Head for the Hills

Bestselling author Tricia Stringer asks whether age necessarily brings wisdom when the sale of a deceased estate pits sister against sister, divides a community and wreaks havoc in a small country town. Margot and her sister Roslyn have lived side by side in a little town in the Adelaide Hills most of their lives, supporting each other through thick and thin. Then their neighbour Gunter dies. Surprisingly, his will asks that his house and vineyard be sold and that Roslyn donate the money to a charity of her choice. When a developer wants to buy the land and create a hotel just over Margot's fence, Margot is outraged and decides to stand for Mayor and fight the development. But Roslyn feels differently. Her awareness of family violence and homelessness is sparked by the arrival in town of a young pregnant woman, who is escaping abuse and sleeping in her car. Determined to do some good, Roslyn supports the sale - she has found her charitable cause and the money will go to the homeless. Suddenly the sisters are on opposite sides of the fence, literally and figuratively. As the row heats up, their local community is divided between those pro-development and those against, and battle lines are drawn, neighbours eyeing each other angrily either side. As vandalism erupts, bitter words are hurled and pots are stirred. Will the town - and the sisters - ever recover their community spirit? Will anything ever be the same again? Gentle humour, practical wisdom and trademark warmth underpin this clever novel from a bestselling Australian author.