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MacKenzie Crossing
An old photograph holds the key to a missing man, a past love and a long-lost mountain village.
A passion for photography draws two stories together across time to Mackenzie Crossing.
Neville ‘Pom’ Darling, is on the hunt for the perfect photograph.
Skye Stewart, is searching for her long lost grandfather.
It’s 1939, and Neville, escaping an unhappy marriage and his memories of the Great War, finds himself in Mackenzie Crossing on the day of the terrible Black Friday bushfires. He meets the beautiful Georgie Mackenzie and in an instant knows that she is the subject he has been looking for. As the heat intensifies, Georgie and Pom begin to wonder if they have a future together; but first, they must survive the blaze.
Almost sixty years later, Sky Stewart returns to the area in search of her grandfather. Did he survive the Black Friday bushfires? Who is the exotic woman in the photograph she found? But when she arrives in Elysian, the closest town to where Mackenzie Crossing used to be, she finds more of her hidden past than she bargained for. A more recent past which she would prefer stayed forgotten…
A passion for photography draws two stories together across time to Mackenzie Crossing.
Neville ‘Pom’ Darling, is on the hunt for the perfect photograph.
Skye Stewart, is searching for her long lost grandfather.
It’s 1939, and Neville, escaping an unhappy marriage and his memories of the Great War, finds himself in Mackenzie Crossing on the day of the terrible Black Friday bushfires. He meets the beautiful Georgie Mackenzie and in an instant knows that she is the subject he has been looking for. As the heat intensifies, Georgie and Pom begin to wonder if they have a future together; but first, they must survive the blaze.
Almost sixty years later, Sky Stewart returns to the area in search of her grandfather. Did he survive the Black Friday bushfires? Who is the exotic woman in the photograph she found? But when she arrives in Elysian, the closest town to where Mackenzie Crossing used to be, she finds more of her hidden past than she bargained for. A more recent past which she would prefer stayed forgotten…
352 pages, Paperback
Published November 21, 2016
1 person is currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Kaye Dobbie
29 books54 followersKaye Dobbie lives in an old house in the old gold rush town Bendigo, in the state of Victoria, Australia. She has been writing professionally ever since she won the Big River short story contest at the age of eighteen. Her career has undergone many changes, including writing Australian historical fiction under the name Lilly Sommers, to romance written as Sara Bennett/Sara Mackenzie and published by Avon in the USA. Her books have been translated into many languages. She is currently writing under her 'proper' name, Kaye Dobbie, and is published by Harlequin Mira in Australia and Weltbild in Germany. Kaye lives on the central Victorian goldfields, where she creates her stories and in her spare time researches her family tree.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
November 7, 2016
Friday 13th January 1939 – Black Friday when it seemed the whole state of Victoria was ablaze. In the days before, Neville Darling had found himself in the little town of Mackenzie Crossing. Neville was affectionately known as “Pom” and his great passion was photography. He found pointing his camera would soothe and calm his mind; the continual nightmares of the Great War would recede a little. So when he saw the enigmatic young woman framed in the doorway of the hostelry in Mackenzie Crossing, he knew he had finally found the subject he’d been searching for…
Skye Stewart had recently discovered the grandfather she had always known and loved was not her biological grandfather. Sorting her mother’s effects after her passing Skye was shocked at the birth certificate she found. Skye decided then and there that she wanted to find her grandfather – find the man who had abandoned her grandmother and his daughter all those years before. With help from an old school friend she found herself heading to Elysian in the Victorian Alps, the town closest to where Mackenzie Crossing had been before it had been razed by fire back in 1939.
But there was more which would shock Skye – nineteen years prior something terrible had happened; she didn’t talk of it ever and had thought it was banished from her mind. The first person she saw in her venture to find her grandfather brought that past crashing back to Skye. The memories came tumbling back – what would she do? She was desperate to continue her search – she refused to run away again…
Mackenzie Crossing by Aussie author Kaye Dobbie was an absolutely brilliant read! I thoroughly enjoyed Neville’s journey and Skye’s trek through the past as she searched for her loved one. Told in Neville’s voice back in 1939 and Skye’s in 1997 with a few diversions to Skye’s past, it was extremely well done. There was an intriguing mystery which spread throughout the pages; the horrors of the bushfires (which continue to this day); the enormity of secrets untold as well as love and loyalty in Mackenzie Crossing, a story I have no hesitation in recommending highly.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy to read in exchange for my honest review.
