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The Good Daughter
Rebecca Toyer and Zach Kincaid each live on the outskirts of town, but come from very different sides of the tracks. When Zach's wealthy mother goes missing, Rebecca – the truckie's daughter – is implicated in her disappearance.
In the weeks that follow, Rebecca and Zach are drawn into a treacherous, adult world. Eager to please, Rebecca finds herself in danger of living up to the schoolyard taunts she so hates, while Zach channels his feelings through the sights of his gun.
In the fading summer light, grudges are nursed and tempers fray, and as old lies unravel it seems nobody can be relied on. But beyond the fallout, the hard lessons in love and betrayal have not been wasted. Rebecca and Zach realise that judgements can be flawed – and that trust is better earnt than given.
Original, unsettling and compelling, The Good Daughter is the much-anticipated second novel from Honey Brown.
In the weeks that follow, Rebecca and Zach are drawn into a treacherous, adult world. Eager to please, Rebecca finds herself in danger of living up to the schoolyard taunts she so hates, while Zach channels his feelings through the sights of his gun.
In the fading summer light, grudges are nursed and tempers fray, and as old lies unravel it seems nobody can be relied on. But beyond the fallout, the hard lessons in love and betrayal have not been wasted. Rebecca and Zach realise that judgements can be flawed – and that trust is better earnt than given.
Original, unsettling and compelling, The Good Daughter is the much-anticipated second novel from Honey Brown.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 28, 2010
4 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Honey Brown
8 books76 followersHoney Brown lives in country Victoria with her husband and two children. She is the author of four books: Red Queen, The Good Daughter, After the Darkness and Dark Horse. Red Queen was published to critical acclaim in 2009 and won an Aurealis Award, and The Good Daughter was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award and shortlisted for the Barbara Jefferis Award in 2011. After the Darkness was selected for the Women's Weekly Great Read and for Get Reading 2012's 50 Books You Can't Put Down campaign. Her fifth novel, Through the Cracks, will be published in 2014.
Also writes under H.M. Brown.
Also writes under H.M. Brown.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
September 17, 2015
Zach Kincaid was a typical moody teenager; but it went deeper for him – his wealthy family owned the majority of the land and part of the town of Kiona in rural Victoria. Rebecca Toyer at sixteen was the step-daughter of a truck driver; her mother had died from cancer and living out of town in a rental owned by the Kincaid’s meant the security was never there. Rebecca was a loner – teased, taunted and bullied continually at school – when her Dad left on one of his two week long road trips she assured him she’d be fine…
As school holidays began, tensions and secrets simmered just beneath the surface. Zach overheard his parents arguing; his mother was in tears. By nightfall Mrs Kincaid had vanished – she was missing; the police search with the help of the local community couldn’t locate her. Rebecca was tormented; was she the last person to have seen Mrs Kincaid?
But there was more to it; nothing was as it seemed and gradually Rebecca felt she had lost control of her life. She was unable to ask for help; no-one took her seriously anyway – her reputation meant the local boys tormented her unrelentingly. In the meantime Zach was angry – so angry; his rifle accompanied him as he walked all over the property, shooting meaninglessly.
As the deception rose quickly to the surface, the bitterness and anger were quick to follow. Corruption, friends who weren’t friends at all, rivalry and grief all tangled together to create an explosive situation. What would be the result of lies both past and present, as they came to light?
The Good Daughter by Aussie author Honey Brown was a bleak and frightening coming of age novel. Rebecca was a naïve young woman, who was fully taken advantage of by the locals. The descriptions of a rural outback town, the surrounding countryside, the old, run-down homes and the small town school were evocatively portrayed – I could see it all; I lived there a long time ago! Recommended.
As school holidays began, tensions and secrets simmered just beneath the surface. Zach overheard his parents arguing; his mother was in tears. By nightfall Mrs Kincaid had vanished – she was missing; the police search with the help of the local community couldn’t locate her. Rebecca was tormented; was she the last person to have seen Mrs Kincaid?
But there was more to it; nothing was as it seemed and gradually Rebecca felt she had lost control of her life. She was unable to ask for help; no-one took her seriously anyway – her reputation meant the local boys tormented her unrelentingly. In the meantime Zach was angry – so angry; his rifle accompanied him as he walked all over the property, shooting meaninglessly.
As the deception rose quickly to the surface, the bitterness and anger were quick to follow. Corruption, friends who weren’t friends at all, rivalry and grief all tangled together to create an explosive situation. What would be the result of lies both past and present, as they came to light?
The Good Daughter by Aussie author Honey Brown was a bleak and frightening coming of age novel. Rebecca was a naïve young woman, who was fully taken advantage of by the locals. The descriptions of a rural outback town, the surrounding countryside, the old, run-down homes and the small town school were evocatively portrayed – I could see it all; I lived there a long time ago! Recommended.
April 26, 2015
The Good Daughter is the second novel by Australian author, Honey Brown and was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award and shortlisted for the Barbara Jefferis Award in 2011. When Joanne Kincaid, the wife of a wealthy farmer in the outback Victorian town of Kiona disappears, the last person to see her is sixteen-year-old Rebecca Toyer, step-daughter of a long-distance truck-driver. The budding attraction between Joanne’s son, Zach, and Rebecca, is pushed aside when the disappearance slings Rebecca into the seductive orbit of Aden Claas, the local drug dealer, and his more dangerous mate, Nigel Fairbanks.
