HarperHighlights December

The Widow of Ballarat DARRY F RAS E R

A compulsively readable story of passion, adventure and a woman’s quest for independence set against the colourful backdrop of nineteenth-century Bendigo and the goldfields of Ballarat 1854, Ballarat, Victoria: When Nell Amberton’s husband is shot dead by a bushranger, there are few who grieve his passing, and Nell least of all. How could she miss the monster who had abused her from the day they wed — the man who had already killed his first wife? But his death triggers a chain of events that seem to revolve around the handsome bushranger who murdered him — a man to whom Nell, against her better judgement, is drawn. But Nell has far more than a mysterious stranger to worry about. With a mess of complications around her late husband’s will, a vicious scoundrel of a father trying to sell her off in matrimony and angry relatives pursuing her for her husband’s gold, she is more concerned with trying to ensure her safety and that of her friend, goldfields laundry woman Flora, than dealing with the kind of feelings that led her astray so catastrophically before. After the violence on the goldfields, Nell’s fate also hangs in the balance. It seems that, after all, she might need to do the one thing she has avoided at all costs … ask for the help of a man. Rich in historical detail, this novel is set during the events of the Eureka Stockade, and it offers glimpses of the breathtaking landscape of country Victoria and real insight into the life of nineteenth-century Australia.

Fiction | December 2018

For Darry Fraser, writing is her journey and the Australian landscape — rural, coastal and desert — is her home and hearth. History, hidden catalysts and powerful connections between humans drive her stories. Well-developed characters and layered stories woven with passion denote her love of telling a great tale. Darry is a daughter, a sister and an aunty. She loves animals, especially dogs, and walks her beloved Dog every day. She is left-handed, has an extreme fondness for plain-flavoured potato chips and fresh liquorice, and loves a bold berry-flavoured red wine (not necessarily at the same time).

9781489250407 | e 9781489250414 | Released: 16/11/18 TPB| 368pp | AU $29.99 NZ $29.99 Publicity contact: SBehan@eharlequin.com.au

darryfraser.com

9