The Lost Dog

As a man searches for his missing dog in the Australian bush, it becomes clear that he, too, is lost, in Michelle de Kretser’s rich and subtle tale.

Tom Loxley is holed up in a cottage in the bush, trying to finish his book on Henry James, when his dog goes missing. As Tom searches, it becomes apparent that he needs to unravel other puzzles in his life. The story shifts between past and present, taking in his parents' mixed-race marriage in India, their arrival in Australia in the 1970s, Tom's own failed marriage, and his current involvement with Nelly, an artist with her own secrets and mysteries.

"Part love letter, part tribute to the power of never giving up hope, Lost Dog is not simply for those who like dogs. It's a mature piece of writing that never falters... It hits you right in the heart."  -  Literary Review

"Anxieties about a pet gone missing in the Australian bush spark a cerebral, enigmatic reflection on cultures and identity... Ruminative and roving in forms, an intense, immaculate, somewhat abstract novel."  -  Kirkus Reviews

Michelle de Kretser was born in Sri Lanka & emigrated to Australia when she was 14. Educated in Melbourne & Paris, Michelle has worked as a university tutor, an editor & a book reviewer. She is the author of The Rose Grower, The Hamilton Case, which won the Commonwealth Prize (SE Asia & Pacific region) & the UK Encore Prize, & The Lost Dog, which won a swag of awards, including the 2008 NSW Premier's Book of the Year Award & the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, & the 2008 ALS Gold Medal. Michelle's fourth novel, Questions of Travel, received 14 honours, including the 2013 Miles Franklin Literary Award. Her latest novel, The Life to Come, was shortlisted for the 2018 Stella Prize & won the 2018 Miles Franklin Literary Award. Michelle now lives in Sydney with her partner