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The Bookshop of Buried Pasts
Secrets, humour, love and mystery abound in this uplifting novel from the bestselling author of The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains.
'Sarah Clutton has written an engaging treat of a novel. An emotive mystery involving complex relationships, heartbreaking loss and deep love all expertly woven through the shelves and pages of an enchanting bookshop.' Tricia Stringer, author of The Road Trip
Phyllida Banks is adored in the tiny village of Brookbank, nestled in the Southern Highlands outside Sydney. Admired for her curiosity and wisdom, her antiquarian bookshop is the hub of the community.
So, when Phyllida is suddenly gone, leaving her granddaughter, Lottie, a letter requesting she 'Find Francis', friends and neighbours rally as Lottie grapples with her grandmother's inexplicable actions and her enigmatic past.
Uncovering a fortune of unknown origin, Lottie discovers a trail that leads to Cambridgeshire, England, and another village bookshop with eerie similarities to their own.
As the decades unravel, she stumbles upon the key to a mystery that has baffled police for fifty years. Several people have gone to great lengths to keep the past buried, and it seems Phyllida is at the heart of everything.
Step inside The Bookshop of Buried Pasts — an exhilarating tale of an abandoned boy and the woman who refused to forget him.
'Deeply moving, haunting and so richly layered, with sentences so beautiful they had me awestruck. Sarah Clutton is an enormous talent and I just know this tender story will stay with me for such a long time.' Tess Woods, author of The Venice Hotel
'This novel draws you in and doesn't let you go, long after it's over. It is a moving - sometimes heartbreaking - story of how the bonds of love transcend time and circumstance, and how the past and the present are forever intertwined.' Sophie Green, author of Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon
347 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2026
About the author
Sarah Clutton
4 books107 followers Sarah Clutton is an Australian author and former lawyer who writes contemporary fiction full of drama, suspense and humour. Having majored in psychology in her original degree, she is fascinated by people. How does the past shape us? What determines the outcomes when moral and legal boundaries collide? Are the adults really always right?
Sarah's bestselling book, The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains was set in her favourite part of the world, North West Tasmania. Her next book, The Bookshop of Buried Pasts is a mystery and is due on shelves in May 2026. She lives with her family between Melbourne and the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales. The region is famous for the International Cricketing Hall of Fame, being a Book Town and having a wine trail. Two of those three make her very happy.
Sarah's bestselling book, The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains was set in her favourite part of the world, North West Tasmania. Her next book, The Bookshop of Buried Pasts is a mystery and is due on shelves in May 2026. She lives with her family between Melbourne and the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales. The region is famous for the International Cricketing Hall of Fame, being a Book Town and having a wine trail. Two of those three make her very happy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
June 9, 2026
I adore books that pull at my heartstrings and draw me deeply into not only the story, but the characters themselves. A massive drawcard for me. It’s always been this way. I love the love and the binds that bind. A story set in a bookshop always feels like it was written just for me, even the name Lottie feels like whimsy personified. I felt transported straight into the heart of the Southern Highlands.
This is a layered story spanning generations, with secrets told and kept, deep intuition and a subtle otherworldly nuance. Each timeline supports the whole beautifully, weaving together a rich and immersive narrative. I adored the characters I was meant to love, finding myself thoroughly invested, even enjoying having a few not so likeable ones to stand firmly against.
The bookshop settings across the generations felt vivid and real, from the physical spaces to the quirky customers and the deep commitment of the owners. It all added to the sense of being completely wrapped up in this world.
An epilogue that truly satisfies brought everything together, and by the end the characters were firmly lodged in my heart. A wholehearted five star read. Just be sure to go in with your heart well cared for and tissues nearby.
Thank you to the author and publisher for this lovely book, I am sorry this review is so late! It became buried in the bookshelves of Suz.
❓Can you think if a book set in a bookshop, or the publishing industry
This is a layered story spanning generations, with secrets told and kept, deep intuition and a subtle otherworldly nuance. Each timeline supports the whole beautifully, weaving together a rich and immersive narrative. I adored the characters I was meant to love, finding myself thoroughly invested, even enjoying having a few not so likeable ones to stand firmly against.
The bookshop settings across the generations felt vivid and real, from the physical spaces to the quirky customers and the deep commitment of the owners. It all added to the sense of being completely wrapped up in this world.
An epilogue that truly satisfies brought everything together, and by the end the characters were firmly lodged in my heart. A wholehearted five star read. Just be sure to go in with your heart well cared for and tissues nearby.
Thank you to the author and publisher for this lovely book, I am sorry this review is so late! It became buried in the bookshelves of Suz.
❓Can you think if a book set in a bookshop, or the publishing industry
April 12, 2026
How can you resist a book with a title like The Bookshop of Buried Pasts! I always love reading a book about books and a bookstore so I was in. Add to that family secrets galore, and the gorgeous Southern Highlands setting and my weekend was all booked.
A slightly different book for me, not a crime or thriller, although you could say that there was a little of both in there. I met Sarah at. Book festival last year and it was lovely chatting with her. I was thrilled to receive an early copy of this book to read from Good Reading Magazine and Allen and Unwin.
I wasn’t expecting to get so emotionally attached to these characters. I loved Lottie and Phyillda so much. I felt for what they were both going through and all the secrets they had from each other. It was quite a roller coaster ride of laughs and tears. I love a good mystery so this was right up my alley.
Publishes on April 28th, I think this book will appeal to a wide range of readers, and I look forward to talking about it with others when it hits the shelves.
A slightly different book for me, not a crime or thriller, although you could say that there was a little of both in there. I met Sarah at. Book festival last year and it was lovely chatting with her. I was thrilled to receive an early copy of this book to read from Good Reading Magazine and Allen and Unwin.
I wasn’t expecting to get so emotionally attached to these characters. I loved Lottie and Phyillda so much. I felt for what they were both going through and all the secrets they had from each other. It was quite a roller coaster ride of laughs and tears. I love a good mystery so this was right up my alley.
Publishes on April 28th, I think this book will appeal to a wide range of readers, and I look forward to talking about it with others when it hits the shelves.
