‘The Newcomer is a cleverly written, gripping read that takes the classic crime fiction format and flips it by asking, what happens when the unlikeable victim is murdered? … it is a strong debut to the genre, with a gripping narrative deepened by the complexity of themes being uncovered, which include explorations of gender, race and mental health … [The Newcomer] will leave the reader reflecting and unpacking it for days after reading.’
Zoya Patel, The Canberra Times
‘[Woollett's] depiction of Paulina is as complex as it needs to be. No ‘victim’ is a facsimile. No story like this, whether true or not, is simple or merely two-sided. Paulina is difficult, moody and reckless much of the time. She seeks solace in the things – drink, drugs and brutal sex – that hurt her. But as Woollett’s clever storytelling and research shows, none of this should lead to a killing in the wilderness.’
Chris Johnston, The Saturday Paper
‘Woollett manipulates the structure of the crime novel, the suspense of the whodunnit, to destabilise the idea that there is ever one perpetrator of a crime … [her] prose is intellectual and deliberate … The Newcomer does a lot in its short pages, weaving together a story of grief and unhappiness with a compelling crime narrative.’
Bec Kavanagh, The Guardian
‘An expertly plotted page-turner.’
OK!
‘Woollett is a dexterous storyteller — she has a keen sense of place and dialogue, evoking a Kath & Kim-esque fish-out-of-water story as she illustrates the relationships between Fairfolk Island’s many locals and Paulina, a "mainie" who is as strange to them as they are to her.’
Cher Tan, Books+Publishing
‘Woollet subverts the crime-fiction genre in this character-driven narrative … immensely readable.’
Simon Humphreys, Mail on Sunday
‘Atmospheric and unsettling.’
Gemma Nisbet, The West Australian
‘Unlike many crime novels, the victim sits at the heart of The Newcomer. Woollett shows deep empathy for her characters, while delivering an immersive, utterly gripping story.’
Mark Brandi, author of Wimmera
‘Laura Elizabeth Woollett has done it again. The Newcomer pulls you in from its eerie opening and drags you along with intriguing characters and beautifully wrought prose. As the mystery deepens, you begin to realise things are never clear-cut, and everybody is guilty of something. A cautionary tale inspired by true events by one of my favourite authors. Read this book now.’
JP Pomare, author of Call Me Evie
‘The Newcomer is a dark and disturbing novel, speaking to some of the most troubling aspects of contemporary Australian society. As in Beautiful Revolutionary, Woollett's prose is delicate and brutal in equal measure, offering an intimate portrait of a small and tight-knit community. With a fast-paced narrative and a complex central character, this is a searing exploration of sexual violence and victimhood, taking forward important conversations within our national psyche.’
Catherine Noske, author of The Salt Madonna
‘Laura Elizabeth Woollett is my kind of writer — fearless, incisive, and darkly poetic. The Newcomer is by turns tragic, funny, sinister, and completely riveting.’
David Whish-Wilson, author of Shore Leave
‘Intensely chilling and sucker-punch powerful, The Newcomer is a murder mystery but not as you know it. With a seamless blend of electric prose, simmering tension, and a deeply evocative setting, Woollett sharpens her focus on the humanity of the victim rather than the identity of the killer. The small-town intrigue sets your heart pounding — but it's the characters, so nuanced and vivid you can almost reach out and touch them, who make it bleed. They pull you into their world from the first page and stay with you long after you've turned the last, forcing you to consider the stories of those who often go unnamed or unnoticed in the wake of violence and tragedy. The result is a crime novel that, like its protagonist, throws out the rule book and blazes its own dark and unforgettable trail.’
Anna Downes, author of The Safe Place
‘Intriguing and touching, The Newcomer is a new kind of crime novel.’
Mirandi Riwoe, author of Stone Sky Gold Mountain
'With its refreshingly real voice, Laura Elizabeth Woollett’s The Newcomer takes Australian crime fiction to a whole new level. Haunting. Raw. Compulsive. I can’t stop thinking about it.’
Anna Snoekstra, author of Only Daughter
‘A brilliant evisceration of the stories we tell about gendered violence and “good” victimhood.’
Dr Yves Rees, Sydney Morning Herald
‘This exquisitely crafted tale from the author of Beautiful Revolutionary explores … themes of power and the way we perceive victims. Memorable.’
The Sunday Post
‘This novel is part of a growing (and welcome) trend in recent fiction to explicitly interrogate the idea of “dead girl” mysteries, and make its victim whole and nuanced.’
InDaily
