Siblings Helen, Sylvie and Brendan arrive at their childhood home, Iluka, a beach cottage on NSW's south coast, in the wake of the death of their grandfather, Patrick. Over several days, they'll carry out the sad process of clearing the house, while reaching a decision as to whether to retain the idyllically-located property or sell.

In the course of sorting paperwork, the siblings come across a cache of letters kept by their late grandmother, Iris. The contents throw into chaos everything that Helen, Sylvie and Brendan had believed about their upbringing. They'd long been told by their grandparents that their mother, Marguerite, had abandoned them as children to the care of her parents, and that she'd subsequently died. However, the letters indicate that, not only did Marguerite continue writing to Iris long after they'd been told she was gone, begging for the opportunity to connect with her children, but that she may still be alive.

Iluka is a beguiling read, exploring the dynamics of family relationships, the varying recollection and effects of childhood events within the same family, and the ways in which trauma can be carried through to the next generation's sense of self and own approaches to parenthood. The coastal setting is evocative, and the fictional Beecham Head is recognisable as any one of many such small communities dotted around the Australian coast.

While I didn't identify particularly with any one of the three main protagonists, I did appreciate debut author Cassie Stroud's ability to convey the emotional turmoil each of the characters were experiencing, both before and after the revelations concerning their mother. The cast of supporting characters were deftly created to play their own roles in the development of themes over the course of the book, particularly the observant Tig and her newly made friend, local indigenous boy Dominic.

I'd recommend Iluka to readers who enjoy twisty family dramas, emotionally-charged character dynamics and quintessentially Australian settings.

My thanks to the author, Cassie Stroud, publisher Harlequin Australia, HQ (Fiction, Non Fiction, YA) & MIRA and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this title. Also a shout-out to artist Jon Doran, whose stunning painting Morning Swimmer 6 features on the cover.