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The Great Divide
In the rural Tasmanian town of Dunton, the body of a former headmistress of a children’s home is discovered, revealing a tortured life and death.
Detective Jake Hunter, newly-arrived, searches for her killer among past residents of the home. He unearths pain, secrets and broken adults. Pushing aside memories of his own treacherous past, Jake focuses all his energy on the investigation.
Why are some of the children untraceable? What caused such damage among the survivors?
The identity of the murderer seems hidden from Jake by Dunton’s fog of prejudice and lies, until he is forced to confront not only the town’s history but his own nature…
Detective Jake Hunter, newly-arrived, searches for her killer among past residents of the home. He unearths pain, secrets and broken adults. Pushing aside memories of his own treacherous past, Jake focuses all his energy on the investigation.
Why are some of the children untraceable? What caused such damage among the survivors?
The identity of the murderer seems hidden from Jake by Dunton’s fog of prejudice and lies, until he is forced to confront not only the town’s history but his own nature…
294 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
9 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
About the author
L.J.M. Owen
8 books88 followersDr L.J.M. Owen has escaped dark and shadowy days as a public servant to explore the comparatively lighter side of life: murder, mystery and forgotten women's history. An Australian author, archaeologist and librarian with a PhD in palaeogenetics, L.J. speaks five languages and has travelled extensively through Europe and Asia.
L.J. is the Festival Director of the Terror Australis Readers and Writers Festival, a celebration of literature and literacy in southern Tasmania.
In addition to writing and festival directing, L.J. is a panellist, interviewer, workshop provider and public speaker. Rare moments of free time are spent experimenting with ancient recipes…under strict feline supervision.
The Great Divide
Twisted Secrets. Hidden Victims. Monstrous Crimes.
L.J.'s new novel, The Great Divide (November 2019), introduces newcomer Jake Hunter as he tracks a killer through a fog of lies in small town Tasmania.
The Great Divide is gripping, atmospheric rural crime that meshes L.J.’s love of mystery – including rural-set Australian thrillers, classic Agatha Christie and forensic crime such as Kathy Reichs’ Temperance Brennan series – and her experiences in small town Australia. The novel has both personal and social meaning, as well as that page-turning quality that L.J.’s readers love.
Dr Pimms, Intermillennial Sleuth
A passionate advocate for reclaiming women’s history, L.J. incorporates human genetics, forensic science and ancient cultures in her Australian-set mystery series: Dr Pimms, Intermillennial Sleuth.
The first book in the series, Olmec Obituary, introduces readers to a young Dr Elizabeth Pimms, an archaeologist-librarian who solves ancient mysteries from across the globe. Struggling with grief, loss and difficult colleagues, Elizabeth searches for the identity of those buried in a royal Olmec cemetery discovered deep in the Mexican jungle.
The second book in the series, Mayan Mendacity, explores the ancient world of Maya politics, scribes and female rulers.
The third, Egyptian Enigma, plunges Elizabeth into a world of missing mummies, forgotten female Pharaohs and modern cannibals.
The Dr Pimms, Intermillennial Sleuth series. Really cold cases
L.J. is the Festival Director of the Terror Australis Readers and Writers Festival, a celebration of literature and literacy in southern Tasmania.
In addition to writing and festival directing, L.J. is a panellist, interviewer, workshop provider and public speaker. Rare moments of free time are spent experimenting with ancient recipes…under strict feline supervision.
The Great Divide
Twisted Secrets. Hidden Victims. Monstrous Crimes.
L.J.'s new novel, The Great Divide (November 2019), introduces newcomer Jake Hunter as he tracks a killer through a fog of lies in small town Tasmania.
The Great Divide is gripping, atmospheric rural crime that meshes L.J.’s love of mystery – including rural-set Australian thrillers, classic Agatha Christie and forensic crime such as Kathy Reichs’ Temperance Brennan series – and her experiences in small town Australia. The novel has both personal and social meaning, as well as that page-turning quality that L.J.’s readers love.
Dr Pimms, Intermillennial Sleuth
A passionate advocate for reclaiming women’s history, L.J. incorporates human genetics, forensic science and ancient cultures in her Australian-set mystery series: Dr Pimms, Intermillennial Sleuth.
The first book in the series, Olmec Obituary, introduces readers to a young Dr Elizabeth Pimms, an archaeologist-librarian who solves ancient mysteries from across the globe. Struggling with grief, loss and difficult colleagues, Elizabeth searches for the identity of those buried in a royal Olmec cemetery discovered deep in the Mexican jungle.
The second book in the series, Mayan Mendacity, explores the ancient world of Maya politics, scribes and female rulers.
The third, Egyptian Enigma, plunges Elizabeth into a world of missing mummies, forgotten female Pharaohs and modern cannibals.
The Dr Pimms, Intermillennial Sleuth series. Really cold cases
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
November 9, 2019
Detective Jake Hunter had only just arrived from Melbourne to his new posting – the small town of Dunton in Tasmania – and expected things to be quiet with relatively little crime. When he was called to a missing child in rural bushland, he didn’t expect to find a body, and when his constable recognized the woman, shock resonated through the town.
The children’s home had been closed for years, but the dead woman had been in charge of it and the care of the children until adoption. As Jake and Murphy dug deeply into the home, the children who had been there at the time, and the connecting people, he could sense there were deep secrets that were just hovering beneath the surface. As his forensic pathologist gave him evidence, Jake knew he was heading to the culmination of the case – and he didn’t like what he was seeing. But another death confused the issue. What was happening? Who was the killer? Or was there more than one person involved?
The Great Divide by Aussie author L.J.M Owen is an excellent crime mystery, and a big step away from her historical cosy mysteries she previously wrote. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, with its fast pace, snippets of clues, twists and red herrings. I really liked the main character, Detective Jake Hunter, and hope this is the start of a series with him at the helm. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Echo Publishing for my copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
The Great Divide by L.J.M. Owen (Echo Publishing $29.99)
The children’s home had been closed for years, but the dead woman had been in charge of it and the care of the children until adoption. As Jake and Murphy dug deeply into the home, the children who had been there at the time, and the connecting people, he could sense there were deep secrets that were just hovering beneath the surface. As his forensic pathologist gave him evidence, Jake knew he was heading to the culmination of the case – and he didn’t like what he was seeing. But another death confused the issue. What was happening? Who was the killer? Or was there more than one person involved?
The Great Divide by Aussie author L.J.M Owen is an excellent crime mystery, and a big step away from her historical cosy mysteries she previously wrote. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, with its fast pace, snippets of clues, twists and red herrings. I really liked the main character, Detective Jake Hunter, and hope this is the start of a series with him at the helm. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Echo Publishing for my copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
The Great Divide by L.J.M. Owen (Echo Publishing $29.99)
November 2, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
the story is set in Tasmania. detective Jake Hunter has not been staying long in the small rural town. He left his complicated life back in Melbourne. a little boy had went missing from a camp site. thankfully he is found safe and well but he claims to have seen a dead body. Jake goes back to take a look at where they found the boy, and sure enough, he discovers the body of a woman.
This story has everything to draw you in: atmosphere, terrific setting, mystery, murder and a new detective. The story is a little bit predictable but it's still intriguing. The victim had been the matron at the local bad girls home which had been closed down years ago. the plot line i quite complex but i did guess correctly who the culprit was. Some sinister secrets are uncovered during the investigation. This is a dark and gritty read. I quite enjoyed this quick read.
i would like to thank NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK and the author L.J.M. Owen for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
the story is set in Tasmania. detective Jake Hunter has not been staying long in the small rural town. He left his complicated life back in Melbourne. a little boy had went missing from a camp site. thankfully he is found safe and well but he claims to have seen a dead body. Jake goes back to take a look at where they found the boy, and sure enough, he discovers the body of a woman.
This story has everything to draw you in: atmosphere, terrific setting, mystery, murder and a new detective. The story is a little bit predictable but it's still intriguing. The victim had been the matron at the local bad girls home which had been closed down years ago. the plot line i quite complex but i did guess correctly who the culprit was. Some sinister secrets are uncovered during the investigation. This is a dark and gritty read. I quite enjoyed this quick read.
i would like to thank NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK and the author L.J.M. Owen for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 9, 2019
The Great Divide is a crime novel by Australian archaeologist, librarian and author, L.J.M. Owen. When Detective Jake Hunter transfers from Melbourne to Dunton in rural Tasmania, he’s expecting a quiet two years. Not that much happens in small towns, surely? But within days, he’s standing over a mutilated dead body in a vineyard. The victim, Ava O’Brien, was a matron for a local (bad) girls’ home that shut down some ten years earlier.
