PublishedFremantle Press, October 2018 |
ISBN9781925591187 |
FormatSoftcover, 256 pages |
Dimensions20.7cm × 14.1cm × 2cm |
A murder in the remote bush in 1916 sparks a chain of events that will haunt a family for generations. Hidden in the refuge of a secret valley, their tiny community lives unknown to the world. When, a century later, Broome schoolboy Dancer falls foul of the local bikie gang, he and his father head up the Gibb River Road.
Here, in a maze of rugged ranges and remote communities, Dancer begins to unravel the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of Milly Rider, the mother he never knew. But the valley hides its secrets well. As Dancer learns the ways of his mothers country, he uncovers a precious inheritance one not even those closest to Milly expected to find.
Barb takes care of the web orders here at Boffins, and is your contact for book club enquiries. She spends all her spare time curled up on the couch reading and for the last several years has reviewed books on the Afternoon Program on ABC radio Perth.
Steve Hawke’s first foray into adult fiction, The Valley, is a tender and sensitive novel set in the Kimberley, a part of the country he knows well having lived and worked there for over a decade. It spans nearly a full century, beginning with a murder in 1916 and ending almost a hundred years later with the truth of that violent act finally revealed. In 2005, after a run-in with a local bikie gang, young Broome schoolboy Dancer Jirroo and his father journey up the Gibb River Road. They are heading to the country where Dancer’s mother, Milly, grew up. She disappeared years ago and Dancer knows little about her, but in the days that follow many of the secrets that have been kept for generations come to light as Dancer reconnects with his family and his country. The mystery of what happened to Milly, and the existence of the hidden valley create tension and propel the story forward. Hawke’s deep knowledge of the area and its history, particularly the huge changes that occurred in the 20th century, shines through. Much like Kim Scott’s Taboo, this is a story of survival, of great sadness, but also of humour and resilience. A good story, well told.
