The Cast Aways of Harewood Hall (Karen Herbert, Fremantle Press)

On the picturesque grounds of Harewood Hall, a retirement village in Perth’s western suburbs, something is afoot. Actually, a variety of things are afoot, and the residents of Harewood Hall are not ones to let such things slide. One of their beloved carers is spending an interesting amount of time around the storage cages; a resident has noticed something suspicious in their water bills; others have noticed that a newly vacant villa seems to be a touch less vacant than expected. And watching on over all of this is Harley, the resident stray cat who sees just about everything—especially if it’s food. Comparisons to Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club are inevitable when it comes to retirees getting up to shenanigans, but The Cast Aways of Harewood Hall stands on its own. Unlike Osman’s villagers, who not-so-secretly delight in some bloodthirsty carnage, Karen Herbert’s novel is far more cosy. It is the story of a few weeks within Harewood Hall’s walls, with a mild undercurrent of suspense alongside many genuinely affectionate moments between the building’s residents, carers, employees and assorted wildlife. It is perfect for those who enjoy gentle intrigue without having to also encounter murders all over the page, best enjoyed with a cup of tea then happily stacked on top of the likes of Vaseem Khan’s Inspector Chopra series or Joanna Nell’s The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village.

Fiona Hardy is a children’s author and a bookseller at Readings.

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

Category: Reviews