The Last Trace is a story with many components. Lachy has a secret: if he unthinkingly drinks alcohol too quickly he experiences black holes in his memory. It is more of an embarrassment than anything else until it begins to cause problems in his recent and further back past. Lachy’s fourteen year old son, Jai, has come to live with him in country New South Wales and Lachy has taken a year’s leave of absence from his job of getting water to drought-stricken areas around the world. Jai has been ‘sin binned’ by his mother and stepfather who believe he needs to spend some time away from his Sydney school mates.
It’s also the story of a family over three generations and two countries. Lachy’s mother, Gloria, came as a young woman to Australia from her home in America. Her generation’s part of the book is told by her sister, Elizabeth, in 1968, in America, where the family is ruled over by their ultra-religious father.
Lachy’s sister, Sheridan, is married to his best friend, Nick, they have two daughters and love Kai as much as their girls. They are all gathered together at Mimosa Hideout, Sheridan and Lachy’s family’s retreat, for Easter when something terrible happens which splits them apart.
From this point on present and past events, from the points of view of Lachy, Sheridan, Kai and Elizabeth, are detailed, leading towards a bombshell conclusion. This intelligent, mesmerising, intriguing (I could add a whole lot more adjectives, but I won’t) book grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go.
I haven’t read Petronella McGovern before but I will now. Official verdict: WOW 😮!!
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