(Published by Tivoli)
Harriet Turner works in the family business, a travel company specializing in themed tours. The business, set up by her parents, is based in a small coastal town in Australia and is now run by Harriet’s brother James and his wife Melissa.
Harriet has had a tough year, both her parents died suddenly and Harriet herself has suffered a breakdown. When her brother is hospitalised she is forced to face up to her fears when she takes over a theme tour of locations from the Willoughby TV detective series which was based in the beautiful countryside of Cornwall.
As tour guide to a party of 12 ‘elderly’ people Harriet should have had an easy time, but the disappearance of her foster sister and her growing attraction to Patrick Shawcross, the leading actor from Willoughby, make her re-entry to the world a somewhat bumpy ride.
Family Baggage is a very apt title for this novel as it addresses many issues surrounding Harriet’s family. McInerney has managed to create a story that is not your typical run of the mill novel. The storyline jumps from Australia to Ireland with ease, while the elderly tourists provide humour. Harriet’s battle with her internal demons is well depicted and the underlying mystery of where her foster sister has gone keeps the reader hooked.
Score: 3 out of 5
Also by Monica McInerney
The Alphabet Sisters
Upside Down Inside Out
A Taste for It
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