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The Better Son

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About this listen

Tasmania. 1952. The greens hills near Mole Creek hide a dark labyrinthine underworld of caves. They are dangerous and forbidden to children. But this is Tasmania — an island at the end of the earth. Here, rules are made to be broken.

For two young brothers, a hidden cave a short walk from the family farm seems the perfect escape from their abusive, shell-shocked father — until the older brother goes missing. Fearful of his father, nine-year-old Kip lies about what happened. It is a decision that will haunt him for the rest of his life.

Fifty years later, Kip has a young son of his own, but cannot look at him without seeing his lost brother, Tommy. On a mission of atonement, he returns to the cave they called Kubla to discover if it’s ever too late to set things right. To have a second chance. To be the father he never had.

©2016 Katherine Johnson (P)2019 W. F. Howes Ltd Contemporary Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction
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Very moving story. Encapsulates all of the emotions of life loss bereavement joy friendship and the value of honesty integrity loyalty. The story reels you in like a fish on a hook before you know it you can’t get off and actually don’t want to get off.
A beautiful and sensitive story beautifully narrated and skilfully written.

Moving

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I chose this because I like the narrator and he did not disappoint. Set in rural Tasmania, generations of a family keep tragic secrets that are gradually revealed.

Compelling story beautifully narrated

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