it again, such an great read. The Fancies is different to The Other Side of Beautiful in it's based on small coastal town where the main charchter returns after some time away. What i enjoyed of this book was Kim's ability to amke this place come to life and realsitic charcters in the book. The characters where not perfect, however they where relatibly in we proberly have elements of these people in our lives.

Looking forward to seeing what Kim writes next.

“The Fancies” is a funny novel about very difficult things. I enjoyed it, although it was a little darker than I anticipated.

The Fancy family more or less runs the small town in which they live. This is not exactly intentional; in fact, Dave, the current patriarch, would really rather people weren’t constantly looking to him for direction. And yet, somehow, he and his wife not only know everything that happens in town, but influence it too.

Then their daughter Abigail, who’s been gone for decades, returns at a most inconvenient moment. Abigail, mouthy, angry, broke, and newly released from prison, is a disruptive influence at the best of times. And this is not a particularly good time. Dave is already distracted by the need to damp down the rumors around a human bone found on the beach.

There’s a slightly wild, wacky flavor to this, which I think is due mostly to Abigail’s character. She’s not always easy to like, but most readers, especially the female ones, are likely to eventually feel a good deal of empathy for her.

The humor is sardonic and often unexpected, but is a necessary counter point to the darker issues the novel eventually discusses. In fact, this is a bit of a sneaky novel; initially it seems like a fairly mild family drama, but gradually darker tones emerge.

The novel is told in multiple voices, which is less confusing than it sounds. By switching between characters, Lock gives the reader not only different perspectives, but also some hints about things that emerge more fully later. Each voice is distinctive. Even without the headings which let you know which character’s head you’re in, I don’t think most readers would get confused.

I liked the way the gradual revelations were calculated to change the reader’s perspective as well as provide more information. Individuals and relationships shift as we learn more about them and events (some legendary) in the past.

This is also a searing indictment of the worst of small towns, and of letting your preconceptions rule your behaviour. It’s very sad in places.

Mostly, though, this was just a really enjoyable novel. It engaged me, it involved me emotionally, and it gave me some memorable characters. It was a good reading experience, and I think the story will linger with me for some time.

Abigail Fancy has returned to her childhood home after leaving at the age of 16. On the day she arrives, a bone washes up on the beach. The narrow minded townsfolk are quick to put the blame on Abigail and even her own family seem to have their doubts about her return, given her history. As the novel progresses, we learn about the battle between key families in the town, the secrets and Chinese whispers that go on and even more about Abigail herself and the secrets she has kept/is hiding. A good read.

Abigail Fancy returns to her small home town in South Australia after being released from jail, the home town she left when she was a teenager and hasn’t been back since. The novel is told from three points of view, and the chapters alternate between Abigail, Old Dick (her grandfather who is in suffering from dementia) and Them (the townspeople). There’s lots going on here,including small town intrigue and gossip, inter family relationships, misogyny and trauma. I was a bit disappointed with this one, I enjoyed her previous book more (The Other Side of Beautiful). This novel while intriguing and at times amusing, just took too long to get going for me and in the end I expected a much darker mystery, it was a bit of a letdown but very readable.

Abigail Fancy returns to her hometown of Port Kingerton South Australia after being released from prison. She’d vowed never to return after leaving at 17 with her then boyfriend and her middle fingers hanging out the car window.

Abigail’s return also happens to be the day that a thigh bone is found on the beach and secrets from the past start to be unlocked.

This book didn’t quite hit the mark for me after absolutely loving The Other Side of Beautiful which was a 5 star read for me back in 2021. I found the story hard to follow at times and confusing. The Fancies is a story that is full of quirky characters and good old Aussie humour.

Thank you to @harlequinaus for the gifted copy. The Fanices is available now available to purchase.

I really loved Kim Lock's The Other Side of Beautiful, published in 2021 and she offered us a flawed but engaging and likeable lead. I probably didn't gel with Abigail quite as much. She's a prickly character though Lock does a great job of putting us in her head and we're conscious that she's trying hard to quell her natural instinct to anger quickly. 

It takes us a while to get to Abigail's teenage years and understand her antipathy towards the town, and its residents towards her. The pacing was perhaps a little slow in the early stages for me.

I felt like I'd missed a bit of Abigail's backstory (after leaving town) so perhaps I'd skimmed more of the early stages than I'd meant to as her behaviour (in jail twice) seemed inconsistent in some ways. 

There's a bit happening 'in town' and I guess it sets the (small town / gossipy) tone and gave us insight into the place and its population, but it meant I wasn't sure what the book was about for quite some time. I'd assumed the discovery of a human leg bone meant The Fancies was going to be a mystery of sorts. And I guess it ultimately unveils secrets but not the kind I was imagining. 

