Matilda's Last Waltz [Hardcover]

Tamara McKinley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2000

Faced with the tragic deaths of both her husband and baby, Jenny is at her wit's end, with nowhere to turn. She soon learns that her husband has left for her, of all things, a sheep-station known as Churinga, in the Australian Outback. Although she thinks his final gift toher a strange one, Jenny thinks she might find solace in a trip out to Churinga. After all, what better way to feel close to her husband now than to visit a place he loved?But, like the grief she has tried to leave behind, the Outback she encounters is barren and the weather, hostile; however, Jenny is not one to turn around. Once there she hears of Churinga's last keeper,Matilda, whose identity becomes less and less clear to Jenny: the neighbors hold a grudging respect for Matilda's way with the land but are reluctant to speak of her to Jenny. And as Jenny spends more and more time on the farm, her predecessor's lingering presence looms ever larger. Then she discovers some old diaries and is bewitched by a tale more shocking than her wildest dreams could foretell.And the deeper she delves into Matilda's past, the more Jenny wonders whether inheriting Churinga has been a blessing or a curse.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

After the tragic death of her husband and young son, Jenny Sanders visits Churinga, a remote sheep station in the Australian outback that was a last gift from her husband. Having spent most of her adult life in the city, Jenny is increasingly drawn to Churinga's landscape, lifestyle, and strikingly handsome manager, Brett Wilson. She is also captivated by the diaries of the station's former owner, Matilda Thomas. This wise, strong young woman fended off repeated takeover attempts by the wealthy Squires clan, whose inflated offers to purchase Churinga now taunt Jenny. The more she reads these diaries, the more her life grows strangely and increasingly entwined with Matilda. Strongly reminiscent of The Thorn Birds, this is a highly entertaining story of mystery, love, incest, and survival set in the stark, unforgiving Australian outback. The characters are strong and real, and their secrets and passions carry the plot along with a satisfying tension. Well written and well paced, this solidly good read is sure to be a favorite of readers of romance and women's fiction. Highly recommended for all public libraries.DSusan Clifford Braun, Aerospace Corp., Los Angeles
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Tamara McKinley was born and raised in Australia, then schooled in Great Britain, where she lives now with her husband Oliver. She has three grown children. Matilda's Last Waltz is her third novel, an international bestseller.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1 Us ed edition (August 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312262027
• ISBN-13: 978-0312262020
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,020,253 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MATILDA'S LAST WALTZ, August 20, 2000

By 

J. Wolstenholme (Newport, RI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Matilda's Last Waltz (Hardcover)

Churinga is the name of the unexpected and unlikely inheritance Jennifer Sanders has received from her beloved late husband, Peter, after he and their young son die. Puzzled, but needing a reason to go on, Jenny takes the long trek from Sydney to the sheep station in New South Wales. Greeting her in the dusty, outback town is Brett Wilson, the station's manager, who is all business with the new 'boss'. To Jenny, the handsome Brett is a bit too stiff with her, but she's certain that since she won't be staying long, it won't matter. However, from the night of her arrival at Churinga, Jenny is aware of the presence of the former owner, the indomitable Matilda, whose legend is well known to all in the surrounding outback. When Jenny discovers a trunk of Matilda's old clothes and a stack of her diaries, she is determined to unearth the story of this overwhelming spirit.

The publishers of this book chose to compare it to THE THORN BIRDS and, as usual, I didn't expect it to measure up. But MATILDA'S LAST WALTZ is every bit as thrilling, enthralling and lovingly written as Colleen McCullough's wonderful story. Ms. McKinley's characters are appealing and real. Matilda, the tough, persistent daughter of two mismatched parents, tears at the reader's heartstrings from the beginning. Her diaries help the grieving Jenny come to grips with her own life and open her eyes to the beauty that is Churinga. Dancing through the tale is more than a hint of romance between Jenny and the brooding Brett, who is more than a little worried about losing his job on the station that he's come to love. But it's Matilda's story seen through the eyes of Jenny that lures the reader onward. Dastardly characters are sprinkled throughout and some of the best scenes are when the reader is allowed to see how both Matilda and Jenny deal with them.

MATILDA'S LAST WALTZ is one of the best written, most enjoyable books I've been privileged to review this year. There is nothing not to like about it. The characters are well drawn, even some of the lesser seen ones. The dialogue is free-flowing, never skipping a beat and the description of the outback and all of its dangers and beauty can only come from someone who truly loves it. This is a must-read book for anyone who loves a really good story that can bring tears to your eyes at the last page, as it did me.

Jani Brooks Romance Communications

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Truly a 'cannot put it down'!, November 13, 2000

By 

Jesse L. Rowe - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Matilda's Last Waltz (Hardcover)

Set in the vastness of the Australian outback, this book tells the tale of two women whose lifes, although seperated by many years and totally different backgrounds, gets interwined by their common love of Churinga sheep station. Both touched by personal tragedy at an early age, they found solace in the beautiful, yet harsh and cruel, world of Churinga.

The tale follows a clear progression, combining the two story lines into an almost imperceptable whole. Central to the story is Jenny Sanders' strange fascination with the dramatic and often sad story of Matilda Thomas, the previous owner of the station.

The book abounds with the most lovely narrations and word-pictures of the Australian outback. Even a person who have never been there, like me, will learn to love this land with all its harsh beauty and cruel splendour.

As one reads the story, you cannot help but to learn to love the people in it and, everytime you put down the book, you long to pick it up again to continue sharing the intrigue and often bittersweet lives of the people at Churinga.

The book has a stunning conclusion - till the very last page, one cannot really say how it would end. And truly, the ending was a big surprise, based on a situation one would never have guessed.

Perhaps the only point of criticism is that the last thirty or so pages are just to 'busy' - having been accustomed to the leisurely, flowing story so far, it was as if the author realized she was 'running out of time', and was trying to cram as much information into a few pages as possible.

Although dramatic and climactic in a certain sense, the beauty of this tale is tainted by a too hasty ending.

Overall, this is a wonderful book, with stunning narrations and a gripping tale of tragedy, mystery and love.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good read, September 8, 2000

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Matilda's Last Waltz (Hardcover)

Six months have passed since her husband Peter and their two-year-old son Ben died, but Jenny still mourns her loss as if it happened yesterday. The embolism that killed Peter was swift and by itself difficult to live with, but to have it happen while he drove with Ben as a passenger leaves Jenny shattered and incapable of moving on with her life.

However, the family attorney informs her that her spouse left her with an isolated sheep station in the Outback that apparently Peter desperately wanted her to own. Deciding she needs a change from her Sydney home, Jenny travels to the remote Churinga seeking solace and trying to understand why Peter bestowed such a strange inheritance upon her. Her plan is to stay for a short time in the hope of recapturing her sense of being, but instead, Jenny finds herself embracing the need to learn about the previous owner, the enigmatic but legendary Matilda.

The timing of MATILDA'S LAST WALTZ is perfect with the Olympics just around the corner. However, even if it was not, a novel with this much depth to its characters is timely at any period. The story line is gripping and powerful as Jenny "observes" Matilda's world and compares her own reaction to what the former Churinga owner did. The characters including tertiary players seem so real that both Sydney and the Outback are vividly described. Anyone who relishes a strong novel of living beyond dying will fully gain pleasure with the melancholy but stalwart Tamar McKinley's fabulous tale.

Harriet Klausner