An absolutely fantastic novel that pulled me in from the title and the front cover and I was not disappointed when it came to the story too. The narrative takes place in Austrialia, or rather just off of its the coast where the locals remain superstitous about The Batavia, which became a famous shipwreck with many tales attached. The story moves across a couple of centuries, firstly the 1700s and then the 1980s. The main characters are convincing and believable, the way the plots tie together is clearly achieved and the descriptive language is excellent. A wonderful story to read at any time of the year, with summer being a good time for tales of the ocean and autumn being the ideal time for a tale of hauntings from a shipwreck, so it works at different times of the year and would appeal to a wide range of audiences, I feel. A great writer and a great story.