Dust off the bones by Paul Howarth

Name of Book: Dust off the Bones

Author: Paul Howarth

ISBN: 978-0-06-307600-6

Publisher: Harper

Part of a Series: Sequel to Only Killers and Thieves

Type of book: Australia, 1885-1908, relationships, brothers, survival, travel, PTSD, family, honor, history, Native Police, treatment of Aboriginals, homosexuality, secrets

Year it was published: 2021

Summary:

The author of the acclaimed Only Killers and Thieves returns to turn-of-the-century Australia in this powerful sequel that follows the story of brothers Tommy and Billy McBride, the widow of their family’s killer, Katherine Sullivan, and the sadistic Native Police officer Edmund Noone

 In 1890, estranged brothers Tommy and Billy McBride are living far apart in Queensland, each dealing with the trauma that destroyed their family in different ways. Now 21, Billy bottles his guilt and justifies his past crimes while attempting to revive his father’s former cattle run and navigate his feelings for the young widow Katherine Sullivan. Katherine, meanwhile, cherishes her newfound independence but is struggling to establish herself as head of the vast Broken Ridge cattle empire her corrupt late husband mercilessly built.

But even in the outback, the past cannot stay buried forever. When a judicial inquest is ordered into the McBride family murders and the subsequent reprisal slaughter of the Kurrong people, both Billy and Police Inspector Edmund Noone – the man who led the massacre – are called to testify. The inquest forces Billy to relive events he has long refused to face. He desperately needs to find his brother, Tommy, who for years has been surviving in the wilderness, attempting to move on with his life. But Billy is not the only one looking for Tommy. Now the ruthless Noone is determined to find the young man as well, and silence both brothers for good.

An enthralling, propulsive adventure that builds in suspense, told in gorgeous prose and steeped in history and atmosphere, Dust Off the Bones raises timeless issues of injustice, honor, morality, systemic racism, and the abuse of power. With an unflinching eye, Paul Howarth examines the legacy of violence and the brutal realities of life in a world remarkably familiar to our own. 

Characters:

main characters are Billy and Tommy McBride, brothers who are forced to separate due to what they have seen and heard when traveling with Noone. Billy decides to stay and begins to court a local wealthy widow, Katherine Sullivan, while Tommy and the former Aboriginal worker, Arthur, begin their travels through Australia in hopes of discovering a better and stable life. Billy is best described as someone who can't see nuance in social world and hierarchy and he has difficulty in grasping and understanding deeper concepts. He does understand money equals power. Tommy is the younger brother who suffers from PTSD and although highly intelligent and sensitive, he is forced to be on the run and somehow needs to figure out how to survive. He is highly resourceful and determined. Katherine Sullivan is a widow who desires to protect the brothers and who also wants to make up for what her former husband has done to their family. She is strong willed, intelligent and is power behind the scenes. Henry Wells is a lawyer who has a deep dark secret and desires to find out the truth about what happened that night when the brothers and Aboriginal tribe fought. Edmund Noone is someone you don't want to get involved with. He is charismatic, a chameleon who has his fingers stuck in what seems to be every pie that was created. He often changes his persona and can lull people into security before striking the jugular. 

 
Theme:

How far can you run from the past? 

Plot:

The stories are told in third person narrative primarily from Billy and Tommy's points of view. If I recall right, the first one focused on Tommy a lot, especially his emotions and observations. This one, however, focuses more on Billy rather than Tommy, although Billy has to share the stage with other characters besides his brother. Just like first book, this one doesn't hide brutality or ugliness of living in colonial Australia, and quite often things get very squeamish. It's also a novel where sweet and tender moments are rare and aren't easily earned. Also, the novel takes place from 1885 to 1908, and not just a few days as in first novel. 

Author Information:
(From goodreads)

Paul Howarth is a British-Australian author and former lawyer who holds an MA in creative writing from UEA, where he was awarded the Malcolm Bradbury Scholarship. In 2018 his debut novel, Only Killers and Thieves, was published to international acclaim, winning the Barnes & Noble Discover Award for best fiction, and appearing on numerous other awards and books of the year lists. His second novel, Dust Off the Bones, will be published in Summer 2021.

Opinion:

I have previously read the prequel few years back; only killers and thieves, and to say that this was a novel that stayed with me and imprinted itself on my mind, emotions and possibly soul is an understatement. I was excited to learn that a sequel to Only Killers and Thieves was coming out and I was very eager to dive back into the world of Australia. First of all, highly necessary to read Only Killers and thieves before beginning this book because the book continues from where first left off: that of McBride brothers being forced to separate. The story then deals with both Tommy and Billy, and it especially examines and deals with Billy's reactions to the events from previous book. Enigmatic Noone also makes multiple appearances and don't worry, he is still as frightening as ever. Two characters such as Katherine Sullivan as well as a lawyer who has to hide a dark secret about himself are given big roles in the story. Dust off the old bones was truly a thrilling sequel and I will be dreaming of coming back to Australia during this time. Also, please PLEASE consider writing a prequel featuring Noone!   

4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)