Rebecca soon finds herself barely escaping the dangerous situations into which Aden callously drops her, while Zach’s resentment sees him resorting to the use of a rifle. As the tension of the situation escalates, Rebecca is misled by lies and half-truths, and finds that her misplaced trust and naiveté threaten to ruin a reputation already teetering.
Brown gives the reader a gripping plot with plenty of twists and red herrings, and wraps it in evocative prose. As the story unfolds, the reader will suspect and discard numerous characters and possible motives for Joanne’s disappearance. Brown’s characters are believable and their dialogue, credible. The feel of the country town is skilfully conveyed, and Brown expertly builds up anxiety for her protagonist in a dangerous and unsettling scenario. A compelling read.
Rebecca soon finds herself barely escaping the dangerous situations into which Aden callously drops her, while Zach’s resentment sees him resorting to the use of a rifle. As the tension of the situation escalates, Rebecca is misled by lies and half-truths, and finds that her misplaced trust and naiveté threaten to ruin a reputation already teetering.
Brown gives the reader a gripping plot with plenty of twists and red herrings, and wraps it in evocative prose. As the story unfolds, the reader will suspect and discard numerous characters and possible motives for Joanne’s disappearance. Brown’s characters are believable and their dialogue, credible. The feel of the country town is skilfully conveyed, and Brown expertly builds up anxiety for her protagonist in a dangerous and unsettling scenario. A compelling read.
May 5, 2012
My gosh, Honey Brown can write. I loved the feeling right from the first page of being in the hands of a gifted writer: words and sentiments so beautifully articulated, all my five senses were engaged in this novel due to Brown's talent in evoking, well, EVERYTHING.
From the outset I assumed I would love this:
Kirsty Eagar lists it as her favourite Australian novel (oh! This had me running for it)
It's won, like, a bazillion awards.
It's duel-y narrated by two high school students, one male, one female. Perfect for a YA-loving adult: an adult novel seen through teen protagonists. BRING IT ON.
I cannot fault the writing and delivery, which means my three stars are all about taste. Unfortunately this was a tad bleak, claustrophobic and harrowing for this girl who like a bit more sunshine and light in books. I needed to come up for air by the end, no doubt the authors intent. Whew.
From the outset I assumed I would love this:
Kirsty Eagar lists it as her favourite Australian novel (oh! This had me running for it)
It's won, like, a bazillion awards.
It's duel-y narrated by two high school students, one male, one female. Perfect for a YA-loving adult: an adult novel seen through teen protagonists. BRING IT ON.
I cannot fault the writing and delivery, which means my three stars are all about taste. Unfortunately this was a tad bleak, claustrophobic and harrowing for this girl who like a bit more sunshine and light in books. I needed to come up for air by the end, no doubt the authors intent. Whew.
March 9, 2013
This is a "coming of age" story set in the Australian outback. A small town where everyone knows everyone's business and rumor can haunt you for the rest of your life, and ruin your reputation.
Rebecca already has a bad reputation as being the town slut. Little does anyone know she is a virgin. She gets entangled in a missing person's case and grows up quickly over the course of the book.
I really enjoyed the story though it seems to bog down near the end and then quickly resolve. If you don't like coming of age stories then it is best you avoid this book.
I have to hunt it down this book because Honey Brown's books are not released in the US yet. She happens to be the cousin of an Australian friend so this friend sent me the book to read. I am curious about Brown's other books now because she has a style of writing that keeps the reader engaged with what is happening in the book and gets "living poor" right in the story. No stereotypes. No cartoon characters. Just real sounding people who are poor. This was a plus to me when so many books fall back on stereotypes. I am hoping to read more of her books in the future.
Rebecca already has a bad reputation as being the town slut. Little does anyone know she is a virgin. She gets entangled in a missing person's case and grows up quickly over the course of the book.
I really enjoyed the story though it seems to bog down near the end and then quickly resolve. If you don't like coming of age stories then it is best you avoid this book.
I have to hunt it down this book because Honey Brown's books are not released in the US yet. She happens to be the cousin of an Australian friend so this friend sent me the book to read. I am curious about Brown's other books now because she has a style of writing that keeps the reader engaged with what is happening in the book and gets "living poor" right in the story. No stereotypes. No cartoon characters. Just real sounding people who are poor. This was a plus to me when so many books fall back on stereotypes. I am hoping to read more of her books in the future.
December 15, 2011
It begins in the backseats of a bus. Rebecca Toyer is the old cliché, girl from the wrong side of the tracks pining after her town’s prince, Zach Kincaid. Most of this little outback town is settled on Kincaid land, even the house where Rebecca and her stepfather, the truckie, live.
Rebecca’s mother started the Toyer women on bad reputations – town bicycle, easy pickings – and the slander has stuck to Rebecca even after her mother’s death. Try as he might, Zach Kincaid can’t get Rebecca out of his head – and their secret fumbling in the bus keep him thinking about her over the school holidays…
But pretty soon Zach has other things on his mind. He overhears a conversation between his mother and father, angry accusations and bitter words are exchanged as it comes to light that Ben Kincaid has been giving weekly payments to local restaurant owner, Kara Claas, and her son Aden. Her son, who is Ben’s illegitimate child and Zach’s older half-brother.
Joanne Kincaid is distraught by her husband’s admittance. Even if the child came before she and him started dating. Joanne is known about town as being a little bit flighty; prone to crying fits and quick to blame her manic mood swings on a creative mind.
When Rebecca comes across Joanne Kincaid, puffy-eyed and thick-tongued from crying, she offers her a lift into town, to the Claas restaurant. She watches Mrs Kincaid walk around the back, and then she waits… but Joanne doesn’t come back, and no one inside the restaurant claims to have seen her.
