Echo Lake
Set in the atmospheric villages & forests of the Southern Highlands, Echo Lake is a compulsive read that will keep you guessing until the very end.
A compulsive debut thriller that will haunt you long after you've turned the final page.
In the sleepy, scenic Southern Highlands of New South Wales, a beautiful young woman goes missing.
Six years later, recently divorced historian Rose McHugh leaves the city to start a new life in the highlands and finds a roll of film buried in her back garden. On it are photos of the missing woman.
Against the advice of an enigmatic detective, she uses her powers of persuasion and her knack for deciphering clues to pursue the case. As Rose searches through tangled secrets and hidden places haunted by the past, she realises there is a killer at large.
As she makes new friends, and dangerous enemies, Rose closes in on a suspect—but will she solve the mystery too late to save herself?
Endorsements
‘As cosy as it is compulsive, Sauers brings the eerie beauty of winter in the Southern Highlands to life. Despite the murder and mayhem that newcomer – and accidental amateur sleuth – Rose encounters when she moves to her dream cottage in the countryside, I wanted to nestle in, myself. A highly recommended, vivid read!’
– Jacqueline Bublitz, author of Before You Knew My Name
‘I couldn’t put this book down! From the breathtaking first page to the spine-tingling finale, Echo Lake held me entranced. This masterful debut combines the gripping menace of a thriller with the humour and heart of a cosy mystery, reflecting the rich character, history and beauty of the enigmatic Southern Highlands. Perfect for fireside reading, particularly if paired with a rich red and some quality chocolate!’
– Nina Campbell, author of Daughters of Eve
“Set in the scenic Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Joan Sauers’ Echo Lake is full of atmosphere; the very landscape echoes both freedom and foreboding. Rose McHugh, middle-aged and newly single, is a convincing, compelling and intelligent protagonist who stumbles onto a mystery and won’t let it go. In her search for a killer, she finds her place in her new world as well, which gives this pacy thriller a warm heart.”
— Vikki Petraitis, author The Unbelieved