The Lost Letters of Rose Carey

A stirring tale of mystery and romance, inspired by the life of 1920s Australian film icon and ‘million-dollar mermaid’ Annette Kellerman.

BLUE MOUNTAINS, 2024: Working on a documentary at the historic Carrington Hotel, videographer Emma Quinn discovers a box of handwritten letters belonging to Rose Carey, water dancer and golden girl of the silent film era. Intrigued, Emma begins to read through them, slowly uncovering a deadly secret.

SYDNEY, 1923: Rose Carey has faced enough scandal to last a lifetime. After an accident and near-death experience, the threat of bankruptcy, and rumours of her romantic entanglements, Rose decides to take matters into her own hands and propose to her business manager, Walter. A respectable marriage will redeem her reputation and give her the good publicity she needs – problems solved. But she doesn’t account for the unexpected feelings brewing between her and Walter, or for the possibility that the accident wasn’t so accidental after all …

When she suffers another brush with death, Rose realises that someone close to her wants her out of the way. Who in her close-knit circle has the most to gain? Can she trust anyone, other than herself?

About the Author

Julie Bennett fell in love with words at a very young age and soon after leaving school began a career in libraries. In her late twenties she decided to follow her dream to write for a living and, after graduating university, became a journalist. In 2004 she launched a public relations company, which she still manages today. Julie lives with her wonderful husband, Bruce and their gorgeous kelpie cross cattle dog, Riley, within walking distance of the Sydney Opera House where she performed as a child extra back in 1973, the year it opened. The Lost Letters of Rose Carey is Julie’s second novel. Her debut The Understudy was published by Simon & Schuster in 2022.