Set against the vast and timeless landscape of Western Australia, a mesmeric tale from the author of the award-winning bestsellerThe Light Between Oceans,which has sold five million copies globally.

‘An Australian classic in the making.’Australian Women’s Weekly
‘A rich Australian epic.’New York Times
‘A masterful work.’Guardian

‘A satisfying and superior work of commercial fiction.’The Australian

‘An expansive saga that invites immersive reading.’Sydney Morning Herald
‘Stedman mixes big emotions with beautiful writing to intoxicating effect.’Good Housekeeping

Western Australia, 1958: here, for generations, the MacBrides have lived on a remote sheep station, Meredith Downs. A million acres, its an ocean of arid land.

One ordinary day, on a lonely road, patriarch Phil MacBride swerves to avoid a kangaroo. In seconds, the lives of his entire family are shattered.

Then, instead of leaving them to heal, fate comes back for them in a twist of consequences that will cause one of them to lose their life, and another to sacrifice theirs for the sake of an innocent child. Matt, the youngest MacBride, is plunged into a moral and emotional journey for which there is no map, no guide, as he is forced to choose between love and duty, sacrifice and happiness.

A Far-flung Lifeexplores the lives of a handful of isolated souls and the secrets they shield in order to survive. A tale of family and belonging, of compassion and hope, it’s about people trying to do their best, and each, for private reasons, seeking shelter from the storm of life.