Cool Water

'Why this novel? Because we need empathy, understanding, some magic and hope more than ever in our lifetimes.' HOLLY RINGLAND

'Most novels leave us with learnings, but very few refine your character. I left more astute, more empathic, and somehow wiser after I read these pages.' HILDE HINTON

Frank feared a reckoning, but what he feared more was that all the men in his family were cursed.

Frank Herbert's family has gathered at Tinaroo Dam for his daughter Lily's wedding - the first time he's been back since the death of his father, Joe, a year earlier. Like Frank, the dam is at an all-time low and as the water recedes, objects begin to emerge - abstract and disquieting.

Joe's father Victor - Frank's grandfather - was the butcher of Tinaroo during the dam's construction, but Joe refused to speak of him. Joe was not a talker, but he could roar. And he could smash things. What sorrow was his fury, and this place, concealing? And can Frank find a way into a future of his own making?

Moving between the weekend of the wedding and the explosive year in the 1950s that would shape the Herbert men's destiny, Cool Water is an unforgettable novel about fathers and sons, what it means to be a good man, and the damage that can ripple through generations.

A breathtaking story brimming with insight and emotional power by Miles Franklin-shortlisted author Myfanwy Jones.

'A triumph . . . The darkness of the book is lifted with the light of hope, understanding and empathy. It's an unforgettable and stingingly relatable read.' THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLY

'Myfanwy Jones has become one of my favourite authors and Cool Water should make her one for any Australian reader. This is a generational novel imbued with grace and grit.' A.S. PATRIC

'Cool Water leaves an enduring imprint. A vivid and profound novel that conjures old hurts from the depths and brings them to the light. I loved this novel.' KATE MILDENHALL

'Confident craftsmanship, achingly evocative imagery and depth of perception' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

'A breathtaking story, brimming with insight, and perfect for anyone who loves family dramas and the exploration of relationships.' MAMAMIA

'Crystal-clear prose . . . [An] accomplished novel' SATURDAY PAPER

Myfanwy Jones is the author of Leap, shortlisted for the 2016 Miles Franklin Literary Award, and The Rainy Season, finalist for the 2009 Melbourne Prize for Literature's Best Writing Award. She also co-wrote the bestselling Parlour Games for Modern Families, awarded the 2010 ABIA Book of the Year for Older Children. Her short stories and essays have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including most recently Split: true stories of leaving, loss, and new beginnings. Myfanwy works as an editor and writing mentor, and lives beside a creek in Melbourne/Naarm.

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