Skye Stewart had recently discovered the grandfather she had always known and loved was not her biological grandfather. Sorting her mother’s effects after her passing Skye was shocked at the birth certificate she found. Skye decided then and there that she wanted to find her grandfather – find the man who had abandoned her grandmother and his daughter all those years before. With help from an old school friend she found herself heading to Elysian in the Victorian Alps, the town closest to where Mackenzie Crossing had been before it had been razed by fire back in 1939.
But there was more which would shock Skye – nineteen years prior something terrible had happened; she didn’t talk of it ever and had thought it was banished from her mind. The first person she saw in her venture to find her grandfather brought that past crashing back to Skye. The memories came tumbling back – what would she do? She was desperate to continue her search – she refused to run away again…
Mackenzie Crossing by Aussie author Kaye Dobbie was an absolutely brilliant read! I thoroughly enjoyed Neville’s journey and Skye’s trek through the past as she searched for her loved one. Told in Neville’s voice back in 1939 and Skye’s in 1997 with a few diversions to Skye’s past, it was extremely well done. There was an intriguing mystery which spread throughout the pages; the horrors of the bushfires (which continue to this day); the enormity of secrets untold as well as love and loyalty in Mackenzie Crossing, a story I have no hesitation in recommending highly.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy to read in exchange for my honest review.
December 29, 2016
I found Mackenzie Crossing to be a brilliant read - it was extremely well done. The 1939 Black Friday bushfires were horrific and the way the people dealt with it at the time was amazing. Neville’s relationship with those on the mountain is most memorable. But this is also a tale about secrets, both past and present, with the impact it has on those we love or can’t help loving. As Skye struggles to unravel the mystery behind her biological grandfather, in the contrastingly frozen and wintry present, you will inwardly cheer for her progress, especially when it comes to finding true love. I have no hesitation in highly recommending this wonderful Aussie drama.
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February 6, 2017
Just finished reading this book today, January 12, one day before the 78th anniversary of the Black Friday bush fires in 1939. Noting the heat here in Queensland today, one can only imagine the danger and devastation of bush fires in January here in Australia, particularly in Victoria where this story is set. This story, my first by Kaye Dobbie, has two (or more!) stories intertwined between 1939 and 1997 with the story going to other years on and off as Skye, a photographer in 1997, tries to find out what happened to her grandfather Neville, also a photographer, after the bush fires in 1939. I loved this book and how the author didn't only show some happier times, but also the gritty and difficult times of the characters whether they be in the 1914-18 war, for a survivor of that time in 1939 or in the between times of 1939 and 1997. I would recommend this book.
April 12, 2017
Another fantastic audiobook, loved everything about it.
June 18, 2017
This was an enjoyable read but it did get a bit confusing as it skipped a lot between different times.
June 8, 2019
Kaye Dobbie is one of my (many!) favourite Australian authors. Published in 2016, it is the third book written by Dobbie. While I thoroughly enjoyed Sweet Wattle Creek and Willow Tree Bend, I found this one didn’t quite hit the spot for me. It was still quiescently Australian as Dobbie took the reader backwards and forwards in time, dealing with bushfires, the aftermath of the Great War and second chances. Set primarily in the rural country towns of MacKenzie Crossing and Elysian Melbourne, it follows three timelines.
Neville was the protagonist in 1939. 1939 sees Neville dealing with what is now recognised as PTS after serving in World War I. He has left his family and friends behind as he follows his dream of photography. While I admired Neville for chasing his dreams, being so far removed from that time and situation made it difficult to understand Neville’s actions of leaving loved ones behind. Serendipity is on Neville’s side when he meets the beautiful Georgie in MacKenzie Crossing. Neville and Georgie quickly form an understanding of one another and affection for each other which, unfortunately, reminded me of instant teenage love. Personally, I felt that I could have spent more time in this era getting to know Neville and Georgie as well as getting to see their relationship grow so it felt more authentic. Either way, time is not on this couple’s side though as the bushfires known as Black Friday head towards MacKenzie Crossing.