March 9, 2026
I adored The Bookshop of Buried Pasts. Love absolutely everything about it; Lottie, Phyllida, Roddy, Sienna…all people I know and love now. Big themes are all here and I was there for it! Loved the Southern Highlands setting just as much as the Cambridgeshire, loved the epic-ness of the story..as I bookselling old book loving reader I LOVED The Bookshop of Buried Pasts. Kind of wish there’d be more bookselling scenes hahaha
This is just a gorgeous read that I’m so glad to have had the early opportunity to do (thanks Allen and Unwin) I loved Alfie Bains and knew I’d loved this one, but man know I have that much longer to wait for the next Sarah Clutton…
This is just a gorgeous read that I’m so glad to have had the early opportunity to do (thanks Allen and Unwin) I loved Alfie Bains and knew I’d loved this one, but man know I have that much longer to wait for the next Sarah Clutton…
June 9, 2026
⭐️⭐️ 2 stars
I really wanted to enjoy this book because there were aspects of it that I genuinely liked. The characters were complex and interesting, and I found myself becoming invested in several of their stories. The mystery elements and plot twists were intriguing, and I could see how all the different storylines were slowly connecting.
Unfortunately, the structure of the novel made it difficult for me to stay engaged. The story is told from multiple points of view across several different timelines, and I found the constant switching between characters challenging to follow. Just as I felt myself becoming invested in one perspective, the narrative would jump to another character or time period.
I also struggled with the non-chronological timeline. The story moves between the present day and various decades including the 1960s, 1970s, and 1990s, often jumping back and forth. Combined with the shifts between the UK and Australia, I found myself spending more time trying to orientate myself than becoming immersed in the story.
While I understand why the author chose this structure and can appreciate the ambition behind it, I personally think the story would have been easier to follow if it had been told in a more chronological order. The plot twist was interesting, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to keep me reading.
Overall, I can see why this book would appeal to readers who enjoy multi-generational mysteries and interconnected storylines. However, the frequent shifts in perspective, timeline, and setting ultimately made it too difficult for me to stay invested, so I decided to stop reading at the halfway mark.
I really wanted to enjoy this book because there were aspects of it that I genuinely liked. The characters were complex and interesting, and I found myself becoming invested in several of their stories. The mystery elements and plot twists were intriguing, and I could see how all the different storylines were slowly connecting.
Unfortunately, the structure of the novel made it difficult for me to stay engaged. The story is told from multiple points of view across several different timelines, and I found the constant switching between characters challenging to follow. Just as I felt myself becoming invested in one perspective, the narrative would jump to another character or time period.
I also struggled with the non-chronological timeline. The story moves between the present day and various decades including the 1960s, 1970s, and 1990s, often jumping back and forth. Combined with the shifts between the UK and Australia, I found myself spending more time trying to orientate myself than becoming immersed in the story.
While I understand why the author chose this structure and can appreciate the ambition behind it, I personally think the story would have been easier to follow if it had been told in a more chronological order. The plot twist was interesting, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to keep me reading.
Overall, I can see why this book would appeal to readers who enjoy multi-generational mysteries and interconnected storylines. However, the frequent shifts in perspective, timeline, and setting ultimately made it too difficult for me to stay invested, so I decided to stop reading at the halfway mark.
June 13, 2026
A cosy mystery set in the Southern Highlands of NSW and the Scottish Highlands.
Lots of fun and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
I listened to the audiobook in June 2026, as part of a Library "Book of the month"
Lots of fun and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
I listened to the audiobook in June 2026, as part of a Library "Book of the month"
April 28, 2026
Big thanks to Allen & Unwin for sending us a copy to read and review.
Sarah Clutton’s delightful book The Remarkable Truth Of Alfie Bains was a winner among many last year and for me was one of my favourites for the year.
Now there’s a new book hitting the stores today.
The Bookshop Of Buried Pasts is a family saga with a curious mystery thread.
A charming, exhilarating and enticing read with secrets and plenty of turmoil.
In the Southern Highlands outside Sydney in the small town of Brookbank, Phyllida Banks is loved by the locals.
She owns the little bookshop that is popular among the community.
But then she disappears leaving behind a letter for her granddaughter Lottie.
Inside she asking her to ‘Find Francis’.
So then begins a pursuit with friends and family, past and present and across the seas to uncover the truth.
Sarah has done it again with another welcoming and engaging narrative.
Once I got my head around everything at the beginning, it was full steam ahead with all the drama and family dynamics.
With much emotion, a bunch of varied characters, a tender plot and diverse secrets, readers get an entertaining read.
Sarah Clutton’s delightful book The Remarkable Truth Of Alfie Bains was a winner among many last year and for me was one of my favourites for the year.
Now there’s a new book hitting the stores today.
The Bookshop Of Buried Pasts is a family saga with a curious mystery thread.
A charming, exhilarating and enticing read with secrets and plenty of turmoil.
In the Southern Highlands outside Sydney in the small town of Brookbank, Phyllida Banks is loved by the locals.
She owns the little bookshop that is popular among the community.
But then she disappears leaving behind a letter for her granddaughter Lottie.
Inside she asking her to ‘Find Francis’.
So then begins a pursuit with friends and family, past and present and across the seas to uncover the truth.
Sarah has done it again with another welcoming and engaging narrative.
Once I got my head around everything at the beginning, it was full steam ahead with all the drama and family dynamics.
With much emotion, a bunch of varied characters, a tender plot and diverse secrets, readers get an entertaining read.
May 23, 2026
So much to love, bookshops, book lovers, mystery and beautiful relationships.
May 18, 2026
The Bookshop of Buried Pasts by Sarah Clutton is the Australian author's second book and I very much enjoyed her first
The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains ,
giving it a rare 4.5 star rating. I confess I didn't love this quite as much as her debut (I'm a sucker for a child narrator - ie. Alfie) but I enjoyed it a lot. She delivers the perfect measure of bittersweet sadness and hope. It's themed around families - those you're born into and those you find along the way and it offers a reminder of the lengths we go to, in order to protect those we love and hold dear.
When 80yr old Phyllida decides to take her life, her one regret is that she won't reunite with Francis. The problem for those left behind is that no one knows who Francis is... which takes her granddaughter and the friend of her long-dead son on a journey into a past they know nothing about.
I was certainly intrigued by Phyllida's story here, but in some ways the strength of this book is its characters. We don't spend much time with Phyllida in the present but she's a delight. I loved Lottie and Roddy. We also meet Sienna, the teenage daughter of another of David and Roddy's childhood besties. Sienna's the quintessential self-absorbed teenager but offered a different path by Roddy and Lottie.
