Debut novel an original tale

AUTHOR Paula Gleeson will release her debut novel in two weeks and celebrate the achievement with a book talk at the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute.

Original Twin is a mystery-thriller story and Gleeson is set to discuss the “haunting tale” on the evening of Tuesday 4 June.

“It’s about the bonds between sisters,” she said. “One young woman must follow the invisible thread that connects her to her missing twin before someone else can sever it for good.”

Gleeson said her sister characters, May and June, are very different people.

“May is quiet, self-conscious, withdrawn,” she said. “June is boisterous, beautiful, magnetic, and missing.”

The book is set about 12 month after June’s disappearance.

“May [waits] for her to turn up with an explanation of where she’s been and why she left,” the author said.

“But with the discovery of an old newspaper article comes a secret; their mother once vanished too, on the same date when she was 19 years old.

“This was no coincidence. June was investigating this buried family mystery, and she left May a series of clues to pick up where she left off.”

The story follows the retracing of footsteps, as questions are answered, and more are asked.

“When her sister’s trail of breadcrumbs runs out, what or who will she find?” Gleeson said.

The Australian pre-order campaign for Gleeson’s debut novel is being run by Collins Booksellers Ballarat on Lydiard ahead of the official launch on Saturday 1 June.

The Original Twin event at the BMI will be hosted in partnership with the bookstore.

Visit bit.ly/3JYf25T for tickets to the in-conversation evening which will run from 6pm to 8pm.

Gleeson’s next thriller, Boney Creek, will be released this time next year.