The secret river

This story is set in London, 1807.William Thornhill, happily wedded to his childhoodsweetheart Sal, is a waterman on the River Thames. Lifeis tough but bearable until William makes a mistake, abad mistake for which he and his family are made to paydearly. His sentence: to be transported to New SouthWales for the term of his natural life. The Thornhillsarrive in this harsh and alien land that they cannotunderstand and which feels like a death sentence. But,among the convicts there is a rumour that freedom can bebought, that 'unclaimed' land up the Hawkesbury offers anopportunity to start afresh, far away from the townshipof Sydney. When William takes a hundred acres forhimself, he is shocked to find Aboriginal people alreadyliving on the river. And other recent arrivals - ThomasBlackwood, Smasher Sullivan and Mrs. Herring - arefinding their own ways to respond to them. SoonThornhill, a man neither better nor worse than most, hasto make the most difficult decision of his life...