AustLit

'This third novel from acclaimed Queensland author Sally Piper focuses on the repercussions, within one family, of a terrible crime.

'Even though sixteen years have passed, Billie will never recover from the murder of her daughter, Jess, and clings to her memory – and the site of her death – like a life raft. Daniel, who was a toddler when his mother was killed, can recall little of what happened back then but knows if he’s to have any chance of a better future then he needs to move on from that defining event, if only his grandmother would let him. Meanwhile Daniel’s stepmother, Carla, also feels trapped by Jess’s legacy but has a plan that she believes will help everyone to escape from the long shadow of that terrible event.

'Deeply human, evocative and beautifully written, Bone Memories explores themes of human connection and the memorialisation of place.'

'When three young women set off on a hike through the wilderness they are anticipating the adventure of a lifetime. Over the next five days, as they face up to the challenging terrain, it soon becomes clear they are not alone and the freedom they feel quickly turns to fear. Only when it is too late for them to turn back do they fully appreciate the danger they are in. As their friendship is tested, each girl makes an irrevocable choice; the legacy of which haunts them for years to come.

'Now in their forties, Samantha, Lisa and Nicole are estranged, but decide to revisit their original hike in an attempt to salvage what they lost. As geography and history collide, they are forced to come to terms with the differences that have grown between them and the true value of friendship.' (Publication summary)

'Grace has not had twelve people at her table for a long time. Hers isn't the kind of family who share regular Sunday meals. But it isn't every day you turn seventy.

'As Grace prepares the feast, she reflects on her life, her marriage and her friendships. When the three generations come together, simmering tensions from the past threaten to boil over. The one thing that no one can talk about is the one thing that no one can forget.

'Grace's Table is a moving and often funny novel about the power of memory and the family rituals that define us.' (Publisher's blurb)