4.5★s
Beneath The Mother Tree is the first novel by Australian author, D.M. Cameron. The small community on the island (Moondarrawah) watches with great interest as Marlise, tall and beautiful, arrives in a removals truck, with all her worldly goods, to move into the old Johnston place by the mangrove swamp. Some are more welcoming than others. Many believe the Johnston house is haunted, but its location is perfect for Marlise’s entomological research.

But Grappa is more concerned about the raven-haired young man whose flute music seems to have cast a spell over his granddaughter, Ayla. Grappa grew up with his Irish Gran’s tales of folklore and Fey, and he’s sure this black-haired creature is the Far Dorocha, the one who tried to tempt his Nettie away from their fledgling marriage. He needs to make sure she realises the danger this creature poses.

Ayla was practically weaned on Grappa’s stories about the Nor Folk and their connection to her favourite place on the island, at the foot of the giant fig, but now she is beginning to think that he has really lost it this time: he’s raving about spells and menace and he has even attacked her new friend, Riley. Has he been drinking even more than usual?

Cameron sets her tale on a tropical island off the coast of Queensland and her descriptions easily evoke the heat and humidity, the mosquitoes and the sometimes-magical quality of setting. While the support cast are characters easily recognisable to anyone who has lived in a small community, initially Riley seems unbelievably naïve, while Marlise’s overprotectiveness feels exaggerated. But patience and persistence yields a better understanding of this pair.

Cameron's depiction of a psychopath with psychotic episodes, from both within and without, is very convincing. Similarly, she deftly demonstrates the delicate balance between gossip and goodwill in a tightknit little town. This is a story that begins rather sedately but builds to an exciting climax. An impressive debut novel.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by the author.