Suddenly Rebecca is the last person to have seen Zach’s mother alive. Aden Class, the gorgeous twenty-two-year-old bike-riding, pot-selling town bad boy is quick to comfort a shaken Rebecca as she sits with the police and recounts Joanne’s movements the day she went missing.
But something isn’t adding up. Zach’s father is adamant that Joanne is just off on one of her flighty fits. Zach starts wandering around the expansive Kincaid property with a rifle, looking for baby graves and sneaking along Rebecca’s property line, spying on her and Aden Claas as they grow closer and more intimate.
‘The Good Daughter’ was the 2010 contemporary mystery novel from Australian author, Honey Brown. The book was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award 2011, and shortlisted for the 2011 Barbara Jefferis Award.
This novel absolutely sucker-punched me. Brown’s writing is claustrophobic and disquieting, as she explores a small town mystery that is exacerbated by town politics, secrets and family fall-outs.
The story is told in third person, but focused on Rebecca and Zach. Through Rebecca we read about a misjudged sixteen-year-old who has already lived her fair share of tragedy. Her young half-sister died at the age of five, and her mother had a long, slow death from cancer not too long ago. Rebecca is the product of her mother’s reputation – she doesn’t know who her biological father is, and everyone assumes she’s as loose as her mother once was.
Rebecca becomes unwittingly caught up in Joanne Kincaid’s disappearance when she is the last person to see or speak to her, alive. But Rebecca is slowly let in on the town secret – that the restaurant where she dropped Mrs Kincaid off is owned by the woman who her husband has been paying child-support to, and Joanne is not a stable woman at the best of times. Rebecca is snared in this small town secret when twenty-two-year-old local Lothario, Aden Claas, explains the faux-pas she has unwittingly let loose by calling the police about Joanne’s disappearance.
What comes next is a rapid slide into adulthood as Aden turns his amorous intentions on Rebecca. Caught up in the drama of the police investigations, Rebecca succumbs to Aden’s well-worn charms, hardly dissuaded by the age gap between them, or the fact that a day ago she was harbouring similar feelings for his younger half-brother, Zach.
As Rebecca’s story unfolds, we read about it through Zach’s eyes as he trains his rifle on Aden from the bushes surrounding the Toyer property. Zach watches with envy and jealousy as his bastard brother steals Rebecca off her feet. But Zach is also watching the other people in town, people seemingly disinterested in his mother’s disappearance. There’s Nigel, Aden’s best friend whose alibi for the night Joanne went missing is that he was ‘with’ Rebecca and Aden. Luke Redman, a local boy turned cop, who is still somewhat plagued by his reckless youth that doesn’t exactly translate well into a position of authority now. And Zach’s father, who is hell-bent on not searching for Joanne and keeping her away from Zach when, or if, she does resurface.
Honey Brown weaves a tangled web indeed. Her characters become mired in suspicions and guilt by the connections they establish. Within the first few chapters Rebecca has swung from Zach to Aden, and her interest in both boys look suspect. Even more eyebrow-raising is Aden’s sudden intense (and illegal) interest in Rebecca, the girl who is also conveniently the only witness to have last seen Mrs Kincaid
There is certainly a lot going on in this novel, and no one is as they seem. Brown writes Aden in shades of grey – so charming and sexy in one scene, so that you almost forget his twenty-two to Rebecca’s naïve sixteen is both wrong, and possible calculating. Brown writes about small town corruption with a Raymond Chandler eye, particularly in her explorations of crooked cops (borne more from them being local boys who already knew the lay of the land, than an inclination to dishonesty in the general police force). She definitely writes outback noir;
Police do nothing to build a person’s confidence in them. They seem so civilian. What from a distance looks good, someone she might trust and confide in, up close looks too much like men with food crumbs on their chests, nicks from shaving, ugly mouths and bad breath. Taking her statement seems a chore they have to get done so as to get back to bitching in corridors.
Honey Brown is also exploring quite a few devious themes in ‘The Good Daughter’. One recurring and disturbing examination is that of pack behaviour, particularly men and their pack-like antics. Rebecca keeps a litter of six dogs on her property; these mutts and mongrels yap and snarl, turn on one another and enjoy pack hierarchy … just like the men in town. One particular scene involves Rebecca being cornered in a house full of young male tenants, drunk and showing off for one another and when Rebecca (the town ‘slut’) is thrown into the mix, their one-upmanship takes a harrowing turn. This scene is every girl’s worst nightmare, and reading it was like having someone fisting my heart for an entire chapter.
The small town is so remote, like a country unto itself, that it wasn’t until halfway through the novel when a character’s birth date is mentioned, that Brown even reveals that the book is set in 1986. Small towns just seem to be a step out of time, so much so that I thought it was a given the backwards nature of the policing and technological advances. And Brown really plays that up in ‘The Good Daughter’ – that everything is dictated by the history of this town. People have long memories in small towns, they rarely let people break out of the boxes they were originally put in, and town gossip can have a vicious backlash;
His gaze tightens. His tone grows firm. ‘You might be surprised, Rebecca, at how cops in a small town aren’t always about throwing the book at people. We do try and help.’
‘Sure.’
