As Far As You Can Go [Paperback]

Lesley Glaister (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 7, 2005

When Cassie sees a job advertised for a couple to run a remote Australian farm, she thinks it will be the perfect escape for her and Graham. But trapped under the baking sun of the outback, paranoia sets in. There's no radio and they send but never receive any letters. Their enigmatic and unusually forgiving boss Larry and his wife Mara have secrets, sedatives, and some very odd habits: a result of their isolated lifestyle or something more sinister? And there's always the sensation, in the stark brush of the red desert, that eyes are watching them

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Glaister is an expert plotter and her story has a chilling plausibility ... This is a story whose message will linger long after the book is closed' Scotsman 'Glaister is excellent on relationship dynamics and the hot, oppressive atmosphere of her modern-day fairytale almost causes steam to rise from the pages' Independent on Sunday 'The heat, smells and fascination of the vast outback landscape are vividly described. And always in the background, just out of view, is the uneasy sense that something horrific lurks in waiting' Sunday Telegraph 'If you're heading for the Australian outback, you might want to delay reading this scary psycho-thriller' Daily Mail

About the Author

Lesley Glaister teaches a Master's degree in Writing at Sheffield Hallam University. She is the author of eight novels which include Honour Thy Father, winner of the Somerset Maugham and a Betty Trask award, Easy Peasy, Sheer Blue Bliss and Now You See Me.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Paperbacks (March 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747574685
• ISBN-13: 978-0747574682
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,901,776 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling and scary Outback adventure, April 16, 2010

By 

Ripple (uk) - See all my reviews

This review is from: As Far as You Can Go (Paperback)

If you are planning a trip to the Australian outback, you might want to give this book a wide berth! For everyone else, it's highly recommended.

Cassie and Graham's relationship is not really going anywhere. Then Cassie sees an advert for a job on an Australian farm and they decide to go for it. This might not have been such a great plan! You can feel the isolation and heat of the outback in this gripping and tense book - they are cut off from the outside world and modern communications (handy, that - but a believable scenario) so when their employer Larry and his mentally disturbed wife, Mara turn out to be not quite what Cassie and Graham are expecting, they are trapped. When Larry suggests that Cassie apply some personality altering medication to achieve what she wants from Graham you know it's gone too far.

Glaister's plotting is superb and she's particularly strong on relationships (as evidenced in her other books) and this is a frightening and gripping ride. It's one of my favourite Glaister books - and that's high praise as she is always reliably thrilling as a writer.

5.0 out of 5 stars Creepy and compelling psycho-thriller, February 20, 2007

By 

Lynn S - See all my reviews

This review is from: As Far As You Can Go (Hardcover)

Cassie and Graham's relationship is on the rocks - Graham's infidelity is a cover-up for his immaturity and lack of self-esteem. He is haunted by the fear that he's not good enough for Cassie and frustrated that his career has never worked out as planned. When Cassie answers an ad for a position in Australia that requires a live-in couple it initially sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime. They leave their lives in England behind, set off for Australia and that's when the trouble starts.
For starters, the farm is far more isolated than they were led to believe. The wife of their boss, Larry, behaves strangely. Is she genuinely mentally ill or does Larry keep her drugged? Mail from home never seems to arrive and the feeling of being watched never leaves them. . .

I really enjoyed this book, Glaister excels at building up a creeping feeling of unease which keeps you turning the pages. I'd never heard of this author before but I'll definitely check out her back catalogue. I suggest you do the same!