For those who have also read Jane Harper's "The Dry", an interesting link is made between Liz Bright and her abusive brother, Malcolm Deacon. What could you infer from this connection?

For those who have also read Jane Harper's "The Dry", an interesting link is made between Liz Bright and her abusive brother, Malcolm Deacon. What could you infer from this connection?

I read "The Dry" but don't have the book any more and, for the life of me, couldn't remember the connection. If no one answers, can you come back and let us know?

Malcolm Deacon was the elderly, senile father of Ellie Deacon. He was the one who helped run Falk and his father out of town after Ellie's death. I will also have to go back and see if I can find a link and then come back to this question.

I haven't read "The Dry," but I'm wondering if the link might actually just be that Liz and Malcolm are siblings? And maybe that reveals something about Liz's background that makes what we find out about her later make more sense?

I'd be interested to know if anyone who has read both books felt like they got any kind of special insight about Liz's character (or sense of foreshadowing) from the mention of Malcolm.

Thanks renem. Elisabeth, it would sure be interesting if they turned out to be siblings!

If you plan on reading "The Dry" for the first time, do not read any further.

I went back and searched through "The Dry" and found what Liz Bright's brother Malcolm Deacon was like and what we could infer from their connection. He was an abusive, alcoholic manipulator who bullied everyone to get his way. He was a master at feeding the rumors that placed the blame on others for his daughter's death so that he would not be suspected. When drunk and out to take his daughter home after she ran away (like his wife previously), Malcolm "saw red", blindly killing. After he was home and alone for the first time afterward, he wondered if he had meant to kill his daughter.
Liz Bright observed how her brother was able to control others and subconsciously keep that information. She left home at the age of 18, promising herself that her life would be better somewhere else. After Cameron's death, Liz would stand, unseen, listening to other family members discussing what they thought happened, giving her an advantage in keeping her secret. She also "saw red" by blindly calculating her actions to leave Cameron alone to die. Later, after leaving Cameron, she wished she had ridden in the other direction, so they both had second thoughts, but not regret. Nathan also wondered if his mother had a hand in his abusive father's death by not taking actions that may have saved him after the car accident.
If any one else found a connection, I would love to know.

Thanks, Renem, for reminding me about Malcolm Deacon from "The Dry".

What I take away from the sibling relationship is that Liz's and Malcolm's father was probably abusive, which became Malcolm's role model. He became his father. Liz ended up marrying a man who probably subconsciously reminded her of her father, which is what a lot of women in domestic abuse situations do. Therefore the cycle continued. Once Liz had been presented with the opportunity to escape her abusive relationship with her husband by pure accident, she saw more clearly that she needed to stop the cycle with her son, Cameron.

I think you have answered this accurately and completely, Renem and Ellie. I agree with both your responses and cannot think of anything to add.

I've read all of her books, and have enjoyed her writing so much. I hope she is working on something new. But, I did not make the connection and wish I would have paid better attention. After reading Renem and Ellie's responses, I agree with their assessments.

Nice takes, renem and Ellie B. It's interesting in light of the book title. This family connection can imply that a lost man is one who has lost his humanity, while a found man is akin to a woke man.

I found it extremely interesting that Harper made domestic abuse part of the storyline in 2 of the 3 books that she has written. I wondered if this was something that more prevalent in the wilds of Australia or anywhere the living is such a struggle or if there was abuse in her own past. I believe Liz and Malcom's father was abusive as no matter how much a son doesn't want to be like his father many of their father's traits do appear in the sons. Liz probably married someone very much like her father on a subconscious basis.

While reading, I did not make the connection. So, unfortunately, the connection did nothing for me.

I did not read this book, but you can bet, I plan to now.