A story of desperate men and lonely people in the vast emptiness of the Australian outback. Two vicious murderers, fleeing Alice Springs, hide on a battered truck carrying mail, food and supplies on its fortnightly journey to remote cattle stations. By the author of "Adam's Empire" and "Kalinda".
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Readers may find this thriller longer than necessary, but Green (Adam's Empire) knows his territory. In 1957, in Alice Springs, a tiny settlement in the Australian outback, small-time crook Johnny Parsons bludgeons an old woman to death during a jewel heist. He and his accomplice Frog Gardiner set out over the rough "track" (road), but their truck breaks down, and they hide themselves in the biweekly load of local contractor/mailman Fred Crawford. Crawford and his sidekick Ivan already have one passenger on their three-day trek into the outback: young "Sister" (nurse) Barbara Dean, who is on her way to the Birdsville medical center. One day out, Johnny and Frog commandeer Fred's old four-wheel-drive truck. The desperados need Fred to get them over the Birdsville track, and Johnny effectively uses Barbara as a hostage. Meanwhile, she and Fred are drawn to each other. Johnny terrorizes settlers along the way, becoming increasingly crazy, before a violent ending. Some plot turns seem contrived to keep the story going for the full three days on the road, Fred's taciturn nobility wears thin and so does the love interest. But the savage beauty of the outback is evoked wonderfully.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From AudioFile
"Slow down if you want to survive" is the advice given a newcomer to the Australian Outback. That advice is followed by the writer of this suspense novel, in which the Outback is a principal character. He moves carefully but never tediously over details of place and personality. Reader Richard Aspel has also gotten the message; he reads in an unhurried manner, which never loses focus or dramatic tension. To an American ear at least, he has a sure command of local accents, and he gives characters enough individuality to differentiate them clearly. Neither the novel nor this audio production is showy in any way. Rather, they both display patient, rock-solid craftsmanship. J.N. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
He had me at "Gu-day",
By NyiNya "NyiNya" (It was broken when I got here...) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
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This review is from: Alice to Nowhere (Hardcover)
The handsome, self-sufficient loner nursing a bruised (if not broken) heart, the plucky little nurse heading for adventure in an outback hospital, and two very nasty men all cross paths in this fascinating little slice-of-Never Never-life. It all works, however, and I was quickly caught up in the plot which is not overly convoluted so there's plenty of time for describing the spinaflex at the side of the road, or visiting with a former camel-rider who may or may not be an Afghan. Green has a knack for sharp, concise character studies. One villian is a bit of a stereotype, but probably was fresher when the book was new. The second bad guy has a wee bit more depth and evil in him than meets the first glance. Lots of little town life, interesting people, and a budding romance. The perfect book for a quick summer read on the verandah. My only disappointment was there wasn't enough book. It ended before I was ready to say goodbye to the characters. I checked out Evan Green hoping he'd written a sequel, but no luck. He does have a two-volume saga--on of those multi-generational things available only on amazon.ca (as of this writing).
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