Jake’s first instinct is to look for disgruntled former residents of the home but, apart from two girls who were adopted by families in Dunton, the girls are strangely difficult to track down, although this may be due to the (in)competence of the local constable. Before long, events begin to indicate that some strange and disturbing practices occurred at the home.
Jake’s senior officer seems more intent on pandering to the town’s sensitivities than solving the crime, while his off-sider is a semi-literate constable who likes a beer. An added complication is that the boss often sends his daughter, the local Victims of Crime Services counsellor, to sit in on interviews. Jake finds her behaviour somewhat unprofessional and wonders about her qualifications. Jake is struck, too, by the almost biblical sense of male superiority that pervades the town.
Jake is still feeling guilty over the reason for his sudden departure from Melbourne, and grateful to have at least one ally in recently-arrived forensic pathologist, Dr Meena Gill. Over the days that follow, Jake sources information locally and further afield and, with each shocking revelation, the level of horror at the implied atrocities increases, the list of possible suspects for Ava’s murder expands, and the likely body count rises.
Owen easily evokes her setting: small-town rural Tasmania, with its beautiful surrounds belying the rumour and gossip, the secrets and guilt, and the social pressure to conform. As the truth gradually emerges, the reader is kept guessing, and even the most astute of those is unlikely to place all the puzzle pieces before the final reveal. Dark and gritty, this is excellent Australian crime fiction, and more of Detective Jake Hunter will definitely be welcome.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by Echo Publishing.
The Great Divide by L.J.M. Owen (Echo Publishing $29.99)
Jake’s first instinct is to look for disgruntled former residents of the home but, apart from two girls who were adopted by families in Dunton, the girls are strangely difficult to track down, although this may be due to the (in)competence of the local constable. Before long, events begin to indicate that some strange and disturbing practices occurred at the home.
Jake’s senior officer seems more intent on pandering to the town’s sensitivities than solving the crime, while his off-sider is a semi-literate constable who likes a beer. An added complication is that the boss often sends his daughter, the local Victims of Crime Services counsellor, to sit in on interviews. Jake finds her behaviour somewhat unprofessional and wonders about her qualifications. Jake is struck, too, by the almost biblical sense of male superiority that pervades the town.
Jake is still feeling guilty over the reason for his sudden departure from Melbourne, and grateful to have at least one ally in recently-arrived forensic pathologist, Dr Meena Gill. Over the days that follow, Jake sources information locally and further afield and, with each shocking revelation, the level of horror at the implied atrocities increases, the list of possible suspects for Ava’s murder expands, and the likely body count rises.
Owen easily evokes her setting: small-town rural Tasmania, with its beautiful surrounds belying the rumour and gossip, the secrets and guilt, and the social pressure to conform. As the truth gradually emerges, the reader is kept guessing, and even the most astute of those is unlikely to place all the puzzle pieces before the final reveal. Dark and gritty, this is excellent Australian crime fiction, and more of Detective Jake Hunter will definitely be welcome.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by Echo Publishing.
The Great Divide by L.J.M. Owen (Echo Publishing $29.99)
February 8, 2020
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
**** 4.5 stars
‘Hasn’t been a murder-well, not a real one-in Dunton since the eighties.’
Rural Australian crime is a favoured genre at present, thanks to talented authors such as Jane Harper and Chris Hammer. L.J.M. Owen throws her latest offering into the mix, with a highly atmospheric Tasmanian based crime novel. The Great Divide pits recently transferred mainland Detective Jake Hunter against a small Tasmanian town struggling with murder, secrets, torture and prejudice and lies. Enthralling from the first word to the parting line, The Great Divide is a consuming tale.
The Great Divide sees L.J.M. Owen take the reader deep into the dark depths of rural Tasmania, where a case initially involved a missing boy turns into a baffling murder investigation. When the body of the local caretaker and head of the renowned ‘bad girls home’ is uncovered, her medical history reveals some unusual features and torture practices. A detective who has recently arrived from the mainland is assigned to this complex case. Detective Jake Hunter’s eyes are soon opened to a litany of secrets, deep seated pain, lies, guilt and tortured souls. Jake is determined to get to the bottom of this investigation, at all costs. What is slowly revealed are many haunted individuals, marked by the pain of loss, indignity and terrible abuse. One murder case exposes an open nest of lies, secrets and ill judgement. Jake is a changed man by the end of this case and it rocks him to his very core.
L.J.M Owen dabbles with something very different in her new rural crime offering. The Great Divide is a departure from her Dr Elizabeth Pimms sleuth novels. With rural crime gathering plenty of positive attention, L.J.M. Owen has released this novel during a fertile time for Australian crime fiction. There were also moments when this intriguing book reminded me of a feature series currently screening on the streaming service Stan. I could see parallels between The Great Divide and a series titled The Gloaming. That aspect aside, The Great Divide is a book that utterly captivated me all the way through, there were some fairly gory and uncomfortable moments, but on the whole I rated this book very highly due to its originality.
A heart stopping and deeply atmospheric prologue introduces the opening mystery that consumes the local town of Dunton, in Tasmania. A missing young boy, a mutilated dead body and a whole host of unanswered questions around the suspect of this baffling case becomes the focus of Detective Jake Hunter’s investigations. Hunter has recently arrived from the mainland and has been awaiting his first breakout case in Tasmania. What he didn’t bargain for was such a convoluted murder case, linking the past and present together. Like the determined detective in this case, I was committed to solving this one from get-go, but it proved to be more than a little tricky!
Owen sets up an immediate feeling of fear and absolute chill when she opens The Great Divide. This is compounded by the Tasmanian backdrop which is bitter, cold, tangled and unpredictable. I loved this aspect of the novel. I have a strong interest in anything set in Tasmania, so The Great Divide well and truly hit the spot. Owen definitely carried me away to this heavily shrouded locale, which is full of uncertainty.
The central case Owen presents is full of shocks, big revelations, suspect turns and plenty of jolts to the system. Some of the finer details of this case, which Owen doesn’t back away from, are quite stomach churning. How this was allowed to happen under the noses of the local population I don’t know. The term ‘turn a blind eye’ came to mind when I thought about how the local community chose to ignore the suspect goings on at the ’bad girls home’. I put this down to the town’s prejudice and misunderstanding towards these troubled young victims. It was sad really and I think it was possibly preventable. The perpetrator was cruel, deranged and full of power, which allowed them to conduct such horrific acts on these vulnerable subjects. I do seem vague, but it is hard to discuss the main feature of this case, or cases, without revealing too much narrative wise. Despite my recoil of some aspects of this case, I found it compelling reading, matched by very even pacing and strong writing.
In Detective Jake Hunter, the lead of this novel and case, we have man who is driven, persistent and steadfast. Jake is keen to make some in-roads in the local community to assist him with this case, but he does encounter plenty of obstructions in his mission. I placed all my faith in Jake, I think he had the skills, aptitude and approach to get him over the line in this difficult case. I was euphoric when Jake finally cracked this case, it was a relief. However, I did feel in terms of his character, he didn’t give too much away. I definitely wanted more about the background and private life of this man, he played his cards close to his chest. I do hope Owen has plans to expand on the character of Jake Hunter in future works.
The Great Divide is a story of gnarled secrets, a town full of enigmas, unfortunate casualties and a series of heinous crimes. Led by a detective on a mission to exonerate this sleepy little town of its sins, L.J.M. Owen’s latest offers the ideal opportunity to experience a good quality rural crime novel.
The Great Divide is book #10 of the 2020 Australian Women Writers Challenge
**** 4.5 stars
‘Hasn’t been a murder-well, not a real one-in Dunton since the eighties.’
Rural Australian crime is a favoured genre at present, thanks to talented authors such as Jane Harper and Chris Hammer. L.J.M. Owen throws her latest offering into the mix, with a highly atmospheric Tasmanian based crime novel. The Great Divide pits recently transferred mainland Detective Jake Hunter against a small Tasmanian town struggling with murder, secrets, torture and prejudice and lies. Enthralling from the first word to the parting line, The Great Divide is a consuming tale.
