The Last Illusion of Paige White

'Compelling, haunting and beautifully written. You'll be thinking about it long after you turn the last page!' Liane Moriarty

Two women. A tragedy on the lake. And secrets beneath the surface ... The lyrical, haunting new novel from the author of The Beautiful Words

For fans of The Lovely Bones, Before You Knew My Name and Everything I Never Told You

Paige White kayaked across the lake each morning at dawn. Someone was watching her. Many someones watched her online. But was anyone with her the day she was found?

Paige White's beautiful life is documented closely for her thousands of followers: lakeside picnics with her daughter, sunny afternoons in the family van, and romantic dinners with her husband. So when she posts an ominous image, and her body is shortly after discovered in the lake, everyone immediately wonders - suicide or foul play?

Paige finds herself suspended in a strange, idyllic place that resembles her most 'liked' Instagram post, forced to watch as life continues without her.

When Paige's death makes national news, Jane Masters, a journalist who was close to Paige in childhood, reluctantly travels home. Struggling with the morality of covering her friend's death, Jane will confront the town she left behind and the dark undercurrents that she's always known run underneath.

'Compelling, haunting and beautifully written, The Last Illusion of Paige White is a clever, page-turning modern mystery as well as a thoughtful exploration of female friendship, family dynamics and the complex impact of social media on self identity. You'll be thinking about it long after you turn the last page! ' Liane Moriarty

'An addictive read which nimbly combines a twisty small-town mystery with a thoughtful critique of influencer culture, all set against the wild, irresistible beauty of the Australian coastal landscape.' Mikki Brammer, author of The Collected Regrets of Clover

'Lyrical and evocative, and with a twisty whodunnit edge, this is Vanessa McCausland's best book yet.' Fiona Lowe

'Atmospheric and poignant' Petronella McGovern

'An ambitious and evocative novel that will appeal to both young and old. Vanessa McCausland has written a modern classic with family, friendship and beauty on the surface, and dark currents swirling beneath.' BM Carroll

Vanessa studied English and Australian literature at the University of Sydney and dreamed of one day writing fiction. She then went on to immerse herself completely in writing about real people, working as a journalist for twenty years. Vanessa has been a news, medical, entertainment and arts reporter for the Daily Telegraph and her writing has appeared in numerous other publications. She's happy to now, finally, be creating fictional characters. She lives in Sydney with her husband and daughter.

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