The Signal Line

by Brendan Colley

Brothers Geo and Wes are testing their relationship now that their parents have passed away. Geo and Wes rarely agree on anything, especially not the sale of the Hobart family home. Geo needs the money to finance his musical career in Italy. For Wes the house represents the memory of their father, and what it means to live an honest, working life.

But then a ghost train appears in Hobart, often on the tram tracks that once existed, along with the Swedish man who has been pursuing it for 40 years.

Everyone it seems is chasing their dreams. Or are they running from the truth?

The Signal Line is a warm-hearted, unforgettable novel about what we are all searching for, even when our personal dreams and aspirations have collapsed: love and acceptance.

Genres: Fantasy, Australia, Contemporary, Ghosts, Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2022

About the author

Brendan Colley was born in South Africa, and now lives in Hobart. The Signal Line, his first novel, won the University of Tasmania Prize for best new unpublished literary work in the 2019 Tasmanian Premier’s Literary Prizes and was published by Transit Lounge in 2022.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine, if you will, a vintage steam train barrelling down the disused railway lines of modern day cities, occasionally collecting confused passengers and depositing them at some bizarre destination, not necessarily on the same continent.  And imagine too, that all the observers of this phenomenon suspend all scepticism, when you'd otherwise expect them to snort in disbelief or rationalise reports of the event as drugs, drunkenness or mental disturbance.  A ghost train at large in Tasmania is the premise of debut author Brendan Colley's The Signal Line,  which won the Unpublished Manuscript Prize in the 2019 Tasmanian Premier's Literary Awards.  It's a book that requires the reader to suspend all disbelief too, and to enter into the weirdness...

It works because everything else is so real.  Brothers Geo and Wes are locked in a dispute about whether to sell the house they've inherited. Geo needs the money to finance his emerging career as a violist.  Wes, a detective, wants to wallow in the squalor of the house where his father died but grief also claims him because his marriage is over, and he's not willing to let go of either the house or his wife and child.

The novel begins with Geo's arrival in Tasmania, where he gets roped in to translate for a bunch of Italians who got on a train in Orvieto and arrived in Hobart. Hobart hasn't had passenger trains since the 1970s,  so the officials who have to deal with them naturally think that they are deluded and they are taken not to immigration detention but to a hospital. But these Italians seem perfectly sane, and their story makes sense, except that none of it is possible.

Much like his toxic relationship with his father, Geo's relationship with his brother has always been hostile. Much of the resentment comes from sibling rivalry about talent and hard work.  Geo, with the love and encouragement of his mother, is following his dream to play in an orchestra, an ambition which may perhaps be beyond his talent.  Wes works hard at his job, which involves family-unfriendly long hours and a negative view of the world.

The hostility arcs up the minute these two meet at the airport, and things only get worse from then on.

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2022/04/19/t...

[Hayley Hendrix · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful novel! Beautiful characters and unique relationships. What is your dream, what is your truth and why should they be different. Thank you Brendan.

[Steve Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

An intriguing story of a dysfunctional family mixed with knowing what you want and finding out how to make it happen. Geo and his brother Wes haven't seen eye to eye on anything since their parents passed on. Now Geo has returned to Hobart to put his parent's home on the marker. Wes doesn't want to sell.

Add to the mix a ghost train that mysteriously shows up from time to time in various parts of the world and the people who want to join the train. Beautifully told with characters that you can relate to, this is the debut novel by Brendan Colley, an author I'll be watching out for.

[Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was so easy to put this book down and not pick it up again so I didn’t. It just didn’t grab me.

[Georgia Dudgeon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great mix of Tasmanian culture and unique characters. I really loved Wes and Geo's relationship as well as the exploration of their family connection to music. I feel like this aspect of the novel was a perfect representation of the reality of pursuing a creative dream.

I was a bit worried when starting the novel that it wouldn't be for me, as I don't often read novels with supernatural aspects, but I found the ghost train storyline to fit in perfectly with all other parts of the novel.

For me, this book was an absolute stand-out, very poetic, Tasmanian (😉) and unforgettable! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Tien · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea of a ghost train and a ghost-train-hunter is really what tickled my curiosity but this novel is a lot more than that. It’s about dreams and chasing that dream but it’s also about living. I have to admit that I just didn’t quite get the theory / philosophy presented in this novel so I just kept on reading to get to the end.