The Great Divide sees L.J.M. Owen take the reader deep into the dark depths of rural Tasmania, where a case initially involved a missing boy turns into a baffling murder investigation. When the body of the local caretaker and head of the renowned ‘bad girls home’ is uncovered, her medical history reveals some unusual features and torture practices. A detective who has recently arrived from the mainland is assigned to this complex case. Detective Jake Hunter’s eyes are soon opened to a litany of secrets, deep seated pain, lies, guilt and tortured souls. Jake is determined to get to the bottom of this investigation, at all costs. What is slowly revealed are many haunted individuals, marked by the pain of loss, indignity and terrible abuse. One murder case exposes an open nest of lies, secrets and ill judgement. Jake is a changed man by the end of this case and it rocks him to his very core.
L.J.M Owen dabbles with something very different in her new rural crime offering. The Great Divide is a departure from her Dr Elizabeth Pimms sleuth novels. With rural crime gathering plenty of positive attention, L.J.M. Owen has released this novel during a fertile time for Australian crime fiction. There were also moments when this intriguing book reminded me of a feature series currently screening on the streaming service Stan. I could see parallels between The Great Divide and a series titled The Gloaming. That aspect aside, The Great Divide is a book that utterly captivated me all the way through, there were some fairly gory and uncomfortable moments, but on the whole I rated this book very highly due to its originality.
A heart stopping and deeply atmospheric prologue introduces the opening mystery that consumes the local town of Dunton, in Tasmania. A missing young boy, a mutilated dead body and a whole host of unanswered questions around the suspect of this baffling case becomes the focus of Detective Jake Hunter’s investigations. Hunter has recently arrived from the mainland and has been awaiting his first breakout case in Tasmania. What he didn’t bargain for was such a convoluted murder case, linking the past and present together. Like the determined detective in this case, I was committed to solving this one from get-go, but it proved to be more than a little tricky!
Owen sets up an immediate feeling of fear and absolute chill when she opens The Great Divide. This is compounded by the Tasmanian backdrop which is bitter, cold, tangled and unpredictable. I loved this aspect of the novel. I have a strong interest in anything set in Tasmania, so The Great Divide well and truly hit the spot. Owen definitely carried me away to this heavily shrouded locale, which is full of uncertainty.
The central case Owen presents is full of shocks, big revelations, suspect turns and plenty of jolts to the system. Some of the finer details of this case, which Owen doesn’t back away from, are quite stomach churning. How this was allowed to happen under the noses of the local population I don’t know. The term ‘turn a blind eye’ came to mind when I thought about how the local community chose to ignore the suspect goings on at the ’bad girls home’. I put this down to the town’s prejudice and misunderstanding towards these troubled young victims. It was sad really and I think it was possibly preventable. The perpetrator was cruel, deranged and full of power, which allowed them to conduct such horrific acts on these vulnerable subjects. I do seem vague, but it is hard to discuss the main feature of this case, or cases, without revealing too much narrative wise. Despite my recoil of some aspects of this case, I found it compelling reading, matched by very even pacing and strong writing.
In Detective Jake Hunter, the lead of this novel and case, we have man who is driven, persistent and steadfast. Jake is keen to make some in-roads in the local community to assist him with this case, but he does encounter plenty of obstructions in his mission. I placed all my faith in Jake, I think he had the skills, aptitude and approach to get him over the line in this difficult case. I was euphoric when Jake finally cracked this case, it was a relief. However, I did feel in terms of his character, he didn’t give too much away. I definitely wanted more about the background and private life of this man, he played his cards close to his chest. I do hope Owen has plans to expand on the character of Jake Hunter in future works.
The Great Divide is a story of gnarled secrets, a town full of enigmas, unfortunate casualties and a series of heinous crimes. Led by a detective on a mission to exonerate this sleepy little town of its sins, L.J.M. Owen’s latest offers the ideal opportunity to experience a good quality rural crime novel.
The Great Divide is book #10 of the 2020 Australian Women Writers Challenge
November 24, 2019
Detective Jake Hunter has moved from Melbourne to Dunton, a small country town in Tasmania. He wanted an easy country post to sit back and re-evaluate his life. However only a week in and he is on a murder case when an elderly resident is found dead in a vineyard. Ava O’Brien had run a girls home on the property for many years and appeared to be liked by everyone.
As Hunter continues his investigation more questions are raised about the girls home and a pool of potential suspects starts to mount. The more information Hunter gets the more baffling the case becomes. A murder investigation soon escalates to so much more. This small town is harbouring some shocking secrets.
The Great Divide is an atmospheric tale featuring small town mentality where everyone seems to be related in some way and the town has grissly secrets simmering below the surface. With themes of crimes against children, childhood trauma, PTSD, triggers for mental relapse and nepotism the story is hard to read at times.
This is not a thriller; it’s an intricate and cleverly plotted mystery that slowly unfolds, building on the suspense until its chilling ending.
*I received a review copy from the publisher
As Hunter continues his investigation more questions are raised about the girls home and a pool of potential suspects starts to mount. The more information Hunter gets the more baffling the case becomes. A murder investigation soon escalates to so much more. This small town is harbouring some shocking secrets.
The Great Divide is an atmospheric tale featuring small town mentality where everyone seems to be related in some way and the town has grissly secrets simmering below the surface. With themes of crimes against children, childhood trauma, PTSD, triggers for mental relapse and nepotism the story is hard to read at times.
This is not a thriller; it’s an intricate and cleverly plotted mystery that slowly unfolds, building on the suspense until its chilling ending.
*I received a review copy from the publisher
March 9, 2022
The Great Divide is a crime novel by Australian archaeologist, librarian and author, L.J.M. Owen. The audio version is narrated by Nicholas Osmond. When Detective Jake Hunter transfers from Melbourne to Dunton in rural Tasmania, he’s expecting a quiet two years. Not that much happens in small towns, surely? But within days, he’s standing over a mutilated dead body in a vineyard. The victim, Ava O’Brien, was a matron for a local (bad) girls’ home that shut down some ten years earlier.
Jake’s first instinct is to look for disgruntled former residents of the home but, apart from two girls who were adopted by families in Dunton, the girls are strangely difficult to track down, although this may be due to the (in)competence of the local constable. Before long, events begin to indicate that some strange and disturbing practices occurred at the home.
Jake’s senior officer seems more intent on pandering to the town’s sensitivities than solving the crime, while his off-sider is a semi-literate constable who likes a beer. An added complication is that the boss often sends his daughter, the local Victims of Crime Services counsellor, to sit in on interviews. Jake finds her behaviour somewhat unprofessional and wonders about her qualifications. Jake is struck, too, by the almost biblical sense of male superiority that pervades the town.
Jake is still feeling guilty over the reason for his sudden departure from Melbourne, and grateful to have at least one ally in recently-arrived forensic pathologist, Dr Meena Gill. Over the days that follow, Jake sources information locally and further afield and, with each shocking revelation, the level of horror at the implied atrocities increases, the list of possible suspects for Ava’s murder expands, and the likely body count rises.
Owen easily evokes her setting: small-town rural Tasmania, with its beautiful surrounds belying the rumour and gossip, the secrets and guilt, and the social pressure to conform. As the truth gradually emerges, the reader is kept guessing, and even the most astute of those is unlikely to place all the puzzle pieces before the final reveal. Dark and gritty, this is excellent Australian crime fiction, and more of Detective Jake Hunter will definitely be welcome.
Jake’s first instinct is to look for disgruntled former residents of the home but, apart from two girls who were adopted by families in Dunton, the girls are strangely difficult to track down, although this may be due to the (in)competence of the local constable. Before long, events begin to indicate that some strange and disturbing practices occurred at the home.
Jake’s senior officer seems more intent on pandering to the town’s sensitivities than solving the crime, while his off-sider is a semi-literate constable who likes a beer. An added complication is that the boss often sends his daughter, the local Victims of Crime Services counsellor, to sit in on interviews. Jake finds her behaviour somewhat unprofessional and wonders about her qualifications. Jake is struck, too, by the almost biblical sense of male superiority that pervades the town.
Jake is still feeling guilty over the reason for his sudden departure from Melbourne, and grateful to have at least one ally in recently-arrived forensic pathologist, Dr Meena Gill. Over the days that follow, Jake sources information locally and further afield and, with each shocking revelation, the level of horror at the implied atrocities increases, the list of possible suspects for Ava’s murder expands, and the likely body count rises.