His eyebrows pinch in. ‘Sure?’ He glances up at the two dining on the veranda. He returns his gaze to her. ‘If we don’t charge somebody for something, or if we let something go, it’s because we know what’s really going on.’ He continues quietly, ‘You should have a little more respect for the system.’ His voice drops to a whisper. ‘I could help you, but you make it hard on yourself. I could tell you what’s going on, but it’s like you don’t want to know. Everyone’s got the backing of someone else in this town, but you’ve got the backing of no-one – you’ve got no-one behind you.’
‘The Good Daughter’ is an incredible and frenetic novel. Following the lives of two sixteen-year-olds from opposites sides of the track as one event inextricably links them, and forces them into adulthood. This is a disquieting novel, beautifully told. Zach and Rebecca are two innocent’s in a town of old memories, and reading about their near-misses and awful discoveries made me want to bundle them in blankets and keep them safe, just for a little bit longer. Fantastic. I can’t wait to get my hands on more of Honey Brown’s books!
Rebecca’s mother started the Toyer women on bad reputations – town bicycle, easy pickings – and the slander has stuck to Rebecca even after her mother’s death. Try as he might, Zach Kincaid can’t get Rebecca out of his head – and their secret fumbling in the bus keep him thinking about her over the school holidays…
But pretty soon Zach has other things on his mind. He overhears a conversation between his mother and father, angry accusations and bitter words are exchanged as it comes to light that Ben Kincaid has been giving weekly payments to local restaurant owner, Kara Claas, and her son Aden. Her son, who is Ben’s illegitimate child and Zach’s older half-brother.
Joanne Kincaid is distraught by her husband’s admittance. Even if the child came before she and him started dating. Joanne is known about town as being a little bit flighty; prone to crying fits and quick to blame her manic mood swings on a creative mind.
When Rebecca comes across Joanne Kincaid, puffy-eyed and thick-tongued from crying, she offers her a lift into town, to the Claas restaurant. She watches Mrs Kincaid walk around the back, and then she waits… but Joanne doesn’t come back, and no one inside the restaurant claims to have seen her.
Suddenly Rebecca is the last person to have seen Zach’s mother alive. Aden Class, the gorgeous twenty-two-year-old bike-riding, pot-selling town bad boy is quick to comfort a shaken Rebecca as she sits with the police and recounts Joanne’s movements the day she went missing.
But something isn’t adding up. Zach’s father is adamant that Joanne is just off on one of her flighty fits. Zach starts wandering around the expansive Kincaid property with a rifle, looking for baby graves and sneaking along Rebecca’s property line, spying on her and Aden Claas as they grow closer and more intimate.
‘The Good Daughter’ was the 2010 contemporary mystery novel from Australian author, Honey Brown. The book was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award 2011, and shortlisted for the 2011 Barbara Jefferis Award.
This novel absolutely sucker-punched me. Brown’s writing is claustrophobic and disquieting, as she explores a small town mystery that is exacerbated by town politics, secrets and family fall-outs.
The story is told in third person, but focused on Rebecca and Zach. Through Rebecca we read about a misjudged sixteen-year-old who has already lived her fair share of tragedy. Her young half-sister died at the age of five, and her mother had a long, slow death from cancer not too long ago. Rebecca is the product of her mother’s reputation – she doesn’t know who her biological father is, and everyone assumes she’s as loose as her mother once was.
Rebecca becomes unwittingly caught up in Joanne Kincaid’s disappearance when she is the last person to see or speak to her, alive. But Rebecca is slowly let in on the town secret – that the restaurant where she dropped Mrs Kincaid off is owned by the woman who her husband has been paying child-support to, and Joanne is not a stable woman at the best of times. Rebecca is snared in this small town secret when twenty-two-year-old local Lothario, Aden Claas, explains the faux-pas she has unwittingly let loose by calling the police about Joanne’s disappearance.
What comes next is a rapid slide into adulthood as Aden turns his amorous intentions on Rebecca. Caught up in the drama of the police investigations, Rebecca succumbs to Aden’s well-worn charms, hardly dissuaded by the age gap between them, or the fact that a day ago she was harbouring similar feelings for his younger half-brother, Zach.
As Rebecca’s story unfolds, we read about it through Zach’s eyes as he trains his rifle on Aden from the bushes surrounding the Toyer property. Zach watches with envy and jealousy as his bastard brother steals Rebecca off her feet. But Zach is also watching the other people in town, people seemingly disinterested in his mother’s disappearance. There’s Nigel, Aden’s best friend whose alibi for the night Joanne went missing is that he was ‘with’ Rebecca and Aden. Luke Redman, a local boy turned cop, who is still somewhat plagued by his reckless youth that doesn’t exactly translate well into a position of authority now. And Zach’s father, who is hell-bent on not searching for Joanne and keeping her away from Zach when, or if, she does resurface.
Honey Brown weaves a tangled web indeed. Her characters become mired in suspicions and guilt by the connections they establish. Within the first few chapters Rebecca has swung from Zach to Aden, and her interest in both boys look suspect. Even more eyebrow-raising is Aden’s sudden intense (and illegal) interest in Rebecca, the girl who is also conveniently the only witness to have last seen Mrs Kincaid
There is certainly a lot going on in this novel, and no one is as they seem. Brown writes Aden in shades of grey – so charming and sexy in one scene, so that you almost forget his twenty-two to Rebecca’s naïve sixteen is both wrong, and possible calculating. Brown writes about small town corruption with a Raymond Chandler eye, particularly in her explorations of crooked cops (borne more from them being local boys who already knew the lay of the land, than an inclination to dishonesty in the general police force). She definitely writes outback noir;
Police do nothing to build a person’s confidence in them. They seem so civilian. What from a distance looks good, someone she might trust and confide in, up close looks too much like men with food crumbs on their chests, nicks from shaving, ugly mouths and bad breath. Taking her statement seems a chore they have to get done so as to get back to bitching in corridors.
Honey Brown is also exploring quite a few devious themes in ‘The Good Daughter’. One recurring and disturbing examination is that of pack behaviour, particularly men and their pack-like antics. Rebecca keeps a litter of six dogs on her property; these mutts and mongrels yap and snarl, turn on one another and enjoy pack hierarchy … just like the men in town. One particular scene involves Rebecca being cornered in a house full of young male tenants, drunk and showing off for one another and when Rebecca (the town ‘slut’) is thrown into the mix, their one-upmanship takes a harrowing turn. This scene is every girl’s worst nightmare, and reading it was like having someone fisting my heart for an entire chapter.
The small town is so remote, like a country unto itself, that it wasn’t until halfway through the novel when a character’s birth date is mentioned, that Brown even reveals that the book is set in 1986. Small towns just seem to be a step out of time, so much so that I thought it was a given the backwards nature of the policing and technological advances. And Brown really plays that up in ‘The Good Daughter’ – that everything is dictated by the history of this town. People have long memories in small towns, they rarely let people break out of the boxes they were originally put in, and town gossip can have a vicious backlash;
His gaze tightens. His tone grows firm. ‘You might be surprised, Rebecca, at how cops in a small town aren’t always about throwing the book at people. We do try and help.’
‘Sure.’
His eyebrows pinch in. ‘Sure?’ He glances up at the two dining on the veranda. He returns his gaze to her. ‘If we don’t charge somebody for something, or if we let something go, it’s because we know what’s really going on.’ He continues quietly, ‘You should have a little more respect for the system.’ His voice drops to a whisper. ‘I could help you, but you make it hard on yourself. I could tell you what’s going on, but it’s like you don’t want to know. Everyone’s got the backing of someone else in this town, but you’ve got the backing of no-one – you’ve got no-one behind you.’
‘The Good Daughter’ is an incredible and frenetic novel. Following the lives of two sixteen-year-olds from opposites sides of the track as one event inextricably links them, and forces them into adulthood. This is a disquieting novel, beautifully told. Zach and Rebecca are two innocent’s in a town of old memories, and reading about their near-misses and awful discoveries made me want to bundle them in blankets and keep them safe, just for a little bit longer. Fantastic. I can’t wait to get my hands on more of Honey Brown’s books!
June 18, 2012
Set in a bleak, rural landscape this is a powerful story and no doubt an accurate depiction of life on the fringes of a small, country town. Wonderfully written with simple yet succint prose the storyline draws you in and keeps you captive until you reach the end.
My rating is based mainly on my enjoyment of the book - while compelling and honest, it was just a bit too raw and gritty for me - I really wanted to see some sunshine and lightness and it just didn't come.
Definitely worth a read though.
My rating is based mainly on my enjoyment of the book - while compelling and honest, it was just a bit too raw and gritty for me - I really wanted to see some sunshine and lightness and it just didn't come.
Definitely worth a read though.
March 8, 2011
4.5 stars from me! This book is so suspenseful,tense & well-written. I had to put it down part- way through to have a breather! It had my imagination running wild. I really felt that I got to know the characters & could relate to them & their background, having come from a small country town myself. I felt that I actually knew these people! An excellent book! I now must read Honey Brown's other books.
December 23, 2012
Ever since After the Darkness I have been itching to read some of Honey Brown’s earlier novels, looking for the same taut storytelling and keen insights into human nature as her latest book. Part mystery, part coming-of-age story, Brown once again delivers an honest, compelling and raw story set in a harsh and unforgiving Australian landscape.
“The Good Daughter” tells the story of Rebecca Toyer, a sixteen-year-old girl growing up in a small town in outback Australia in the late 1980’s. With her mother and younger sister having both died, she lives alone with her stepfather, a truck-driver who spends a lot of time on the road, leaving Rebecca to look after the house and property. Rebecca has a reputation for being a bit loose and easy pickings for the boys in town – yet she is hungry for true love and affection, and has a crush on Zach Kincaid, the son of the wealthy station owner who also owns the Toyer property.
Zach, whilst flattered by Rebecca’s attention, has his own problems. Overhearing a bitter argument between his parents one night, he finds out that he has an older half-brother in town, his father’s illegitimate son from a former relationship with Kara Claas, a local restaurant owner. The very next day his mother gets a lift into town with Rebecca, and disappears shortly after Rebecca sees her walking into the Claas’ restaurant. Caught up in the events that follow through being the last person to see Mrs Kincaid alive, Rebecca becomes the focus of a police investigation and catches the eye of Kara Claas’ son Aden and his mates. Succumbing to the much older boy Aden’s charms and his sexual attention, Rebecca never questions his sudden interest in her, even when he asks her to give him and his mate an alibi for the night Mrs Kincaid disappeared. As the investigation into the disappearance heats up, Rebecca is drawn into the town’s dark and seedy elements and a tangled web of deception and town secrets.
Brown writes with startling honesty and insight, not shying away from exposing the seedy elements of human nature. ” The Good Daughter” brings to life a side of country Australia you don’t see in tourism advertisements, making it a raw, gritty and sometimes confronting read. Tackling issues such as isolation, mental illness, marital problems, sexual bullying and small town power-play, the novel’s characters are often driven to the extremes of human endurance, lashing out at those around them.
