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The Ledge
When human remains are discovered in a forest, police are baffled, the locals are shocked and one group of old friends starts to panic. Their long-held secret is about to be uncovered.
It all began in 1999 when sixteen-year-old Aaron ran away from home, drawing his friends into an unforeseeable chain of events that no one escaped from unscathed.
In The Ledge, past and present run breathlessly parallel, leading to a cliff-hanger nobody will see coming. This is a mind-bending new novel from the master of the unexpected.
It all began in 1999 when sixteen-year-old Aaron ran away from home, drawing his friends into an unforeseeable chain of events that no one escaped from unscathed.
In The Ledge, past and present run breathlessly parallel, leading to a cliff-hanger nobody will see coming. This is a mind-bending new novel from the master of the unexpected.
314 pages, Paperback
First published September 24, 2024
519 people are currently reading
8826 people want to read
About the author
Christian White
9 books1,866 followersChristian White is an Australian author and screenwriter. His debut novel, The Nowhere Child, won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript. He co-created the television series Carnivores, currently in development with Matchbox Pictures and Heyday TV, and co-wrote Relic, a psychological horror feature film to be produced by Carver Films (The Snowtown Murders, Partisan).
Born and raised on the Mornington Peninsula, Christian had an eclectic range of ‘day jobs’ before he was able to write full-time, including food-cart driver on a golf course and video editor for an adult film company. He now spends his days writing from his home in Melbourne where he lives with his wife, the filmmaker Summer DeRoche, and their adopted greyhound, Issy. He has a passion for true crime podcasts, Stephen King and anything to do with Bigfoot. The Nowhere Child is his first book. Christian’s currently working on his second novel, due for publication by Affirm Press in 2019.
Born and raised on the Mornington Peninsula, Christian had an eclectic range of ‘day jobs’ before he was able to write full-time, including food-cart driver on a golf course and video editor for an adult film company. He now spends his days writing from his home in Melbourne where he lives with his wife, the filmmaker Summer DeRoche, and their adopted greyhound, Issy. He has a passion for true crime podcasts, Stephen King and anything to do with Bigfoot. The Nowhere Child is his first book. Christian’s currently working on his second novel, due for publication by Affirm Press in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,361 reviews
December 10, 2024
This was my first Christian White read. I always heard good things about his work – now I understand why!
The Ledge is told via dual timelines. In the present day, human remains are discovered in regional Victoria – shocking locals and bringing old secrets to the surface for one group of friends. Meanwhile, twenty-five years earlier (in 1999), we learn how this group of teenagers (Justin, Aaron, Chen and Leeson) came to find themselves embroiled in a tragic chain of events.
I was resistant to the dual timeline at first – it has been done to death in books recently. I found it hard to get into rhythm, but each timeline ultimately reeled me in and kept me engaged. I enjoyed the 90s vibes and homage to the likes of Stand By Me, It and Lord of the Flies.
The book is filled with strong characters, including West Haven itself. Christian really knows how to create atmosphere, and layer the intrigue, leaving each chapter on cliffhangers that make you want to keep reading. It’s cleverly written. Christian even manages to make silence and stillness feel wretchedly ominous and foreboding. It’s suspense at its best, combined with great dialogue and descriptive writing.
“The hot summer breeze kicked up again, howling through the cracks in the house and thumping against the chipboard walls. It sounded as though the house were alive, some yawning creature that had swallowed us without thinking, like a basking shark sucking up krill.”
I loved how Christian took this place – the ledge – and made it seem like this living and breathing thing, indifferent to time and people and everything else. It played such a central role. Important themes are explored too, such as toxic masculinity, friendship and loyalty, and loss of childhood.
Christian has deservedly been touted “master of the unexpected” – I didn’t see the twist coming whatsoever! It was twist of the year, and made my jaw drop, ensuring this coming-of-age story will remain a memorable read. I look forward to enjoying more of his work!
“I never really came back down from the ledge. Until tonight.”
Many thanks to Affirm Press for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Ledge is told via dual timelines. In the present day, human remains are discovered in regional Victoria – shocking locals and bringing old secrets to the surface for one group of friends. Meanwhile, twenty-five years earlier (in 1999), we learn how this group of teenagers (Justin, Aaron, Chen and Leeson) came to find themselves embroiled in a tragic chain of events.