Owen easily evokes her setting: small-town rural Tasmania, with its beautiful surrounds belying the rumour and gossip, the secrets and guilt, and the social pressure to conform. As the truth gradually emerges, the reader is kept guessing, and even the most astute of those is unlikely to place all the puzzle pieces before the final reveal. Dark and gritty, this is excellent Australian crime fiction, and more of Detective Jake Hunter will definitely be welcome.
November 5, 2019
The Great Divide is a gritty Australian crime novel from L.J.M. Owen introducing Detective Jake Hunter.
Set in Tasmania, this is an atmospheric story portraying a small insular community, blanketed in the fog of winter, and shrouded in lies. It begins when the body of an old woman is found dumped in the overgrown grounds of a vineyard. While investigating her murder, Jake, a recent transfer to Dunton, learns some odd facts, and as the case progresses he begins to uncover links between both the current and historical crimes. While I did find it fairly easy to determine who was culpable early on, I thought the case was complex and interesting, though the details are quite grim and disturbing,
Finding The Great Divide well paced and compelling, I read it in a single sitting. I look forward to a sequel, and in the meantime plan to look up her previous works
Set in Tasmania, this is an atmospheric story portraying a small insular community, blanketed in the fog of winter, and shrouded in lies. It begins when the body of an old woman is found dumped in the overgrown grounds of a vineyard. While investigating her murder, Jake, a recent transfer to Dunton, learns some odd facts, and as the case progresses he begins to uncover links between both the current and historical crimes. While I did find it fairly easy to determine who was culpable early on, I thought the case was complex and interesting, though the details are quite grim and disturbing,
Finding The Great Divide well paced and compelling, I read it in a single sitting. I look forward to a sequel, and in the meantime plan to look up her previous works
January 14, 2020
‘The boy plunged deeper between the rows of vines.’
In the small rural town of Dunton, in southern Tasmania, a woman’s body is found. She’s quickly identified as the former headmistress of a children’s home, which was located nearby. Who killed her, and why? Her body quickly reveals some secrets of its own.
Newly arrived detective Jake Hunter is in charge of the investigation, but there is nothing straightforward in this case. While he is able to interview two local women who were once residents of the children’s home, he is left with more questions than answers. And some of the assistance he is getting locally is, well, surprising. Dunton keeps its secrets well. But Jake Hunter is persistent. He needs to be: his search for the truth will lead to more bodies, more secrets and some horrific facts. He’s also an outsider, a ‘mainlander’, and has some issues of his own to deal with.
This Australian crime novel is quite a departure from L.J.M. Owen’s ‘Dr Pimms, Intermillenial Sleuth Series’. The three novels so far published in that series are at the cozy end of the crime spectrum, whereas this novel definitely is not. Gritty, grim and disturbing. Unputdownable.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
In the small rural town of Dunton, in southern Tasmania, a woman’s body is found. She’s quickly identified as the former headmistress of a children’s home, which was located nearby. Who killed her, and why? Her body quickly reveals some secrets of its own.
Newly arrived detective Jake Hunter is in charge of the investigation, but there is nothing straightforward in this case. While he is able to interview two local women who were once residents of the children’s home, he is left with more questions than answers. And some of the assistance he is getting locally is, well, surprising. Dunton keeps its secrets well. But Jake Hunter is persistent. He needs to be: his search for the truth will lead to more bodies, more secrets and some horrific facts. He’s also an outsider, a ‘mainlander’, and has some issues of his own to deal with.
This Australian crime novel is quite a departure from L.J.M. Owen’s ‘Dr Pimms, Intermillenial Sleuth Series’. The three novels so far published in that series are at the cozy end of the crime spectrum, whereas this novel definitely is not. Gritty, grim and disturbing. Unputdownable.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
September 1, 2019
This didn't take me long to read it is written with that style that means you bang through it. Overall I had a love hate relationship with it.
The setting is fantastic, I really engaged with the atmosphere and the mystery element was intriguing if a little path of least resistance. Pretty predictable which actually didn't matter as much you still had that edge of uncertainty. Not about the villain of the piece I picked that person pretty much immediately but to what level and why was cleverly managed.
I just didn't get on well with the main protagonist Jake. He skipped between being way too clever or way too stupid and let so much go that would have lead him to the answer within a few chapters that you kind of wanted to pat him on the head and say there there never mind pet.
Overall though this was well written and entertaining enough. Feels a little like an author finding their literary sea legs. I'll definitely read the next one.
The setting is fantastic, I really engaged with the atmosphere and the mystery element was intriguing if a little path of least resistance. Pretty predictable which actually didn't matter as much you still had that edge of uncertainty. Not about the villain of the piece I picked that person pretty much immediately but to what level and why was cleverly managed.
I just didn't get on well with the main protagonist Jake. He skipped between being way too clever or way too stupid and let so much go that would have lead him to the answer within a few chapters that you kind of wanted to pat him on the head and say there there never mind pet.
Overall though this was well written and entertaining enough. Feels a little like an author finding their literary sea legs. I'll definitely read the next one.
January 24, 2021
I thought this book would be right in the middle of my comfort zone and it was. The mystery was intriguing and drew me throughout the story. It's not a big book, falling short of 300 pages but it really did have me enthralled for a number of hours, at the least.
I'm always happy to find a detective who isn't totally broken (I think that's quite rare these days) because that means I'm not bogged down in their personal history though that doesn't mean he's boring. Detective Jake Hunter was definitely in hiding. His expectations of a remote posting, however, did no include a complex inter-connected multiple murders that reached back into the past nor a community with its own hidden secrets / conspiracies. Plus all that fog... makes driving a hazard!
Set in a remote town of Tasmania, featuring a big-city detective on a run from something, and a semblance of gothic atmosphere, The Great Divide is a mystery novel to tickle your little grey cells.
I'm always happy to find a detective who isn't totally broken (I think that's quite rare these days) because that means I'm not bogged down in their personal history though that doesn't mean he's boring. Detective Jake Hunter was definitely in hiding. His expectations of a remote posting, however, did no include a complex inter-connected multiple murders that reached back into the past nor a community with its own hidden secrets / conspiracies. Plus all that fog... makes driving a hazard!
Set in a remote town of Tasmania, featuring a big-city detective on a run from something, and a semblance of gothic atmosphere, The Great Divide is a mystery novel to tickle your little grey cells.
October 5, 2020
This novel should come with a warning 'don't pick up to read a couple of chapters before bed' 189 pages later and at 12.30am I had to force myself to put it down
***note, I ended up finishing this at 2am because I stupidly thought I could read just one more chapter 🤣🤣🤣🤣
As you can guess, I thought this was a brilliant read. The writing and characters drew me in and kept me reading, determined to find out who was behind the crime and the mysteries and why.
I really liked Detective Jake Hunter who has transferred to Tasmania from the mainland because of some personal issue that he is running from which we slowly uncover as the story progresses. He was a smart guy and liked to do things by the book at the same time as trying to fit in with his new colleagues and the new community.
The original crime, the murder of an old lady, Ava O'Brien who ran a home for orphan girls or 'the bad girls home' as it is widly known in the community, is by far the least of the crimes that have been committed. As Jake starts to delve into the background of Ava O'Brien he begins to uncover some seriously disturbing finds to do with the home and the young girls who lived there.
A couple of the girls from the home still live in the village, one suffering from mental health issues. as their stories are uncovered and truths are brought out into the open during Jake's hunt for the murderer, I found it hard to understand how people could do the things they did to these girls.
Jake has to deal with a pretty incompetent Constable Murphy and a Sergeant who doesn't play completely by the rules and seems to undermine his investigation whenever he can. Jake doesn't give up though and I really enjoyed the way he followed each lead whereever it went, determined to uncover the truth. I liked Dr Meena Gill who was extremely switched on and worked well with Jake.
This was a great murder mystery novel and I can't wait to read the next book in the series, well, I hope there is to be a next book, the epilogue certainly left it open for one.
Another novel set in Tasmania that I've read this year, I must get there one day, mind you with the amount of crime that seems to happen there, I'm not sure if it's safe to do so.
***note, I ended up finishing this at 2am because I stupidly thought I could read just one more chapter 🤣🤣🤣🤣
As you can guess, I thought this was a brilliant read. The writing and characters drew me in and kept me reading, determined to find out who was behind the crime and the mysteries and why.
I really liked Detective Jake Hunter who has transferred to Tasmania from the mainland because of some personal issue that he is running from which we slowly uncover as the story progresses. He was a smart guy and liked to do things by the book at the same time as trying to fit in with his new colleagues and the new community.
