This thriller is set on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria during the summer of 1989-1990. When Tracie Reed disappears from her home at Camp Hill (near Frankston), the police believe that the seventeen year old girl has run away from home. However her mother is convinced that something more sinister has happened. Neighbour and local school teacher, Tom Witter, agrees, especially when he hears stories of possible Satanic practices in Wild Place, an area of bush backing on to the residential area. As it is school holidays Tom decides to investigate but discovers more than he wants to know - or anyone else to know for that matter.
The Wild Place by Christan White looks at how conspiracy theories can cloud people's thinking, sometimes causing people to jump to wrong conclusions. Family and relationships are a major focus of book. Tom's investigation leads to discoveries of layers of guilt and desperation among not only some of the neighbours but also closer to home. As the police officer investigation the case concludes at one point - 'Sometimes good people do bad things' (p244), especially when they are protecting family members.
The Wild Place is a tension filled novel that keeps the reader guessing until the end.
No comments:
Post a Comment