I loved the way this mystery was developed in the outback. I found it gave me a strong sense of life in the outback- physically, socially and emotionally. I really enjoyed this aspect of the novel. Strong character definit9ions and a very interesting plot created a great read.

I think this book is as good if not better than The Dry. The harsh out back comes to life on the page as do the characters who inhabit it. A vivid read well plotted

I purchased 3 "The Lost Man" books for gifts. They loved it. One started reading 6 pm and read through to the final page, went to bed around midnight. No 2 recipient told me, suspenseful, great insight into the rules for life in the outback, could not put it down until finished. That one is going to his neighbour who loves and travels the outback.

I loved this book could not put it down

I have loved both Jane Harper novels so far and this, the third is right up there.

She is the Queen of the remote, raw and visceral Australian setting. You’re plunged into the dry, the heat and the lack of human contact here. Driving along a road without supplies could result in death. Your body might never be found – there’s a severe lack of passing cars.

But in the middle of this landscape, amongst the cattle farms and single houses, there’s a grave where the legendary stockman is buried. Used to frighten the children and people of this town. Now, a local man has been found lying in the grave…but why did he venture out here? and leave his car?

The story flits back to build up a shocking web of deceit, family breakdown and secrets which go way back. These are people from a unique place, where life is very different to anywhere else. The Queensland outback is not your friend it would seem and conditions are harsh and life dependent on landscape and weather.

The cast of characters is strong as are the relationships between them. I’ve never been to the area in the book, but then this is not a place for tourists. You have to have lived and breathed this land to fully understand and respect it.

The way the community, the land, the people and the past all wove together despite the gritty sandstorm of the plot is testament to Jane’s skill as a writer. Very cinematic and a thump to the chest ending.

This is even better than the first two. I could feel the isolation of the outback and the searing heat and the feeling that someone was watching me over my shoulder. Jane Harper is the best and I urge people to get this book because honestly you won't be able to put it down.

Just when you thought Jane Harper had already raised the bar for crime fiction she goes and changes the game all over again, this time with a brilliant standalone novel that explores a crime hitting much closer to home.

The Lost Man tells the story of the Bright family, whose quiet existence on Queensland cattle farming land is shattered when middle brother Cameron is found dead at the boundary between their two extensive properties, his car lying abandoned mere kilometres away. The question of just how and why he ended up there is one which will drag up all manner of ghosts for the Bright family, particularly the eldest brother Nathan and Cameron’s widow Ilse, as mysterious events of the past bleed into their present with devastating effect.

With The Dry, Harper had written a drama that was very much rooted in its physical setting, with the harsh dryness of its landscape reflected malevolently in the minds of its characters. But if you thought that the scorched conditions of The Dry seemed rough, be warned that they are nothing compared to the desolation of outback Queensland in The Lost Man, where one wrong move out of doors can quickly become a matter of life and death. Harper manages to bring the danger and crushing isolation of this landscape inside the Bright family homestead, where it manifests in the most unsettling ways. The result is a gripping story that functions both as a rural mystery and an urgent domestic drama that feels timely and authentic.

The Lost Man is essentially a standalone novel (although hardcore Aaron Falk fans should stay alert for a subtle shoutout), but it’s one that sits right up there with the greatness that we’ve come to expect of Jane Harper and indeed of Australia’s best crime fiction novels. So don’t sleep on this one - the Harper hype is much deserved.