Portraits of Celina (Sue Whiting, Walker Books)

Bailey’s family has not had a good year. After her father’s accidental death, her sister has started drinking, her brother won’t take off his Batman cape, Bailey herself has stopped running, and her mother is falling apart. In desperation, Mum moves them to an old family home in a country town to make a fresh start. The house has been boarded up since the mysterious disappearance of Celina, Bailey’s great aunt, in the 1970s. Bailey finds a chest of Celina’s old clothes, which fit her perfectly, and a photo album, revealing a striking similarity between Bailey and Celina. Now Bailey is seeing visions—scenes from Celina’s life, with uncannily accurate detail. Is Celina haunting Bailey? What does she want? And how does her dysfunctional family fit into this mystery? Sue Whiting’s supernatural tale of family, love, loss and revenge builds a creepy atmosphere. She captures the feeling of summer in rural Australia well, imbuing the oppressive heat and sudden storms with a sense of menace, and Bailey, her family and friends are engaging and authentic characters. This is recommended for older supernatural fans.

Heath Graham is a teacher and former bookseller

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews