Set on a remote outback station in red-hearted Australia,
this is a tale of friendly, likeable people which involves
the reader at once. Joanna, a single mother, and her six-
year-old Mia are going to visit Joanna's new boyfriend
Chris on the station. This is a big step forward in their
relationship, and Joanna's committed to spending weeks here
helping to feed builders and stockmen. She hadn't realised
the place was quite so isolated.
THE HERB GARDENER seems an odd title among eucalyptus.
Joanna teaches Home Economics, and she wisely keeps her
thoughts to herself when Chris's mother brings over a
meatloaf made with just meat and an onion. There is an
established herb garden, tucked away with a few lemon
trees, and Joanna starts employing aromatic herbs in her
cooking. She's not used to the open country and feels
nervous, especially when one of the young builders, Jesse,
goes off to date a girl and never returns. Local farmers
are putting in tree crops, such as olives, to ease the
toughness of sheep farming. Uncouth, misogynistic workers
abound, and Chris habitually joins them to drink beer in
the evenings. Joanna feels increasingly lonely - and then
Jesse is found dead in his parked car.
I found that a gradual sense of tension is noticeable amid
descriptions of the desiccated landscape, brown sheep and
the ominous call of carrion crows. A Detective Sergeant
calls to inspect Jesse's caravan home, finding a foul
fetish made of bits of dead creatures. Who wished Jesse ill
so far from anywhere?
Interesting characters include Ailsa, a married neighbour
with quite a reputation who seems friendly, but possessive
of Chris; Mickey, a foul-mouthed slob of a stockman; and
Mia, the inquisitive, accepting little girl who finds
something to do everywhere and would love a pony. One lady
tells us her maxim: if you have to lie about it, don't do
it. Someone else does quite the opposite. With local
wildlife, rare rain and cannabis growers, there's plenty
going on as we explore with author Maris Morton. The scant
entertainment however brings out a darker side in some
people.
THE HERB GARDENER is a well-judged book with
pacing, atmosphere and knowledge in a perfect mix, whether
as a travel book or a crime story. Read it and taste the
red dust.
Still hurting after a painful divorce, Joanna leaves the
city, moving with her six-year-old daughter Mia to a country
town. She’s looking for a better, happier life, and when she
meets farmer Chris Youngman, she discovers the possibility
of a future as a farmer’s wife.
Joanna is at first dismayed by the unexpected isolation of
the farm, but Chris’s affection helps her to adjust. Then
the unexplained death of a young farm worker brings
complications she could never have imagined, and Joanna has
to fight for her happiness, her family, and even her own
life.
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