Page 43 - Tropic Magazine Issue 35

TROPIC • BOOKS

Captivating

surrounds

FICTION
The Girls of Lake Evelyn is set in the fictional
Local author Averil Kenny has town of Barrington in 1958 and its
just released her second novel, scenery combines elements of Yidyam
a historical fiction inspired by (Lake Eacham), Barriny (Lake Barrine)
and Ngimun (Lake Euramoo). The story
the tropical north’s captivating centres on a pair of strong, spirited
crater lakes. women and a legend that’s long plagued
their community.
Words: Annabel Bowles
“Vivienne flees north to hide out in a
Whether you’ve visited a hundred times lonely, gothic lodge set in the rainforest Averil’s top five
or just once, the mystery of the Atherton around Lake Evelyn,” Averil told Tropic. recent reads
Tablelands’ crater lakes remains palpable. “In the nearby town of Barrington, the
It’s this magic that author Averil Kenny plucky Josie is out to solve a mysterious
manages to capture in her latest novel, ‘curse’ causing the drowning deaths of 1 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
The Girls of Lake Evelyn – the gripping story local women, by staging a controversial by V.E. Schwab
of a runaway bride who finds refuge in new play.
the Far North, only to unravel a chain of 2 Apples Never Fall
dark secrets. by Liane Moriarty
While Averil wrote the novel from her
rainforest home, she tells Tropic the My fiction evokes the 3 The Pull of the Stars
inspiration for the release stretches back by Emma Donoghue
much further. weather, environment and
“My family moved to Cairns when I wonders of FNQ 4 This Tender Land
was in primary school, and I have been by William Kent Krueger
in love with this enchanting place ever Averil Kenny
since,” she said. “My dad used to drive 5 The Shell Seekers
tour coaches and on weekends, he would by Rosamunde Pilcher
take me on his adventures all over FNQ,
providing endless fodder for my fertile “Through their warm friendship and
imagination. The Atherton Tablelands collaboration, the young women expose the realisation of a lifelong dream for
tour was one of my favourites. As the bus secrets, discover love, face danger, and Averil, who knew she would become a
rumbled up the Gillies Highway, I’d have ultimately find courage in deep waters.” writer as soon as she could read. Averil
my face pressed to the window, listening Averil’s new novel follows is also an education and journalism
to my dad’s amazing commentary, while her debut, Those Hamilton Sisters, released graduate, mother to four kids, and an
dreaming up my own stories about the less than a year ago and already sold avid bookworm. The Girls of Lake Evelyn is
area. I was captivated by the volcanic across Australia, the UK, Germany now available in all good bookstores.
lakes, waterfalls, teahouses, verdant hills and Sweden.
and mighty fig trees, and I’d long wanted The historical works of fiction form a MORE: averilkenny.com
to use this setting for a novel.” two-book deal with Bonnier Echo and

43 • tropicnow.com.au