Relationships also underpin this. We learn Phyllida has been Lottie's mother figure, as her relationships with her own mother (Miriam) is fractious. And Dorothea 'mothered' the children of her friend after her death. I also appreciated the intergenerational cycles of people (often women) stepping up when it mattered.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
When 80yr old Phyllida decides to take her life, her one regret is that she won't reunite with Francis. The problem for those left behind is that no one knows who Francis is... which takes her granddaughter and the friend of her long-dead son on a journey into a past they know nothing about.
I was certainly intrigued by Phyllida's story here, but in some ways the strength of this book is its characters. We don't spend much time with Phyllida in the present but she's a delight. I loved Lottie and Roddy. We also meet Sienna, the teenage daughter of another of David and Roddy's childhood besties. Sienna's the quintessential self-absorbed teenager but offered a different path by Roddy and Lottie.
Relationships also underpin this. We learn Phyllida has been Lottie's mother figure, as her relationships with her own mother (Miriam) is fractious. And Dorothea 'mothered' the children of her friend after her death. I also appreciated the intergenerational cycles of people (often women) stepping up when it mattered.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
June 13, 2026
The Bookshop of Buried Pasts is a contemporary mystery and family saga set between rural Australia and England.
Phyllida Banks is the beloved owner of an antiquarian bookshop in the small village of Brookbank in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. When she suddenly disappears from her community’s life, she leaves her granddaughter, Lottie, with a cryptic instruction: “Find Francis.”
Lottie begins investigating her grandmother’s hidden past and discovers that Phyllida possessed an unexplained fortune and had kept many secrets for decades. Her search leads from Australia to Cambridgeshire, England, where she finds another village bookshop that seems strangely connected to her grandmother’s story.
As the narrative moves between different decades and locations, long-buried family secrets emerge. The mystery involves an abandoned boy named Francis, unresolved events from fifty years earlier, and people who have spent decades concealing the truth. Through letters, memories, and clues hidden among old books, Lottie uncovers a story of loss, sacrifice, friendship, and enduring love.
It’s all about :
* Family secrets and hidden histories
* The power of books and bookshops as keepers of memories
* Love that transcends generations
* Forgiveness and redemption
* The lasting impact of choices made in the past
The overall impression is that : The novel combines a cozy bookshop setting with a multi-generational mystery. It is less a thriller than an emotional journey about family, belonging, and uncovering truths that have been hidden for decades. Readers who enjoy novels such as The Lost Bookshop or other bookshop-centered mysteries are likely to appreciate its blend of suspense, warmth, and historical secrets. I would give the book 4 stars.
Dr. Javed Rasheed
Phyllida Banks is the beloved owner of an antiquarian bookshop in the small village of Brookbank in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. When she suddenly disappears from her community’s life, she leaves her granddaughter, Lottie, with a cryptic instruction: “Find Francis.”
Lottie begins investigating her grandmother’s hidden past and discovers that Phyllida possessed an unexplained fortune and had kept many secrets for decades. Her search leads from Australia to Cambridgeshire, England, where she finds another village bookshop that seems strangely connected to her grandmother’s story.
As the narrative moves between different decades and locations, long-buried family secrets emerge. The mystery involves an abandoned boy named Francis, unresolved events from fifty years earlier, and people who have spent decades concealing the truth. Through letters, memories, and clues hidden among old books, Lottie uncovers a story of loss, sacrifice, friendship, and enduring love.
It’s all about :
* Family secrets and hidden histories
* The power of books and bookshops as keepers of memories
* Love that transcends generations
* Forgiveness and redemption
* The lasting impact of choices made in the past
The overall impression is that : The novel combines a cozy bookshop setting with a multi-generational mystery. It is less a thriller than an emotional journey about family, belonging, and uncovering truths that have been hidden for decades. Readers who enjoy novels such as The Lost Bookshop or other bookshop-centered mysteries are likely to appreciate its blend of suspense, warmth, and historical secrets. I would give the book 4 stars.
Dr. Javed Rasheed
June 5, 2026
3.5*
The Bookshop of Buried Pasts, is a mystery that spans decades and continents. Phyllida lives in Brookbank, a cosy town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, where she runs an antiquarian bookstore. The book opens with intrigue as Phyllida leaves a cryptic note for her granddaughter, Lottie, containing a simple but daunting directive: “Find Francis.” This single request propels Lottie, alongside an engaging cast of local characters, onto a historical hunt that bridges the present day with 1960s Cambridgeshire, England, eventually leading to a mirrored village bookshop and a fifty-year-old cold case.
Clutton balances the warm, comforting atmosphere of small-town life with this family drama incorporating the themes of generational trauma, devastating loss, and deep-seated secrets. The mystery slowly unravels, alternating between Lottie’s frantic modern-day search, diary entries, and the memories of past figures like Dorothea, a woman fiercely protective of vulnerable children. This narrative structure allows the reader to piece together the truth right alongside Lottie.
The pacing varies and the range of different timelines and character threads require the reader to pay attention. The characters are engaging, particularly the bond between Lottie and her grandmother. The Bookshop of Buried Pasts is solid contemporary Australian fiction, with a reminder of the lengths to which people will go to protect the ones they love. It is a recommended read for anyone who appreciates intelligent family dramas, atmospheric settings, and a satisfyingly mystery.
The Bookshop of Buried Pasts, is a mystery that spans decades and continents. Phyllida lives in Brookbank, a cosy town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, where she runs an antiquarian bookstore. The book opens with intrigue as Phyllida leaves a cryptic note for her granddaughter, Lottie, containing a simple but daunting directive: “Find Francis.” This single request propels Lottie, alongside an engaging cast of local characters, onto a historical hunt that bridges the present day with 1960s Cambridgeshire, England, eventually leading to a mirrored village bookshop and a fifty-year-old cold case.
Clutton balances the warm, comforting atmosphere of small-town life with this family drama incorporating the themes of generational trauma, devastating loss, and deep-seated secrets. The mystery slowly unravels, alternating between Lottie’s frantic modern-day search, diary entries, and the memories of past figures like Dorothea, a woman fiercely protective of vulnerable children. This narrative structure allows the reader to piece together the truth right alongside Lottie.
The pacing varies and the range of different timelines and character threads require the reader to pay attention. The characters are engaging, particularly the bond between Lottie and her grandmother. The Bookshop of Buried Pasts is solid contemporary Australian fiction, with a reminder of the lengths to which people will go to protect the ones they love. It is a recommended read for anyone who appreciates intelligent family dramas, atmospheric settings, and a satisfyingly mystery.
