A Far-flung Life

'An Australian classic in the making.' Australian Women's Weekly
'A rich Australian epic.' New York Times
'A masterful examination of loss . . . A remarkable, poignant tale.' Guardian

'A satisfying and superior work of commercial fiction.' The Australian

'A masterful saga well worth the wait . . . Beautifully written and deeply moving.' Sydney Morning Herald
'Stedman mixes big emotions with beautiful writing to intoxicating effect.' Good Housekeeping
'An uplifting, moving and utterly absorbing novel.' Irish Times

Love is the only thing we should never forget . . .

Western Australia, 1958. On an ordinary day, on a lonely road, beneath an unending blue sky, husband and father Phil MacBride swerves too late. In seconds, his family's lives are shattered.

Lorna, his wife, will bear what comes next with unflinching maternal love. Because some things are better left unknown.

Matt, her youngest son, will carry the consequences of that day into adulthood, bound by loyalty, love and secrets that must be kept safe.

Bonnie, a stranger who arrives years later, could offer Matt the chance of a better future. But would happiness come at the cost of an innocent life?

A Far-flung Life is a sweeping, deeply moving novel about family, community, and the quiet heroism of those who guard our secrets.

‘M L Stedman’s achingly human epic is like an Australian Gone with the Wind.’ Sydney Morning Herald

‘A big, bold story of tragedy and resilience. I was completely swept away.’ BONNIE GARMUS, author of Lessons in Chemistry

'Heart-wrenching and beautifully set. A gorgeous feast of a novel about family, community, love and the lengths we will go to save them all.’ RACHEL JOYCE, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

'M.L. Stedman's new novel A Far-flung Life was well-worth the wait. Epic, grand, intimate and aching, it is a novel that carries its secrets in hidden places, burying its wounds in the vast, empty landscape of Western Australia and in the broken hearts of its characters. I loved it.' MIRANDA COWLEY HELLER, author of The Paper Palace
'Utterly glorious. I have so much love for these characters - I felt their regrets, yet just as deeply, Stedman’s compassion. A truly brilliant novel.' FLORENCE KNAPP, author of The Names

‘Truly a masterpiece. The kind of book you will remember for the rest of your life, and I love the very bones of it.’ JOANNA CANNON, author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep

‘One of those rare books that fill the soul.’ DONAL RYAN, author of Heart, Be at Peace
'Magnificent. I never wanted it to end. Unforgettable characters, epic emotional texture and spell-binding prose. This is not just a good book, it's a Great Novel - one I think we'll all be remembering, recommending and re-reading for generations to come.' ANNA DOWNES, author of Red River Road

'A world, a story, a cast of characters I truly lost myself in.' JENNIE GODFREY, author of The List of Suspicious Things
'Mesmerising and unforgettable, this sweeping novels aches with life's impossible choices, thrums with love and pain, and imprints itself on your heart.' JOANNA GLEN, author of The Other Half of Augusta Hope