Needle in a Haystack
By (Author) Karly Lane
Allen & Unwin
Allen & Unwin
29th April 2025
Australia
General
Fiction
Narrative theme: Sense of place
Paperback
384
Width 153mm, Height 234mm
Lottie Fairchild has two loves: history and, well, history. She's fascinated by the legends of love and curses handed down through her own family.
Owner of a successful antique shop in her small country town Banalla, Lottie is on the committee that is about to launch a new festival celebrating the town history and their local figure of fame, gentleman bushranger Jack McNally.
Altogether, Lottie is happy. Mostly. But when festival guest speaker Professor Damian Loxley arrives, a week early and on a motorbike, Lottie is caught off guard.
As a professor of history and author of books, Damian arrives keen to research Jack McNally and one of history's cold cases: the mysterious disappearance of a colonial lady. But is this search going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack And then he meets Lottie Fairchild . . . and she just happens to be the perfect local guide.
Little do they realise what treasures they'll discover and truths they'll unearth, or that curses can still be found in both the past and the present. Ultimately, can they both find happiness
Praise for Karly Lane:
'Perfect to read on a plane, train or beach-side holiday.' - Reading Writing and Reisling on The One That Got Away
'I absolutely couldn't put The One That Got Away down ...' - Ms G's Bookshelf
'... a compelling, fast-paced and engaging read with heart and substance.' - Better Reading
'If you are looking for a good holiday read, then definitely choose For Once In My Life.' - Blue Wolf Reviews
'A seriously wonderful book ... perfect if you are looking for something to make you smile and touch your heart.' - Beauty and Lace
'A country reading delight, Wish You Were Here is the perfect book to enjoy this summer season. You can't go wrong with a Karly Lane novel and this latest one was no exception.' - Mrs B's Book Reviews
'Heart-warming ... an enjoyable read that will be warmly welcomed by fans of Australian romance writing.' - Canberra Weekly
Karly Lane lives on the beautiful mid-North Coast of New South Wales, and she is the proud mum of four children and an assortment of four-legged animals.
Before becoming an author, Karly worked as a pathology collector. Now, after surviving three teenage children and with one more to go, she's confident she can add referee, hostage negotiator, law enforcer, peacekeeper, ruiner-of-social-lives, driving instructor and expert-at silently-counting-to-ten to her resume.
When she isn't at her keyboard, Karly can be found hanging out with her beloved horses and dogs, happily ignoring the housework.
Karly writes Rural and Women's Fiction set in small country towns, blending contemporary stories with historical heritage. She is a passionate advocate for rural Australia, with a focus on rural communities and current issues. She has published twenty-two books with Allen & Unwin.
Her bestselling novels include North Star, Morgan's Law, Bridie's Choice, Poppy's Dilemma, Gemma's Bluff, Tallowood Bound, Second Chance Town, Third Time Lucky, If Wishes Were Horses, Six Ways to Sunday, Someone Like You, Fool Me Once, Something Like This, Take Me Home, Once Burnt Twice Shy, A Stone's Throw Away, Wish You Were Here, Time After Time, For Once in My Life, The One That Got Away, A Twist of Fate and the bestselling Callahans of Stringybark Creek series: The Wrong Callahan, Mr Right Now and Return to Stringybark Creek. Needle in a Haystack is her twenty-fifth novel.