Out of Breath

Jo Ainsley has been running for a long time. From her childhood in small town England to art school in London to the messy end of a relationship in Sydney, Jo has chosen to run again and again, each time moving further from where her troubles began.

This time, her escape will bring her to the remote northwest region of Western Australia, where she must work for 88 days on a farm in order to extend her visa. There she meets an American, Gabe, with whom she has an immediate connection. He tells her of an idyllic off-grid community which seems like a refuge to her. Miserable, desperate and traumatised by a brutal event at the farm, Jo decides to run.

But the paradisal free-diving haven that embraces her without judgement is not all it seems. It harbours some sinister secrets – and so does Gabe. Jo searches for answers, but is she prepared for what she uncovers? She must decide where her loyalties lie and if she is really ready to confront the darkness of her past.

Published by Harper Collins 2022

Praise for Out of Breath

“Out of Breath is an absorbing and entertaining read. There’s a sinister edge to almost every scene, and the feeling of a constantly simmering mystery makes it a difficult book to put down.”
The Saturday Paper

‘This book simmers like outback heat, with disquiet and beauty on every page.’ Readings Monthly

‘Out of Breath… reads like television fare, being tightly plotted, deft with character and visual tourism.’
The Age

‘An intelligent, character-driven psychological thriller rooted in a vivid evocation of the Kimberley landscape.’
The West Australian

‘Out of Breath is a dream of a novel: intelligent, captivating, deeply-felt and thrilling, with a setting to lose yourself in.’
Anna Downes, author of The Safe Place

“Atmospheric, perfectly paced and emotionally gripping.“

Katherine Brabon, Vogel Award winning author of Body Friend

“Gorgeous writing. Sinister, smart and totally riveting.”

Laura Elvery, Fair Australia Prize winning author of Ordinary Matter

“Out of Breath isn’t your average crime novel – Anna’s writing is at its lushest and dreamiest here. The plot doesn’t so much twist and turn as pull you under, drag you deep.”

Laura Elizabeth Woollett, author of West Girls

“Impossible to put down. Electrifying, atmospheric and thrilling with characters that will stay with you.”

Eliza Henry-Jones, Author of Salt and Skin

“Snoekstra has managed to create an atmosphere that stands the hairs and feels as close as skin…”

Laura McPhee-Browne. Glenda Adams Award winning author of Cherry Beach

“For 48 hours I immersed myself in this incredibly vivid and poignant story, unable to stop turning the pages…”

Nicola Moriarty, Bestselling author of You Need to Know