The Astrologer's Daughter

Rebecca Lim

Description

‘It’s going to happen,’ she would tell me calmly. ‘I even know when. It’s a twist in my stars. It’s written there, and we have to accept it.’

 

Avicenna Crowe’s mother, Joanne, is an astrologer with uncanny predictive powers and a history of being stalked.

Now she is missing.

The police are called, but they’re not asking the right questions. Like why Joanne lied about her past, and what she saw in her stars that made her so afraid.

But Avicenna has inherited her mother’s gift. Finding an unlikely ally in the brooding Simon Thorn, she begins to piece together the mystery.

And when she uncovers a link between Joanne’s disappearance and a cold-case murder, Avicenna is led deep into the city’s dark and seedy underbelly, unaware of how far she is placing her own life in danger.

Pulse-racing and terrifyingly real, The Astrologer’s Daughter is a stunning, original novel. It will test your belief in destiny and the endurance of love.

 

A Kirkus Best Book of 2015

Kirkus Best Teen Books of 2015

Kirkus Best International Teen Books of 2015

Kirkus Best Teen Books of 2015 for an Adrenaline Rush

Shortlisted, Prime Minister’s Literary Awards

Shortlisted, Aurealis Awards

Shortlisted, Davitt Awards

A CBCA Notable Book for Older Readers

Shortlisted, the Forward INDIES Book of the Year Awards

Longlisted, Gold Inky Award

From the bestselling author of Mercy.

About the Book

About the Author

Praise for The Astrologer’s Daughter

Also by Rebecca Lim

Title Page

Dedication

Epigraph

I. Part 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

II. Part 2

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

III. Part 3

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

After

Acknowledgments

More from this Author

 

Sujets

• Fantasy
• Thriller
• Suspense
• Magic
• Law
• Crime
• Contemporary
• Mystery
• Adult
• Mysteries
• Young adult
• Literature
• Teen

Informations

• Publié par: The High Street Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 03 janvier 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9780648468639
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 5 Mo

Extrait

Rebecca Lim
The Astrologer's Daughter
First published by The High Street Publishing Company 2019
Copyright © 2019 by Rebecca Lim
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
Rebecca Lim asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
First published in Australia in 2014 by The Text Publishing Company

Cover design by Megan Ellis

Cover photograph copyright Nabi Tang / Stocksy United

Illustrations by Rebecca Lim and Imogen Stubbs

A catalogue record for this book is available from the National Library of Australia

ISBN: 978-0-6484686-0-8 (paperback)

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
Second edition
ISBN: 978-0-6484686-3-9
This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy Find out more at reedsy.com
Contents About the Book About the Author Praise for The Astrologer’s Daughter Also by Rebecca Lim Title Page Dedication Epigraph I. PART 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 II. PART 2 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 III. PART 3 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 After Acknowledgments More from this Author
About the Book

‘It’s going to happen,’ she would tell me calmly. ‘I even know when. It’s a twist in my stars. It’s written there, and we have to accept it.’

Avicenna Crowe’s mother, Joanne, is an astrologer with uncanny predictive powers and a history of being stalked.
Now she is missing.
The police are called, but they’re not asking the right questions. Like why Joanne lied about her past, and what she saw in her stars that made her so afraid.
But Avicenna has inherited her mother’s gift. Finding an unlikely ally in the brooding Simon Thorn, she begins to piece together the mystery.
And when she uncovers a link between Joanne’s disappearance and a cold-case murder, Avicenna is led deep into the city’s dark and seedy underbelly, unaware of how far she is placing her own life in danger.
Pulse-racing and terrifyingly real, The Astrologer’s Daughter is a stunning, original novel. It will test your belief in destiny and the endurance of love.
About the Author

Rebecca Lim is a writer, illustrator, editor and lawyer based in Melbourne, Australia. She is the author of nineteen books, including The Astrologer’s Daughter (a Kirkus Best Book of 2015 and CBCA Notable Book for Older Readers), Afterlight and the bestselling Mercy . Her work has been shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, Aurealis Award, Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award and Davitt Award, and has also been longlisted for the Gold Inky Award and the David Gemmell Legend Award. She is a co-founder of the Voices from the Intersection initiative to support emerging young adult and children’s authors, illustrators and publishing professionals who are Indigenous, people of colour, LGBTIQA+ or living with disability, and is a co-editor of Meet Me at the Intersection , a groundbreaking anthology of YA #OwnVoice memoir, poetry and fiction.
Praise for The Astrologer’s Daughter