I was resistant to the dual timeline at first – it has been done to death in books recently. I found it hard to get into rhythm, but each timeline ultimately reeled me in and kept me engaged. I enjoyed the 90s vibes and homage to the likes of Stand By Me, It and Lord of the Flies.
The book is filled with strong characters, including West Haven itself. Christian really knows how to create atmosphere, and layer the intrigue, leaving each chapter on cliffhangers that make you want to keep reading. It’s cleverly written. Christian even manages to make silence and stillness feel wretchedly ominous and foreboding. It’s suspense at its best, combined with great dialogue and descriptive writing.
“The hot summer breeze kicked up again, howling through the cracks in the house and thumping against the chipboard walls. It sounded as though the house were alive, some yawning creature that had swallowed us without thinking, like a basking shark sucking up krill.”
I loved how Christian took this place – the ledge – and made it seem like this living and breathing thing, indifferent to time and people and everything else. It played such a central role. Important themes are explored too, such as toxic masculinity, friendship and loyalty, and loss of childhood.
Christian has deservedly been touted “master of the unexpected” – I didn’t see the twist coming whatsoever! It was twist of the year, and made my jaw drop, ensuring this coming-of-age story will remain a memorable read. I look forward to enjoying more of his work!
“I never really came back down from the ledge. Until tonight.”
Many thanks to Affirm Press for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 24, 2024
aaaaaaabsolutely outstanding. that plot twist had me staring at a wall for 20 minutes. then I proceeded to double back throughout the entire book second guessing everything. I had to go back and double check I had read things correctly. The way Christian White can gaslight me into thinking something and then throw everything out the window and call me a dumbass is so crazy.
I love Christian White’s writing style. It’s one of my favourites. There isn’t much depth to characters in this one, but I don’t mind because every chapter ended on a cliffhanger.
I could not stop reading and smashed this out in a matter of hours. It was so engaging.
Definitely recommend! So glad I decided to read this.
Tossing up between 4 and 5 stars so I’m settling on 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
I love Christian White’s writing style. It’s one of my favourites. There isn’t much depth to characters in this one, but I don’t mind because every chapter ended on a cliffhanger.
I could not stop reading and smashed this out in a matter of hours. It was so engaging.
Definitely recommend! So glad I decided to read this.
Tossing up between 4 and 5 stars so I’m settling on 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
April 7, 2025
THE BIGGER THE SECRET,
THE HARDER THE FALL.
Christian White’s The Ledge delivers a taut, psychological thriller that grips the reader from the first page and refuses to let go. Known for his ability to craft stories full of tension and unexpected twists, White sets his latest novel in both the past and the present, it takes us back to 1999 and the nostalgia is tremendous. It's an easy read, thoroughly engaging throughout with a big twist you don’t see coming!
The story centers around severely decomposed human remains that are found in West Haven State Forest. They’ve probably been out there for decades. After the discovery is announced four old school friends gather together. Do they have a secret?
What makes The Ledge truly stand out is White's masterful use of tension and pacing. The novel is a slow burn thriller, where the suspense builds incrementally with each chapter. The reader is kept on edge, unsure of who to trust.
The Ledge is a gripping read for fans of psychological thrillers. White continues to prove his talent for creating suspenseful, well constructed narratives that keep you thinking long after the last page. If you enjoy books that combine drama with deep psychological exploration, The Ledge will not disappoint.
My Highest Recommendation.
Thank you Affirm Press for gifting me an advanced copy of The Ledge for review.
Available from today!
THE HARDER THE FALL.
Christian White’s The Ledge delivers a taut, psychological thriller that grips the reader from the first page and refuses to let go. Known for his ability to craft stories full of tension and unexpected twists, White sets his latest novel in both the past and the present, it takes us back to 1999 and the nostalgia is tremendous. It's an easy read, thoroughly engaging throughout with a big twist you don’t see coming!
The story centers around severely decomposed human remains that are found in West Haven State Forest. They’ve probably been out there for decades. After the discovery is announced four old school friends gather together. Do they have a secret?
What makes The Ledge truly stand out is White's masterful use of tension and pacing. The novel is a slow burn thriller, where the suspense builds incrementally with each chapter. The reader is kept on edge, unsure of who to trust.
