White China by Therese Collie

January 1974 and South-East Queensland is flooding…

As the Brisbane River breaks its banks, Daisy, a devout do-gooder sets out in a dinghy to find her mother Lily, who has disappeared from her nursing home. Jas, a defiant hippie, and Daisy’s daughter, insists on accompanying her much to Daisy’s chagrin.

Far from lost, Lily has rediscovered her half sister Joy, who is desperate to uncover the resting place of their mother, Mary Wong. It is approaching Bi San, Ancestors’ Day, when Chinese traditionally worship the dead, but without knowing where her grave is, Joy is fearful that she will be cursed for shirking her duty. So, they begin their search by unpacking family lore and retracing historical steps.

Spanning the reaches of the Brisbane River, White China is an epic adventure that follows three generations of women as they rewrite their relationships in the wake of unacknowledged truths about their family history.