The original crime, the murder of an old lady, Ava O'Brien who ran a home for orphan girls or 'the bad girls home' as it is widly known in the community, is by far the least of the crimes that have been committed. As Jake starts to delve into the background of Ava O'Brien he begins to uncover some seriously disturbing finds to do with the home and the young girls who lived there.
A couple of the girls from the home still live in the village, one suffering from mental health issues. as their stories are uncovered and truths are brought out into the open during Jake's hunt for the murderer, I found it hard to understand how people could do the things they did to these girls.
Jake has to deal with a pretty incompetent Constable Murphy and a Sergeant who doesn't play completely by the rules and seems to undermine his investigation whenever he can. Jake doesn't give up though and I really enjoyed the way he followed each lead whereever it went, determined to uncover the truth. I liked Dr Meena Gill who was extremely switched on and worked well with Jake.
This was a great murder mystery novel and I can't wait to read the next book in the series, well, I hope there is to be a next book, the epilogue certainly left it open for one.
Another novel set in Tasmania that I've read this year, I must get there one day, mind you with the amount of crime that seems to happen there, I'm not sure if it's safe to do so.
November 26, 2019
What a jewel this read turned out to be!
When I read a friend's review of this book I just knew I had to read it. I mean, it's not often I come across an Australian crime thriller - new or old - but when I do, I am eager to check it out. And boy, am I glad I did! I certainly hope that THE GREAT DIVIDE is the beginning of what promises to be fantastic new series.
When Detective Jake Hunter transferred from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne to the remote town of Dunton in rural Tasmania, he expects it to be a quiet secondment for his duration. After all, not much happens in a small town, does it? But within the week, what begins as a missing boy ends up being a full blown murder investigation.
It is early morning when 10 year old Jamie Taylor quietly unzips the family tent and deftly makes his way through the bush and the fog to an old vineyard, where he can run and run and run. But all of a sudden he sees something big and black looming in front of him, growling. In blind panic, he tries to escape the "monster" chasing him but he can't find his way back through the fog. And then he trips. When he turns for a closer look at the obstruction that caused him to fall, he sees a bloodied hand...and he screams.
When Jake finds Jamie huddled beneath the bushes on the outskirts of the derelict vineyard, the boy is so frightened Jake wonders why. It isn't long before he is standing over a mutilated body amidst the gnarled old grape vines. The victim is Ava O'Brien who ran a local "bad" girls' home for several years before it shut down a decade earlier.
Jake and his constable, Murphy, begin to dig into the secrets that surround the home as well as those of Ava O'Brien herself. The only family Ava had was her brother Liam who also lived in the town, both of whom had moved from the mainland some thirty years ago. Liam is a quiet man who keeps himself to himself, but is there a more sinister reason why?
And what of the home? What happened to the girls that lived there? Apparently wards of the state, the children were to be cared for until adoption, but Jake can find no records of the children or their adoptions. So what happened to them? Two of the girls were adopted locally but the others are proving difficult to track down. The deeper Jake digs, the more he suspects that something strange and disturbing had been at play within the home. Secrets long since buried that were only now hovering beneath the surface.
And then there is his Senior Sergeant - Aiden Kelly - who seems more intent on keeping the locals happy by indulging their sensitivities than actually solving the crime. After watching Jake and his interview techniques, he decides to sit in on most of the other interviews, cutting them short before Jake could ask the hard questions. And what about Constable Patrick Murphy? His reports indicate he is barely literate, that Jake seems to spend more time re-doing than Murphy spends on writing them, not to mention his loose interpretation of the law. How did he even pass training to become a police officer in the beginning? And why, if he has such a blatant disregard for the law? Then there is the added complication of Evelyn Kelly, his boss' daughter and local Victims of Crime services counsellor, who appears to show up at every crime scene and every interview to sit in on. And yet Jake is shocked by her unprofessional behaviour on more than one occasion that he finds himself questioning her qualifications. What is it that Ms Kelly is hiding?
Despite the haphazardness of the police in Dunton, Jake is grateful to find at least one ally in forensic pathologist, Dr Meena Gill. She too is what the locals call "a blow-in" and isn't swayed by the sensitivities of the local's proclivities.
Over the days that follow, Jake continues to dig deeper with the investigation leading him back to Melbourne. And with it, some shocking revelations. As the secrets surrounding the home and Ava's murder come to light, the horror of what really went on within those walls are ultimately exposed as the suspects and bodycount rises. Who is behind these abhorrent atrocities? And how far will they go to keep the enormity of their barbaric actions secret?
The twist is the gruesome trophy that Jake uncovers at the end has to be one of the most sinister and twisted things I have come across throughout this genre. But it is well-played.
THE GREAT DIVIDE is a complex tale of secrets, duplicity and murder offering a sense of bleak and dismal foreboding that is so claustrophobic it is almost chilling. It is hard not to use the word "atmospheric" when writing about it because that is exactly what it is - in both plot and setting.
An exciting addition to the genre of crime fiction noir, THE GREAT DIVIDE is well-paced and intriguing that I devoured it within one evening. I loved everything about it, even those I loved to hate, in this remote town shrouded in fog and lies. I hope it is just the beginning and would love to see a sequel as Jake finds his feet in the small isolated town.
I would like to thank
#LJMOwen, #NetGalley and #BonnierBooksUK for an ARC of #TheGreatDivide in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
When I read a friend's review of this book I just knew I had to read it. I mean, it's not often I come across an Australian crime thriller - new or old - but when I do, I am eager to check it out. And boy, am I glad I did! I certainly hope that THE GREAT DIVIDE is the beginning of what promises to be fantastic new series.
When Detective Jake Hunter transferred from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne to the remote town of Dunton in rural Tasmania, he expects it to be a quiet secondment for his duration. After all, not much happens in a small town, does it? But within the week, what begins as a missing boy ends up being a full blown murder investigation.
It is early morning when 10 year old Jamie Taylor quietly unzips the family tent and deftly makes his way through the bush and the fog to an old vineyard, where he can run and run and run. But all of a sudden he sees something big and black looming in front of him, growling. In blind panic, he tries to escape the "monster" chasing him but he can't find his way back through the fog. And then he trips. When he turns for a closer look at the obstruction that caused him to fall, he sees a bloodied hand...and he screams.
When Jake finds Jamie huddled beneath the bushes on the outskirts of the derelict vineyard, the boy is so frightened Jake wonders why. It isn't long before he is standing over a mutilated body amidst the gnarled old grape vines. The victim is Ava O'Brien who ran a local "bad" girls' home for several years before it shut down a decade earlier.
Jake and his constable, Murphy, begin to dig into the secrets that surround the home as well as those of Ava O'Brien herself. The only family Ava had was her brother Liam who also lived in the town, both of whom had moved from the mainland some thirty years ago. Liam is a quiet man who keeps himself to himself, but is there a more sinister reason why?
And what of the home? What happened to the girls that lived there? Apparently wards of the state, the children were to be cared for until adoption, but Jake can find no records of the children or their adoptions. So what happened to them? Two of the girls were adopted locally but the others are proving difficult to track down. The deeper Jake digs, the more he suspects that something strange and disturbing had been at play within the home. Secrets long since buried that were only now hovering beneath the surface.
And then there is his Senior Sergeant - Aiden Kelly - who seems more intent on keeping the locals happy by indulging their sensitivities than actually solving the crime. After watching Jake and his interview techniques, he decides to sit in on most of the other interviews, cutting them short before Jake could ask the hard questions. And what about Constable Patrick Murphy? His reports indicate he is barely literate, that Jake seems to spend more time re-doing than Murphy spends on writing them, not to mention his loose interpretation of the law. How did he even pass training to become a police officer in the beginning? And why, if he has such a blatant disregard for the law? Then there is the added complication of Evelyn Kelly, his boss' daughter and local Victims of Crime services counsellor, who appears to show up at every crime scene and every interview to sit in on. And yet Jake is shocked by her unprofessional behaviour on more than one occasion that he finds himself questioning her qualifications. What is it that Ms Kelly is hiding?
Despite the haphazardness of the police in Dunton, Jake is grateful to find at least one ally in forensic pathologist, Dr Meena Gill. She too is what the locals call "a blow-in" and isn't swayed by the sensitivities of the local's proclivities.
Over the days that follow, Jake continues to dig deeper with the investigation leading him back to Melbourne. And with it, some shocking revelations. As the secrets surrounding the home and Ava's murder come to light, the horror of what really went on within those walls are ultimately exposed as the suspects and bodycount rises. Who is behind these abhorrent atrocities? And how far will they go to keep the enormity of their barbaric actions secret?
