The Lost Man - by Jane Harper (Paperback)

About the Book

Two brothers meet at the remote fence line separating their cattle ranches in the lonely outback. In an isolated belt of Western Australia, they are each other's nearest neighbor, their homes four hours' drive apart. The third brother lies dead at their feet. Something caused Cam, the middle child who had been in charge of the family homestead, to die alone in the middle of nowhere. So the eldest brother returns with his younger sibling to the family property and those left behind. But the fragile balance of the ranch is threatened. Amidst the grief, suspicion starts to take hold, and the eldest brother begins to wonder if more than one among them is at risk of crumbling as the weight of isolation bears down on them all. Dark, suspenseful, and deeply atmospheric, The Lost Man is the highly anticipated book from the bestselling and award-winning Jane Harper, author of The Dry and Force of Nature.

Book Synopsis

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"I love Jane Harper's Australia-based mysteries." --Stephen King

Two brothers meet in the remote Australian outback when the third brother is found dead, in this stunning new standalone novel from Jane Harper

Brothers Nathan and Bub Bright meet for the first time in months at the remote fence line separating their cattle ranches in the lonely outback.

Their third brother, Cameron, lies dead at their feet.

In an isolated belt of Australia, their homes a three-hour drive apart, the brothers were one another's nearest neighbors. Cameron was the middle child, the one who ran the family homestead. But something made him head out alone under the unrelenting sun.

Nathan, Bub and Nathan's son return to Cameron's ranch and to those left behind by his passing: his wife, his daughters, and his mother, as well as their long-time employee and two recently hired seasonal workers.

While they grieve Cameron's loss, suspicion starts to take hold, and Nathan is forced to examine secrets the family would rather leave in the past. Because if someone forced Cameron to his death, the isolation of the outback leaves few suspects.

A powerful and brutal story of suspense set against a formidable landscape, The Lost Man confirms Jane Harper, author of The Dry and Force of Nature, is one of the best new voices in writing today.

Review Quotes

"I love Jane Harper's Australia-based mysteries." --Stephen King

"[A] crime masterpiece. The landscape and culture of this remote Australian territory are magnificently evoked as a story of family secrets unfolds. Rarely does a puzzle so complicated fit together perfectly--you'll be shaking your head in amazement."
--People

"All at once enthralling...Book by book, [Harper is] creating her own vivid and complex account of the outback."
--New York Times Book Review

"A nuanced but pulse-pounding thriller set in the heart of the Australian Outback, where two brothers find their sibling dead."
--Entertainment Weekly

"Engrossing...Storytelling at its finest."
--Associated Press

"A timely and riveting family drama set in a desolate area of Queensland that will keep you guessing until the final pages."
--BookPage, starred review, "Top Pick of the Month"

"Harper's masterful narrative places readers right in the middle of a desolate landscape that's almost as alien as the moon's surface, where the effects of long-term isolation are always a concern. The mystery of Cam's death is at the dark heart of an unfolding family drama that will leave readers reeling, and the final reveal is a heartbreaker. A twisty slow burner by an author at the top of her game."
--Kirkus, starred review

"I absolutely loved The Lost Man. I devoured it in a day. Her best yet!"
--Liane Moriarty

"The atmosphere is so thick you can taste the red-clay dust, and the folklore surrounding the mysterious stockman adds an additional edge to an already dark and intense narrative. The truth is revealed in a surprising ending that reveals how far someone will go to preserve a life worth living in a place at once loathed and loved."
--Booklist

"The Lost Man is a compulsive, gripping read from start to finish with an atmosphere you can cut with a knife. I was absolutely blown away by it."
--Kate Hamer, bestselling author of The Girl in the Red Coat

"Jane Harper is at the top of the crime writing genre along with Attica Locke, Megan Abbott, and Tana French...[The Lost Man] slowly builds into one hell of a mystery! I will drop whatever I am doing to read a Jane Harper crime novel."
--BookRiot

"Harper unfolds the story expertly so that the ending is both unexpected and entirely logical."
--Raleigh News & Observer

"Quietly unsettling, in a hypnotic and heartbreaking way."
--Shelf Awareness

"I read it in 24 hours. It's gripping, atmospheric and ultimately deeply satisfying."
--Val McDermid, internationally bestselling author of The Grave Tattoo

"I don't have words for how much I loved it. Her other two books were amazing, but this is in a different league. It totally transcends genre, and it should win all the prizes."
--Marian Keyes, internationally bestselling author of The Break

"I ask in earnest: How the hell does she do it? The Lost Man is Jane Harper's third consecutive marvel... and, against long odds, her most marvelous yet, pitting brother against brother, man against nature, reader against the clock. What an extraordinary novel: part family drama, part indelible ode to the Outback -- a thriller as forceful and atmospheric as a brewing storm. Harper works miracles. We're lucky to witness them."
--A.J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

"Fabulously atmospheric, the book starts slowly and gradually picks up pace towards a jaw-dropping denouement."
--Guardian

"Her best yet; it's certainly one of the finest novels of any sort, not only within the genre, that I've read in many moons . . . Harper adroitly blends the tension and brisk pace of a thriller with the psychological acuity and stylish prose of literary fiction."
--Irish Independent

"Nothing about this novel is predictable. The characters are compelling, the plot is thrilling and the ending is so very satisfying. There's something special about getting to the end of a book and figuring out the mystery. You'll be left feeling content, a little shocked and desperate for more."
--Marie Claire (Australia)

"If you liked The Dry, you'll love it. The Lost Man is an even better book, gripping right to the end. This terrific piece of outback noir opens with the discovery of a body...Harper...paints the menacing landscape brilliantly. The book's title could easily relate to several of the male characters. This engrossing novel will have you thinking long after you've turned the last page."
--Herald Sun (Aus)

"Harper's sinewy prose and flinty characters compel...Jaw-dropping denouement."
--Publishers Weekly

"The novel shimmers with the heat of the Australian outback. I was mesmerized by this extraordinary vast brutal place and Harper's minutely observed, subtle and nuanced story within it."
--Rosamund Lupton, bestselling author of Sister

About the Author

Jane Harper is the New York Times bestselling author of The Dry, a #1 international bestseller, and Force of Nature, also an international bestseller. The Lost Man is her third bestselling novel. Jane previously worked as a print journalist in Australia and the UK and lives in Melbourne with her husband, daughter, and son.