That is probably the one of the reason that I didn’t quite love it but also because it introduced a lot of angst especially in the conflict between these two brothers. Unfortunately, I also didn’t like these two as characters… even at the end. I did however appreciate the little twist about the ghost-train-hunter.

Overall, I am sad to note that this isn’t quite the novel for me even as I can see the appeal for some other readers. Please check out other reviews as I see I’m in the minority here.

My thanks to Transit Lounge Publishing for this paperback copy of book in exchange of my honest thoughts

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous debut novel. I was able to connect to the characters quickly and go a journey with them. The emotive descriptions have been created with depth so we get immersed into the ghost train chase and make us want to go find our own ghost train. There is just the right amount of mystery and intrigue mixed with magic and the supernatural, as well as the complexities of family dynamics. It has a bit of everything. But we really get to know the characters well and want them all to find their way. There are some quirky lines scattered through the journey and lots of worldly knowledge to learn throughout the book. Wes and Geo are solid characters and are a story in their own right. Definitely worth a read.

[Malvina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a deceptively 'normal' book until about page 5, where we learn about a group of Italian people disembarking from a ghost train in Hobart, direct from Italy. Yes, not really possible. I was instantly hooked! It's also the story of two brothers, Wes and Geo, with a dysfunctional relationship augmented by grief. Geo wants to sell the old family home to finance his musical career, Wes simply wants to hang onto it and not do anything other than wallow and pretend nothing's wrong. He's in a bad place. Geo brings an odd medley of characters to stay in the house and so dispels the tense atmosphere between the brothers. The whole thing spirals into a mix of supernatural drama, belief, disbelief, ghost train hunting, and a wonderful ration of high drama, genuine pathos, and comedy (often through the dialogue with those exceptionally unique characters - I'm looking at you, Paco). At times I laughed out loud, other times I felt an arrow to the heart. All about personal dreams, this is an extraordinary debut.

Thanks to Better Reading Preview and Transit Lounge Publishing for the preview copy. I may not have chosen this for myself, but having read it, wow, what a ride. Absolutely loved it, so pleased I was picked to read it.

[Bree T · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely one of the more unusual books that I’ve read lately.

Geo is about thirty and has returned from living overseas where he’s been for the past few years, to Tasmania Australia to see about selling his parents’ home that he and his brother have inherited. His older brother Wes, who is about ten years older than Geo, is not keen and the two brothers are basically at odds from the moment Geo arrives. They’ve never really been close – the age gap and the fact that they’re very different coupled with the fact that they had very different experiences growing up in the family home has led to quite a distance between them.

The same day Geo arrives by plane, a mysterious train discharges a bunch of passengers along a disused line in Hobart, who claim to be from Rome, Italy and that they boarded the train just a short time before. Geo, who has been living in Italy, is used by Wes to translate the stories of the passengers and they are all consistent and they are all stunned to apparently find themselves in Hobart. Shortly after that, Wes and Geo meet a mysterious man who claims to know someone that can help him solve the mystery of the passengers – a man from Sweden who has pursuing the “ghost train” for the previous forty years.

For me personally, a lot of the strength in the story was the way the author conveyed the story of Geo and Wes. This is Geo’s story, so we do see everything through his eyes – his relationship with Wes, his relationship with his father, the relationship and bond he had with his mother. Wes is a police detective and it seems like during the time Geo has been overseas, the two haven’t really been in contact and Geo is surprised at the developments in Wes’ life. It’s quite clear that Wes seems to resent Geo for leaving or for spending time and money chasing his dream, which is to be a viola player in an orchestra. He’s had a lot of auditions and does play with a quartet in Rome, but he wants an orchestra position. Wes seems to view this as an overindulgent waste of time and he’s also critical of Geo for the way Geo views their father, even though Wes had a very different experience in terms of his relationship with their father. Geo has left a lot out, perhaps choosing to protect Wes’ view but it leads to the two not seeing eye to eye on pretty much anything. There’s a lot of tension and arguments as Wes does not want to sell the family home and Geo is basically of the view of well, either you buy me out and keep it yourself, or we sell it. I don’t want it. He also needs the money to continue to further his pursuit of an orchestra position, which seems to only further make Wes resent that ambition.

