Summerland traces the destruction of the friendship of two couples in Sydney. It is presented as the late night telling of the story by one of the foursome. The power of the novel is in the way it stays strictly within the view point of the story-teller.

The novel describes the world of the rich and the temptation for men in this world in particular to remain children, always seeking to have their way and behaving without thought for the consequences.

Summerland becomes a riches to rags story as the emotional lives of the four friends is shredded by their own actions. The tension is beautifully maintained throughout, and the reader is drawn deeper and deeper into the destruction of their lives. Its intentionally conversational style coupled with the emotional horror of the characters’ downfall makes it a page-turner. ( )

over bedrog, leugens en passie ( )