Rebecca, a young woman much more mature than her years, still has a child’s need for affection and love, which causes her problems with the town’s male population, who see her as sexual prey. As Rebecca falls for Aden Claas, the reader knows that nothing good can come of this. Yet their courtship is also strangely touching, reflecting two people damaged by their circumstances trying to connect and find solace in one another.
As in “After the Darkness”, Brown’s insight into human nature makes this novel an insightful read, exposing corners of the human psyche we often ignore and push aside. Her knowledge of outback life is evident, reflected in the novel’s harsh and unforgiving landscape, both in nature and in the human heart. There is nothing romantic about any of the relationships described, at times painting a somewhat bleak and hopeless atmosphere. “The Good Daughter” is not a pleasurable read, but nevertheless one that drew me in, even if some scenes left me reeling in shock and disgust. Well worth a read, but definitely not for a light, pleasant summer afternoon escape.
“The Good Daughter” tells the story of Rebecca Toyer, a sixteen-year-old girl growing up in a small town in outback Australia in the late 1980’s. With her mother and younger sister having both died, she lives alone with her stepfather, a truck-driver who spends a lot of time on the road, leaving Rebecca to look after the house and property. Rebecca has a reputation for being a bit loose and easy pickings for the boys in town – yet she is hungry for true love and affection, and has a crush on Zach Kincaid, the son of the wealthy station owner who also owns the Toyer property.
Zach, whilst flattered by Rebecca’s attention, has his own problems. Overhearing a bitter argument between his parents one night, he finds out that he has an older half-brother in town, his father’s illegitimate son from a former relationship with Kara Claas, a local restaurant owner. The very next day his mother gets a lift into town with Rebecca, and disappears shortly after Rebecca sees her walking into the Claas’ restaurant. Caught up in the events that follow through being the last person to see Mrs Kincaid alive, Rebecca becomes the focus of a police investigation and catches the eye of Kara Claas’ son Aden and his mates. Succumbing to the much older boy Aden’s charms and his sexual attention, Rebecca never questions his sudden interest in her, even when he asks her to give him and his mate an alibi for the night Mrs Kincaid disappeared. As the investigation into the disappearance heats up, Rebecca is drawn into the town’s dark and seedy elements and a tangled web of deception and town secrets.
Brown writes with startling honesty and insight, not shying away from exposing the seedy elements of human nature. ” The Good Daughter” brings to life a side of country Australia you don’t see in tourism advertisements, making it a raw, gritty and sometimes confronting read. Tackling issues such as isolation, mental illness, marital problems, sexual bullying and small town power-play, the novel’s characters are often driven to the extremes of human endurance, lashing out at those around them.
Rebecca, a young woman much more mature than her years, still has a child’s need for affection and love, which causes her problems with the town’s male population, who see her as sexual prey. As Rebecca falls for Aden Claas, the reader knows that nothing good can come of this. Yet their courtship is also strangely touching, reflecting two people damaged by their circumstances trying to connect and find solace in one another.
As in “After the Darkness”, Brown’s insight into human nature makes this novel an insightful read, exposing corners of the human psyche we often ignore and push aside. Her knowledge of outback life is evident, reflected in the novel’s harsh and unforgiving landscape, both in nature and in the human heart. There is nothing romantic about any of the relationships described, at times painting a somewhat bleak and hopeless atmosphere. “The Good Daughter” is not a pleasurable read, but nevertheless one that drew me in, even if some scenes left me reeling in shock and disgust. Well worth a read, but definitely not for a light, pleasant summer afternoon escape.
September 6, 2016
The Good Daughter by Honey Brown made my list of Top 10 crime fiction by women in 2011. I read it in two days. I stayed home on a Friday night, eschewing TV and social media to finish it. Dark, malevolent, erotic and compelling, I could not put it down.
The 'good daughter' of the title is sixteen-year-old Rebecca Toyer, who lives in a flyblown rental property with her truckie stepfather and six dogs -- the kind of place where 'the shed is more impressive than the house' and the dogs live in a caged carport.
Rebecca's schoolmate and crush, Zach Kincaid, lives on a nearby property in a homestead, where even the birdbath is 'scrubbed, pristine -- no algae in the water, no slime or the presence of anything remotely organic.'
When Zach's mother goes missing, Rebecca is implicated in her disappearance. Old enmities are exposed and new passions ignited as Rebecca and Zach are drawn into a dangerous and duplicitous adult world neither is prepared for. As the back cover blurb puts it, 'Rebecca finds herself in danger of living up to the schoolyard taunts she so hates, while Zach channels his feelings through the sights of his gun.'
Brown writes with an insider's knowledge of the terrain. Her small town Australia simmers with heat and aggression. It's a place divided by class, shot through with sexual tension and hypocrisy.
Despite the dark subject matter, the writing is beautiful. But unlike Chris Womersley's Bereft where I felt the gorgeous prose slowed the pace, The Good Daughter speeds along like a V8 Kingswood with a drunken teen behind the wheel trying to impress his mates.
Brown captures the intensity and angst of teenage infatuation, as well as both the discomfort and excitement of youthful sex. But it's the misogyny and malevolence that left my heart in my throat.
It's a credit to the strength of the writing that scenes of sexual intimidation like this work alongside intimate and erotic sex scenes.
Some reviewers question whether The Good Daughter can be called a crime novel. Andrew Nette in his review Rural noir, for example, suggests the story has more in common with the literary canon of coming of age novels in rural Australia and only marginal engagement with the crime genre. Even Honey Brown herself, when we met on a panel at The Wheeler Centre, said she saw her novels more as psychological thrillers.