A Kirkus Best Book of 2015
Kirkus Best Teen Books of 2015
Kirkus Best International Teen Books of 2015
Kirkus Best Teen Books of 2015 for an Adrenaline Rush
Shortlisted, Prime Minister’s Literary Awards
Shortlisted, Aurealis Awards
Shortlisted, Davitt Awards
A CBCA Notable Book for Older Readers
Shortlisted, the Forward INDIES Book of the Year Awards
Longlisted, Gold Inky Award
‘A fiercely realized teen uses astrological skills to solve a heartbreaking mystery…[Lim’s] taut, assured thriller weaves together astrology and mythology, poetry and poverty, and several generations of mothers whose love can’t protect their children from humanity’s ugliest tendencies. Teen and adult readers who like their mysteries gritty and literary, with a touch of magic: seek this one out.’ Kirkus [starred review] ‘Elegantly written…Weaving the past and the present seamlessly, the book feels realistic, even as Lim straddles reality and superstition….A grim, often terrifying story, this mystery will keep readers guessing until the end.’ School Library Journal

‘This is a taut, expertly crafted thriller, but it is also a devastating examination of grief, both the initial, acute pain of loss and the well-worn paths of years of sorrow.’ Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books ‘A complex and engrossing amalgam of suspense, relationships, and hope found and lost. Lim’s (Mercy, 2011) narrative is seamless, and readers will eagerly and quickly sympathize with the characters, while the fascinating glimpse into the world of astrology and charting adds another layer of interest. This has great potential as an intergenerational reading club selection, and the story’s ambiguous ending offers plenty of opportunities for discussion.’ Booklist Online ‘Smart and original—a beautifully written mash-up of mystery, thriller, and love story.’ Vikki Wakefield, author of Friday Never Leaving

‘ Lim (The Astrologer’s Daughter) delivers satisfying action and romance throughout, continually raising the stakes on the way toward a chilling, violent ending.’ Publishers Weekly ‘The Astrologer’s Daughter is compulsively readable. Avicenna is a captivating hero—tough yet vulnerable. This gritty and mysterious love story will stay with me for a long time.’ Cath Crowley, author of Graffiti Moon and Words in Deep Blue ‘A compelling read, one that hooked me from the beginning, I was taken straight into the story and felt compelled to complete Avicenna’s story with her. Mesmerised by the way Rebecca Lim wrote the novel. I could not put the book down.’ ReadPlus ‘Lyrical writing and quirky characters, The Astrologer’s Daughter is one of the most moving books I’ve read…It’s a beautiful story about identity, secrets and love…A uniquely magical and evocative book, one I recommend to everyone.’ Speculating on Spec Fic

‘A perfect balance of wit, humour, willpower and raw emotion.’ Dolly

‘Refreshingly different—complex and curious and a bit not-of-this-world.’ Steph Bowe, author of All This Could End

‘Enjoyable YA mystery from the popular author. Verdict: written in the stars.’ Herald Sun

‘The best aspect of this novel was Avicenna herself…a captivating combination of brazen and terrified.’ Launceston Examiner

‘Rebecca Lim demonstrates extraordinary range and daring in this dazzling novel.’ Prime Minister’s Literary Awards
Also by Rebecca Lim

Afterlight
Mercy
Exile
Muse
Fury
Wraith



FOR YOUNGER READERS
The Race for the Red Dragon
The Relic of the Blue Dragon
The Sweet Life
Cover Girl
Sista Fashionista
Star Style
Whiffy Newton in the Case of the Dastardly Deeds
Whiffy Newton in the Riddle of the Two-Tone Trousers
Whiffy Newton in the Affair of the Fiendish Phantoms
Whiffy Newton and the Mystery of the Marble Beach Mugger
Five-Minute Tales Messiest Monster Ever
Five-Minute Tales Bravest Princess Ever
Title Page
Dedication

To Michael, Oscar, Leni and Yve.
Always.
Love.
Epigraph

To leave this world behind, is death

John Donne (1635)
I
Part 1

Your life takes an unexpected turn this week. Stay alert.
Chapter 1

My mother always called it the eventuality .
Not the maybe , or the probably .
‘It’s going to happen,’ she would tell me calmly. ‘I even know when. It’s a twist in my stars. It’s written there, and we have to accept it.’
My mother, Joanne Nielsen Crowe. She has a name, she’s not a was .
I’m struggling to recall what she was wearing. I’m struggling to recall her exact state of mind. She always drills into me how important every moment is, each one trembling with potential. ‘One minute,’ she will say, ‘one degree rising, can change everything, darling. Remember.’
I have to get the story straight or they’ll think I’m deranged and won’t listen, won’t care. I have to be credible. I have to be coherent, orderly, the way she is.
She’s beautiful. And kind. Small, and sort of frail-looking, but the hardest worker. She never sits still, she always has to be doing something, or making something, with her blue-veined, fine-boned hands. You would forget, after a while, that she was missing five joints on her right one. You just stop noticing, so industrious she is, with what she has left.
‘It’s like you’ve got a condition,’ I tell her in mock disgust, whenever she sews or draws or types, and Mum will laugh.
But she’s a bad cook, a really bad cook. I took over doing that for the both of us when I was ten and she was trying to hold down the country-town bakery job and the thing at the doctor’s clinic that didn’t work out because some sleazebag called Graham kept inventing illnesses just to harass her for a date. It was the only thing I could do to help, cooking, and I’ve just kept doing it, through every move, every new upheaval. We had to leave town, I remember, because of that man, Graham fr