I appreciated the relationships on offer here: Abigail with her parents; her father with his father; and the town hierarchy involving the fishermen... not to mention the old grudges handed down by generations of families.

Lock picks up the pace and eventually reveals all, along with a surprise or two and offers an interesting study in human nature. So I look forward to what she writes next. 

3.5 stars

Kim Lock’s, The Other Side of Beautiful was one of my very favourite reads from over the past couple of years - I own it in multiple formats. So it was therefore with great anticipation that I embarked on her follow up novel, The Fancies. Whilst the writing and subtle messages are still clearly present in Kim’s writing, this was a very different sort of tale.

‘… she was tired of running and simply would not anymore. So be it. She would stop and face it, the tidal wave of emotion, and she would deal with whatever that meant, whatever that came with.’

This is a story told from three different perspectives with larger-than-life characters. Firstly, there is Abigail just out of jail, Old Dick (Abigail's grandfather) who brings a hefty dose of humour and then 'Them' - various people from Port Kingerton in third person. This is Australiana on steroids - the dark/dry humour, the laid back mentality and culture, the shenanigans and the language (both foul and otherwise). Mysteries and secrets from the past arise and generational family rivalry stir up the town

‘Maybe they never stop being what other people say they are, and it goes on and on, generation after generation, until it’s just a town where everyone thinks they know who everyone else is, but no one knows who they really are themselves.’

Scratch the surface a bit more and by the end when all is settled, it is clear that Kim’s writing is wonderful. With themes of how people are quick to judge (especially in small rural towns) the bias towards people out of prison and the treatment of young women are just some of the issues placed under Kim’s spotlight. One of my favourites concerned Abigail and how she learned to pause and consider her reactions - not everything had to be an angry confrontation.

I have to say I am a little saddened but that is purely personal as I am just not a fan of this style of dialogue or Australian dark humour. However, if I dug a little deeper, my love for Kim’s writing and thought provoking ideas were still evident.

‘They were both searching for the exact same thing: freedom. The liberty to be whoever they really are.’







This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

3.5★ for this quirky tale of provincial Australia that I can imagine adapting well to the small screen. While I really enjoyed it, I have rated it down a little as I thought it took a while to get going.

The townsfolk of Port Kingerton are convinced that there is nothing coincidental about the return of Abigail Fancy - absent for 23 years - on the very same day that a human thighbone washes up on the local beach. Arriving to a mixed reception from her parents, and a decidedly confused one from her grandfather, Abigail herself would rather be anywhere else. But with literally only the (inadequate) clothes on her back, it's the only place she could go to make a fresh start. Which is what this belligerent, straight-talking 39yo needs after being released from prison...for the second time.

What Abigail finds in Kingo is exactly what she expects; same people, same attitudes, same prejudices. All that, but just older than when she was last here. What she didn't expect was that there would be some who have got her back - if only she'd let them.

Full of great characters (some more complex than others), recognisable small-town Australiana and something of a mystery to keep the plot chugging along, this is a great holiday read that kept the smile on my face a lot of the time I was reading it.

The Fancies is a small-town fiction set in South Australia, following Abigail Fancy and her family. The book is told from three different perspectives, Abigail Fancy, her grandfather ‘Old Dick Fancy’, and everyone else. Filled with dark humor, mystery, secrets, and self-discovery.

Abigail returns home after two degrades of estranging herself from her family. She was released from prison and turned up on her family's doorstep in the middle of winter wearing a dress, one boot, and holding a bag of her underwear.

The tension between Abigail and her mother Nell is high, and by morning the whole town knows that she's home but for what reason? Returning home brings up all the memories from being a child again, which is quite confronting for Abigail. While she is trying to get back on her feet things keep happening in the small town, and somehow the Fancies seem to be stuck in the middle of it.

Mysteries and secrets are being brought up from the past, and generational family rivalry stirs up in the town, like sediment at the bottom of the lake.

Desperate to keep her freedom, Abigail tries to live normally, but at least when she was in prison they didn’t try to lie to her about her freedom.

Working through years of grief and guilt that had built up since her departure from her family home, Abigail realizes that she always had a choice about her reactions to situations. That they don’t have to be out of anger.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for giving me an ARC, in return for an honest review!