The Ledge is a gripping read for fans of psychological thrillers. White continues to prove his talent for creating suspenseful, well constructed narratives that keep you thinking long after the last page. If you enjoy books that combine drama with deep psychological exploration, The Ledge will not disappoint.
My Highest Recommendation.
Thank you Affirm Press for gifting me an advanced copy of The Ledge for review.
Available from today!
October 19, 2024
Boyhood, manhood and those moments that define the way this will go. Regional Victoria the boys are best mates, they mention frequently they are brothers. There is mate ship, they are in the 90's. This was what I liked most here, I sensed the love they shared.
The slow burn progresses from the turn of the century - I loved the chatter of the times, the references to what I knew. These were my times. Floppy discs, computer studies. I know when author's are the same era and I always like this.
I may have decided I don't love dual time line narratives. The boys, then and now, tell the story of a death and the discovery of this years later. We think we know what's going on, the secrets and the cover ups between these blood brothers.
Christian White is known for his ability to twist and turn with a good psychological thriller, this one is no exception as the reader can't quite grasp what is to come. I wasn't able to grab onto the characters in the way I like to, I didn't form a connect, and to me, this is what matters in what I like to read.
We could see clearly into the boys psyches, and what drives them, and yes, the twist was excellent. I'm in the outlier's camp here, I liked this one but nut as much as everyone else. This is a popular book, rated exponentially highly, a shame I couldn't love it as much!
I listened to this via the Libby platform and my local library.
The slow burn progresses from the turn of the century - I loved the chatter of the times, the references to what I knew. These were my times. Floppy discs, computer studies. I know when author's are the same era and I always like this.
I may have decided I don't love dual time line narratives. The boys, then and now, tell the story of a death and the discovery of this years later. We think we know what's going on, the secrets and the cover ups between these blood brothers.
Christian White is known for his ability to twist and turn with a good psychological thriller, this one is no exception as the reader can't quite grasp what is to come. I wasn't able to grab onto the characters in the way I like to, I didn't form a connect, and to me, this is what matters in what I like to read.
We could see clearly into the boys psyches, and what drives them, and yes, the twist was excellent. I'm in the outlier's camp here, I liked this one but nut as much as everyone else. This is a popular book, rated exponentially highly, a shame I couldn't love it as much!
I listened to this via the Libby platform and my local library.
November 13, 2024
Christian White got me again! How does he keep doing this?
He remains one of the Master’s of the jaw-dropping twists. The Ledge sure packed a punch – an emotional gut punch. The clues were there – but of course I didn’t see them for what they were.
The Ledge is his best book yet. All his thrillers have been 5 star reads for me, but this one was even better than my previous favourite – The Wife and the Widow.
The present (2023) and past (1999) dual timeline were equally engrossing, complex, and fast-paced.
At just 352 pages The Ledge is a quick read, so perfect for the approaching busy holiday season.
Christian White captured the vibe and nostalgia of childhood, friendship, and innocence lost when violence explodes into the lives of four teenage boys in a small Victoria, Australia town. Loved the homage to Stephen King’s, It and Stand By Me (1986) with kids riding bikes and walking train tracks.
Just read it! Or listen! I toggled between the physical book and the audiobook, and Nic English’s performance was superb.
I don’t know how I’m going to narrow down my 2024 favourites list?
He remains one of the Master’s of the jaw-dropping twists. The Ledge sure packed a punch – an emotional gut punch. The clues were there – but of course I didn’t see them for what they were.
The Ledge is his best book yet. All his thrillers have been 5 star reads for me, but this one was even better than my previous favourite – The Wife and the Widow.
The present (2023) and past (1999) dual timeline were equally engrossing, complex, and fast-paced.
At just 352 pages The Ledge is a quick read, so perfect for the approaching busy holiday season.
Christian White captured the vibe and nostalgia of childhood, friendship, and innocence lost when violence explodes into the lives of four teenage boys in a small Victoria, Australia town. Loved the homage to Stephen King’s, It and Stand By Me (1986) with kids riding bikes and walking train tracks.
Just read it! Or listen! I toggled between the physical book and the audiobook, and Nic English’s performance was superb.
