A
mystery that unravels between Sydney and Lord Howe Island, this novel
by the very prolific Barry Maitland is well researched and
captivating. Having spent much time in Sydney and some time on Lord
Howe Island, I felt a connection with the setting of the story, and
this definitely caught my interest in the very first chapter.
A
story woven around rock climbing (with which Barry Maitland is
obviously acquainted) and three tragic deaths, Bright
Air
leads
the reader in a number of directions before, eventually, all the
somewhat divergent paths converge. Josh, the central character and a
member of the rock climbing group, returns to Sydney after a
four-year stint in England. Shortly
after arriving home, he catches up with Anna, another rock climber,
who gives him the news that two of their friends recently fell to
their deaths while climbing in New Zealand. Anna begins to draw
connections between the two recent deaths and the death of another
climber, Lucy, some years earlier. At
first Josh
refuses
to accept that there may be connections,
but, bit by bit, he is
drawn into Anna's way of thinking.
This
is an easy read with plenty of suspense and action. A knowledge of
Sydney and Lord Howe is simply an extra bonus.
