Home and Other Hiding Places

Book excerpt: When eight-year-old Fin and his mum Lindy travel to spend Christmas with his Gran in Sydney, Fin assumes they’ll return to their isolated country property – the only home he’s ever known. But he soon discovers that this large and crumbling riverside house, surrounded by bush and unwelcoming neighbours, is his home now. As Lindy’s fragile emotions fracture under the weight of Gran’s disapproval and the pressure of old memories, Fin holds onto a tenderness of spirit and the simple clarity he has learnt from his isolation on the farm – an insight that hasn’t yet been clouded by the secret codes of adulthood. But as the life he has known crumbles around him, Fin learns that no-one is coming to his rescue, and he sets off on a journey to find his way home. ‘I loved this wise, tender, funny novel. Fin, having won my heart, will live there forever.’ – Fiona McFarlane ‘Home and Other Hiding Places is an astoundingly deep dive into the hearts and heartbreaks of one family – sharply observed, poignant and unputdownable.’ – Felicity Castagna, author of No More Boats