I was intrigued by the ghost train idea at first – it seemed like it could go a number of ways but to be honest, the amount of random characters that drifted in and out of this story that Geo ended up inviting to stay at the house or ending up being connected with, kind of bogged it down for me a little bit. I was less interested in them and all their stories and why they were there (honestly for the most part most of them felt like they had no point really being in the story, with the exception of the Swedish guy and the guy from the bookstore). The deeper into the story of the ghost train and the calculations and the predictions and I began to kind of lose interest in it because I was less interested in when and where it would appear and more interested in the actual story of it but that wasn’t explored in any satisfying way for me. And everyone’s vague way of imparting knowledge and the weirdness of the journalist/investigative guy of many names outlived its novelty.

So for me, this one had excellent family relationships and portrayal of them – the stuff with Wes and his family and Geo watching all of this as a bystander as well as his own struggles with Wes, his unresolved feelings about his father, etc – all very good. And the ghost train felt promising when I first started the novel but it just didn’t end up holding my interest in the way that it probably should have.

***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of an honest review***

[Gavan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Yet another extraordinary Tasmanian book beautifully incorporating magic realism into a classic story about family, obsession and the natural desire to "follow your dreams". Exquisitely written, with a deft touch on settings, plot and characters. It was easily 5 starts except I thought the middle section dragged a little without adding to the plot or character development.

[Declan Fry]

Brendan Colley’s debut novel, The Signal Line, opens with a troupe of Italians stranded in Tasmania. They have boarded a train in Orvieto, Umbria, but somehow landed far from their destination. A detective, Wes, arrives on the scene, enlisting his Italian-speaking, musician brother, Geo, to translate. Incredible as the event is – Tasmania has not had a rail service since the 1970s – the passengers do not carry passports, or Australian currency, or indeed any clothing suitable for Hobart.

The Signal Line is a metaphysical parable, meditating on the gap that exists between conviction and rationality. It is about the faith that makes existence bearable, and the heart’s yearning for community against the seductions of reason and isolation. Colley is concerned with exploring the energies people harbour and how they communicate these to one another. The “signal line” of the title suggests not merely the notion of ghost trains hurtling towards unknown destinations, but the elusive nature of human consciousness and determination.

In the case of Wes and Geo, these energies drive apart as much as they bind. Returning from self-imposed exile, Geo hopes to sell the house they’ve inherited and finance his career as a violist. Wes opposes the sale, as well as other changes occurring in his life: there are suggestions his marriage is in peril, and that he cannot let go of his wife or their child. “Wes and I might be brothers,” Geo reflects, but “I was working to chase something down, and Wes was fighting to keep something together.”

Nonetheless, the pair are bound by blood as much as by enmity. Geo fears Wes – a fear connected to his tumultuous relationship with their father, as Wes, like the boys’ father, is prone to bullying and authoritarianism. Tellingly, when Geo enters his father’s study, seeking to “occupy his aspect”, he notes that the bookcase “was replete with literature encompassing topics such as criminology, psychology, crime culture, punishment and social control, and the criminal justice system”, but that there were “no books on music”.

As if selling the house were not enough to stoke their conflict, Geo also begins to attract a cohort of seekers and eccentrics into their orbit. These include the paranormal researcher Labuschagne and a man named Sten, who tends to speak in an oracular fashion and has a personal connection with the ghost train stretching back 40 years. Sten and Labuschagne seek out spiritual and ghostly presences, but they needn’t look too far: hauntings abound, not least in Geo’s fraught relationship with his family.

Read more:
https://www.smh.com.au/culture/books/...

[Mary Polzella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've just finished another great read based in Tasmania and I absolutely loved it! It's such great fun reading a story set in the city you live in and following the characters journeying to places you pass by every day.

In this novel, the broken relationship between brothers Geo and Wes comes to a head when Geo returns home to try to convince his brother to sell the family home. The dysfunctional relationship and estrangement between the brothers are the heart of this story. The family's painful connection with music is the central reason for the brothers' conflict and the brothers grieve the loss of their parents in very different ways. There's also another layer within this book - a story about a ghost train that appears at various abandoned train stations across the world at different times and the people who have spent their lives searching for it.

