Only Killers and Thieves

Book excerpt: An epic tale of revenge and survival, Only Killers and Thieves is a gripping and utterly transporting debut, bringing to life a colonial Australia that bears a striking resemblance to the American Wild West in its early years. It is 1885, and a crippling drought threatens to ruin the McBride family. Their land is parched; their cattle are starving. When the rain miraculously comes, it renews their hope for survival. But, returning home one afternoon after swimming in a remote water hole that had been replenished by the downpour, fourteen-year-old Tommy and sixteen-year-old Billy encounter a shocking tragedy. Thirsty for vengeance against the man who they believe has wronged them—their former Aboriginal stockman—the distraught brothers turn to the ruthless, cunning John Sullivan, their father’s former employer and the wealthiest landowner in the region. Sullivan gathers a posse, under the leadership of the dangerous, fascinating Inspector Edmund Noone, comprising members of the Queensland Native Police, an infamous arm of British colonial power charged with the “dispersal” of indigenous Australians to “protect” the rights of white settlers. As they journey across the barren outback in pursuit, their harsh and horrifying experiences will have a devastating impact on Tommy, one that will torment him for the rest of his life—and will hold enduring consequences for a young country struggling to come into its own. Re-creating a period of Australian and British history evocative of the violence of the American frontier era, Only Killers and Thieves is an unforgettable story of family, guilt, empire, race, manhood, and faith.