May 19, 2026
The Bookshop of Buried Pasts follows Sarah Clutton’s very sweet book The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains which I enjoyed last year.
This book continues the theme of families linked between Australia and the UK. Phyllida Banks owns and runs a popular second-hand bookshop in a town in the Southern Highlands. She has lived here for decades, and her granddaughter Lottie has recently returned to town with a broken heart. Phyllida is a woman with many secrets and when she has a medical incident, she leaves Lottie a mysterious note which askes her to find Francis. Who is Francis and how is he connected to Phyllida? This clue sets Lottie, along with a few friends and neighbours, on a trail which leads to an unsolved murder and kidnapping in England. The story jumps between timelines - fifty years ago in England and to current times in Australia. Of course there is a mysterious bookshop in both locations.
The Bookshop of Buried Pasts does what is says on the tin. It’s a cosy, comforting read about family secrets all set in amongst bookshops. This was not a particularly thrilling mystery, but it was engaging. The love of books was a lovely theme, but the characters were perhaps a little bit overwritten for my taste and there was some convenient plot devices used. Overall though I had an enjoyable time reading it.
Thank you @allenandunwin for my #gifted copy.
This book continues the theme of families linked between Australia and the UK. Phyllida Banks owns and runs a popular second-hand bookshop in a town in the Southern Highlands. She has lived here for decades, and her granddaughter Lottie has recently returned to town with a broken heart. Phyllida is a woman with many secrets and when she has a medical incident, she leaves Lottie a mysterious note which askes her to find Francis. Who is Francis and how is he connected to Phyllida? This clue sets Lottie, along with a few friends and neighbours, on a trail which leads to an unsolved murder and kidnapping in England. The story jumps between timelines - fifty years ago in England and to current times in Australia. Of course there is a mysterious bookshop in both locations.
The Bookshop of Buried Pasts does what is says on the tin. It’s a cosy, comforting read about family secrets all set in amongst bookshops. This was not a particularly thrilling mystery, but it was engaging. The love of books was a lovely theme, but the characters were perhaps a little bit overwritten for my taste and there was some convenient plot devices used. Overall though I had an enjoyable time reading it.
Thank you @allenandunwin for my #gifted copy.
May 23, 2026
A beautifully layered story weaving together family secrets, buried histories, and the quiet magic of books across continents and generations. Moving between past and present, we follow Lottie and Phyllida - two women shaped by the expectations of their eras, both pushing against the status quo while the ghosts of the past linger close behind. With touches of myth and references to the Morrigan threaded through the narrative, the story carries an almost dreamlike quality.
I absolutely love a familial, cross-continental story that jumps between timelines, and this one delivered exactly that. The magical undertones added something special without overwhelming the heart of the story. Both Lottie and Phyllida felt wonderfully human - especially Phyllida, whose past never quite loosens its grip.
Tragic, bittersweet, and full of longing, but with as hopeful an ending as a story like this could offer. A lovely read for fans of historical fiction with a touch of myth and mystery.
I absolutely love a familial, cross-continental story that jumps between timelines, and this one delivered exactly that. The magical undertones added something special without overwhelming the heart of the story. Both Lottie and Phyllida felt wonderfully human - especially Phyllida, whose past never quite loosens its grip.
Tragic, bittersweet, and full of longing, but with as hopeful an ending as a story like this could offer. A lovely read for fans of historical fiction with a touch of myth and mystery.
May 31, 2026
In the quiet town of Brookbank, Phyllida’s beautiful bookshop is the heart and centre piece of the community.
But when Phyllida disappears, her fiercely independent granddaughter Lottie takes charge of the bookshop and finds a letter asking ‘Find Francis’
Who is Francis? And why does Phyllida want to find Francis? This charges Lottie with a plan uncover the truth. Working with neighbours and friends, Lottie sets out to piece together all the clues.
We are taken on a journey to the past in England, while weaving between present times in Australia and a mysterious bookshop in both timelines
Oh how I loved this so much, I couldn’t put it down! I loved the mystery and family secrets, unsure how everything would unravel, I was glued to the page until the last sentence
I was so excited to see Sarah had a follow up book to her wonderful 2025 release ‘The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains’ 🥰
And The Bookshop of Buried Pasts delivers ten fold! It is a wonderful, heartwarming story of love and family
Phyllida, Lottie, Sienna, Roddy, are beautiful characters who complement each other and the story wonderfully. While it did take me a while to place everyone, once I did, I enjoyed the character growth with each chapter. And can’t forget the gorgeous bookshop has such a homely and special feel to it
Thank you so much Allen and Unwin for my gifted copy 🫶
But when Phyllida disappears, her fiercely independent granddaughter Lottie takes charge of the bookshop and finds a letter asking ‘Find Francis’
Who is Francis? And why does Phyllida want to find Francis? This charges Lottie with a plan uncover the truth. Working with neighbours and friends, Lottie sets out to piece together all the clues.
We are taken on a journey to the past in England, while weaving between present times in Australia and a mysterious bookshop in both timelines
Oh how I loved this so much, I couldn’t put it down! I loved the mystery and family secrets, unsure how everything would unravel, I was glued to the page until the last sentence
I was so excited to see Sarah had a follow up book to her wonderful 2025 release ‘The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains’ 🥰
And The Bookshop of Buried Pasts delivers ten fold! It is a wonderful, heartwarming story of love and family
Phyllida, Lottie, Sienna, Roddy, are beautiful characters who complement each other and the story wonderfully. While it did take me a while to place everyone, once I did, I enjoyed the character growth with each chapter. And can’t forget the gorgeous bookshop has such a homely and special feel to it
Thank you so much Allen and Unwin for my gifted copy 🫶
April 2, 2026
This was emotional and mysterious, and the slow start was worth the wait. However, the slow start meant that I did struggle to get into this. I thought the opening chapter was great, but I quickly got lost and forgot who was who. In saying that, when I did catch up, and the mystery begun to unfold, I couldn’t put this it down.
The characters were engaging and it was beautifully written, with particular attention to detail around the setting. The Southern Highlands is an atmospheric place and I think Sarah Clutton did a great job at capturing this.
I recommend The Bookshop of Buried Pasts for lovers of low stakes mysteries, and emotional reads.
