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The Hollows
Southern Queensland, 1888
Squatter Jack Thomas has long dreamed of of a grand house full of servants, and a life of comfort and luxury. So when he finds a nugget of gold on land they don't yet own, he is faced with a difficult listen to his older brother Bill, and forget he ever found it? Or follow his heart and sell it... risking everything they hold dear.
Following his heart, Jack heads for the young colony of Brisbane; into the waiting jaws of the city's elite, and the invisible tentacles of the government. He pays a terrible price for his impulsiveness and greed, leaving the city destitute and with a second agonising does he learn from his mistakes and start the slow journey to rebuilding? Or seek revenge against the faceless men responsible.
Squatter Jack Thomas has long dreamed of of a grand house full of servants, and a life of comfort and luxury. So when he finds a nugget of gold on land they don't yet own, he is faced with a difficult listen to his older brother Bill, and forget he ever found it? Or follow his heart and sell it... risking everything they hold dear.
Following his heart, Jack heads for the young colony of Brisbane; into the waiting jaws of the city's elite, and the invisible tentacles of the government. He pays a terrible price for his impulsiveness and greed, leaving the city destitute and with a second agonising does he learn from his mistakes and start the slow journey to rebuilding? Or seek revenge against the faceless men responsible.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
364 pages, Paperback
Published October 10, 2024
103 people are currently reading
272 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 16, 2025
A great read with a frustratingly loveable main character who gets into more trouble than a toddler learning to run. I couldn't put it down, and, want to read the next instalment, now. it definitely is a book I'll keep and share.
January 20, 2025
This book isn't my usual genre but I'm so glad I decided to give it a crack. What a brilliant story, great characters and at times I felt I was there. Well written and didn't lose my interest at any point.
January 16, 2026
5🌟 Loved this fast-paced and page turning read by a debut Aussie author! I enjoyed following the journey of the main character after finding gold and all of the moral decisions he makes along the way, which builds to an unexpected but very well-deserved ending. Also loved the Australian history woven throughout, as it is set in 1888 Qld, so I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction:)
September 1, 2025
I loved this book from the first page and couldn’t put it down.
My only complaint was it had to end.
My only complaint was it had to end.
January 7, 2026
I’ve never really supported a “budding” author before, so when I saw this novel in an instagram ad I thought sure, I’ll buy a copy. I’m glad I took the chance to support the author in this fun read. It had interesting characters and setting, where I felt transported to. It is a respectable first novel, especially for being done independently and self-published. The first ed copy I bought is a very nice book with a cool cover design, which I also liked. I would recommend this book for the casual reader, or someone looking for a good adventure.
Now, I do also have some constructive criticism, effortposting inbound. This is not my typical read and highlighted for me the difference between so called ‘genre’ and ‘literary’ fiction. This book is very plot-centric, and while that works in some parts, it left me wanting more from the characters more often than not. Spoilers ahead. For example, early in the novel Jack’s wife and newborn son die. A horrific experience like this would typically represent the climax or major motivating incident of a novel, but instead it’s treated more as a minor inconvenience. Jack is clearly more motivated by his desire to get Louisa back, and to get back at Fitz (I guess he never realises he can achieve both at once? if you know what I mean). I never quite understood his desire for revenge either, I know he wants the gold, but perhaps if there was a personal significance to that land it would have added emotional depth to leaving. As an aside I don’t recall him ever visiting Ed’s grave at the mine (or his wife’s now that I think about it lol).
While there were great passages that immersed me in the story, some word or phrase would pull me out again. Saying “I don’t *even* know”, “he didn’t *really* have to be anywhere”, “that was *actually* a good idea”, ending a thought with “for some reason”, or whenever someone “sprints” somewhere (surely he “raced”); this is all contemporary language which felt out of place for the 1880s. There was also a moment when Louisa referred to Jack and Ellis as “gentlemen”, do I even need to explain? The dialogue felt stilted, in an era like this you would expect an array of British and Australian accents to be at play, but really there is only 1x Texan accent (he says Ah instead of I) and 1x Cockney accent (he ends every sentence with “cob”). Fitz was my favourite character for the reason that he came across distinctly and with energy, and Whittaker had a nice jolliness to him. The others spoke like dictionaries and could not be differentiated by their speech.