The second timeline is 1997 where I felt that I got to know the main character, Skye, and her background in great depth. Skye was on the hunt for her long-lost grandfather. She had many questions that she would like to have answered about him and all of these questions lead her to Elysian. Here, Skye collides unexpectedly with her teenage past, bringing past hurts and happiness with it. To get to know teenage Skye, Dobbie intermittently takes the reader back to 1979. In the past, Skye is a passionate girl in love with the boy from the wrong side of the tracks so I enjoyed the opportunity of getting to know how and why she became the woman she was today. In both the past and the present Skye is a woman on a mission who doesn’t give up easily to get what she wants.
MacKenzie Crossing is one for those who love Australian fiction that crosses timelines.
Neville was the protagonist in 1939. 1939 sees Neville dealing with what is now recognised as PTS after serving in World War I. He has left his family and friends behind as he follows his dream of photography. While I admired Neville for chasing his dreams, being so far removed from that time and situation made it difficult to understand Neville’s actions of leaving loved ones behind. Serendipity is on Neville’s side when he meets the beautiful Georgie in MacKenzie Crossing. Neville and Georgie quickly form an understanding of one another and affection for each other which, unfortunately, reminded me of instant teenage love. Personally, I felt that I could have spent more time in this era getting to know Neville and Georgie as well as getting to see their relationship grow so it felt more authentic. Either way, time is not on this couple’s side though as the bushfires known as Black Friday head towards MacKenzie Crossing.
The second timeline is 1997 where I felt that I got to know the main character, Skye, and her background in great depth. Skye was on the hunt for her long-lost grandfather. She had many questions that she would like to have answered about him and all of these questions lead her to Elysian. Here, Skye collides unexpectedly with her teenage past, bringing past hurts and happiness with it. To get to know teenage Skye, Dobbie intermittently takes the reader back to 1979. In the past, Skye is a passionate girl in love with the boy from the wrong side of the tracks so I enjoyed the opportunity of getting to know how and why she became the woman she was today. In both the past and the present Skye is a woman on a mission who doesn’t give up easily to get what she wants.
MacKenzie Crossing is one for those who love Australian fiction that crosses timelines.
January 8, 2017
It's been a stinky hot weekend with little sleep, but I couldn't stop reading this lovely book. Now finished, I keep thinking back on it, the setting, the characters, the excellent story telling.
I came across this book at work and the mention of the Black Friday fires in Victoria immediately peaked my interest. One of my enduring memories of my grandfather is sitting around the dinner table listening to his tales of being trapped in the 1939 fires and having to seek refuge in a mine shaft.
This book has two interlinked stories, one in 1939 with two very memorable and well crafted characters drawn together in the rugged high country with the fires looming ever closer. The more contemporary shadow story of Skye searching for her grandfather is equally interesting as she searches for her family and is confronted by her more recent past at the same time.
What I really like about this book is that the characters are very real, I know their names, I remember their stories because they are grounded in reality and are completely plausible. I liked them all and found I was completely invested in them and their situations. The settings are also well drawn and probably because they are based on places that I know well, I could see the locations very clearly through the author's eloquent descriptions. The tension in both stories was very well done and the two resolutions very satisfactory without being cliched.
At the end of the book the author mentions the town of Woods Point as one of the influences of her story. The other day I asked my mum where Pa had been during the fires. I thought he'd been down in the Otways with the CRB - turns out he was in Woods Point. I'm now on a mission to find out more about my grandfather's experiences in that awful time, and I'm going to recommend MacKenzies Crossing to anyone who loves good storytelling, great characters and the setting of the Victorian Alps, whether they are familiar to you or not. Thanks Kaye for a great read.
I came across this book at work and the mention of the Black Friday fires in Victoria immediately peaked my interest. One of my enduring memories of my grandfather is sitting around the dinner table listening to his tales of being trapped in the 1939 fires and having to seek refuge in a mine shaft.