Thank you so much Net Galley and Allen & Unwin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The characters were engaging and it was beautifully written, with particular attention to detail around the setting. The Southern Highlands is an atmospheric place and I think Sarah Clutton did a great job at capturing this.
I recommend The Bookshop of Buried Pasts for lovers of low stakes mysteries, and emotional reads.
Thank you so much Net Galley and Allen & Unwin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 31, 2026
Phyllida Banks, an antiquarian bookshop owner near Sydney is much loved but takes close family and friends by surprise by attempting to end her life. Her granddaughter is left with instructions to "Find Francis" but who is this mystery person. What is the story behind Phyllida's early years when she lived in England. A good read, though a tad disconcerting at times with the constant jumping back and forth to different times and locations. Great cover and some delightful characters.
May 7, 2026
Two bookshops, one in England and one in the NSW southern highlands, separated by distance and time, but linked by secrets. Beautifully written story about family, the choices we make, the people we leave behind, and how the past will always catch up to you.
May 11, 2026
This is a book about hidden pasts, family connections and dreams of a better life for our loved ones.
The Morrigan an Irish death harbinger appears a number of times throughout the book.
It's the story of two/three strong women.
It is well worth the read.
The Morrigan an Irish death harbinger appears a number of times throughout the book.
It's the story of two/three strong women.
It is well worth the read.
June 14, 2026
I adored this story!
Full review to follow soon
Full review to follow soon
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love Sarah Clutton's books and I think The Bookshop of Buried Pasts is her best novel yet. Like her last book Alfie it is beautiful, funny and hopeful but this book takes the mystery and drama to a deeper more dramatic level!
The novel contains another cast of flawed, funny and loveable individuals. From the sassy and clever to casually cruel to the heartbreakingly vulnerable - the characters are rendered with such humour, whimsy and realism that you cannot help but hold your breath that they find they reap the outcomes/redemption they deserve. Though the narrative touches on trauma and heartbreak, Sarah has such a lovely light touch and manages to thread charm, humour and wisdom through every page.
Finally it is a beautiful, funny and ultimately hopeful exploration of what it means to find purpose and love amidst the ghosts of the past.
The novel contains another cast of flawed, funny and loveable individuals. From the sassy and clever to casually cruel to the heartbreakingly vulnerable - the characters are rendered with such humour, whimsy and realism that you cannot help but hold your breath that they find they reap the outcomes/redemption they deserve. Though the narrative touches on trauma and heartbreak, Sarah has such a lovely light touch and manages to thread charm, humour and wisdom through every page.
Finally it is a beautiful, funny and ultimately hopeful exploration of what it means to find purpose and love amidst the ghosts of the past.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Bookshop of Buried Pasts is a masterclass in atmospheric contemporary and historical fiction, blending the tactile nostalgia of a bookshop with the weight of generational secrets. This novel explores how the echoes of our ancestors’ choices resonate through our own lives, proving that history is never truly "past."
Past and Present Intertwine
The narrative structure mirrors the theme of interconnectedness. Through the discovery of forgotten letters and hidden inscriptions within the shop’s rare volumes, Clutton illustrates that time is a circular rather than linear experience. The protagonist’s journey reveals that our present identity is often a mosaic of the stories we’ve inherited—both the celebrated and the suppressed.
Love Transcending Time
The novel posits that love acts as a permanent imprint. Whether through the enduring legacy of a lost relationship or the protective silence of a parent, Clutton demonstrates that affection survives even when the individuals involved do not. The "buried pasts" are not just secrets; they are the fossilised remains of deep devotions that continue to influence the characters' motivations and moral compasses years later.
The Weight of Buried Secrets
Clutton delves into the psychology of concealment, showing that people bury the past not out of malice but often out of a misguided desire to protect others from pain or shame. The "great lengths" taken by characters highlight the human tendency to prioritise temporary peace over the messy reality of the truth. However, the bookshop serves as the ultimate catalyst for excavation, suggesting that truth, like a book, eventually demands to be read.
The Sanctuary of the Bookshop
The setting functions as more than a backdrop; the bookshop is a living archive of human emotion. Clutton weaves loss and love through the shelves by treating books as vessels for memory. Every note and page represents a moment of heartbreak or hope from a previous owner, turning the shop into a physical crossroads where the complex relationships of the community are archived and eventually reconciled.
Past and Present Intertwine
The narrative structure mirrors the theme of interconnectedness. Through the discovery of forgotten letters and hidden inscriptions within the shop’s rare volumes, Clutton illustrates that time is a circular rather than linear experience. The protagonist’s journey reveals that our present identity is often a mosaic of the stories we’ve inherited—both the celebrated and the suppressed.
Love Transcending Time
The novel posits that love acts as a permanent imprint. Whether through the enduring legacy of a lost relationship or the protective silence of a parent, Clutton demonstrates that affection survives even when the individuals involved do not. The "buried pasts" are not just secrets; they are the fossilised remains of deep devotions that continue to influence the characters' motivations and moral compasses years later.
The Weight of Buried Secrets
Clutton delves into the psychology of concealment, showing that people bury the past not out of malice but often out of a misguided desire to protect others from pain or shame. The "great lengths" taken by characters highlight the human tendency to prioritise temporary peace over the messy reality of the truth. However, the bookshop serves as the ultimate catalyst for excavation, suggesting that truth, like a book, eventually demands to be read.
The Sanctuary of the Bookshop
The setting functions as more than a backdrop; the bookshop is a living archive of human emotion. Clutton weaves loss and love through the shelves by treating books as vessels for memory. Every note and page represents a moment of heartbreak or hope from a previous owner, turning the shop into a physical crossroads where the complex relationships of the community are archived and eventually reconciled.
June 17, 2026
4.25 stars 🌟
This was such a multilayered story that I think it will deserve a re-read at some point. Initially, I did struggle with the multiple POVs, names and nicknames, and time periods it jumped from. I knew it would all click together at some point though but I may have misunderstood a bit at the beginning because I was still figuring out what was happening.
I borrowed the book from the library but it is so rich with quotes and I was hoping to find them already linked to the book on Goodreads but alas it is not there. I will just have to remember some of the gems, especially the ones right at the beginning when it was discussing both Bookshops of Buried Pasts.
“Some books don't find you. You find them when you're lost enough to be saved.”