I don’t know how I’m going to narrow down my 2024 favourites list?
September 29, 2024
Christian White never fails to amaze me with his intense and twisty thrillers, and The Ledge may be a new favourite for me. I could not put this book down, I was completely drawn into the dual timelines and just had to know what happened back then and what was going to happen now. Do not pick this book up and expect to just read a few chapters, you are going to need to block everything out and devour this one.
Human remains are found in a forest in country Victoria, bringing 3 childhood friends back to their hometown. Something happened in 1999, and a pact was made to tell no one. The police investigation is make the 3 now men very nervous, are their secrets about to be exposed?
This book is brilliant, just brilliant. It is a slow burning start while the scene is set both now and in 1999. You will soon be so invested that you will lose track of time. If you have read anything by this author before you will know that he can write a killer twist and you will not see it coming. This book gave me Stand By Me vibes, one of my all time favourite movies so I loved that,
Just read it, Published in Australia on September 24th. Thank you so much to Affirm Press for my gorgeous ARC.
Human remains are found in a forest in country Victoria, bringing 3 childhood friends back to their hometown. Something happened in 1999, and a pact was made to tell no one. The police investigation is make the 3 now men very nervous, are their secrets about to be exposed?
This book is brilliant, just brilliant. It is a slow burning start while the scene is set both now and in 1999. You will soon be so invested that you will lose track of time. If you have read anything by this author before you will know that he can write a killer twist and you will not see it coming. This book gave me Stand By Me vibes, one of my all time favourite movies so I loved that,
Just read it, Published in Australia on September 24th. Thank you so much to Affirm Press for my gorgeous ARC.
August 30, 2024
Christian White is the master of misdirection. Yes I publish him but I challenge everyone to read this and not love it. His pacing is superb and how he also manages to catch me with his twists.
October 1, 2024
A twist that made me fall off my chair
December 4, 2024
It's been a few years between publications for this author so as someone who has really enjoyed all his books so far, I was excited for this novel. It did not disappoint by any means; another fantastic read. The narrative moves between two timelines, one in 1999 when teenage boy Aaron runs away from home and the other in the present where human remains have been located. I'll say no more about the plot other than wow, I love an unexpected twist that I didn't see coming. It is an engaging and very well-written read which sucks the reader in immediately, resulting in a frantic page-turner. The pacing is pure perfection with the tension slowly ramping up and the readers not knowing who to trust.
Overall: top read for 2024, don't go past this one if you enjoy suspense thrillers.
Overall: top read for 2024, don't go past this one if you enjoy suspense thrillers.
February 24, 2025
D'oh! Even though I was expecting it - looking for it, even - the twist that Christian White delivers up this time really does prove that he is the master. As soon as I finished I had to return to the beginning to see how I missed it.
A disappearance, a murder, human remains found deep in the forest. Events that took place in a small Victorian town in 1999 when Justin, Aaron, Leeson & Chen were teens, return to haunt them as grown men. To say any more would spoil the ride.
This would have been 5 stars except that White uses diary entries for the earlier timeline and followers will know how much I hate that! However, on just this one occasion, I found it somewhat forgivable as the teen diarist knew he wanted to be a writer when he grew up.
Highly recommended.
A disappearance, a murder, human remains found deep in the forest. Events that took place in a small Victorian town in 1999 when Justin, Aaron, Leeson & Chen were teens, return to haunt them as grown men. To say any more would spoil the ride.
This would have been 5 stars except that White uses diary entries for the earlier timeline and followers will know how much I hate that! However, on just this one occasion, I found it somewhat forgivable as the teen diarist knew he wanted to be a writer when he grew up.
Highly recommended.
January 4, 2025
Really easy to read, but really quite boring. Yeah, the twist is pretty crazy, but not impressive enough to justify how dull the first 280 pages of this was.
September 5, 2024
Thank you Affirm Press for sending us a copy to read and review.
This is my first reading adventure with popular Aussie author Christian White.
Yes, I’m late to the party but better late than never, right…..
I’ve been told by many readers and other bloggers that “why have I not read a Christian White book”.
“He’s great, his stories are twisty and so clever,” people are saying.
I can now confirm, I have read The Ledge and I get what all the hype is about.
