The Bookshop of Buried Pasts

by Sarah Clutton

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

Genres: Contemporary

384 pages, Paperback

Published April 28, 2026

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Anna Loder · Rating 5 out of 5]

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…

[Craig and Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Zoë · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Brooke Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Samantha C · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Shreedevi Gurumurty · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Jodie Gerakelis · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Leeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Fran Dishon]

This 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.

[Kamilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Maree Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely wonderful read this was. I love books about books, bookshops, witchcraft and celtic mythology so this was right up my alley!

I loved how each chapter was devoted to a specific character, at a certain point in time, so the story slowly unfolds, as events from the past are uncovered, revealing how they shaped what is occurring in the present day.

So many secrets and lies, both in the past and the present.

I loved the epilogue, which I had to read a few times, once I had dried my tears.
These characters were so wonderfully developed that I felt like I was right there with them, uncovering the secrets of the past.

Well done Sarah and I will certainly be looking forward to reading more of your books in future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Tev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

At first, I found the story a little difficult to get into and was somewhat confused by the opening. However, once I found my footing, I was completely drawn in and didn’t want to put the book down.

The writing is beautiful. As the narrative unfolds it becomes deeply engaging, blending emotion, mystery and a strong sense of place. The concept itself feels both unique and thoughtful, and it lingers with you even after you’ve finished.

While the slow start may not work for everyone, I found that it ultimately paid off. Once the story takes hold, it’s hard to step away from.

Overall, this was a captivating and memorable read that I would definitely recommend to others especially those who enjoy richly written stories with a touch of mystery and heart.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book you can judge by its cover. It is vibrant, calming, with a hint of shadows, and full of books!

The first character we meet is the bookshop itself. We quickly warm to the human characters in this Southern Highlands town, like Lottie. Her mother Miriam and grandmother Phyllida are still grieving Lottie’s father, David, but he died before she was born and she doesn't really know him at all. But it’s another missing boy who drives the mystery in this family saga. Who is Francis? And why is finding him Phyllida’s dying wish? These secrets will all be revealed at another bookshop of buried pasts in 1960s Cambridgeshire.

This book isn’t challenging, but it is very engaging. The family secrets won’t be a thrilling mystery, but the way they make the characters feel is what is important.

[Kim Woodland · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Bookshop of Buried Pasts is at its best when it evokes the charm of the Southern Highlands. The cosy bookshop, small‑town rhythms and gentle tone create a lovely sense of place, and Sarah Clutton captures that atmosphere with ease. The premise – a family mystery centred on an old bookshop and long‑buried secrets – sets up an inviting, comforting read.

I didn’t always connect deeply with the characters, and some of the relationship threads felt a little hard to hold onto. The light folklore elements may appeal to readers who enjoy a touch of mysticism, though they weren’t quite my preference. Even so, there’s plenty of warmth here, and readers who enjoy small‑town mysteries and bookshop‑set stories will likely find much to enjoy. For me, it was a pleasant three‑star read.

Thanks to Good Reading, Allen & Unwin and Sarah Clutton for a copy of the book to review.

[Suzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, I just want to say - What a Beautiful Cover ! Draws your eye straight away, willing you to come inside this quirky bookstore.
Phyllida Banks is the owner of the Bookshop of Buried Pasts in the village of Brookbank and is adored by everyone. Feeling like this is her time, she leaves her granddaughter a letter with a single request to 'Find Francis' !
The story spans two generations and is told from a multi character POV. It is a wonderful story of the power of a mother's love and what lengths people will go to protect a child.
For lovers of a feel good story filled with heartbreak, joy and pasts packed with many buried secrets, this one will pull at the hear strings while drawing a smile to your face.
Really enjoyed this lovely read and would recommend this to all

[Nicole West · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book by its beautiful cover, and if it involves a bookshop that always grabs my interest.

From the beginning, you will be swept into the story and life of Phyillida Banks, who works in a Bookshop in the tiny village of the Southern Highlands. But she has lived another life before this one, on the run with secrets and a new identity with young son to care for.

This book is full of mystery, sadness at times, unconditional love, colourful characters, and past Buried happenings that will surface in time.

I recommend reading 📚 👌

Thanks, #Allen&Unwin and #goodreadingmagazine

[Janene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one took me a little while to settle into, but once I did, I really enjoyed it.

The story is beautifully written and thoughtfully crafted, with a layered mystery that gradually unfolds. The way everything is woven together is very clever, and it kept me interested as the story moved between timelines and locations.

The characters are complex and well developed, particularly as more of the past is revealed. I enjoyed uncovering the connections and seeing how everything tied back together.

Overall, a well-written and engaging read that rewards a bit of patience at the beginning.

[Sarah Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bookshop of Buried Pasts follows Lottie after her grandmother is hospitalised, leaving behind a cryptic message to 'Find Francis.' Lottie is pulled into a scavenger hunt through the family's antiquarian bookshop, and a past she never knew existed.

It's a bit of a slow burn at first as the pieces of the puzzle are laid out, but the pieces connect to a truly original storyline, including a 50 year old cold case in England. Clutton's writing is as beautiful as ever, and it wraps up with a lovely ending.

[Meg Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. Another absolute hit from Sarah Clutton. Phyllida Banks' story intrigued me from the first chapter; an instantly loveable character with a LOT of mystery that had me flying through the pages to uncover. The mystery, the heartbreak, the twists... all right up until the very end. Such a page turner filled with so much heart and warmth. I feel like I need to book a holiday to the Southern Highlands and Cambridgeshire immediately and live this life.

[Angelynn23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an uplifting read and I like the characters, the setting and the story. I enjoyed discovering the mystery the bookshop holds. Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher Allen & Unwin for the ARC.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a slow start, the readers are taken on a journey through time and family secrets. Beautiful set in the Southern Highlands, fans of witchcraft and mysteries will enjoy this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and Allen and Unwin for a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect from this book. I loved the Southern Highlands setting and could easily imagine these scenes, however I felt that the timelines jumped around a lot. I loved Phyllida and Lottie! It wasn't really a historical fiction, nor was it a thriller...a bit slow at times ⭐⭐⭐1/2

[Nola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything about this book is perfect. The pace, the characters, the sense of intrigue, and the gentle unravelling of long buried secrets. A tender tale told by a masterful author.

[Jill Darragh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful read. I think it engaged all my emotions.