These 2 stories are woven together beautifully as the brothers try to solve the mystery of the ghost train's appearance with the help of a number of unusual characters who appear throughout the book. The author blends the 2 storylines well and despite the improbability of such a train existing, you're taken on the novel's journey very much as a willing passenger.

The Signal Line is a warm, engaging story about family conflict, grief and the lengths we go to in order to follow our dreams. It's a contemporary family drama and a fabulous ghost story which come together as a great example of magical realism.

[Fran Dishon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great take on magical realism, with a strong theme of following your dream. The unfolding of the mystery of a ghost train that shows up in Hobart, along with a Ghost train rider call Sten who is both determined and quirky. Both eccentric characters of Sten and Labushagne the psychic bookshop owner provide the reader with the opportunity to be open to the supernatural. Then add the dysfunctional relationship of two brothers, in which this Ghost train seems the only thing they work together towards discovering more about. I got to say I did not like Geo or Wes at all, they were imperfectly annoying and frustrating at times, and whom seemed to be in constant conflict, and struggle, it was well written I could really feel the pain and struggle of these two characters. Even the two backpackers and Wes ex wife and son add flavour and character to the story. This was more than just a mystery it also a story about honouring our own dreams. It is not the style of book I normally read, however I so glad I did I really enjoyed the journey it took me on.

[Karina Bryer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Estranged brothers Wes and Geo haven’t seen each other since Geo walked out on their father after an argument. Both parents have passed, and Geo decides it’s time to sell the house. However, his trip home to Tasmania, is anything but what he expects. The arrival of supernatural train full of Italian passengers, along with a host of unusual characters which integrate themselves into the siblings live, lead them to discover more about themselves and each other than they expect.

This is an intriguing novel, which once I started, I found difficult to put down. The backdrop of the Tasmanian countryside felt realistic, and the cast of characters were believable. I sympathized with the tragic family circumstances which led to the falling out, particularly as they were a family of talented musicians, and I could understand the dynamics and pressures involved in following a musical career.

All in all, “The Signal Line” is an enjoyable read and a great first novel from author Brendan Colley.

Thanks to Better Reading Preview for the chance to review this book.

[Zane Pinner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished it at 4am because I couldn't put it down

I loved this story. It has achieved the increasingly rare honour of a spot on my forever shelf.

Characters so wonderfully drawn that they are both recognisable and intriguing; a deft handling of both supernatural elements and familial relationships; revelations at unexpected moments, pulling you further into the story. I could go on.

I loved Paco so, so much. What a delightful character to meet.

Obviously the setting appealed to me a lot - I've lived just up the road for about twenty years - but to have this kind of story, so well executed, set in places I know and love, is something that I will treasure.

I've wanted to read this for a while and was stoked to get my hands on a copy at a local bookstore. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this.

After reading quite a lot of Tasmanian fiction over the past few years, this is now my number 1 pick.

Bravo 👏 👏 👏

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading The Signal Line for its eccentric characters and supernatural themes. It explores conflicting familial relationships, through siblings Wes and Geo, their relationships with their dead parents and their relationships (& break down of) with their own partners and family. Then there are drifters searching for their own connections, like Sten the train hunter, Paco and Camille the backpackers and Labuschagne the psychic. There is quite a bit of ghost train hunting, weed smoking, drinking, communicating with the dead and conflict between the brothers. An overriding theme that really ties the story together is playing of musical instruments, crystal reading and chasing dreams. The story felt like a bit of a wild ride at times that kept it pacy and interesting.
Many thanks to Transit Lounge for the reading copy.

[Renae · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued when I read that this novel was about a ghost train and about the ghost train hunter chasing it for 40 years. This was much more than a story about a ghost train, it was about the relationship between brothers Wes and Geo and their different relationship to their parents, especially their father. Geo leaves Tasmania on bad terms with his Dad not long after his mother's death. He only returns after his Dad has passed away to sell the house and get his share to pursue his music dream. This is also a story of other relationships with strangers that they have just met and ones from their past. Overall it's about chasing ones dreams and confronting their fears and truth. I did enjoy the novel but at times felt frustrated with the characters. Thank you to Better Reading for the copy to Preview.

