My friend Justine grew up on Big Rat. She remembers tiger sharks ramming the hull of her dad’s fishing boat and watching a whirlpool of fins, waiting for a bucket of guts to be tipped over the side. This was all I knew of the Abrolhos. Islands have always attracted writers and readers as rich fictional microcosms. Here’s a review of three books perfect for a Christmas on deck read.

The Abrolhos are phenomenal! Clusters of islands and reefs hover just a few metres above sea level and are interspersed with fishermen’s dwellings that are occupied during the high season.