Out of Breath

 Out of Breath

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       July 7, 2022

 

Author  Anna Snoekstra

Distributor:      HarperCollins Publishers Australia
ISBN:                 9781867231646
Publisher:         Harper Collins Publishers Australia/HQ Fiction AU
Release Date:   July 2022  

   Website:   https://www.harpercollins.com.au

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 It seems that Jo has been running away all her life. There were distressing circumstances in her childhood which she planned to leave behind when she left England and moved to Australia. In Sydney she wanted to settle down. She began a relationship which failed. This led to her fleeing to a farm near Broome to pick mangoes.

The courage of Jo is never in doubt as she rises to the challenge of the outback, the weather, harsh conditions, and sheer hard work. However once again we find her running away. This time she is looking for a true escape, living with a group of people in disused buildings.

 This group are happy, settled and headed by a woman who is love and kindness personified. They spend a great deal of time in the protected waters off the coast, and all become skilled in the art of holding their breath underwater for a long time.

Jo has never questioned the need for money. Mainly the group exist on fruit that is substandard, or grain that has been rejected. But a project is revealed that has her questioning her moral compass. The intrigue and mystery that gradually evolve, have such alarming consequences that Jo runs, this time, for her life.

Out of Breath by Anna Snoekstra is a sombre story with twists that slowly are revealed. It looks at how we can manipulate our subconscious and chain ourselves to misconceptions. There are some lovely descriptions of the Australian landscape.

Crime, Fiction