True South

True South by Gisela Ervin-Ward. MidnightSun Publishing 2025. Middle-Grade paperback, also available as an e-book. RRP $19.99. ISBN 9781922858597. Distributed by NewSouth Books.

Reviewed by Debra Williams

When 12-year-old Nell South-Nicholas crashes her sailboat into a submerged house in the local lake, she stumbles into a treasure hunt, resulting in her embroiled in a generations-old family feud. Set in rural Victoria during a drought, age-old family secrets are set to emerge and boil over.

Nell and her best friend Gemma are the captain and crew of Nell’s small boat and regularly race together. So do the girls’ mothers, who are also best friends. The South-Nicholas family are steeped in well-to-do history, the daughters of the family attending St. Helen’s private boarding school. Nell is slated to attend as well, but is reluctant to leave Gemma, her parents, her grandma and her local school. The family is no longer well off. Concerned that they cannot afford the boarding school fees, she throws an entrance exam to try and get out of it.

Charlie Douglas, on the other hand, is from the neighbouring property and doesn’t associate with the South-Nicholas family. Nor does her mean older brother (who is nicknamed Streak), or their angry father. Charlie and Streak’s mother works away as a FIFO, so Charlie and Streak are basically the household managers. For generations, the South-Nicholas family and the Douglas family have remained at odds with each other, and the kids don’t know why; simply that it is frowned upon if they associate with each other. However, after Nell discovers the submerged house, and Charlie uncovers a hand-written note between the pages of an old family Bible, two family histories are revealed through a series of investigations and discoveries. There appears to have been a treasure hidden in the old submerged house before it sank under the waters. Nell and Charlie agree to search for it, whatever it is. The two girls uncover truths about the old feud, which relates to property issues, flooding and the creation of the lake. Nell’s late grandfather was at the head of the land dispute. As the adults become involved anew, can things ever be resolved?

This is a story of girl friendship and rivalry. Gemma becomes distant as Nell spends more time with Charlie to uncover the truth. She appears to be jealous of their burgeoning friendship. Much deeper down, it is a story of family rivalry, jealousy and one family feeling cheated by another. The discovery of the treasure may not be what Nell and the others envisaged, but it has a deeper connection and meaning. Nell eventually reconciles herself to the fact that she will move away to boarding school, and begins to look forward to it, especially after winning a writing prize which results in a scholarship.

There is quite a lot about boating and racing, property boundaries, issues and proper compensation. It is an engaging story of mystery, loyalty and moving forward.