Trigger warning: this review contains references to suicide and self-harm.
Fiona McArthur is back with The Lightning Ridge Ladies, another strong story set in outback Australia. As with earlier novels such as The Baby Doctor, the focus is on relationships and particularly strong female friendships.
Dr Bella Gray moves to Lightning Ridge to take over her older brother’s medical practice. He wants to move on with his new wife; Bella wants to spend time in the place where her twin brother took his own life three years ago. Their family was blindsided and devastated; Bella hopes to find something to help them understand.
Bella is quickly drawn into the supportive friendship of local opal jeweller Meesha and a larger group of women known as the Lightning Ridge Ladies. She values this and enjoys her work, but can’t let go of the need to know why her twin died. And when she finds that his friend TJ is secretive and unsociable, she’s convinced he might know something.
This is one of those genre-crossing novels – in part a romance, in part a drama, and in part a crime novel. Of those three twined plots, I’d say the drama, focusing on the female friendships, is the strongest. All of them are interesting, but that’s the real heart of the novel.
Each woman is drawn strongly, and their hopes, dreams, and problems will generate a lot of empathy from readers. Although some challenges are particular to the isolated setting, others – like finding a good work life balance – are more universal. Most of the diverse characters are engaging, and readers will want the best for them. The friendships are believable and also the sort many people aspire to have.
The crime subplot is perhaps the weakest element of the novel; I had all but one detail figured out within a couple of chapters. I’m not sure that really matters a lot: McArthur wasn’t writing a mystery. This subplot provides some substantial emotional motivation for Bella and TJ. Elements of it impact almost everyone in town, and their reactions and behaviour ring true. It also provides some notable emotional depth to the novel.
The third strand is the romance plot – or plots. There are several. Although I didn’t feel they were the crux of the novel, I liked them a lot. The romances proceeded at different paces and in different ways, which felt real. Each relationship felt genuine and credible.
The three strands twined together make for a strong and absorbing novel. The appealing characters and how well they’re drawn are the main things I’ll remember from the book, but the plot was also interesting and mostly believable.
I think a wide range of readers will enjoy this: those who like romances, those who like strongly character-based stories, and those who enjoy stories set in a uniquely Australian setting.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading The Lightning Ridge Ladies by Fiona McArthur. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
I’ve loved books for as long as I can remember, and I love sharing that joy.
I’ve been an avid reader for as long as I can remember, across all genres. There’s not much I won’t at least try. I’ve been an enthusiastic book reviewer for years. I particularly enjoy discovering writers new to me, and sharing good writing with others.
My career has included time spent writing and editing technical documents, but it’s fiction that really moves me. I’ve reviewed for a number of different outlets over the years, and have been a judge in literary competitions.
I’m now raising little bookworms of my own, which brings a whole new kind of joy to sharing books.
More of my reviews can be found on my review blog www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog .
Wow to another fantastic rural romance with some mystery added in the storyline. From the first page to the last in this very big book, you will be captivated with the memorable characters.
We see a family of Doctors and a Dr. Bella Grey move out to Lightning Ridge to take over the medical practice of her brother and his wife. They are getting over losing their brother who is in the twin of Bella who takes the loss more. She just cannot fathom that he has taken his own life, things just didn’t add up so taking the job of being the local doctor would help her try and work out what really happened to her brother as his body was never recovered.
Majority of the characters know about William’s unusual death, and they all have ideas, but some have no knowledge of who he is. Bella becomes friends with most of the community.
Bella’s brother death rocked the whole community as well as her parents who lived in Port Macquarie.
Romance is found with an unusual character called TJ. A man with a past and he is someone that comes to care for Bella in her search for answers re her brother’s death.
I really enjoyed reading this romance, mystery story involving a place called Lightning Ridge as I had a friend whose uncle lived out there plus, we always watch The Opal Hunters on TV. From reading this novel, it does make you want to go and visit the town and see for yourself.
The book cover is gorgeous, kind of reminds me of Opal colours.
Absolutely loved the book and thank you to Beauty and Lace and Penguin Books for sending me this to read. I have read a few of Fiona McArthur books and they are all exciting to read.
I did look up the opal shop at Lightning Ridge and hopefully one day an opal ring will be on my finger.
I love a Fiona McArthur book, The Lightening Ridge ladies does not disappoint!
Heartbroken Dr Bella Grey moves to Lightening Ridge to take over her brothers medical practice and on the surface is making a fresh start, but she’s desperate to uncover the truth behind her twin brothers death.
In her search for the truth she forms true friendships with the locals, particularly Meesha a talented opal jeweller.
When she meets the dark and mysterious TJ sparks fly and when Bella finds out he was friends with her twin, she can’t keep away.
The story is beautifully woven, you can just picture the Ridge and characters from the descriptions in the book. There are a number of characters interwoven and given minor starring roles in the book, which Fiona does so well without taking away from the main character and story line.
The crime sideline added some extra interest and meat to the story.
A brilliantly written and engaging story that kept me turning the pages.
Thank you Beauty and Lace and Penguin for the copy to read and review.
Thank you Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read Fiona McArthur’s The Lightning Ridge Ladies.
This is a standalone book but does follow on from The Opal Miner’s Daughter – we meet Dr Bella Grey who has come to Lightning Ridge to assist her brother Konrad at his medical practice while he goes on his honeymoon with Riley his wife.
Bella is having trouble accepting the suicide of her twin brother William whose body has never been found at Lightning Ridge, she meets the grumpy aloof TJ and sparks begin to fly – together they try to track William’s last movements.
A great read which I thoroughly enjoyed
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