The Fragments

Inga Karlson died in a fire in New York in the 1930s, leaving behind three things: a phenomenally successful first novel, the scorched fragments of a second book—and a literary mystery that has captivated generations of readers.

Nearly fifty years later, Brisbane bookseller Caddie Walker is waiting in line to see a Karlson exhibition featuring the famous fragments when she meets a charismatic older woman. The woman quotes a phrase from the Karlson fragments that Caddie knows does not exist—and yet to Caddie, who knows Inga Karlson’s work like she knows her name, it feels genuine.

Caddie is electrified. Jolted her from her sleepy, no-worries life in torpid 1980s Brisbane she is driven to investigate: to find the clues that will unlock the greatest literary mystery of the twentieth century.

Toni Jordan is the author of five novels. The international bestseller Addition was a Richard and Judy Bookclub pick and was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award. Fall Girl was published internationally and has been optioned for film, and Nine Days was awarded Best Fiction at the Indie Awards, was shortlisted for the ABIA Best General Fiction award and was named in Kirkus Review’s top 10 Historical Novels of 2013. Our Tiny, Useless Hearts was shortlisted for the Voss Literary Prize 2017 and longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award 2018. Toni's latest book is the literary mystery The Fragments. She lives in Melbourne.

‘It’s a treat to step back into 1980s-era Australia with [Jordan].’ Books + Publishing

‘A wonderful, witty treat of a novel: cutting and clever, and yet so very romantic.’ Liane Moriarty on Our Tiny, Useless Hearts

‘Laugh-out-loud funny, yet with real emotion at its core, this is a sexy-smart rom-com about love and marriage...I loved it.’ Australian Women’s Weekly on Our Tiny, Useless Hearts

‘This novel is a triumph. Another signal career in Australian fiction is well under way.’ Australian on Nine Days

‘A brilliant piece of writing...compelling, engaging and will bring tears to the eyes’ Sunday Star Times on Nine Days