It’s a very sharp, twisty, smart and addictive story with a surprise here and there and a curveball ending.
Deceased human parts are uncovered in a small outback town.
The police begin an investigation and a group of friends get nervous.
Back in 1999 a gang of teens set off a chain of events that caused chaos and one fleeing town.
A pact was made.
Now the past and the present will collide and no one will be the same again…..
An electrifying plot, a cast of misfits and charming characters, unexpected ending and that jaw dropping twist.
I was impressed by the gripping plot and that twist got me good.
Kudos to you Christian!
I will be going through Christian’s back catalogue in the coming months including his very popular The Wife And The Widow.
This is my first reading adventure with popular Aussie author Christian White.
Yes, I’m late to the party but better late than never, right…..
I’ve been told by many readers and other bloggers that “why have I not read a Christian White book”.
“He’s great, his stories are twisty and so clever,” people are saying.
I can now confirm, I have read The Ledge and I get what all the hype is about.
It’s a very sharp, twisty, smart and addictive story with a surprise here and there and a curveball ending.
Deceased human parts are uncovered in a small outback town.
The police begin an investigation and a group of friends get nervous.
Back in 1999 a gang of teens set off a chain of events that caused chaos and one fleeing town.
A pact was made.
Now the past and the present will collide and no one will be the same again…..
An electrifying plot, a cast of misfits and charming characters, unexpected ending and that jaw dropping twist.
I was impressed by the gripping plot and that twist got me good.
Kudos to you Christian!
I will be going through Christian’s back catalogue in the coming months including his very popular The Wife And The Widow.
September 18, 2024
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
A missing sixteen year old teenager, a twist you won’t see coming and the nostalgia of 1999 makes this crime novel one you definitely won’t want to miss out on and it’s impossible to put down!
Christian White you totally blindsided me, you’re an absolute master of the game of perception, how did I not work out that creative twist!
The Ledge is set in Australia in the past and the present, it’s an easy read and engaging throughout.
Present time - Severely decomposed human remains are found in West Haven State Forest, they’ve probably been out there for decades. After the discovery is announced four old school friends that hold a secret from their teenage past gather together. Will they panic, will their secret be discovered?
The less you know about the story the better the surprise of what happens next.
This is one of those books I desperately feel the urge to go back and read again now that I know the ending so I can find those clues the second time around. If you can guess the twist at the end, well done to you! 👏🏻
Publication Date 24 September 2024
Publisher Affirm Press
Thank you so much Affirm Press for sending me an early copy of The Ledge.
A missing sixteen year old teenager, a twist you won’t see coming and the nostalgia of 1999 makes this crime novel one you definitely won’t want to miss out on and it’s impossible to put down!
Christian White you totally blindsided me, you’re an absolute master of the game of perception, how did I not work out that creative twist!
The Ledge is set in Australia in the past and the present, it’s an easy read and engaging throughout.
Present time - Severely decomposed human remains are found in West Haven State Forest, they’ve probably been out there for decades. After the discovery is announced four old school friends that hold a secret from their teenage past gather together. Will they panic, will their secret be discovered?
The less you know about the story the better the surprise of what happens next.
This is one of those books I desperately feel the urge to go back and read again now that I know the ending so I can find those clues the second time around. If you can guess the twist at the end, well done to you! 👏🏻
Publication Date 24 September 2024
Publisher Affirm Press
Thank you so much Affirm Press for sending me an early copy of The Ledge.
February 13, 2025
Read for March book club or, rather, listened to on my daily commute throughout the first half of this week.
The Ledge by Christian White has a real Stand by Me vibe. The author says in his notes at the end that he was heavily inspired by It and Lord of the Flies. I definitely checked that vibe throughout.
Even so, the hype for this one fell flat for me. I am a tough nut to crack when it comes to crime fiction, I'll readily admit to that. I didn't like the main character, even less so after the twist revealed at the end, and without empathy for a character, it's a hard sell. I'm also a bit over the whole 'return to the small town after decades away when a body is found' plot line.
This is a case of the wrong reader for the wrong book, but you get that with book clubs. Not everyone likes the same type of book, and everyone gets a turn at picking. Better luck next time!
