The Lost Swimmer - Synopsis and reviews
An unforgettable novel about love and trust
Rebecca Wilding, an archaeology professor, makes sense of the past for a living.
But suddenly, truth and certainty are turning against her. Rebecca is accused of serious fraud, and worse, she suspects - she knows - that her husband, Stephen, is having an affair.
Desperate to find answers, Rebecca leaves with Stephen for Greece, Italy and Paris, where she can uncover the conspiracy against her, and hopefully win Stephen back to her side, where he belongs. There’s too much at stake - her love, her family, her work.
But on the idyllic Amalfi Coast, Stephen disappears.
In a swirling daze of panic and fear, Rebecca is dealt with fresh allegations. And with time against her, she finds help in the most unlikely of places, and uncovers the secrets that stand between her and Stephen - and the deceit that has chased her halfway around the world.
Sometimes marriage is a lonely place.
Inspiration for the lost swimmer
‘A seriously good thriller... I loved it... It's absolutely fantastic.’
Michael Cathcart, Books and Arts, ABC Radio National
To hear the show click here
Ross Southernwood, The Sunday Age
Read the full review here
‘This psychological thriller by an Australian author is the definition of a page-turner.’
Marie Claire
‘An expertly scripted psychological thriller, deftly taking its multiple characters and possibilities through a dizzying array of twists and turns… an evocative, absorbing and tense tale of trust and betrayal… this genre thriller is a compulsive and satisfying reading experience.’
Rose Lucas, Australian Book Review
‘Ann Turner has produced a vivid, suspenseful thriller that should appeal to those with a taste for armchair travel.’
Cameron Woodhouse, Sydney Morning Herald
‘The Lost Swimmer is a smartly constructed, tense thriller that will leave you guessing until the very end. It’s a remarkable debut from former filmmaker Ann Turner, who’s destined to become a prominent name in Australian writing... Turner’s characters are perfectly formed, her suspenseful plot is masterfully woven and her depiction of a variety of locations - the coast of Victoria, Greece, Pompeii, and the Amalfi Coast in particular - deftly transport the reader... as the breathtaking scenery and confounding mysteries reveal themselves.
Ann Turner is an author we’ll thoroughly enjoy reading for years to come.’
Cheryl Akle, Better Reading
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‘An accomplished screenwriter, Ann Turner brings a cinematic sense of dramatic tension and setting to her debut novel… We had pins and needles trying to unravel the truth throughout Turner’s crisply written, cleverly plotted tale of deceit.’
iBooks Editors’ Notes, Best Books Of June
‘If contemporary stories are more your style... Ann Turner’s The Lost Swimmer is another novel whose plot twists we shouldn’t spoil in this psychological thriller about a troubled marriage.’
The Guardian‘The scenery and locations that Turner has chosen are divine. They are atmospheric, picturesque and gorgeously described… The Lost Swimmer is a captivating debut filled with suspense, where everything and everyone becomes suspicious. It will definitely get you thinking, and I am finding that it doesn’t end when you close the book.’
Michelle, Beauty and Lace
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‘… a strong cinematographic foundation, with the action taking off from Victoria’s surf coast and building in Greece, Italy and Paris. Rebecca’s long-term allies… are among the few who believe she is innocent when Stephen goes missing along Italy’s Amalfi Coast. It is easy to imagine the book becoming a movie with this celebrity haven used as a backdrop. It worked for A Good Woman and Under the Tuscan Sun.’
Blanche Clark, Herald Sun
‘I knew The Lost Swimmer had won me over when I was standing in line at the supermarket and all I could think about was what was going to happen next in Ann Turner’s impressive debut novel.’
Amanda Rayner, Readings Monthly
‘As a whodunit, The Lost Swimmer is a good book: there are multiple mysteries and Turner is adept at disguising who is behind them until the very end.’
LL, The Saturday Paper
‘… combines thriller and drama, which makes for page-turning tension… opens the way for further thought and discussion, allowing the story to linger… I enjoyed this book and I’d highly recommend it to those who like character-driven stories about relationships, and stories that keep readers guessing. There’s plenty of mystery… I’m looking forward to more from Turner.’
Monique Mulligan, Write, Note, Reviews
‘Excellent armchair travel and the emotional turmoil is very well done.’
Annabel Lawson, Country Style
‘Since its release in Australia earlier this month, Ann Turner’s debut The Lost Swimmer has topped the bestseller list of several bookstores, and has received many favourable reviews. It’s not hard to see why - The Lost Swimmer is compelling, original and at times deeply unsettling… The descriptions of the Italian and Australian coastlines are what really stands out in The Lost Swimmer, but the tense plotting is what will stick with me most. I was reading on the train and didn’t realise my stop had arrived, and had to frantically run for the doors. The Lost Swimmer is that kind of novel - one that draws you in, and makes you forget where you are.’
Nagaisayonara, Crime Fiction Lover
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Kobo - Best Aussie Reads of 2015
Longlisted for 2016 Indie Book Awards - Debut Fiction
Shortlisted for 2016 Davitt Awards - Debut
Readings Book of the Month, June 2015
Better Reading’s Book of the Week June 9th 2015
iBooks Australia Best Books of June 2015
INTERVIEWS
Read the interview with Gabrielle Murphy for University of Melbourne's Voice
Read the interview with Ann Turner by the Better Reading Team