The story mainly surrounds Phyllida who is an elderly lady who runs a bookshop in New South Wales. At the beginning of the novel Phyllida attempts to commit suicide but she obviously didn't take enough of the pills. Her granddaughter Lottie is distraught over this and tries to figure out why she might want to take her own life and that's when she discovers some letters in the bookshop.
Lottie's mother Miriam sucks and I'm so sad at how she mothered Charlotte (Lottie). Her mothering is rife with narcissistic abuse. Miriam is a cunt (that was the only note I wrote on her ha ha 🤣). David, Phyllida's son and Miram's love, deserved better before he died. She was 35 and he was 20 and the baby wasn't even his! I could never forgive how she locked poor Phyllida out of the house when David died of pancreatic cancer.
As more and more gets uncovered, it leads everyone to an unsolved crime in England in the mid-70's but it's not as it seems.
I'm actually quite happy with the ending except I wouldn't be forgiving Miriam...ever. Lottie at least got that Viking DNA after all.
Song: The Beatles - Blackbird
This was such a multilayered story that I think it will deserve a re-read at some point. Initially, I did struggle with the multiple POVs, names and nicknames, and time periods it jumped from. I knew it would all click together at some point though but I may have misunderstood a bit at the beginning because I was still figuring out what was happening.
I borrowed the book from the library but it is so rich with quotes and I was hoping to find them already linked to the book on Goodreads but alas it is not there. I will just have to remember some of the gems, especially the ones right at the beginning when it was discussing both Bookshops of Buried Pasts.
“Some books don't find you. You find them when you're lost enough to be saved.”
The story mainly surrounds Phyllida who is an elderly lady who runs a bookshop in New South Wales. At the beginning of the novel Phyllida attempts to commit suicide but she obviously didn't take enough of the pills. Her granddaughter Lottie is distraught over this and tries to figure out why she might want to take her own life and that's when she discovers some letters in the bookshop.
Lottie's mother Miriam sucks and I'm so sad at how she mothered Charlotte (Lottie). Her mothering is rife with narcissistic abuse. Miriam is a cunt (that was the only note I wrote on her ha ha 🤣). David, Phyllida's son and Miram's love, deserved better before he died. She was 35 and he was 20 and the baby wasn't even his! I could never forgive how she locked poor Phyllida out of the house when David died of pancreatic cancer.
As more and more gets uncovered, it leads everyone to an unsolved crime in England in the mid-70's but it's not as it seems.
I'm actually quite happy with the ending except I wouldn't be forgiving Miriam...ever. Lottie at least got that Viking DNA after all.
Song: The Beatles - Blackbird
June 25, 2026
Reviewed by Trish Palmer for Bluewolf Reviews and Allen and Unwin.
It is always a delight to read a book set in a Bookshop. The familiar feelings of satisfaction happen when you are told of the smell of the leather bindings, and the books themselves. Then there is the luxury of sitting in a comfy sunlit chair to mull over recent releases of books, time being no object. The people who work in the shop always seem to be special, clever, knowledgeable and kind. So, it is with this story. An intriguing tale with many twists and turns begins to unfold in The Bookshop of Buried Dreams.
The chapters are written by different characters, with the heading telling you who is narrating the chapter, the year, and where they are located. This helps the reader grasp the storyline, as it moves from the present to the past, between Australia and England.
One of the first characters we meet is Phyllida. She is the owner of the bookshop and about to take her life. Her granddaughter, Lotte, has worked in the bookshop for many years. She adores her grandmother but acknowledges that Grandma has many areas of her life which are not for discussion.
Being set in a small village in the NSW highlands, we meet many of the characters in the village who each share an in-depth knowledge of each other. The focus of the story, however, is discovering Phyllida’s early years in England. Lotte has many things to decide, as she manages the shop and her temperamental mother. However, the discovery of letters written by her grandmother begins the journey, gradually filling in gaps from the woman’s early years.
There are a great many twists and turns in the story which keep the reader turning pages wanting to discover how this journey ends. The Bookshop of Buried Dreams is an unusual sto
It is always a delight to read a book set in a Bookshop. The familiar feelings of satisfaction happen when you are told of the smell of the leather bindings, and the books themselves. Then there is the luxury of sitting in a comfy sunlit chair to mull over recent releases of books, time being no object. The people who work in the shop always seem to be special, clever, knowledgeable and kind. So, it is with this story. An intriguing tale with many twists and turns begins to unfold in The Bookshop of Buried Dreams.
The chapters are written by different characters, with the heading telling you who is narrating the chapter, the year, and where they are located. This helps the reader grasp the storyline, as it moves from the present to the past, between Australia and England.
One of the first characters we meet is Phyllida. She is the owner of the bookshop and about to take her life. Her granddaughter, Lotte, has worked in the bookshop for many years. She adores her grandmother but acknowledges that Grandma has many areas of her life which are not for discussion.
Being set in a small village in the NSW highlands, we meet many of the characters in the village who each share an in-depth knowledge of each other. The focus of the story, however, is discovering Phyllida’s early years in England. Lotte has many things to decide, as she manages the shop and her temperamental mother. However, the discovery of letters written by her grandmother begins the journey, gradually filling in gaps from the woman’s early years.
There are a great many twists and turns in the story which keep the reader turning pages wanting to discover how this journey ends. The Bookshop of Buried Dreams is an unusual sto
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
New South Wales, Australia. Phyllida Banks lives in the small town of Brookbank, in the Southern Highlands and runs an antiquarian bookshop. Phyllida is a pillar of the community and everyone admires her, and then she does something out of character.
Her granddaughter Lottie discovers her Nana is well off and leaves her with a strange request to ‘find Francis’ and she has no idea who it could be and neither does her mother Miriam?
Charlotte sets about solving the mystery with some help of her late father’s best friend Roddy Snodbaker and yes that’s his real name.
They uncover a connection to another bookshop in England and oddly like the one in New South Wales and the Fitzhenry family, who have a tragic and troubled past and their lives are all bound together by threads, some are easy to follow and others are tangled and twisted.
The narrative spans multiple decades from the 1960’s, 1970’s and present time, people have gone to extraordinary lengths to keeps secrets and cover their tracks and with links to a young boy and a woman called Dorothea.
I loved The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains, it was one of my favourite novels of 2025, when I had the chance to read Sarah Clutton’s new book I was super excited and it did not disappoint.