A town where the broken telephone is still active and strong, and replaces fact for fiction. When Abigail fancy returned to Port Kingerton, she realised this all too well. Everyone knows everyone in Port, and everything has a connection, although some of the connections are built on gossip, whispers, and stories. So the facts are that Abigal was in prison for the last five months, and on the same day as her return, a thigh bone is found on the beach. She own nothing and owes a lot. Lofty’s boat is missing, Young Dick (Abigail’s father) is trying to keep his head down, and Abigail’s grandfather, Old Dick, is sprouting platitudes and memories that seem unreliable and full of holes. Noone wants to give Abigail a break, apart from the new vet, Nathan. Not even the goose named Kitten.

There’s a lot of dark humour inn this book, and a wryness that keeps the tales spinning and the questions arising. Old Dick’s memories are hilarious, as are his candid one liners thrown into situations arising that don’t need more ammunition. The balance of Abigail’s work on the dairy farm with Nathan to other interactions in town are wonderful: we catch glimpses of this softness and nurturing side to her, and the careful attention to the jobs she undertakes. Abigail’s return is the start of the unpacking of a town and family mystery that has stayed buried for a long time, and it brings with it revelations that you may not expect until you get to the end.

<b>3.5 stars</b>
Hmm, where do I start with this one?

I loved the coming back home, I loved the small town (though in reality it can seem even more smothering that Port Kingerton!). I get theI loved the family dymanics for the most part.

But I just didn't feel this one as much as I have other Kim Lock books.

Abigail is great - though when I first started reading, I thought she was a lot younger than the 39 years old she turned out to be.

I liked the way the author could change my feelings about things that have happened, just by showing us the narrative from a different perspective.

It was an enjoyable read, however there is one thing that I am still scratching my head about - you'll get it when you read it.

The Fancies is the fifth novel by Australian author, Kim Lock. On the same day a human thigh washes up on the beach at Port Kingerton, at the southernmost tip of South Australia, Abigail Fancy, remembered by some as gangly, wild and slightly terrifying teenage girl, and now a stacked, lush, blonde-haired powerhouse, returns to the small town she emphatically left twenty-three years earlier. The next day, it seems that Lofty’s boat is missing. Some in the town concoct wildly speculative connections between these three occurrences.

Abigail, it turns out, is as prickly as ever, with good reason. Returning to Kingo, this pipsqueak, self-absorbed town with its stupid, insular politics, filled with obsessive braggarts who thought they were the centre of the universe? That had never been her plan, but after five months in prison (her second stint in two years), she’s not just broke, but deep in debt, owning only the clothes on her back.

Her dad, known as Young Dick Fancy, is, with growing reluctance, a figure of influence in the town and his main concerns just now are: that the bone washed up is causing the town’s nerves to fray as it recalls events of twenty-four years earlier; Abigail’s predicament, and how he can help; the unexplained absence of Lofty’s boat, and then Lofty; and his dad, Old Dick’s disinhibited ramblings.

Old Dick, some years into dementia, makes an unreliable narrator, and it’s quickly apparent from his comments that he has no filter, and that his inner monologue is not necessarily a silent one. He offers opinions like “‘Be careful whose money you take. They might want to collect it later. With interest. Sometimes it’s blood. Other times it’s your balls.’”

As Abigail is well aware, Port Kingerton is a place where information (gossip) rates as currency, affording prestige to the teller, and offering the frisson of excitement at the prospect of sharing it. “She had come here because she needed to get away, to start over, to be a self-governing private person, but she may as well have mounted a camera on her head, livestreaming her every move, for all privacy she actually felt. Everyone knew who she was—everyone had decided, long ago, who she was— and there was no changing that.”

About the only person who doesn’t have preconceived ideas about Abigail, or the arrogance to pass judgement is the new, attractive veterinarian, who comes to check on a naughty mare about to foal in autumn, and who is also the target of attacking goose called Kitten.

In a tale populated by vibrant, zany, larger-than-life characters, with plenty of laugh-out-loud lines, and a generous sprinkling of expletives, old rivalries re-emerge, loyalties are tested and long-held secrets are revealed. And some, carrying two decades of guilt, try to make amends. Lock perfectly conveys her setting: the atmosphere and mindset, the claustrophobia, and the jealousies that are endemic in a small Australian coastal town. Funny, moving and thought-provoking, Lock’s latest does not disappoint.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harlequin Australia.

