Back On Track is the eleventh stand-alone novel by award-winning, bestselling Australian author, Tricia Stringer. What would induce a small business owner to take her staff on a paid break on the famous Ghan? In the case of Ketty Clift, she has realised that “somehow in the chaos of the last few years they’d all lost their mojos” and Ketty Clift Couture was no longer the harmonious workplace it had been. Ketty hoped that relaxed contact outside of the work environment would allow her to drill down on what was ailing them.

It was her old friend, Carlos who gave her the idea: now retired after a career as a cruise ship maitre d’, his visits have been welcome, if distracting her from the business, and his travel voucher gift with a suggestion to see more of her own country sparked what Ketty hopes will be a solution. Returns to Spain due to his parents’ deaths see Carlos arriving with barely minutes to spare to join the trip, and having to share a cabin with Ketty at the last minute.

But things don’t run quite as smoothly as she would hope: Ning, her most talented seamstress vacillates about coming at all; of her other seamstresses, Tien is edgy about safety, and Birgit a little too flirty; Judith, her second-in-charge is verging on uncharacteristic rudeness; Lacey, her young reception, design and IT whiz seems to have unstated worries; and it turns out the tables won’t accommodate all six of them, thwarting her intentions to closely connect over meals.

It takes a while before Ketty learns through reluctant admissions what is bothering the members of her team: family, relationship and financial difficulties are contributing to the unrest of some; two are being bullied, one by family, another, by a staff member; some believe that at seventy-one, Ketty will soon either retire or sell the business, and worry for their employment futures; Ketty’s own withdrawal, due to an accident and visits from Carlos, have had a detrimental effect on client service and satisfaction; and Judith mistrusts the Spaniard’s intentions towards Ketty.

And, while four days and three nights of travel isn’t a lot of time, as was her habit on cruises, Ketty can’t help taking more than a passing interest in her fellow travellers, observing, interacting and trying to problem-solve when she can. Thus a cranky Dutchman mistakenly in her cabin, an older couple displaying some friction, a boozy pair of young Irishmen, and an imperious older woman commanding a younger man, all add interest to the trip.

Ageism features importantly this novel: Ketty and others of her vintage experience it in many forms, and from diverse quarters: friends and neighbours, health professionals, casual acquaintances and even her own staff, are guilty of ageist remarks, often unconscious or unintentional. And it seems that older people are often their own worst enemies in that regard. Stringer does give one of her characters a brilliant comeback when she’s referred to as a granny: “I’m curious, Rory. Is it your notion that you’re going to be young all your life? You could be wrong about that, you know… Or you could just be unfortunate and die young.”

Stringer easily evokes her setting, and her characters, their attitudes and dialogue are all entirely credible. She also deftly illustrates the challenge some face in retirement, and the current accommodation crisis. And she manages to incorporate a bit of intrigue, littering her tale with red herrings and diversions to keep the reader guessing and the pages turning. Heart-warming, topical and thought-provoking.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and HQ Fiction.