'Andrew and his mate Benny have finished school and are heading for the holiday of their lives in Byron Bay. They are not sure what they're looking forward to most: the surf, the girls, the music, the partying or just being away from Adelaide.
'Things don't go to plan, and Andrew loses his mates. But he finds Heidi. Heidi is not like anyone he's ever met before, and she takes him into her world, which feels a million miles away from his past. But is Andrew really prepared for the ride he's about to take?' (From the publisher's website.)
'This page-turner about classically trained musician Andrew is told in rhythmic, musically informed prose. The confrontational and evocative narrative is well paced and confidently plotted, sometimes funny, with a warm, honest, appealing voice. Ducrou's characters are engaging, believable, and convincingly contemporary, in a tale both deceptively carefree and aware of the darkness that can lurk beneath Byron Bay's sunny exterior. This ominous quality makes this coming-of-age story of friendship and betrayal stand out.' Source: http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/programs/literary/pla/umprize/shortlist_winner_08.html (Sighted 08/08/2008).
