Vanishing Falls

Australian author Gee follows 2013’s Bay of Fires with an intriguing if at times slow mystery set on the island of Tasmania. As art collector Jack Lily races through his mansion outside the remote village of Vanishing Falls, looking for his missing wife, Celia, he’s certain of one thing: if Celia is a victim of foul play, he’s the prime suspect. Mousy Joelle Smithton, whose intelligence many of the locals underestimate, knows Jack is hiding secrets, but so are others. Could poultry farmer Cliff Gatenby and his wife, Kim, who are struggling with addiction and financial problems, be envious enough of the Lilys’ easy lifestyle to kill? As Inspector Kanton gets nowhere searching for Celia’s body, Joelle shows her prowess as a sleuth. One important clue may lie in a rare find now in Jack’s possession—a long-lost oil painting of Vanishing Falls by English artist John Glover. Gee’s fully developed female characters stand in contrast to her somewhat sketchy male characters. Agatha Christie fans will welcome the inhabitants of Vanishing Falls as kin to the residents of Miss Marple’s St. Mary’s Mead. Agent: Julia Kenny, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary. (Aug.)