We talk with author Ben Hobson about his newest novel, the Western-inspired Aussie outback thriller ‘The Death of John Lacey’. Etched in a strange sort of stone, following the turmoil in the aftermath of the most evil man Hobson has ever written, the book explores familial bonds, hard conversations, and the chaos of early Ballarat. We talk about Ben’s motivations behind the novel’s complex family structures, writing with self-imposed restrictions, and the tough conversations in our own lives. In our concluding spoilers section, we also talk about the tricky nature of the book’s final act and its implementation of religion and fear.

Thank you to ABC Radio National and Allen & Unwin for providing copies of ‘The Death of John Lacey‘. You can catch Herds on ‘The Bookshelf’ on ABC Radio National discussing the book here.