Book Review: The Death Of Noah Glass By Gail Jones

When art historian Noah Glass is found dead in a neighbour’s swimming pool, his two adult children, Martin and Evie, are devastated. Allegations by police that Noah was involved in an art theft in Sicily only compounds and confuses their grief. In an attempt to discover the truth, Martin travels to Sicily to trace the final steps of Noah’s recent visit. Evie however is overcome with grief for her mother, for whom she never really grieved years ago. Their story is interspersed with Noah’s own story of his upbringing, and the secrets of that last visit to Sicily. Masterfully crossing three generations, Jones takes on a journey of sadness and mystery. The characters of the siblings are depicted with sensitivity and insight, each grieving in a different way. Jones’ understanding of sibling relationships adds another dimension to the plot. Once again Gail Jones lives up to her reputation of one of Australia’s finest writers.

Text Publishing $29.99