Kim Lock's book, the Other Side of Beautiful is one of my favourite books - so I had high hopes for 'The Fancies' but unfortunately it didn't live up to its predecessor.
Abigail Fancy has finished her prison time and returns to the tiny town that the Fancys have ruled for decades - Port Kingerton: a cray-fishing town in South Australia, where everyone knows everyone and everyone's business. At 17 Abigail left the town and no one expected her to return... or what would come with it. The story is told from three perspectives - Abigail's, her Grandfather's and everyone else's. While I found some bits funny and relatable, I did find it hard to follow along. Sometimes reading a book at the 'wrong time' in your life can also influence the way you perceive a book. I hope this was the case for me because I really wanted to love it.
Try it for yourself and see what you think!
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I’m sad to say that I could not get into this book at all, which I was surprised at, as Kim Lock’s previous book ‘The Other Side Of Beautiful’ was a five star read for me.
I DNF at 40%, so felt I gave it a good go but I just couldn’t connect with any of the characters, not sure I really like them, just felt a continual darkness as I read and I all honesty I think I just missed the thread of the story.
It won’t put me off reading her next one, this one just wasn’t for me.

The Fancies is a great story of living in a small country town in South Australia. As Abigail returns home for the first time in many, many years, the story is told from alternative viewpoints - Abigail and 'Them' (various people from Port Kingerton) in third person and Old Dick (Abigail's grandfather) in the first person. Old Dick was hilarious and added so much fun to the story. Abigail returns to find rivalries are still in tack and some things don't change.....there are a few twists and turns and things were reveled that I didn't even know I needed to know about - until I found out about them. Great Australian story.

Abigail Fancy returns to Port Kingerton, in South Australia after she left dramatically twenty three years ago and when she was sixteen. Abigail has finished her second prison sentence, she’s not sure what sort of welcome she will receive from her parents and she needs somewhere to stay and she's broke.

Port Kingerton is a tiny beach side township, most of the men go to sea and catch crayfish for six months of the year. Everyone knows everyone’s business, it only takes twenty four hours for the local grapevine to spread the word that Abigail is back and the same day a human thigh bone is found on the beach.

Abigail’s family have lived in the area for over a hundred years, her grandfather Old Dick (Richard) has dementia, and he lives with his son Young Dick and daughter-in-law Nell. Young Dick is a cray fisherman, the licenses are handed down from father to son and Nell's busy looking after her horses. The whole town is in a tizz, they remember why Abigail left all those years ago and now she’s back a convicted criminal. Abigail’s arch rival, Jessica Bram still lives in Port Kingerton, they have hated each other since kindergarten, and their grandfathers had a big fall out years ago and Old Dick still mutters the odd comment about it.

A story about the town’s black sheep returning, everyone has an opinion about Abigail Fancy, her character is funny and flawed and the things she says, my mum would wash her mouth out with soap and I haven’t laughed so much in years.

I received a copy of The Fancies by Kim Lock from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. The narrative is told from three different perspectives, with larger-than-life characters and be prepared for the odd swear word, dry Aussie sentiment and sense of humor. I liked Ms. Lock's style of writing, it's a chronicle about the past and full of secrets, mystery, family feuds and skeletons in the closest. People are quick to judge others, especially young women and the trials of living in a small country town. Five stars from me, The Fancies is one heck of a tale and I’m keen to read the authors previous book, The Other Side of Beautiful..

Kim Lock has returned with her trademark breath of fresh air approach to fiction, this time around with a very Australian story that put me in mind of The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham. That type of dark humour that pokes some friendly fun at what it means to exist in a tiny, insular town in Australia. The Fancies are a family who appear to ‘rule the town’ in a *mostly* non-criminal mafia like way. The return of their prodigal daughter, Abigail, coinciding with a couple of gossip worthy events, ignites the town in way that is reminiscent of days gone by – days that are better left in the past.

‘Young Dick didn’t want to be a leader; he simply wanted to live his life, quiet with his family. Sure, he guarded some unfortunate truths he’d have to take to his grave, but regardless, for six years he had tried to wean the town from the Fancy reign and tonight it appeared they’d finally chosen to let go of the damn nipple. They had decided to ignore him and think for themselves. And now he wished they hadn’t.’

To me, this was a very funny novel that also dug deep into misogyny. The chapters told from the perspective of Old Dick were hilarious and a lot more insightful than I first gave them credit for. I really enjoyed the way in which Kim utilised third-person omniscient narration to provide the perspectives of the townsfolk. Again, as the novel progressed, incredibly insightful in terms of the way people accept or resist change when making comparisons with past events. Also, again, very funny. With this novel, Kim has proven that she has a sharply intelligent sense of humour and that she’s not afraid to use it.

‘Maybe aversion – to other people, to connections, to feeling things – can run in the genes, thread into one’s DNA little stitches of repulsion. Or maybe sometimes there simply isn’t an explanation.

For a good part of the story, I wasn’t entirely sure what was going on. Put your trust into Kim, it all comes together in the last quarter, and it was well worth the entertaining journey. Five stars and a highly recommended for this one.

Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.