AustLit

'The 12 graceful young men move together like a pod of mythical sea creatures, cresting, breaching, elegantly powering through the space as if it is water. Piqué. Arabesque. Sauté. The absolute control over their bodies. Their muscles coiled and taut. The confidence as they lift and hold, sway, then relax into each other with fluidity and apparent effortlessness. The subtle angle of a neck, the delicate shape of fingers, their arms curled overhead in movements unique to internationally acclaimed choreographer Jiří Kylián. Mesmerising.'  (Introduction)

'Daniel Whittaker has left some unusual instructions in his will: in order for his three children to collect their generous inheritance, they must hand-deliver letters addressed to strangers from their father’s past. Who are these people and what was their significance to Daniel?

'For his eldest son, Richard, there are hidden motives for his impatience to settle the will. His sister Evonne is still hurting from decades of her parents’ disapproval. The youngest sibling, Kelly, believes she knew her father best.

'As Daniel’s children carry out his last wishes, each of them must confront their entrenched ideas about their father, and reconsider their own lives. What they discover is beyond anything they imagined.'

source: Publisher's blurb.

'To tell you the truth, I kinda felt sorry for the kid. There was something in his eyes that stirred a memory inside me. For a moment, I was him, I was that boy hiding by the woodshed . . .

'An elderly man, living alone in the suburbs, thinks back on his life - the missed opportunities, the shocking betrayals, the rare moments of joy. When his ten-year-old neighbour hides in his garden one afternoon, they begin an unexpected friendship that offers a reprieve from their individual struggles. The boy, often left on his own by his mother, finds solace in gardening and playing chess with his new friend, who is still battling the demons of his past.

'As a sinister figure enters the boy's life, he must choose between a burgeoning friendship and blood ties. Can the old man protect the boy he has come to know - and redeem the boy he once was?

'A poignant debut novel by a fresh Australian voice, The Promise Seed will move and mesmerise you. ' (Publication summary)