To my mind, it depends on how you think of crime. If you count sexual harassment and intimidation, The Good Daughter more than makes the grade.
The Good Daughter is published by Penguin Viking. It was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award 2011, and shortlisted for the 2011 Barbara Jefferis Award.
The 'good daughter' of the title is sixteen-year-old Rebecca Toyer, who lives in a flyblown rental property with her truckie stepfather and six dogs -- the kind of place where 'the shed is more impressive than the house' and the dogs live in a caged carport.
Rebecca's schoolmate and crush, Zach Kincaid, lives on a nearby property in a homestead, where even the birdbath is 'scrubbed, pristine -- no algae in the water, no slime or the presence of anything remotely organic.'
When Zach's mother goes missing, Rebecca is implicated in her disappearance. Old enmities are exposed and new passions ignited as Rebecca and Zach are drawn into a dangerous and duplicitous adult world neither is prepared for. As the back cover blurb puts it, 'Rebecca finds herself in danger of living up to the schoolyard taunts she so hates, while Zach channels his feelings through the sights of his gun.'
Brown writes with an insider's knowledge of the terrain. Her small town Australia simmers with heat and aggression. It's a place divided by class, shot through with sexual tension and hypocrisy.
Despite the dark subject matter, the writing is beautiful. But unlike Chris Womersley's Bereft where I felt the gorgeous prose slowed the pace, The Good Daughter speeds along like a V8 Kingswood with a drunken teen behind the wheel trying to impress his mates.
Brown captures the intensity and angst of teenage infatuation, as well as both the discomfort and excitement of youthful sex. But it's the misogyny and malevolence that left my heart in my throat.
Simmo comes across and climbs on the couch behind her. He stands on the cushions and takes hold of her shoulders. One of his knees presses against her back. He does some kind of suggestive act. She doesn't turn and look; his groin would be at eye level. The boys laugh. Their gazes skate over her and settle more easily on Simmo. She sees how they admire the brazen way he touches her. They'd like to be as bold. Simmo climbs off the couch. She rubs her collarbones to erase his touch.
It's a credit to the strength of the writing that scenes of sexual intimidation like this work alongside intimate and erotic sex scenes.
Some reviewers question whether The Good Daughter can be called a crime novel. Andrew Nette in his review Rural noir, for example, suggests the story has more in common with the literary canon of coming of age novels in rural Australia and only marginal engagement with the crime genre. Even Honey Brown herself, when we met on a panel at The Wheeler Centre, said she saw her novels more as psychological thrillers.
To my mind, it depends on how you think of crime. If you count sexual harassment and intimidation, The Good Daughter more than makes the grade.
The Good Daughter is published by Penguin Viking. It was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award 2011, and shortlisted for the 2011 Barbara Jefferis Award.
June 9, 2012
This is a powerful book – raw and true.
The plot is simple, like the landscape it is set in, and the writing is fittingly spare. Honey Brown doesn’t waste words, and nor do her characters. And in this edgy drama, played out under the harsh sun of country Australia, where men don’t cry and women handle the pressure, that’s just as it should be.
Brown’s creations are earthy, flawed; human. You care about what happens to them, and you find yourself wanting better things for Rebecca and Zach, in spite of – or perhaps because of – their failings.
The novel has an intensity that can be put down to two things: Brown’s potently visual written style, and the compression of time and space in her story.
The Good Daughter is set in a small town, and the action takes place over two short weeks. The result is a melting pot of character and plot which threatens to boil over at any moment.
The small town setting also gives the novel a real authenticity. Brown’s experience of rural Australia is extensive and it gives her work a tangible sense of place.
This is no Tourism Australia advertisement. This is “fair dinkum” Oz. It’s sweat and dirt and the image of a rusted tin shed hidden by brambles. It’s the ominous freedom of the Australian bush.
It’s in the way the characters speak; their pride. The words they choose, and the things they don’t say.
While Honey Brown has said she doesn’t write to an agenda, she’s not afraid to deal with real issues either. The Good Daughter is not a light read. It explores themes like sexual bullying, marital conflict, corruption, violence; even mental illness. Some of the novel’s scenes are confronting, but this is what gives the story its integrity.
From style to character to plot, The Good Daughter is a gripping, potent exploration of the coming of age, beautifully told and bound to stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page.
Read more of my reviews on my blog, www.deliciouslyfictitious.com.
The plot is simple, like the landscape it is set in, and the writing is fittingly spare. Honey Brown doesn’t waste words, and nor do her characters. And in this edgy drama, played out under the harsh sun of country Australia, where men don’t cry and women handle the pressure, that’s just as it should be.
Brown’s creations are earthy, flawed; human. You care about what happens to them, and you find yourself wanting better things for Rebecca and Zach, in spite of – or perhaps because of – their failings.
The novel has an intensity that can be put down to two things: Brown’s potently visual written style, and the compression of time and space in her story.
The Good Daughter is set in a small town, and the action takes place over two short weeks. The result is a melting pot of character and plot which threatens to boil over at any moment.
The small town setting also gives the novel a real authenticity. Brown’s experience of rural Australia is extensive and it gives her work a tangible sense of place.
This is no Tourism Australia advertisement. This is “fair dinkum” Oz. It’s sweat and dirt and the image of a rusted tin shed hidden by brambles. It’s the ominous freedom of the Australian bush.
It’s in the way the characters speak; their pride. The words they choose, and the things they don’t say.