This book has two interlinked stories, one in 1939 with two very memorable and well crafted characters drawn together in the rugged high country with the fires looming ever closer. The more contemporary shadow story of Skye searching for her grandfather is equally interesting as she searches for her family and is confronted by her more recent past at the same time.
What I really like about this book is that the characters are very real, I know their names, I remember their stories because they are grounded in reality and are completely plausible. I liked them all and found I was completely invested in them and their situations. The settings are also well drawn and probably because they are based on places that I know well, I could see the locations very clearly through the author's eloquent descriptions. The tension in both stories was very well done and the two resolutions very satisfactory without being cliched.
At the end of the book the author mentions the town of Woods Point as one of the influences of her story. The other day I asked my mum where Pa had been during the fires. I thought he'd been down in the Otways with the CRB - turns out he was in Woods Point. I'm now on a mission to find out more about my grandfather's experiences in that awful time, and I'm going to recommend MacKenzies Crossing to anyone who loves good storytelling, great characters and the setting of the Victorian Alps, whether they are familiar to you or not. Thanks Kaye for a great read.
November 19, 2018
Loved this book, very easy to read, combination of mystery and romance
August 24, 2018
Cleverly crafted paralleled story set in a beautiful part of Victoria - rugged and bushfire prone. I enjoyed the fuelling romantic tension between Skye and Finn much more than the other. Appreciated the contrast in seasons which defines this setting so well - terribly hot setting for the bushfires of 1939 and yet freezing cold/snowy for the modern day. Justifiable ending for all involved.
May 6, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
It was an easy book to read but I would have liked to know more about Neville’s story and a bit less about Skye’s. I didn’t think Skye was a “strong woman”, in many ways she came across as easily scared and overly cautious. I picked the ending about 25% of the way into the book.
It was an easy book to read but I would have liked to know more about Neville’s story and a bit less about Skye’s. I didn’t think Skye was a “strong woman”, in many ways she came across as easily scared and overly cautious. I picked the ending about 25% of the way into the book.
June 19, 2017
A good, but reasonably basic read - I would give it 3.5 if I could. I was surprised to see the rating over 4, which is rare for this sort of book. It is possibly my expectations were unreasonably high due to the high Goodreads rating.
December 15, 2018
A wonderful book interweaving two stories decades apart but linked together by family ties
Sensible and believable storylines, great characters, well written.
Highly recommended
I will be reading more by this author
Sensible and believable storylines, great characters, well written.
Highly recommended
I will be reading more by this author
June 12, 2022
I loved this beautiful book. It is a mystery, romance and was an absolute delight to read. It is very well written and the setting is gorgeous with loveable characters. I highly recommend this beauty.
March 3, 2017
Really loved this book and couldn't put it down.
June 5, 2017
An entertaining read based in the Victorian Ranges. It has a bit of action, some mystery and a romance. What's not to like.
October 1, 2017
Great book, enjoyed reading it!
March 27, 2018
Audio book
May 25, 2019
( audio book) Great read that explores the devastation of the Black Friday fires in 1937. A mystery that keeps you going. Full bodied characters and great description. Loved it.
March 29, 2021
This book dragged and didn't hold my attention.
November 7, 2021
Great book I love ancestry and a good story.
July 28, 2022
Really loved this book!
November 7, 2017
I love an historical novel based around true events, with a bit of romance and suspense thrown in. And if it includes two different storylines from two different eras, all the better! This book covered all that and more. Fast paced, likeable characters, although the lead female was a bit annoying. I have read a few of Kaye Dobbie books, and have enjoyed every one. Looking forward to her next novel!
February 4, 2017
Having listened to stories from my father of Black Friday I was most interested to read this book and especially as I have enjoyed other books by the author. I found the descriptions of life in the bush excellent and especially of the approaching bush fires. I great read involved many different characters and each with their only special story.
September 15, 2018
Kaye Dobbie is my new favourite author. Beautifully written, the story made you want to keep reading. Loved the characters. This book is quite like Colours of Gold and reminded me slightly of Joy Dettman and the Woody Creek Series.
January 23, 2017
wonderful story ...great read from cover to cover
June 17, 2020
Wonderful description of the Victorian mountain country and devastation of bush fires.
April 2, 2017
Great read - very enjoyable
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews