Whisky Charlie Foxtrot (Annabel Smith, Fremantle Press)

Charlie Ferns has grown up in the shadow of his identical twin brother William, or Whisky, as he is known after a childhood game of walkie-talkies. We meet the brothers as children as the family prepares for a new life in Melbourne, having left England. Smith captures perfectly the nuanced relationship and the competitiveness between the two young men, with Whisky and Charlie’s adolescence a real highlight as they negotiate puberty, girls, study and sport at a new school in Australia. Whisky forges a brilliant career in advertising while Charlie drifts from one job to another, scared of commitment and of being tied down. The brothers drift apart: they have different goals and values and lead separate lives. Until one day Whisky is struck down in a terrible accident that will change the family dynamic forever. As Charlie tries to cope with his brother’s injuries, secrets come to light about his parents that have serious ramifications for the family. The novel’s structure works extremely well, and should make it a favourite with book clubs. This is intelligent fiction about families and love, set in contemporary Australia.

Sarina Gale is a freelance writer and bookseller at the Sun Bookshop in Yarraville

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Category: Reviews