Thanks to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin Australia for my copy of The Bookshop of Buried Pasts in exchange for an unbiased review, a must read and for those who have an interest in old books and houses, Celtic mythology, and complicated lives and family dynamics. A story about trauma and how people cope with it, loss, grief, friendship, new beginning’s, forgiveness, and being forgiven and five stars from me.
Her granddaughter Lottie discovers her Nana is well off and leaves her with a strange request to ‘find Francis’ and she has no idea who it could be and neither does her mother Miriam?
Charlotte sets about solving the mystery with some help of her late father’s best friend Roddy Snodbaker and yes that’s his real name.
They uncover a connection to another bookshop in England and oddly like the one in New South Wales and the Fitzhenry family, who have a tragic and troubled past and their lives are all bound together by threads, some are easy to follow and others are tangled and twisted.
The narrative spans multiple decades from the 1960’s, 1970’s and present time, people have gone to extraordinary lengths to keeps secrets and cover their tracks and with links to a young boy and a woman called Dorothea.
I loved The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains, it was one of my favourite novels of 2025, when I had the chance to read Sarah Clutton’s new book I was super excited and it did not disappoint.
Thanks to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin Australia for my copy of The Bookshop of Buried Pasts in exchange for an unbiased review, a must read and for those who have an interest in old books and houses, Celtic mythology, and complicated lives and family dynamics. A story about trauma and how people cope with it, loss, grief, friendship, new beginning’s, forgiveness, and being forgiven and five stars from me.
April 27, 2026
What a truly beautiful read. This book was not what I expected from the title. I was expecting lots of different people finding their pasts in the bookshop however it revolved around one story. A beautiful one at that.
Phyllida runs the Bookshop of Buried Pasts and is very involved in the local community. She is also someone that can feel or see things before others can. I particularly loved the crow in the story, my favourite bird, and the meaning behind it showing up. The story starts with Phyllida running her bookshop with her son David. David meets Miriam and falls head over heels in love. Miriam is pregnant, however David is discovered to have cancer and does not make it. Lottie is born and grows up and works with her grandmother in the bookshop.
The story unfolds from here with Phyllida deciding it is her time, is saved by Mary, however Phyllida has left Lottie a letter which then unravels the mystery of Phyllida and David. This was a beautiful story, sad and tragic at times, but also full of love. It’s one of those books that you keep turning the pages, not in a hurried way as you want to savour the words and storyline, but to find out if people will be reunited and what will happen. Not to give any spoilers but I loved how this book wrapped up at the end. It was a perfect ending I think.
Big thanks to NetGalley, Allen & Unwin and Sarah Clutton for allowing me to read this book and provide my honest review. I would definitely purchase this book, not just for me, but my friends as well. It was a really lovely read, I am still smiling afrer finishing it, and a big five stars from me.
Phyllida runs the Bookshop of Buried Pasts and is very involved in the local community. She is also someone that can feel or see things before others can. I particularly loved the crow in the story, my favourite bird, and the meaning behind it showing up. The story starts with Phyllida running her bookshop with her son David. David meets Miriam and falls head over heels in love. Miriam is pregnant, however David is discovered to have cancer and does not make it. Lottie is born and grows up and works with her grandmother in the bookshop.
The story unfolds from here with Phyllida deciding it is her time, is saved by Mary, however Phyllida has left Lottie a letter which then unravels the mystery of Phyllida and David. This was a beautiful story, sad and tragic at times, but also full of love. It’s one of those books that you keep turning the pages, not in a hurried way as you want to savour the words and storyline, but to find out if people will be reunited and what will happen. Not to give any spoilers but I loved how this book wrapped up at the end. It was a perfect ending I think.
Big thanks to NetGalley, Allen & Unwin and Sarah Clutton for allowing me to read this book and provide my honest review. I would definitely purchase this book, not just for me, but my friends as well. It was a really lovely read, I am still smiling afrer finishing it, and a big five stars from me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Meet Phyllida Banks. She lives in Brookbank, a (fictional) village in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. She owns a bookshop and is a well-loved member of the community. But when Phyllida attempts to take her own life, she leaves a letter for her beloved granddaughter Lottie with a request to ‘find Francis’.
Lottie, devasted by Phyllida’s action, has no idea who Francis is and where he might be found. Phyllida, who has always lived frugally, has a fortune which she intends to leave to Lottie. Lottie, who has no idea how Phyllida could have amassed a fortune, starts to investigate.
The story shifts between past and present and includes several characters, including a woman named Dorothea fifty years earlier in England. Gradually a story unfolds, which involves another bookshop in England, several secrets amongst a titled family and an unsolved mystery.
And yes, although the mystery is important, it wasn’t the most important aspect of this story for me. What mattered most was a satisfying ending, the unravelling of various stories to find the truth. I liked Phyllida and Lottie and wanted Francis to find the happiness he deserved. Somehow, I missed Ms Clutton’s novel ‘The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains’ which, as it is set in Tasmania, is now a ‘must-read’ for me.
If you enjoy mysteries spanning different time periods involving complicated stories and hidden pasts, you may enjoy this novel. I did.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Lottie, devasted by Phyllida’s action, has no idea who Francis is and where he might be found. Phyllida, who has always lived frugally, has a fortune which she intends to leave to Lottie. Lottie, who has no idea how Phyllida could have amassed a fortune, starts to investigate.
The story shifts between past and present and includes several characters, including a woman named Dorothea fifty years earlier in England. Gradually a story unfolds, which involves another bookshop in England, several secrets amongst a titled family and an unsolved mystery.
And yes, although the mystery is important, it wasn’t the most important aspect of this story for me. What mattered most was a satisfying ending, the unravelling of various stories to find the truth. I liked Phyllida and Lottie and wanted Francis to find the happiness he deserved. Somehow, I missed Ms Clutton’s novel ‘The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains’ which, as it is set in Tasmania, is now a ‘must-read’ for me.
If you enjoy mysteries spanning different time periods involving complicated stories and hidden pasts, you may enjoy this novel. I did.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
May 2, 2026
Set mostly in present time in a small town in the Southern Highlands of NSW near Sydney with flashbacks to 1970’s and 1990’s. Also, to Cambridgeshire, England in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
A mystery about the love of books and book collecting. Secrets and identity and a little bit of witchcraft, with lots of complicated family relationships. Phyllida Banks is 80 and lives in the Southern Highlands where she has owned a bookshop called “The Bookshop of Buried Pasts” since 1975.
