The Last Illusion of Paige White
About this audiobook
'Compelling, haunting and beautifully written. You'll be thinking about it long after you turn the last page!' Liane Moriarty
Two women. A tragedy on the lake. And secrets beneath the surface ... The lyrical, haunting new novel from the author of The Beautiful Words
For fans of The Lovely Bones, Before You Knew My Name and Everything I Never Told You
Paige White kayaked across the lake each morning at dawn. Someone was watching her. Many someones watched her online. But was anyone with her the day she was found?
Paige White's beautiful life is documented closely for her thousands of followers: lakeside picnics with her daughter, sunny afternoons in the family van, and romantic dinners with her husband. So when she posts an ominous image, and her body is shortly after discovered in the lake, everyone immediately wonders - suicide or foul play?
Paige finds herself suspended in a strange, idyllic place that resembles her most 'liked' Instagram post, forced to watch as life continues without her.
When Paige's death makes national news, Jane Masters, a journalist who was close to Paige in childhood, reluctantly travels home. Struggling with the morality of covering her friend's death, Jane will confront the town she left behind and the dark undercurrents that she's always known run underneath.
'Compelling, haunting and beautifully written, The Last Illusion of Paige White is a clever, page-turning modern mystery as well as a thoughtful exploration of female friendship, family dynamics and the complex impact of social media on self identity. You'll be thinking about it long after you turn the last page! ' Liane Moriarty
'McCausland expertly weaves together multiple strands of a multilayered story ... McCausland is a thoughtful, subtle writer with a deep understanding of her characters' psyches. What lends a special poignancy to the story are the chapters narrated by Paige, reflecting deep regret for her life's mistakes' New York Times Best New Release
'An addictive read which nimbly combines a twisty small-town mystery with a thoughtful critique of influencer culture, all set against the wild, irresistible beauty of the Australian coastal landscape.' Mikki Brammer, author of The Collected Regrets of Clover
'Lyrical and evocative, and with a twisty whodunnit edge, this is Vanessa McCausland's best book yet.' Fiona Lowe
'Atmospheric and poignant' Petronella McGovern
'An ambitious and evocative novel that will appeal to both young and old. Vanessa McCausland has written a modern classic with family, friendship and beauty on the surface, and dark currents swirling beneath.' BM Carroll
About the author
Vanessa studied English and Australian literature at the University of Sydney and dreamed of one day writing fiction. She then went on to immerse herself completely in writing about real people, working as a journalist for twenty years. Vanessa has been a news, medical, entertainment and arts reporter for the Daily Telegraph and her writing has appeared in numerous other publications. She's happy to now, finally, be creating fictional characters. She lives in Sydney with her husband and daughter.
Eva Seymour graduated from the Full Time Program at 16th St Actors' Studio in 2015, after which she was selected as the Red Stitch Graduate Ensemble Member for 2016. Throughout that year, her Red Stitch credits included The River, The Honey Bees, Trevor, You Got Older and Uncle Vanya. Eva furthered her training in 2017, when she was selected for the Acting Shakespeare Course at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Her film credits include Lazy Bones, Pillars, So Long, Fathers' Day and The BBQ.
Hannah Fredericksen is an actor and vocalist who has worked broadly across film, TV, theatre and musical theatre. Her notable stage credits include appearances as Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter & The Cursed Child, Sandra Dee in Dreamlover: The Bobby Darin Musical and Lynette Squeaky Fromme in Assassins. On screen, Hannah has featured as Mandy Hodson in Informer 3838, Bianca in Playing For Keeps, Molly in Olivia Newton-John and Robyn Leneham in Wake in Fright.
Ella Le Fournour is a Melbourne-based actor, dancer and voice artist. She received her Bachelor of Creative Arts (Drama) from Flinders University in 2019, and has since appeared on stage and screen in several short films, the web series Behind The Seams, and a number of theatre productions with State Theatre Company South Australia and Theatreworks, among others.
Jess Stanley is an award-winning actor, writer, voice artist and marriage celebrant from Naarm/Melbourne. She has been the recipient of the Art Unbound Award (2021) for her ASMR-based show, ""JSMR"", the Howard Fine Performance Project's Best Actor Winner (2021), a Victorian Premier's Award (2008), the Jennifer Francis Drama Prize (2008), and a scholarship to study at Monash University, where she completed her Bachelor of Performing Arts. Jess regularly tours Victoria with education theatre company, Complete Works.