From award-winning, bestselling writer Leah Swann comes a lyrical, powerful, dark and devastating novel. Warning: once you start reading, you will not be able to put this novel down.
Jack Wolfe, a complicated and difficult old man, retreats to his remote shack in the Otways to grieve his wife's death in a car crash where he was the driver. Half mad with remorse, and memories of wrongs he has done to others, what he craves more than anything is forgiveness - and solitude.
Instead, he meets Lotus, an exuberant yet lonely young woman who insists on trying to help him, although he's determined to keep her at bay. He doesn't want or need anyone. But late one night, when his dog starts howling, Jack discovers a shivering and wet stranger on his property. Is this man dangerous, or someone who simply needs his help? His late wife would want him to show kindness, but he can't help suspecting the man's motives. And what should he do about the unwanted friendship from Lotus?
A powerfully compelling story with a spiralling, slow-burn intensity which escalates into a propulsive, gut-wrenching and achingly beautiful read, Later, Only Love Remains is a story about violence, birth and death, the yearning for redemption and the endless wellspring that is love.
PRAISE FOR LATER, ONLY LOVE REMAINS
'Leah Swann's new work, like her gripping Sheerwater, walks the tightrope of relentlessly built suspense conveyed in language rich with imagery and lyricism.
Her sure instinct for this compelling juxtaposition of darkness and tenderness - of showing what's hidden and what is forced to the surface - is breathtaking.' Cate Kennedy, Like a House on Fire
'I already know this is my novel of the year. The writing drew me in, but the plot kept me hooked. I could not put this down. A stunning literary work with the plot of a thriller. I loved it.' Alice Robinson, If You Go
PRAISE FOR SHEERWATER
'With visceral prose and a tense narrative arc that unfolds over just three days, speeding towards a dramatic conclusion .... Sheerwater is a propulsive read with an acute emotional core ... likely to hold appeal for readers of both literary and crime fiction, and fans of writers such as Emily Maguire, Emma Viskic and Sofie Laguna.' Bookseller + Publisher
'Heart-in-mouth story ... Swann's language is sinewy and pointed; the book is trim and every sentence is necessary...a complex and horribly believable story with tremendous flair.' The Age
'Sheerwater is a haunting story built on conflict. Freedom and control, tenderness and violence, hope and fear, love and hate. It shows the strength of a mother's love and the yearning for something more ... This novel is full of beautifully gripping prose and deeply powerful emotions told through sublime pacing. I found it triggered a peculiar mix of wanting to dwell in the darkly emotive prose while needing to urgently push through it to find resolution. It will be one of those books that lingers in your mind, the memory of which may even be mistaken for a story read in the news.' Booktopia
'Sheerwater is compelling reading ... There is an urgency in the writing that makes you read on because you must know what the conclusion is - no matter which way it goes ... This is an extraordinary literary debut; the writing is beautifully evocative and the intertwining narratives of the main characters seamless. It's tender, it's suspenseful and you'll be wanting to see so much more from Leah Swann - I ignored everything for a day to rip through the pages and loved every minute of it.' Better Reading
