Vanessa McCausland's Books

The Beautiful Words

By: Vanessa McCausland

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Two best friends, one summer night, and twenty years of silence ... what happened at the lighthouse? The stunning, haunting new novel from the author of The Lost Summers of Driftwood. Sylvie is a lover of words and a collector of stories, only she has lost her own. She has no words for that night at the lighthouse when their lives changed forever. What happened to cleave her apart from her best friend and soulmate, Kase? Sylvie yearns to rekindle their deep connection, so when Kase invites her to the wild Tasmanian coast to celebrate her 40th birthday, she accepts - despite the ghosts she must face. As Sylvie struggles to find her feet among old friends, she bonds with local taxi boat driver Holden. But he is hiding from the world, too. Through an inscription in an old book, Sylvie and Kase discover their mothers have a history, hidden from their daughters. As they unpick what took place before they were born, they're forced to face the rift in their own friendship, and the question of whether it's ever okay to keep a secret to protect the person you love. Vanessa McCausland's enthralling new novel is about betrayal and forgiveness, the stories we tell, and the healing power of words. 'This evocative novel completely captivated me and I didn't want it to end. Vanessa McCausland is a remarkable storyteller.' Petronella McGovern 'Vanessa McCausland doesn't disappoint! Lyrical and evocative, the trauma and emotion rises off the pages along with the salt spray and the haunting cries of the eagles.' Fiona Lowe 'McCausland's poetic writing makes the heart sing. Graceful and glorious.' Alexandra Joel 'Reading a Vanessa McCausland book is like indulging in fine dark chocolate - her writing is decadent, dark, complex and luxurious. In this book she takes her lyricism to a new level, reveling in the power of words and stories to both heal and harm.' Cassie Hamer 'Rich with atmosphere and moral conflicts, The Beautiful Words sensitively explores the intricacies of two generations bound by secrets, with McCausland's trademark, hauntingly lyrical prose. It's a gifted storyteller that keeps me up way past my bedtime, but once again, I found myself unable to put Vanessa McCausland's novel down.' Maya Linnell 'Intriguing ... The Beautiful Words is a compelling story in a uniquely Australian setting for fans of Hannah Richell or Emily Bitto.' Books + Publishing 'Breathtaking ... Rich with atmosphere and written in haunting, melodic prose, The Beautiful Words is a powerful and timely work of fiction that celebrates the importance of female friendship and women's voices. Ultimately, though, it is a tale of healing, and a love letter to words and the power of storytelling.' Better Reading 'A clever and wonderful book' Herald Sun

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Page Count

368

Publisher

HarperCollins

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460713184

ISBN 13

9781460713181

The Valley of Lost Stories

By: Vanessa McCausland

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The Valley of Lost Stories

By: Vanessa McCausland

Four women and their children are invited to the beautiful but remote Capertee Valley, west of the Blue Mountains. Once home to a thriving town, only an enigmatic Art Deco hotel remains - and an unsolved mystery. In 1948, Clara Black walked into the night, never to be seen again. As the valley beguiles these four friends, and haunts them in equal measure, each has to confront secrets of her own: Nathalie, with a damaged marriage; Emmie, yearning for another child; Pen, struggling as a single parent; and Alexandra, hiding in the shadow of her famous husband. But as the story of what happened seventy years earlier unravels, one of the women also vanishes into this bewitching place, forcing devastating truths to the surface."--Publisher.

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Page Count

416

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460759567

ISBN 13

9781460759561

Dreaming In French

The mysterious and romantic latest new novel from the popular author of THE BEAUTIFUL WORDS, for readers who love Joanne Harris, Lucinda Riley and Kate Morton

By: Vanessa McCausland

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Dreaming In French

The mysterious and romantic latest new novel from the popular author of THE BEAUTIFUL WORDS, for readers who love Joanne Harris, Lucinda Riley and Kate Morton

By: Vanessa McCausland

A remote French island. A crumbling villa. A reclusive film star. And an inheritance Saskia never expected. The stunning new novel from the critically acclaimed author of The Beautiful Words. Saskia Wyle spent one sultry European summer on Île de Re when she was nineteen. The bright salt flats and sun-soaked beaches are now a distant memory, and one she made herself forget after an unspeakable tragedy. But the French heiress she befriended over twenty years ago has left half of her magnificent home to Saskia and the other half to Felix Allard, the now-reclusive film star living on the island. How did Simone Durant die? Was it the family curse that haunted her? And why has she included Saskia in her will after all this time? Saskia returns to the place of dry-stone walls and ancient olive trees to find that Simone has left her another unexpected gift - a manuscript written in French. Like the lyrical language embedded somewhere in Saskia's subconscious, she must find a way to understand what Simone is telling her. As Saskia once again falls under the island's spell, she must reckon with her past to save what is most precious to her. 'The book I've always dreamed of finding - magical prose, a glorious setting and a gripping storyline. Drift away to a gorgeous French island in the hands of an expert storyteller. McCausland has crafted a stunning novel - my only wish was that it never had to end!' Natasha Lester 'Dreaming in French will whisk you away to the earthy pine forests and sun-baked salt marshes of Île de Re, and into an intoxicating story of friendship, love and unspeakable betrayal. This is a stunning, emotive tale and a captivating escape of a book.' Hannah Richell 'A beautiful book, I loved it. Vivid, evocative, haunting.' Kate Forsyth 'Captures the heady delirium of a European summer love - where the heat and sex is fervent and sweet.' Jessie Tu, Sydney Morning Herald 'McCausland has elevated her writing to a sophisticated new level ... beautifully told' Courier-Mail