While Honey Brown has said she doesn’t write to an agenda, she’s not afraid to deal with real issues either. The Good Daughter is not a light read. It explores themes like sexual bullying, marital conflict, corruption, violence; even mental illness. Some of the novel’s scenes are confronting, but this is what gives the story its integrity.
From style to character to plot, The Good Daughter is a gripping, potent exploration of the coming of age, beautifully told and bound to stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page.
Read more of my reviews on my blog, www.deliciouslyfictitious.com.
November 9, 2014
Another interesting read this is only the second novel I have read of this author. I enjoyed it very country town type of tale, easy to read, don't know that I am totally hooked on this author, however, I am still wanting to read other novels of Honey Brown, so maybe I am getting hooked.
Read
September 15, 2010loved it!
March 21, 2015
4 Stars. The writing was perfect whilst the storyline was confronting.
September 26, 2014
Very disappointing. Story line was a bit flat
September 22, 2017
Didn't do much for me at all, my interest wained about two thirds way in. It was quite a gritty and often confronting storyline, good character development but was left wanting more out of it. Interesting to see quite a few glowing reviews, seems like I missed something.
June 20, 2018
The second Honey Brown novel for me but this one I just couldn't get into at all. I see many good reviews so I must have missed something.
September 4, 2023
Not much happened, but it still wasn’t boring somehow.
January 4, 2013
This is the 2nd Honey Brown book I have read. I just finished The Red Queen so thought I would give this a go.
It is a very readable book, and I thought about it a lot when I had to put it down to do other things. I enjoyed the story, it was quite gritty and captivating, and made me wonder what would happen next.
The thing I didn't like about it is how I never felt I really knew the Rebecca (main character). Things happened to her, and often the author didn't go into much depth about how they affected Rebecca and this caused me to feel a bit 'cold' towards her I guess. I also didn't like how the character Nigel was not explored much, yet he was such an integral part of the story.
After reading two Honey Browns books, I think I can sort of guess how a third one would read and the main theme would be speculation about a characters real motives/true personality.
It is a very readable book, and I thought about it a lot when I had to put it down to do other things. I enjoyed the story, it was quite gritty and captivating, and made me wonder what would happen next.
The thing I didn't like about it is how I never felt I really knew the Rebecca (main character). Things happened to her, and often the author didn't go into much depth about how they affected Rebecca and this caused me to feel a bit 'cold' towards her I guess. I also didn't like how the character Nigel was not explored much, yet he was such an integral part of the story.
After reading two Honey Browns books, I think I can sort of guess how a third one would read and the main theme would be speculation about a characters real motives/true personality.
May 12, 2015
Stark novel that is conversation driven and with little description. Therefore, you have to read between the lines and hope you got it right. I doubt I did. I loved the small town claustrophobic feel, but didn't connect with any characters. It was hard work and cringe worthy in places, other scenes felt bare and of little purpose. It is one of those books that the front cover captures the feel of the book - desolate. Still, the author has amazing talent (even if it is to get me to feel so bleak) and I will look for more of her books to see where she takes me next.
January 5, 2015
I guess I just like how Ms Brown writes, she has this ability to keep a story moving, offering us insights and details whilst keeping to her knack of a darker than your average tale. Her characters could come across as one dimensional, if it were not for the effort she puts in with the details, subtle but oh how they work! Even the 'passing through' characters stay with you, you know these people!
January 8, 2015
It was hard to read and understand some of the decisions that the young protagonist made in this story but I had to keep reminding myself that she was only 16 and living in a small rural town. This book felt more like it was set in an American country town rather than an Australian for some reason to me. A good, but bit bleak, read and I will try another one of her books.
February 20, 2016
Not my most favourite book of Honey Brown's. But, her books are just so readable, that I devour them anyway! She has the ability to shock and integrate what is perceived as normal ... all at the same time.
It has that small Aussie town claustrophobic feel, where rumours and the seedier part of human nature comes to the fore.
I think I would read anything HB writes!
It has that small Aussie town claustrophobic feel, where rumours and the seedier part of human nature comes to the fore.
I think I would read anything HB writes!
July 4, 2017
This was the first book by Honey Brown that I've read after seeing her speak at the Melbourne Writers Festival a few years ago. It didn't disappoint as it is an easy-to-read and engaging thriller. The characters were all complex individuals and the storyline had me guessing for most of the journey. I'll definitely read more of her books.
September 28, 2010
This book took me forever to finish. It's an okay story, but not one of those books I want to carry with me everywhere I go and devour whenever I get a spare 5 minutes. Honey Brown's first book, Red Queen, sounds much more compelling.
August 26, 2010
Honey (H.M.) Brown's sophrmore release is a good book, not too different to her debut Red Queen. Bleak landscape, a girl the center of two boys world (for a time anyway). Good not great.
August 2, 2012
Am sure this wouldn't be everyone's thing but I loved it. Bleak and gritty and with a very Australian sensibility I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end.
So far this is my fav of all 3 of Honey Brown's books.
So far this is my fav of all 3 of Honey Brown's books.
February 7, 2012
Bloody fantastic. You're never sure what will happen. Loved it, loved Rebecca.
May 28, 2013
Really enjoyed this book, a page turner! Characters were brilliant and the underbelly of country life exposed. Will look out for more honey brown books.
April 14, 2012
Thriller set in an Australian country town. Unputdownable, but I had to sqirm at the attitude to women.
December 23, 2012
Completely absorbing, and unfolds in this careful, stifling way. So very accurate on teenage and small-town knowledge, too.
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