The twist is the gruesome trophy that Jake uncovers at the end has to be one of the most sinister and twisted things I have come across throughout this genre. But it is well-played.
THE GREAT DIVIDE is a complex tale of secrets, duplicity and murder offering a sense of bleak and dismal foreboding that is so claustrophobic it is almost chilling. It is hard not to use the word "atmospheric" when writing about it because that is exactly what it is - in both plot and setting.
An exciting addition to the genre of crime fiction noir, THE GREAT DIVIDE is well-paced and intriguing that I devoured it within one evening. I loved everything about it, even those I loved to hate, in this remote town shrouded in fog and lies. I hope it is just the beginning and would love to see a sequel as Jake finds his feet in the small isolated town.
I would like to thank
#LJMOwen, #NetGalley and #BonnierBooksUK for an ARC of #TheGreatDivide in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
November 11, 2019
My View:
The start of an interesting series perhaps?
The beginning was a little slow for me, it took me a while to enter into this quiet secret filled landscape but then BOOM! L JM Owen does not hold back – there are deaths and mayhem and a twist that may surprise you. The item in the office (no spoilers here) must be the most sinister, gruesome trophy I have come across in all my reading of crime fiction.
Detective Jake Hunter is an interesting character and I feel there is more to him than has so far been revealed.
When you have finished reading this pay attention to the final pages. For me the most powerful part of this narrative is in the acknowledgements (p295);
“This work is, in many ways, an acknowledgment of the experiences of children deemed by their adults as unworthy – of respect, of nurturing, of protection.
To you, I say: I see you. Hear you. You matter. And I am sorry; you deserved better.”
Thank you L J M Owen.
The start of an interesting series perhaps?
The beginning was a little slow for me, it took me a while to enter into this quiet secret filled landscape but then BOOM! L JM Owen does not hold back – there are deaths and mayhem and a twist that may surprise you. The item in the office (no spoilers here) must be the most sinister, gruesome trophy I have come across in all my reading of crime fiction.
Detective Jake Hunter is an interesting character and I feel there is more to him than has so far been revealed.
When you have finished reading this pay attention to the final pages. For me the most powerful part of this narrative is in the acknowledgements (p295);
“This work is, in many ways, an acknowledgment of the experiences of children deemed by their adults as unworthy – of respect, of nurturing, of protection.
To you, I say: I see you. Hear you. You matter. And I am sorry; you deserved better.”
Thank you L J M Owen.
November 17, 2021
The Great Divide had a story that kept me up at night reading. It also had a dark almost gothic feel. Aussie gothic, maybe? I don’t know, but I can tell you the story was brutal, the weather foggy, and the small town foreboding. You just knew something wasn't right there.
The main character, Jake Hunter, was the new cop in town and he was very likeable. This is an interesting point for me because I’ve encountered a whole bunch of male police characters that I did not like. Jake is imperfect - check - but also respectful, driven, above board, caring - check, check, check, check.
I had a few ideas throughout the story, some of which panned out, while some didn’t. I did not guess the ending, though. I hope Owen writes more crime fiction.
The main character, Jake Hunter, was the new cop in town and he was very likeable. This is an interesting point for me because I’ve encountered a whole bunch of male police characters that I did not like. Jake is imperfect - check - but also respectful, driven, above board, caring - check, check, check, check.
I had a few ideas throughout the story, some of which panned out, while some didn’t. I did not guess the ending, though. I hope Owen writes more crime fiction.
November 15, 2022
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
March 12, 2020
Wow! What a great read! A different direction for LJM with the story’s events covering a period in more recent years than her Dr Pimms series. I loved that she developed Jake’s character in his new job role but also brought aspects of his backstory with him. I have to admit, I was hedging my bets a bit regarding the outcome - but I was not disappointed! I hope that there will be follow up book to continue the Jake story.
August 18, 2020
In THE GREAT DIVIDE, L.J.M. Owen has set what seems to be the first of an intended new series in the atmospheric location of a small Tasmanian town with plenty of past secrets just waiting to come back to haunt new and old residents alike.
Atmosphere is the word when it comes to describing THE GREAT DIVIDE. From deep fog, to mysterious old buildings, and damp and sinister feeling vineyards, there is much in this novel that's going to hook a reader's interest. Add the new cop in town, mainlander Detective Jake Hunter, an old family with plenty of inter-generational tension, and a gruesome murder near to the old 'bad girls home', and readers will soon be knee deep in secrets, lies, guilt and some very nasty past events. Enough to rock everyone, not least of all Jake Hunter himself.
Taking full advantage of the interest in Australian rural crime that's building at the moment, but moving that away from the heat, the drought, and the deprivation often used in recent novels, deep into the damp, oppressive darkness of a rural Tasmanian location provides all sorts of opportunities for Owen to use setting as a major character. There's plenty of past history to infect current behaviour, there's locations that have used questionable practices for enough years to make you wonder whether locals have developed a fine line between ignore and condone, and then there's weather - nothing like pea-souper fogs and cold, rainy dark days to create just the right setting for old secrets to lurk about in. The development of Jake Hunter as a central character has enormous potential as well, he's a good, solid sort of a cop, with enough of a past to be interesting, and to provide a nice echo to the idea that there's past to everything and everybody and it always affects the present.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
Atmosphere is the word when it comes to describing THE GREAT DIVIDE. From deep fog, to mysterious old buildings, and damp and sinister feeling vineyards, there is much in this novel that's going to hook a reader's interest. Add the new cop in town, mainlander Detective Jake Hunter, an old family with plenty of inter-generational tension, and a gruesome murder near to the old 'bad girls home', and readers will soon be knee deep in secrets, lies, guilt and some very nasty past events. Enough to rock everyone, not least of all Jake Hunter himself.
Taking full advantage of the interest in Australian rural crime that's building at the moment, but moving that away from the heat, the drought, and the deprivation often used in recent novels, deep into the damp, oppressive darkness of a rural Tasmanian location provides all sorts of opportunities for Owen to use setting as a major character. There's plenty of past history to infect current behaviour, there's locations that have used questionable practices for enough years to make you wonder whether locals have developed a fine line between ignore and condone, and then there's weather - nothing like pea-souper fogs and cold, rainy dark days to create just the right setting for old secrets to lurk about in. The development of Jake Hunter as a central character has enormous potential as well, he's a good, solid sort of a cop, with enough of a past to be interesting, and to provide a nice echo to the idea that there's past to everything and everybody and it always affects the present.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
September 17, 2019
I am on the fence with this book. On one side, it's good at setting, atmosphere, criminal secrets and god awful crimes but on the other side, the policeman at the centre of the case seemed a bit 'unsuitable for the job' to put it nicely.
It's a grim case and one I didn't fully realise going into the novel, so that's my fault, but the grim factor never lets up and it got me a bit down.The setting on a wider scale however was brilliant - foggy, remote, claustrophobic and down right chilling.
Dunton is fictional thank goodness as I would never want to go there for real, but I will return to this author book two. There's something there that I would like to read more of.
It's a grim case and one I didn't fully realise going into the novel, so that's my fault, but the grim factor never lets up and it got me a bit down.The setting on a wider scale however was brilliant - foggy, remote, claustrophobic and down right chilling.
Dunton is fictional thank goodness as I would never want to go there for real, but I will return to this author book two. There's something there that I would like to read more of.
September 26, 2019
I really enjoyed this crime thriller set in small town, rural Tasmania.
Detective Jake Hunter is new to town, escaping his life's complications back in Melbourne. Almost immediately, he is involved in a search for a missing boy. The boy is found but claims to have seen a dead body. A further search uncovers a murder. We then follow the investigation all the way through the complex web.
Clever, complex plot, but very readable and I think near impossible to guess where the story is leading.
Detective Jake Hunter is new to town, escaping his life's complications back in Melbourne. Almost immediately, he is involved in a search for a missing boy. The boy is found but claims to have seen a dead body. A further search uncovers a murder. We then follow the investigation all the way through the complex web.
Clever, complex plot, but very readable and I think near impossible to guess where the story is leading.
January 13, 2020
I'm quite fond of Australian crime fiction and I was intrigued by this one because it was set in a small town in Tasmania which is not somewhere I had read before. The mystery in this one was so good and it had all these little turns that had me hooked and I just had to know what was happening. I also really enjoyed the reveal, that was really good. I hope this author brings out more books because this one was so good.