The Ledge by Christian White has a real Stand by Me vibe. The author says in his notes at the end that he was heavily inspired by It and Lord of the Flies. I definitely checked that vibe throughout.
Even so, the hype for this one fell flat for me. I am a tough nut to crack when it comes to crime fiction, I'll readily admit to that. I didn't like the main character, even less so after the twist revealed at the end, and without empathy for a character, it's a hard sell. I'm also a bit over the whole 'return to the small town after decades away when a body is found' plot line.
This is a case of the wrong reader for the wrong book, but you get that with book clubs. Not everyone likes the same type of book, and everyone gets a turn at picking. Better luck next time!
November 30, 2024
*https://www.instagram.com/mrsb_book_r...
🏔Fellow Australian crime writer Chris Hammer knows his stuff. I have to agree with his statement that author Christian White is the ‘master of the big twist’. White is back with another extreme crime thriller. The Ledge is compulsive, unpredictable and tense.
🏔The discovery of human bones in a forest sends the authorities in a spin, as identifying these remains proves extremely taxing. Drawing together a group of locals and old friends, the unearthing of the bones causes this friendship circle to panic. What secrets from the past involving a teenage runaway will be revealed? Who will be implicated in the process?
🏔A new Christian White novel is always a reason to lock yourself away from the world and indulge in a binge reading session. As a long-time fan of White’s work, I knew as soon as this book was released I’d need to set aside a good chunk of interrupted reading time for his new book. As predicted, it contained White’s exclusive twist upon twist approach, a perplexing crime mystery element and a closing death drop plot flip.
🏔My advice is to really go into The Ledge with very little by way of assumptions, plot knowledge or content ideas. Rather, surrender yourself to White’s narrative. The Ledge will thrill you, perplex you, dominate you and send you in a flurry of emotions. The dual narrative works perfectly, especially if you have a connection to the 1999 timeline. I really valued being transported back to such a pivotal and personal era in my life, White nailed it. I had no idea where this one was headed, but I sure loved the ride!
🏔The Ledge is a sensational cloaked thriller by one our country’s most adept writers both on the page and on our screens.
🌟🌟🌟🌟4 solid stars, out now!
🏔Fellow Australian crime writer Chris Hammer knows his stuff. I have to agree with his statement that author Christian White is the ‘master of the big twist’. White is back with another extreme crime thriller. The Ledge is compulsive, unpredictable and tense.
🏔The discovery of human bones in a forest sends the authorities in a spin, as identifying these remains proves extremely taxing. Drawing together a group of locals and old friends, the unearthing of the bones causes this friendship circle to panic. What secrets from the past involving a teenage runaway will be revealed? Who will be implicated in the process?
🏔A new Christian White novel is always a reason to lock yourself away from the world and indulge in a binge reading session. As a long-time fan of White’s work, I knew as soon as this book was released I’d need to set aside a good chunk of interrupted reading time for his new book. As predicted, it contained White’s exclusive twist upon twist approach, a perplexing crime mystery element and a closing death drop plot flip.
🏔My advice is to really go into The Ledge with very little by way of assumptions, plot knowledge or content ideas. Rather, surrender yourself to White’s narrative. The Ledge will thrill you, perplex you, dominate you and send you in a flurry of emotions. The dual narrative works perfectly, especially if you have a connection to the 1999 timeline. I really valued being transported back to such a pivotal and personal era in my life, White nailed it. I had no idea where this one was headed, but I sure loved the ride!
🏔The Ledge is a sensational cloaked thriller by one our country’s most adept writers both on the page and on our screens.
🌟🌟🌟🌟4 solid stars, out now!
October 2, 2024
OMFG! I didn’t see that coming at all!!!!!!!!! Wow!
January 30, 2025
shocked -> mad -> sad
Love being reminded that men suck
Love being reminded that men suck
October 7, 2025
2 stars
I'm not saying Christian White is not a good writer, he simply is not the type I enjoy.
Why? It takes faaaaarrrr tooooo long for anything to happen. He takes the longest, winded road to get to a point, any point. The ending in this book was good but not good enough to make up for ....basically the entire book where nothing happens. I'm not reading a book for its last 10 pages, otherwise i can just read the last 10 pages and save my time...
I'm not saying Christian White is not a good writer, he simply is not the type I enjoy.