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Page Count

236

Publisher

HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460715497

ISBN 13

9781460715499

The Last Illusion of Paige White

The haunting new mystery from the popular author of DREAMING IN FRENCH and THE BEAUTIFUL WORDS, for readers of Hannah Richell, Anita Shreve and Jodi Picoult

By: Vanessa McCausland

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The Last Illusion of Paige White

The haunting new mystery from the popular author of DREAMING IN FRENCH and THE BEAUTIFUL WORDS, for readers of Hannah Richell, Anita Shreve and Jodi Picoult

By: Vanessa McCausland

Compelling, haunting and beautifully written. You'll be thinking about it long after you turn the last page!' Liane Moriarty Two women. A tragedy on the lake. And secrets beneath the surface ... The lyrical, haunting new novel from the author of The Beautiful Words For fans of The Lovely Bones, Before You Knew My Name and Everything I Never Told You Paige White kayaked across the lake each morning at dawn. Someone was watching her. Many someones watched her online. But was anyone with her the day she was found? Paige White's beautiful life is documented closely for her thousands of followers: lakeside picnics with her daughter, sunny afternoons in the family van, and romantic dinners with her husband. So when she posts an ominous image, and her body is shortly after discovered in the lake, everyone immediately wonders - suicide or foul play? Paige finds herself suspended in a strange, idyllic place that resembles her most 'liked' Instagram post, forced to watch as life continues without her. When Paige's death makes national news, Jane Masters, a journalist who was close to Paige in childhood, reluctantly travels home. Struggling with the morality of covering her friend's death, Jane will confront the town she left behind and the dark undercurrents that she's always known run underneath. 'Compelling, haunting and beautifully written, The Last Illusion of Paige White is a clever, page-turning modern mystery as well as a thoughtful exploration of female friendship, family dynamics and the complex impact of social media on self identity. You'll be thinking about it long after you turn the last page! ' Liane Moriarty 'An addictive read which nimbly combines a twisty small-town mystery with a thoughtful critique of influencer culture, all set against the wild, irresistible beauty of the Australian coastal landscape.' Mikki Brammer, author of The Collected Regrets of Clover 'Lyrical and evocative, and with a twisty whodunnit edge, this is Vanessa McCausland's best book yet.' Fiona Lowe 'Atmospheric and poignant' Petronella McGovern 'An ambitious and evocative novel that will appeal to both young and old. Vanessa McCausland has written a modern classic with family, friendship and beauty on the surface, and dark currents swirling beneath.' BM Carroll

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Page Count

329

Publisher

HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460715500

ISBN 13

9781460715505

The Lost Summers of Driftwood

By: Belinda Alexandra,Vanessa McCausland

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The Lost Summers of Driftwood

By: Belinda Alexandra,Vanessa McCausland

She remembered this part of the trip during the day time. Her sisters on either side in the back. The sunlight flickering through branches was like looking through a kaleidoscope. How could that be so long ago? How could so much have gone wrong? Phoebe's life has fallen apart and there's only one place left to go. Alone and adrift after a failed marriage proposal, she flees Sydney to her family's abandoned holiday cottage. On the slow-moving river Phoebe is confronted with the legacy of her older sister's suicide, a year before. Why did Karin leave a note written in flowers and walk into the water? Phoebe's childhood love, Jez, has moved back to the beautiful old house, Driftwood, one jetty down. He's married now and the home has become a refuge for an unlikely little community. As the river begins to give up its secrets, Phoebe finds herself caught up in old feelings and new mysteries.

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Page Count

429

Published Date

ISBN 10

0369337514

ISBN 13

9780369337511

Book's by Vanessa McCausland

The Beautiful Words

The Beautiful Words

The Valley of Lost Stories

The Valley of Lost Stories

Dreaming In French

Dreaming In French

The Last Illusion of Paige White

The Last Illusion of Paige White

The Lost Summers of Driftwood

The Lost Summers of Driftwood

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