[Belinda Cranston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this quirky tale of 2 brothers testing their relationship well into their 30s, while navigating the need to grow up on their own terms, without the confines within which they were raised. The concept of a seemingly unrelated character who spends his life chasing a ghost train - possibly a metaphor for the danger of living in the past - is a warning for us all. Are the dreams we are chasing costing us the lives we are supposed to be pursuing instead? What does it take to bring us to our senses? Do we have the ability to move on from all things holding us back, in order to live our best lives? Taking responsibility and being wise with opportunity are core themes of this novel - which wraps up with a very satisfying and plausible conclusion.

[Fiona Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Signal Line is unlike any book I've read before. It mixes realism and fantasy in a way that is deeply affecting, yet the novel is also slyly funny. The imagery is vivid, yet there are no slow moments - the story grips you from start to finish. The characters are layered and complex, and though some behave badly, each is treated with a kindness that resonates throughout the book.
This is such an entertaining and satisfying read, but what I love most is that though I finished the book a few days ago, I keep thinking about the characters and their world. My mind doesn't want to leave The Signal Line behind.

[Caroline Poole · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favourite books are by Australian authors and I love Tasmania as the setting. Such a rich environmental, historic and cultural setting. The Signal Line had all of this and more. The main theme of family relationships was very real and heart wrenching at times. I loved all the quirky characters, each with plenty to offer the story. I am not usually drawn to fantasy or ghost stories but it’s use in this novel was very clever and blurred the lines just enough to let the strangeness have its part in the story. I look forward to more from this author!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful debut novel. The writing style was easy to read and kept me interested all the way through. Very real characters in a dysfunctional family, just about everyone could relate to one of the issues in some way. I loved the idea of a ghost train and the man who has been hunting it for 40 years. I would not call this a paranormal story, as the ghost train is a side story, but it does help to link people and events together. I also liked that it was set in Tasmania and liked the references to places that I knew. Overall a brilliant book which I really enjoyed and would highly recommend.

[Don Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geo flies in to Hobart from Rome to catch up with his brother just hours after a train with 27 Italian passengers who had boarded it in Orvieto bound for Rome also appears in Tasmania's state capital. Hang on, because the wild ride has only just begun! Brendan Colley weaves a tale between reality and fantasy and thanks to his skill as a storyteller, by the end of it, it's all strangely believable. It's Colley's debut as a novelist and I can't wait to see what he will produce next.

[Paul Kalburgi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bracing debut novel! The Signal Line is a steam powered journey across Tasmania, which follows estranged brothers Geo and Wes (and the eclectic friends they collect along the way) in pursuit of a ghost train. The train, arguably an absent protagonist, serves as a metaphor for the true desire of each character, be it finding answers, peace, healing, respect, or vindication. There is something for everyone here. Top marks!!

[Robert Connelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read.
If you do not subscribe to UFO etc theories, you can suspend your beliefs for the time spent whilst reading the book and enjoy it.
It is well written and Colley deserves his award.
There is one aspect of all the book characters however that belies belief in the story - they are constantly smoking or sharing joints. Perhaps Colley should have let his wife use her "red pen" more freely and left out the dope usage. It certainly does not add to the book's believability.

[Carla De · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

The blurb of this book was a 10/10 shocking roller-coaster masterpiece, the book itself never stood a chance.

P.S. - Every piece of dialogue started with
"He lit/took a drag of a joint/cigarette." No issue if you want your characters to smoke for the vibe but I feel like it was used as a little writing tool, like a segue from text to dialogue, which didn't make a lot of sense to me.

[Nicki]

It’s certainly not the worst thing I’ve read, and I wanted to finish it because it was a gift, but I’m really not interested and it’s giving me such a reading slump. DNF 100 pages.
Just not a story that appeals to me and I don’t like the brothers, so yeah…I’m sure others would enjoy it.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite some of the tough topics covered in this book, it is a highly rewarding and interesting read. It's not often you find Hobart covered in this way. The character's were beautifully defined. At heart it is a story of family dynamics but overlaid with a fascinating ghost story.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

The tale of a ghost train racketing around Tasmania requires some suspension of disbelief, but this author was definitely up to the task. I was swept away with the eccentric cast of characters, especially the Swedish ghost train chaser Sten. (Paco was another favourite.)

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quirky enjoyable read

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book. I loved all the characters in this book. So enjoyable