Nearly fifty years later, Brisbane bookseller Caddie Walker is waiting in line to see a Karlson exhibition featuring the famous fragments when she meets a charismatic older woman. And finally, of course, it is-as it must be-about love.INGA Karlson died in a fire in New York in the 1930s, leaving behind three things: a phenomenally successful first novel, the scorched fragments of a second book- and a mystery that has captivated generations of readers. It is about dreams and fights and sacrifices. Ambitious in scope and structure, triumphantly realised, this is a novel about one family and every family. In Nine Days Toni Jordan has harnessed all the spiky wit, compassion and lust for life that drew readers in droves to Addition and Fall Girl. They hold the threads that will weave a family. Kip’s mother, his brother Francis and, eventually, Kip’s wife Annabel and their daughters and grandson: all find their own turning points, their triumphs and catastrophes, in days to come.īut at the heart of all their stories is Kip, and at the centre of Kip’s fifteen-year-old heart is his adored sister Connie. Kip’s momentous day is one of nine that will set the course for each member of the Westaway clan in the years that follow.

And young Kip Westaway, failed scholar and stablehand, is living the most important day of his life. Deep in the working-class Melbourne suburb of Richmond it is business-your own and everyone else’s-as usual. It is 1939 and although Australia is about to go to war, it doesn’t quite realise yet that the situation is serious. An unforgettable novel of love and folly and heartbreak. Harnessing the exquisite timing of the great comedies to the narrative power and emotional intelligence for which she is famous, Toni Jordan brings all her wit, wisdom and flair to this brilliant, hilarious novel. But when Alec knocks on the door things suddenly get complicated. Then Craig returns through the bedroom window expecting a tryst with Caroline and finds Janice in her bed, Lesley storms in with a jealous heart and a mouthful of threats, Henry, Caroline and Martha arrive back from the airport in separate taxis-and let’s not even get started on Brayden the pizza guy. A microbiologist with a job she loves, a fervent belief in the beauty of the scientific method and a determination to make a solo life after her divorce from Alec. Henry has ended his marriage to Caroline and headed off to Noosa with Mercedes’ grade three teacher, Martha.Ĭaroline, having shredded a wardrobe-full of Henry’s suits, has gone after them.Ĭraig and Lesley have dropped over briefly from next door to catch up on the fallout from Henry and Caroline’s all-night row.Īnd Janice, Caroline’s sister, is staying for the weekend to look after the girls because Janice is the sensible one.

The fragments by toni jordan