Out of Breath by Anna Snoekstra

Jo keeps running away. In a small town in England she runs from her family then from art college in London. Arriving in Australia she must work on farm to meet the requirements of her visa. She finds herself in a remote area near coastal Broome in north west Australia picking mangoes but finds herself running again. She thought she had found paradise in an isolated off the grid community. But was there something sinister underneath the happy smiles and idyllic life?

 

Jo is a complicated character haunted by her past. She is both likeable and frustrating as times. It is interesting how, with each escape, her name gets shortened– Josephine, Josie, Jo, J All the other characters are realistic and clearly depicted.

 

I enjoyed reading this thriller although even with its mystery and intrigue, it took me a while to get into the story. I kept pushing through waiting for something more dramatic to happen. When it did (about a third of the way through) it became more exciting and the final chapters were particularly hard to put down.

 

I commend Anna Snoekstra on her descriptive writing making it easy to get to know, and understand the characters and to see, hear and feel the Australian outback – the heat, colours and dangers.

 

Overall, it was an enjoyable read. The plot and storyline were unique and I loved the ending.

 

Thanks to Anna Snoekstra, NetGalley, and HarperCollins for providing an ARC.

 

My rating 4*

 

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