Phyllida has lived a life of secrets and regrets and has decided to end her life, leaving a letter to her granddaughter Lottie, asking Lottie to find Francis.
Lottie has moved back home after a failed relationship and helps Phyllida in the bookshop which is full of old interesting books from deceased estates. Lottie knows very little about her grandmother’s past just snippets of a life where she worked in a bookshop in England and had inherited some supernatural abilities from her grandmother.
This was a fantastic read; I loved the way Lottie tries to find out about Francis and the different resources she uses with the help of a teenager who helps in the bookshop. I loved the interactions between the characters and the way snippets of useful information turn up hidden amongst the books in the bookshop. Lots of twists and turns and secret identities.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Allen and Unwin for a chance to read and review this E-Book. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
A mystery about the love of books and book collecting. Secrets and identity and a little bit of witchcraft, with lots of complicated family relationships. Phyllida Banks is 80 and lives in the Southern Highlands where she has owned a bookshop called “The Bookshop of Buried Pasts” since 1975.
Phyllida has lived a life of secrets and regrets and has decided to end her life, leaving a letter to her granddaughter Lottie, asking Lottie to find Francis.
Lottie has moved back home after a failed relationship and helps Phyllida in the bookshop which is full of old interesting books from deceased estates. Lottie knows very little about her grandmother’s past just snippets of a life where she worked in a bookshop in England and had inherited some supernatural abilities from her grandmother.
This was a fantastic read; I loved the way Lottie tries to find out about Francis and the different resources she uses with the help of a teenager who helps in the bookshop. I loved the interactions between the characters and the way snippets of useful information turn up hidden amongst the books in the bookshop. Lots of twists and turns and secret identities.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Allen and Unwin for a chance to read and review this E-Book. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
May 31, 2026
For starters, how to go past a gorgeous cover like this one? Even the blue bookshelves are there, lovingly described in the book. This story has quite a bit of mystery in it, all centered around Phyllida Banks, who we meet in a very startling Chapter 1. 'Buried pasts' is indeed the word here, and it turns out the community - family - around Phyllida have quite a lot of secrets. Also the community around 'Francis' - an Englishman Phyllida urges her granddaughter Lottie to find. Time for a reckoning of all the mystery. At first the constant flipping backward and forward in time was disconcerting - no sooner did I think I was getting to know a character, when I was hurtled into another time, another place, other people... But as the narrative structure tightened you eventually work out all the tos and fros of the very startling story. So have patience, all will be revealed. Sarah Clutton's previous book The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains (sometimes just as frustrating in the narrative at times but also revelatory in the end) had the same emphasis on finding where you belong in the world, often in a family you didn't expect with past deeds/events cluttering up the truth of things. A good yarn, just be prepared to take your time.
Read
April 20, 2026This book has the most interesting book title 'The Bookshop of Buried Past', that alone would make me want to pick it up and read. I really enjoyed this book and thought the Author Sarah Clutton created a great mystery and beautiful characters.
Set in New South Wales, Australia. Phyllida Banks lives in the small town of Brookbank, in the Southern Highlands and runs a bookshop. Phyllida ends up in hospital unconscious and near death. Lottie her granddaughter finds a letter asking her to find 'Francis' and so the mystery to find this mystery man and in doing so discover Phyllida hidden past begins.
I love the style in which she wrote it, with the chapters told from the voice and perspective of the individual character, it helped me to feel more connected to each character and have a strong sense of who they were. I loved that she did it in a way that the story stilled flowed perfectly from one chapter into the next.
The book was a real page turner, unravelling the mystery over many decades, full of lots of twists and turns. Thank you to Good Reading for an advanced copy to review.
Set in New South Wales, Australia. Phyllida Banks lives in the small town of Brookbank, in the Southern Highlands and runs a bookshop. Phyllida ends up in hospital unconscious and near death. Lottie her granddaughter finds a letter asking her to find 'Francis' and so the mystery to find this mystery man and in doing so discover Phyllida hidden past begins.
I love the style in which she wrote it, with the chapters told from the voice and perspective of the individual character, it helped me to feel more connected to each character and have a strong sense of who they were. I loved that she did it in a way that the story stilled flowed perfectly from one chapter into the next.
The book was a real page turner, unravelling the mystery over many decades, full of lots of twists and turns. Thank you to Good Reading for an advanced copy to review.
May 8, 2026
My first venture into a Sarah Clutton book. I loved the premise and couldn’t wait to see where the story took me.
The writing is a little prosaic for me and as such, I found it a little hard to get into. But preseverance paid off as the story revealed itself. Little by little as the story of one woman’s life became clearer, as secrets started to come to light twists untangled - the pages seemed to turn on their own.
Family is not always what it seems and as we move back and forth from decades, the past slowly creep to the surface. And what’s been carefully buried in the past, reveals itself to astonishing detail.
We start from a small bookshop of buried pasts im Scotland and end up decades later in a similar bookshop of buried pasts in the Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia. The story in between of family, loyalty, unimaginable hardship and loss, and love, always love.
Families are complicated. But it’s always worth knowing the past.
A lovely reading.
The writing is a little prosaic for me and as such, I found it a little hard to get into. But preseverance paid off as the story revealed itself. Little by little as the story of one woman’s life became clearer, as secrets started to come to light twists untangled - the pages seemed to turn on their own.
Family is not always what it seems and as we move back and forth from decades, the past slowly creep to the surface. And what’s been carefully buried in the past, reveals itself to astonishing detail.
We start from a small bookshop of buried pasts im Scotland and end up decades later in a similar bookshop of buried pasts in the Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia. The story in between of family, loyalty, unimaginable hardship and loss, and love, always love.
Families are complicated. But it’s always worth knowing the past.
A lovely reading.
June 24, 2026
Elderly bookshop owner's past life in England and Australia is told through a complex structure of multiple voices and timeframes. The story includes an exploration of secrets, a mystery, and how past lives shape people and their actions in the present. The path to the 'truth' involves a lot of characters who randomly appear and disappear through the convoluted method of storytelling. It took me a very long time to get into the story and a pen and paper to keep track of characters, places and time-frames. As the characters progressively developed, I became a bit more engaged with the family drama & the mystery. While the ending was meant to be "satisfying" by resolving the mystery and providing a resolution for each of the characters, it all felt a bit artificial and overdone. I only finished the audiobook because it was to be discussed at book club, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. It was ok, but a bit too much hard work for what it actually delivered.
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