The Untold

First-time novelist Collins's book is set in the Australian outback in the 1920s. Jesse Hicks is on the run after killing her abusive ranch owner husband, a man she was virtually sold to after she got out of prison. She was pregnant but suffers a miscarriage as the story begins. From then on the story is told by her dead child. At first Jesse is pursued by her husband's former employee and a sheriff. But after she joins up with a group of boys who have been making their living rustling cattle, a few irate ranchers are also on her trail. Collins has based her story on a legendary Australian character and uses what little is known about Jesse to build the tale. The somewhat unorthodox first-person narrative by her dead child is very effective. Collins does a skillful job of narrating her own work; her Australian accent is perfect.