Why? It takes faaaaarrrr tooooo long for anything to happen. He takes the longest, winded road to get to a point, any point. The ending in this book was good but not good enough to make up for ....basically the entire book where nothing happens. I'm not reading a book for its last 10 pages, otherwise i can just read the last 10 pages and save my time...
September 23, 2024
I love supporting Aussie writers and Christian White is one of my favs.
When I saw his upcoming release - The Ledge. I knew I just had to secure myself an ARC.
Set in small town Australia, two different timelines. Now and back in the past 1999 when 3 teenage boys were forced to make pact to never tell anyone..... no one can ever find out what happened.
NOW, Human remains are found in the forest of this small country town, Victoria Australia.
As the police investigation ensues... the 3 friends now men return to their hometown. As they anxiously wait to find out if their secrets will be exposed.
Can they trust each other, will one of them crack? reveal the truth? I really enjoyed the two time lines.... the backstory and the lead up to find out what really happened.
You think, you have it all figured out. But no, with red herrings and twists a plenty this book will have you flipping through the pages to the final reveal, I did not see coming.
Fans of Christians' writing and character driven thriller lovers will eat this book up.
It is best to go into this book blind, to avoid any potential spoilers, trust me its a goodie!!
Thanks so much to Affirm press for my ARC of this book, absolutely loved it. Looking forward to Christian's upcoming book tour and signing. I want to hear more about the inspo for this book.
When I saw his upcoming release - The Ledge. I knew I just had to secure myself an ARC.
Set in small town Australia, two different timelines. Now and back in the past 1999 when 3 teenage boys were forced to make pact to never tell anyone..... no one can ever find out what happened.
NOW, Human remains are found in the forest of this small country town, Victoria Australia.
As the police investigation ensues... the 3 friends now men return to their hometown. As they anxiously wait to find out if their secrets will be exposed.
Can they trust each other, will one of them crack? reveal the truth? I really enjoyed the two time lines.... the backstory and the lead up to find out what really happened.
You think, you have it all figured out. But no, with red herrings and twists a plenty this book will have you flipping through the pages to the final reveal, I did not see coming.
Fans of Christians' writing and character driven thriller lovers will eat this book up.
It is best to go into this book blind, to avoid any potential spoilers, trust me its a goodie!!
Thanks so much to Affirm press for my ARC of this book, absolutely loved it. Looking forward to Christian's upcoming book tour and signing. I want to hear more about the inspo for this book.
October 26, 2024
I read and enjoyed all White's novels, so I was keen to listen to this one.
The audiobook accompanied me while painting a room.
Human remains are discovered, prompting the protagonist, a crime writer, to return to his childhood town, which triggers memories of his teenage years.
This was just OK for me, the reveal was unexpected, but given that I'm more of a journey kind of person, even when it comes to thrillers-mysteries, I wasn't that invested in the story and the characters, something was missing.
The audiobook accompanied me while painting a room.
Human remains are discovered, prompting the protagonist, a crime writer, to return to his childhood town, which triggers memories of his teenage years.
This was just OK for me, the reveal was unexpected, but given that I'm more of a journey kind of person, even when it comes to thrillers-mysteries, I wasn't that invested in the story and the characters, something was missing.
October 28, 2024
Half of this book was written as a 16-year-old’s diary - which was pretty annoying - and the other half was just ok. It’s a 2.5 stars for me - I just didn’t really care that much or feel compelled through the story. A bit worried Christian White is getting a bit too keen on a clever twist, and the story line and characterisation suffer to make it work.
May 20, 2025
An intense and twisty read, set in a small community in regional Victoria. Past and present intricately intertwine, when a body is discovered and group of childhood friends are frightened their long-held secrets will be uncovered.
August 14, 2024
I could not put this down! Small town Australian missing teenager crime with all the feels. I loved all the 1999 nostalgia and all the good man feels of the now storyline. I loved the exploration of the intense 16 year old friendships; the all encompassing blood brotherhood of it all…it does give very stand by me feels…It is very very clever, so many twists and all the misdirected. I absolutely loved it and can see myself picking the novel straight back up after I finish here to see if I could have worked it out 😎
October 13, 2024
I was very disappointed by this novel.I've enjoyed Christian White's previous books but I found this a big let down..
