Josh Kemp’s second novel Jasper Cliff is a masterclass in using the landscape to antagonise characters and driving them to do the unimaginable. If you are looking for something deeply unnerving, tense and stifling as summer heat, this is it.
Kemp’s cast of characters range from the likeable (Lachlan, a young bloke looking for his missing brother) to the villainous (Glen, the easy-to-hate local with a violent streak). Each member of the Jasper Cliff community comes with a fully realised backstory that gives the novel its strength and realism. Kemp also masterfully captures the country town small-mindedness through unsuspecting means – for example, an ill-fated foray into serving prawn nigiri at the servo.
A major standout in this novel is the way in which Kemp marries the Australian gothic genre with larger, often topical, themes. Aspects such as environmentalism and race are addressed seamlessly, without ever feeling out of place within the story. They don’t ever feel tacked-on, rather blended into the overall commentary of the book via characterisation, speculative fiction elements and dialogue. As a reader you sometimes wonder if the true horror lurks amongst the real-world issues captured throughout.
The use of language to construct an oppressive, almost omniscient character of the Australian outback pairs perfectly with the speculative fiction elements and lends itself to the plot points that venture into the territory of pure horror. The final plot twist had me shocked and disgusted in the best possible way. I found Kemp’s descriptions of the Pilbara landscape both visceral and immersive – it became clear quite early on that the author had spent time in the area and used this experience to bolster the narrative.
Overall, Jasper Cliff is a unique, compelling take on the Australian gothic genre. The Pilbara setting was the perfect avenue for both the gothic and the speculative, and the pacing is perfect for illustrating the eventual unravelling of Glen’s psyche. An outstanding second book from Josh Kemp, cementing him as a talented figure in the genre.