Angel Rock, a novel.

Random House, Vintage. 303p. c2002. 0-37571924-5. $13.00. SA

The dusty Australian town of Angel Rock has deep undercurrents of mystery and violence as the town is confronted by two tragedies. Tom Ferry, a hard-working 13-year-old routinely abused by his drunken stepfather, disappears into the bush for weeks with his younger half-brother Flynn. They are presumed dead, so the town is astonished when he emerges starved and delusional without his younger sibling and with no memory of what has passed in the wilderness. Meanwhile, the ethereal adolescent Darcy seems to be hiding a secret. even from her good friend Grace, the daughter of Pop, the friendly town policeman. When she is found dead in Sydney. an apparent suicide, Gibson, a city detective with his own personal skeletons, decides to travel to Angel Rock and uncover what has driven her to this desperate option. The focus of the book shifts at this time to the adult characters as Gibson stirs up demons in Angel Rock and the truth of the town's past is exposed.

Some sexual content and violence renders this title more suitable for senior high and adult collections. The mystery in the second half of the book enables this work to occupy a space in the mystery collection in addition to being suitable for general fiction. A powerful story beautifully written, this should be added to public library and large senior high fiction collections. Courtney Lewis, Libn., Wyoming Seminary College, Kingston, PA