3 family dramas
HERE IS THE BEEHIVE by Sarah Crossan, Bloomsbury
This story of clandestine passion displays daring originality in its verse form. Ana and Connor have been sneaking around in hotel rooms for three years, building a hot-house affair alongside their marriages. But then Connor dies, and Ana hears the news from his wife, who is calling Ana in her capacity as family solicitor. From here, the revelations jump around, filling in the backstory and Ana’s need to hang on to something while unable to say anything.
FLYAWAY by Kathleen Jennings, Picador
Magical realism and Aussie folklore combine in a macabre family mystery set in the district of Inglewell. The fragile trio of Queensland towns is hanging on to a way of life that is sinking into the sun-drenched soil. Bettina, 19, lives alone with her judgemental mother. Three years ago, her brothers and father disappeared, and when she receives a letter branding her a coward, using the nickname that only her family knew, she goes searching for her siblings. A lyrical tale.
TINY WHITE LIES by Fiona Palmer, Hachette
Best friends Ashley – struggling in the aftermath of her husband’s sudden death – and Nikki head off on a coastal retreat. They need to escape the rat-race and the frightening social media influences on their teenage children. In the rugged countryside, the families can reconnect with what’s important, but while the kids embrace the outdoors, the adults are confronted with secrets and, of course, lies. There’s an honesty to Palmer’s characters that transports you into the heart of their worlds.