'An engrossing and vivid novel brimming with compassion for nature.' Anna Iltnere, The Sea Library Magazine. An Australian family drama unfolds across a Bass Strait island, Sydney, Adelaide and Hobart. There is betrayal but it's not clear who should be forgiven and who should forgive. Wheeler relishes freedom, music and the sea. Freya is engrossed with the past, and Nicky takes solace in nature, believing parents should never be trusted as she adapts to a remote island raucous with birdlife. Disaster might have begun with a leaf slowly falling in 1984, but a fateful phone call in 2000 will challenge her perspective on the past and her relationship with her mother. Beneath the Wild Fig Tree interweaves these two transformative years into a kaleidoscopic coming of age story that explores the complexities of relationships, the interplay of grief, happiness, transience and interconnectedness, while celebrating the luminosity of the natural world. This is a novel that will particularly appeal to readers who enjoy strong characters, a hint of intrigue, the tang of the ocean and a vibrant sense of place. 'In my 20+ years as an editor, I've rarely seen such talent from a new writer.' Jessica Perini