The secondary characters were largely sketchily drawn.I wanted to know more about them and I found the twist ending a bit of a yawn.
The secondary characters were largely sketchily drawn.I wanted to know more about them and I found the twist ending a bit of a yawn.
October 13, 2024
This was a 3 ⭐️ most of the way but gets a bonus point for a sneaky twist I did not see coming!
October 24, 2024
4.5 rounded up because the twist had me gasping out loud!!
February 6, 2025
2.5 stars, book was average but I unironically love when authors gaslight their readers so huge kudos for that twist.
November 3, 2024
I did not expect to enjoy this so much. Was a ‘what’s available on libby that I can read.’
Love an aussie author, love a murder mystery crime thriller. Twists and turns kept me wanting to keep reading. Loved it.
Love an aussie author, love a murder mystery crime thriller. Twists and turns kept me wanting to keep reading. Loved it.
February 4, 2025
It is hard to review this one without giving away spoilers. A man returns to his hometown after a body is discovered. It is clear that he and his buddies were somehow involved in the death 25 years earlier. A journal of one of the boys, Justin, from that time, slowly reveals the truth.
Another day, another dual timeline thriller. I mostly enjoyed this, although I am of two minds about the big twist. One aspect I didn't like was the use of a journal. It did not sound at all authentic for a 16 year old boy. Nobody can remember that much dialogue verbatim! A 16-year-old boy simply wouldn't be noting the sort of things that the 40-something author does (what everything looks like, etc). It took me out of the story. There was also a very gratuitous, unnecessary dream sequence that was like straight out of a bad 90s YA thriller.
The remainder of my observations contain spoilers.
I think this is worth a read, particularly for fans of the genre. It's not perfect, and I can't decide whether it was all a bit of a cheat, but I'm still thinking about it days later.
Another day, another dual timeline thriller. I mostly enjoyed this, although I am of two minds about the big twist. One aspect I didn't like was the use of a journal. It did not sound at all authentic for a 16 year old boy. Nobody can remember that much dialogue verbatim! A 16-year-old boy simply wouldn't be noting the sort of things that the 40-something author does (what everything looks like, etc). It took me out of the story. There was also a very gratuitous, unnecessary dream sequence that was like straight out of a bad 90s YA thriller.
The remainder of my observations contain spoilers.
I think this is worth a read, particularly for fans of the genre. It's not perfect, and I can't decide whether it was all a bit of a cheat, but I'm still thinking about it days later.
September 9, 2024
Thanks Affirm for my Advanced Reading copy.
Unputdownable (is that even a word?). Once again Christian has made it so that I just want to keep reading. I want to ignore the fact that I have to get up the next day and help customers find their next great read. I did it one night but this second night, no way. Had to be done and dusted or I would get no peace from the not knowing.
I love the way he can seamlessly draw us in to two timelines, keeping them flowing as we are led down the garden path, every stepping stone, all the way to The Ledge when Bam! Everything you thought you knew just fell into the very deep ditch beside the garden path and spun the world on its head.
How does he craft his work so well that we think we see the twist and then turns out we had no clue? I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT!! As a crime fiction fan, I can often see where things are heading but Christian, he knows how to get into my head and twist my brains around and turn them to mush.
If you haven’t read this fantastic Aussie author, why not? If you have, set aside the time before you open the pages and get lost in the world of West Haven.
Unputdownable (is that even a word?). Once again Christian has made it so that I just want to keep reading. I want to ignore the fact that I have to get up the next day and help customers find their next great read. I did it one night but this second night, no way. Had to be done and dusted or I would get no peace from the not knowing.
I love the way he can seamlessly draw us in to two timelines, keeping them flowing as we are led down the garden path, every stepping stone, all the way to The Ledge when Bam! Everything you thought you knew just fell into the very deep ditch beside the garden path and spun the world on its head.
How does he craft his work so well that we think we see the twist and then turns out we had no clue? I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT!! As a crime fiction fan, I can often see where things are heading but Christian, he knows how to get into my head and twist my brains around and turn them to mush.
If you haven’t read this fantastic Aussie author, why not? If you have, set aside the time before you open the pages and get lost in the world of West Haven.
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