Until the Red Leaves Fall (Alli Parker, HarperCollins)

Until the Red Leaves Fall is the second novel by Japanese-Australian author and screenwriter Alli Parker (At the Foot of the Cherry Tree). Set primarily in 1950s Melbourne, Emmy Darling is a devoted wife who works hard to keep her playwright husband Sebastian content at the expense of her own identity and happiness. When Emmy is offered the opportunity to write a play for the renowned Virginia van Belle at the Belleview Theatre, she eagerly accepts – even if it means keeping the project a secret. The story she begins to write draws from her own family’s past, touching on the trauma of wartime internment and the legacy it has left behind. What elevates the novel is its sense of place and community. On her way to the theatre, Emmy stumbles upon The Lough Coffee Lounge, a warm and welcoming haven where she meets a cast of memorable characters, including former ballerina Isadora Westlake. It’s here that Emmy feels most comfortable and connected, where she is free to explore the truths she’s long buried. Secrets, Parker suggests, can keep you safe – but at what cost? Thoughtfully structured and elegantly told, Until the Red Leaves Fall offers a tender, resonant portrait of a woman learning to speak her truth in a post-war world that prefers silence. Parker writes with empathy and restraint, illuminating a difficult period in Japanese–Australian history with care and clarity. A moving novel for readers of character-driven historical fiction. 

Books+Publishing reviewer: Vanessa Pengelly is operations director of  Books+Publishing.  Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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