July 28, 2021
I really enjoyed this. It's a detective story set in a secretive little Tasmanian town where everybody knows everybody. A knot of lies begins to unravel as the city-boy detective investigates the murdered owner of a mysterious home for 'bad girls'. Jake, our detective, is a fairly dry character but his reticence plays well against the more colourful Tasmanian townsfolk.
There are a few really creepy moments and genuine surprises here. I will go back for more.
There are a few really creepy moments and genuine surprises here. I will go back for more.
November 6, 2019
I went to the book launch and just had to buy the book!
It did not disappoint.
Disturbing, shocking and touching on som difficult and taboo subject for some people. But a story that should be told. With insight to society, coping mechanisms and personal growth.
A brave story and well written.
A new favourite.
It did not disappoint.
Disturbing, shocking and touching on som difficult and taboo subject for some people. But a story that should be told. With insight to society, coping mechanisms and personal growth.
A brave story and well written.
A new favourite.
October 29, 2019
4.5 stars. More in my next Good Reads blog at https://www.sandiwallace.com/blog/.
August 2, 2020
L.J.M. Owen’s The Great Divide
L.J.M. Owen is the author of the Dr Pimms Intermillenial Sleuth series and is the director of the Terror Australia Literary Festival.
The Great Divide arrives in the town of Dunton only a few days behind detective Jake Hunter. He’s sought out the remote Tasmanian town to escape unnamed troubles back in Melbourne, but is struggling to adjust, especially because no one has connected the electricity in his tiny police issue accommodation.
Early one morning Jake is called in to the search for a boy, missing from the local campgrounds. The boy is quickly found, cold and terrified in a decrepit vineyard, reporting a monster that had pursued him. When Jake investigates he discovers the body of an aged woman. She’s quickly identified as the retired headmistress of a nearby school for troubled girls. The first thing Jake notices is each of her finger nails have been removed; gruesome enough, until the postmortem reveals further horrors…
Horror is actually the word that sprang to mind several times as I read The Great Divide. Whilst this is undoubtedly a detective thriller, with lots of noir elements, the violence and the atmosphere also lend an air of the creepy stalking killer of seventies and eighties horror staples.
The focus of the violence also brought horror to mind for me. The headmistress is not the only victim, and while some men do meet their fate it is overwhelmingly women that are the subject of the more horrific acts of violence in the book.
You definitely wouldn’t call this a tourism advert. Dunton is more Twin Peaks than Dawson’s Creek and through Jake Hunter’s POV we are forced to confront head on the eerie atmosphere that is also the town’s everyday.
There’s this strange little interaction at a pub towards the end of the book. Jake Hunter is drawn into a conversation by locals about whether the Great Dividing Range extends across the Tasman Sea and incorporates Tasmanian Mountains. As you read it’s really obvious what’s happening and you want to go all Admiral Akbar on Jake and yell “It’s a trap!” But he’s drawn in and gives an honest opinion which immediately sees him ostracised as a blown in.
I call this strange because it seems to double down on the hostile small town vibe already created by the series of gruesome murders. I don’t think Owen is trying to warn off people from small town Tasmania but you be forgiven for avoiding the town of Dunton.
And so we come to the interesting conundrum of Australian rural noir; in celebrating the spaces from desert to bush it also makes them terrifying. I’m even reading a more mainstream Aussie fiction at the moment where a cop comments to a reporter that they have the same sort of crime as the big city, even murder!
It’s a strange dynamic. Almost like we’ve given up on the government delivering the NBN (or anything really, except the apocalypse) and instead we’ll take heart-stopping murder as a sign your town has made it.
I had mixed feelings as I finished The Great Divide. The book definitely creeped me out and presented the challenge of the mystery, whilst offering enough for the armchair detective in me to solve, but it also failed to give me enough empowerment of the female characters to counter the violence.
Of course the book doesn’t have to do that and it’s arguably more realistic to see violence against women go without any satisfactory resolution. It might just come down to culture; if you see violence against women as a the work of bad men then you’ll be happy when those bad men are taken down. If, however, you know it to be the product of a multitude of small acts and omissions that ultimately see violence normalised amongst some men, then you might wonder whether a resolution has truly been reached.
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L.J.M. Owen is the author of the Dr Pimms Intermillenial Sleuth series and is the director of the Terror Australia Literary Festival.
The Great Divide arrives in the town of Dunton only a few days behind detective Jake Hunter. He’s sought out the remote Tasmanian town to escape unnamed troubles back in Melbourne, but is struggling to adjust, especially because no one has connected the electricity in his tiny police issue accommodation.
Early one morning Jake is called in to the search for a boy, missing from the local campgrounds. The boy is quickly found, cold and terrified in a decrepit vineyard, reporting a monster that had pursued him. When Jake investigates he discovers the body of an aged woman. She’s quickly identified as the retired headmistress of a nearby school for troubled girls. The first thing Jake notices is each of her finger nails have been removed; gruesome enough, until the postmortem reveals further horrors…
Horror is actually the word that sprang to mind several times as I read The Great Divide. Whilst this is undoubtedly a detective thriller, with lots of noir elements, the violence and the atmosphere also lend an air of the creepy stalking killer of seventies and eighties horror staples.
The focus of the violence also brought horror to mind for me. The headmistress is not the only victim, and while some men do meet their fate it is overwhelmingly women that are the subject of the more horrific acts of violence in the book.
You definitely wouldn’t call this a tourism advert. Dunton is more Twin Peaks than Dawson’s Creek and through Jake Hunter’s POV we are forced to confront head on the eerie atmosphere that is also the town’s everyday.
There’s this strange little interaction at a pub towards the end of the book. Jake Hunter is drawn into a conversation by locals about whether the Great Dividing Range extends across the Tasman Sea and incorporates Tasmanian Mountains. As you read it’s really obvious what’s happening and you want to go all Admiral Akbar on Jake and yell “It’s a trap!” But he’s drawn in and gives an honest opinion which immediately sees him ostracised as a blown in.
I call this strange because it seems to double down on the hostile small town vibe already created by the series of gruesome murders. I don’t think Owen is trying to warn off people from small town Tasmania but you be forgiven for avoiding the town of Dunton.
And so we come to the interesting conundrum of Australian rural noir; in celebrating the spaces from desert to bush it also makes them terrifying. I’m even reading a more mainstream Aussie fiction at the moment where a cop comments to a reporter that they have the same sort of crime as the big city, even murder!
It’s a strange dynamic. Almost like we’ve given up on the government delivering the NBN (or anything really, except the apocalypse) and instead we’ll take heart-stopping murder as a sign your town has made it.
I had mixed feelings as I finished The Great Divide. The book definitely creeped me out and presented the challenge of the mystery, whilst offering enough for the armchair detective in me to solve, but it also failed to give me enough empowerment of the female characters to counter the violence.
Of course the book doesn’t have to do that and it’s arguably more realistic to see violence against women go without any satisfactory resolution. It might just come down to culture; if you see violence against women as a the work of bad men then you’ll be happy when those bad men are taken down. If, however, you know it to be the product of a multitude of small acts and omissions that ultimately see violence normalised amongst some men, then you might wonder whether a resolution has truly been reached.
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April 30, 2020
I’ve been on a bit of fantasy kick lately so it was refreshing to read a murder mystery. This one certainly didn’t disappoint. This book is gory, gruesome and downright wrong in terms of the crimes that are committed over the course of the novel. Yet it captivated me and the plot and mystery really dig into you. I had to know what was going on, and I finished it within a day. I was desperate to know the outcome, and whether my suspicions were correct. I lapped up every little breadcrumb threaded throughout the novel and I was thoroughly invested until the very end.
Damn. What an ending. I had kind of pieced bits together but to know the true extent of what was going on. I couldn’t have even suspected some of the truths that unfolded in the novel’s conclusion. What a murder mystery. I had no words when details were unravelled, and the perpetrators were revealed. It was such an incredibly sad and awful story that was explored, but the mystery was just brilliantly woven.
This book wasn’t completely perfect, as I had some issues with the way certain sections were written, so I could only give this book 4 stars. I really liked the book and the plot and I think for others, this could be a near 5 star read. I would recommend this book to readers who love the genre of mystery or murder mystery. However, this book is not for the faint of heart and I will say that a trigger warning is required before starting this novel. There are topics and situations discussed and presented that could be potential triggers for readers.
Damn. What an ending. I had kind of pieced bits together but to know the true extent of what was going on. I couldn’t have even suspected some of the truths that unfolded in the novel’s conclusion. What a murder mystery. I had no words when details were unravelled, and the perpetrators were revealed. It was such an incredibly sad and awful story that was explored, but the mystery was just brilliantly woven.
This book wasn’t completely perfect, as I had some issues with the way certain sections were written, so I could only give this book 4 stars. I really liked the book and the plot and I think for others, this could be a near 5 star read. I would recommend this book to readers who love the genre of mystery or murder mystery. However, this book is not for the faint of heart and I will say that a trigger warning is required before starting this novel. There are topics and situations discussed and presented that could be potential triggers for readers.
May 16, 2020
Detective Jake Hunter has the dual disadvantages of being a city boy, and of being from the mainland. He senses, as he begins the investigation into the murder of Ava O'Brien, that the local residents of Dunton have a lot they could tell him, but they are not going to.
The story begins with the disappearance of a 10 year old boy from a local camping ground. When he is found he tells Jake Hunter that he saw a monster. This is Jake's first case in Dunton and not at all what he was expecting. He is saddled with a local counsellor representing victims of crime, who just happens to be the daughter of his new station head, Aiden Kelly.
When he eventually comes across the body of Ava O'Brien in a derelict orchard, he finds that she has horrific injuries including genital mutilation. He learns that she was in charge of the local home for "bad girls" and that there are at least two girls who used to live there who have been adopted by locals.
Eventually Jake solves the crime, but the story is grisly, almost unbelievable, of corruption and exploitation all centred on the girls home that Ava O'Brien ran.
This novel represents a change of direction for Australian author L.J.M. Owen, and presumably the start of a new series. Jake Hunter has come to Tasmania to make a new start, to leave behind in Melbourne a life that just became too complicated. He was looking forward to a new, quiet, role as a country copper, but that isn't what he got.
March 24, 2020
I love L.J.M. Owen’s Elizabeth Pimm’s series, so was really looking forward to her starting what promises to be a new and even darker crime series. I am pleased to say, the result is fabulous.
The Great Divide is set in a small, rural town in Tasmania – a place fast becoming popular for crime writers across a range of media. And it’s no wonder (but maybe, as a local, I’m biased ). For readers familiar with Tassie, the setting is so authentic in many ways – from the climate, to the suspicious welcome of the townspeople, their quirkiness and infuriating familiarity with each other, to the natural surroundings. To those not so conversant with Tassie topography or towns and their folk, there’s no problem as newly-arrived, Detective Jake Hunter, becomes the lens though which this troubled place and its rather secretive inhabitants are viewed.
Believing he’s escaped an uncomfortable situation in Melbourne, giving himself professional and personal breathing space, Jake’s illusions are quickly shattered when the body of a former headmistress of a children’s home is discovered in a nearby vineyard.
What follows is a case filled with half-told truths, bigotry, lies, enigmas and a dark past that many of the townsfolk are reluctant to shed light upon. But as the death toll begins to mount, Jake understands that not only must he get the bottom of what’s going on, unearth that which too many wish to keep buried, but do it before anyone else is murdered.
This is a grim tale which ratchets up the tension with each chapter. It is moody, dark, and hard to put down. Equal parts disturbing and compelling, the pace is perfect and the characters well drawn. Jake, especially, is an interesting and beautifully flawed human being that it’s easy for the reader to relate to – he is the outsider you root for.
I have to say, Australian writers are excelling in the crime genre. There are some sensational reads out there, so many great narratives, that draw you in, hold you by the collar, shake you like there’s no tomorrow, and then release you when they’re ready. This one is no exception.
Very much looking forward to what L.J.M. Owens does next – whether it’s Dr Pimms, DI Hunter, or something else from her inventive mind.
The Great Divide is set in a small, rural town in Tasmania – a place fast becoming popular for crime writers across a range of media. And it’s no wonder (but maybe, as a local, I’m biased ). For readers familiar with Tassie, the setting is so authentic in many ways – from the climate, to the suspicious welcome of the townspeople, their quirkiness and infuriating familiarity with each other, to the natural surroundings. To those not so conversant with Tassie topography or towns and their folk, there’s no problem as newly-arrived, Detective Jake Hunter, becomes the lens though which this troubled place and its rather secretive inhabitants are viewed.
Believing he’s escaped an uncomfortable situation in Melbourne, giving himself professional and personal breathing space, Jake’s illusions are quickly shattered when the body of a former headmistress of a children’s home is discovered in a nearby vineyard.
What follows is a case filled with half-told truths, bigotry, lies, enigmas and a dark past that many of the townsfolk are reluctant to shed light upon. But as the death toll begins to mount, Jake understands that not only must he get the bottom of what’s going on, unearth that which too many wish to keep buried, but do it before anyone else is murdered.
This is a grim tale which ratchets up the tension with each chapter. It is moody, dark, and hard to put down. Equal parts disturbing and compelling, the pace is perfect and the characters well drawn. Jake, especially, is an interesting and beautifully flawed human being that it’s easy for the reader to relate to – he is the outsider you root for.
I have to say, Australian writers are excelling in the crime genre. There are some sensational reads out there, so many great narratives, that draw you in, hold you by the collar, shake you like there’s no tomorrow, and then release you when they’re ready. This one is no exception.
Very much looking forward to what L.J.M. Owens does next – whether it’s Dr Pimms, DI Hunter, or something else from her inventive mind.
June 13, 2022
4.5*
A gruesome set of crimes in a well-written, fast-paced police procedural. Detective Jake Hunter is an excellent lead & I hope to see more of him.
The action takes place of the course of an extremely full, action-packed week. Jake is a detective of integrity & his actions all seem to make sense for a regional copper in a 3-person station. I really enjoyed his realisation that he wasn't imagining people's actions & reactions towards him.
One of the most horrible things, apart from the truly awful violence the residents of the home underwent, was the lack of reaction of all those "family men" to Daniel's assault on his sister. As for the egregiously indiscreet Evelyn, well, perhaps she received her punishment.
Definitely enjoyed this much more than the Dr Pimms instalment that I read. This book was published in 2019 so it's definitely time for another, LJM.
A gruesome set of crimes in a well-written, fast-paced police procedural. Detective Jake Hunter is an excellent lead & I hope to see more of him.
The action takes place of the course of an extremely full, action-packed week. Jake is a detective of integrity & his actions all seem to make sense for a regional copper in a 3-person station. I really enjoyed his realisation that he wasn't imagining people's actions & reactions towards him.
One of the most horrible things, apart from the truly awful violence the residents of the home underwent, was the lack of reaction of all those "family men" to Daniel's assault on his sister. As for the egregiously indiscreet Evelyn, well, perhaps she received her punishment.
Definitely enjoyed this much more than the Dr Pimms instalment that I read. This book was published in 2019 so it's definitely time for another, LJM.
June 25, 2022
Very predictable, but gripping nonetheless. I am pissed at the representation given to Tassie though. The author manages to incorporate every insult ever thrown at Tasmanians into the narrative. My main gripe though - it was just some bland anonymous setting that didn’t have any feel or sense of Tasmania at all, and given this I highly doubt the author actually resides in Southern Tas as the blurb states. I hope the protagonist takes himself back to Melbs so we don’t have further books set in TAS.
If looking for a mystery that captures the essence and spirit of Tasmania I highly recommend reading The Survivors by Jane Harper instead.
If looking for a mystery that captures the essence and spirit of Tasmania I highly recommend reading The Survivors by Jane Harper instead.
November 23, 2020
What a ripper of a book!
It's the first of L.J.M Owen's I've read, but it won't be the last.
Perfect pacing makes the novel unputdownable; characters are deftly and convincingly drawn.
This would have been a five star rating except for the fact that I'd worked out whodunit by halfway through. While that didn't stop me avidly reading to the end – which says a lot for the author's writing skills – it did take a little of the fun out of it.
A wonderful crime novel by a skilful, insightful author.
It's the first of L.J.M Owen's I've read, but it won't be the last.
Perfect pacing makes the novel unputdownable; characters are deftly and convincingly drawn.
This would have been a five star rating except for the fact that I'd worked out whodunit by halfway through. While that didn't stop me avidly reading to the end – which says a lot for the author's writing skills – it did take a little of the fun out of it.
A wonderful crime novel by a skilful, insightful author.
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