If this novel was less plot heavy there would have been opportunity for introspection on the behalf of Jack, who is clearly young and been through the wringer. After his wife dies he teleports to Brisbane- in reality he had to sit on this donkey for hours, alone, but we don’t see that because the gold needs to be sold and that’s what the plot is. There was also space for some practical insight, which according to the author’s bio he should be able to provide. Think of any Cormac novel and there will be long passages saddling a horse, changing a tyre, sorting scuba equipment, interspersed with casual dialogue. My favourite scene in this novel was when Jack went to the merchant and had his gold chemically tested- that was a nice moment where we got some detail and a sense of anticipation.
There was one particular sequence where I thought this approach should have been taken. Near the end Jack is wasting time before heading off to secretly meet Louisa, a very important moment. What happens is he gets a haircut (too many haircuts in this book), hears some camp gossip (which he should have heard from Jim, if he needed to hear it at all), and then goes and shoots a kangaroo for some reason. Task successfully described using words, next scene. Now, I would remove all this haircut business and focus on the following instead: to kill time Jack decides to oil his Winchester, we watch him carefully dismantle it like his dad taught him years ago, and he contemplates what will happen when he meets Louisa. He remembers how Bill always chided him for forgetting to XYZ, he does this now and corrects some issue with the mechanism, he is grateful. To test the rifle he decides to shoot a kangaroo. We follow him across the valley to an undisturbed area where he had hunted with Ed, and as he walks he reflects on the death of his cousin, his thoughts on all the people he has lost. We watch him take and make the shot. He’s hit a doe with a joey, and as he dispatches it, he is reminded of his dead family and how death follows him. He can’t waste what he’s done so he processes the kangaroo, the cuts he makes and etc. As he looks upon this hunk of flesh he considers his own mortality and whether he can seek revenge against another equally mortal person (Fitz). He decides he doesn’t want to lose anyone else (Louisa). Symbolism. Character development. Atmosphere. Then, he resolves to go and see her.
In part I the plot moves consistently and works well; however the middle section was too slow. Jack basically picks up a summer job working on his arch nemesis’ gold mine while impotently attempting to exact his revenge. It reminded me of one of those videos where the male panda is trying to figure out how to do it- I think you know what I mean. The side quest of trying to shoot Percival- not needed, and under baked. The multiple side quests of Vanguards gang- not needed. There’s about five tropes (rival workers, unfair boss, skimming off the top, laughing evilly from a ridge line) applied to them and one is enough. The saga about the sluicing equipment- honestly, not needed. And I enjoyed hearing about all the gadgets too, but it goes on and on and doesn’t relate to Jacks physical or moral journey AT ALL. It would have been enough to nicely describe how it works, have Jack working on it with his hands, demonstrating some intelligence, then Jim sees his opportunity to get revenge and sabotages the machine. He is content with having caused thousands of pounds of damage, convinced in his own way that this will be the mine’s downfall (cut to Ellis saying this changes nothing), and goads Jack to quickly get his revenge too. At the height of his euphoria he’s done in.
I bought the hollows after reading the lighthouse short story (a good strategy for a new author to adopt btw) and enjoyed that a lot. There, the lighthouse dude is basically trapped on this island with only his dog and his thoughts, and we get some detail of his job and life. That’s the kind of thing I think this novel should have included more, and I hope there will be more in the sequel. This focus on moving the plot and trying to keep the reader entertained can then be reduced.
Now the ending. Tbh I didn’t like it, and while I am sure many readers will have found it entertaining it came across to me as a bit of a mess. I liked the idea of three revenge plots intersecting at once, but I think the author lacked the skill to pull it off, and so it was confused and even rushed. I felt in particular that the motive of vanguard was not properly developed, and I laughed when this needed extra explanation in the last chapter. Vanguard gets kicked out and is suspected of stealing gold… therefore he wants to commit mass murder? Why? Should he not, ya know, want to steal the gold too? perhaps he reasons this can be achieved by derailing the train and boarding the wreck? The confrontations within the carriage were half and half. Some moments were great, but others were just expository dialogue explaining this and that, each character patiently waiting for the next to finish their sentence. Fitz switching between Bond villain-esque (should have kept this) and cry baby, the continued drunken slurring of speech. Then the train suddenly derails and two pages later it’s all in the past, just another plot point to hit.
There were other developments which I thought should be treated differently. Among these was the decision of jack to become an outlaw. After all we’d heard about how bad vanguard was for stealing gold he does that same thing? This would necessarily involve stealing from his friend who, as far as he knows, is part owner of the mine, and I loved how he was immediately recognised on boarding the train lmfao. I’m sure we also all realised that this plan required constant lying to those around him, thus breaking Jim’s rule. However he also covets another man’s wife. So I guess those rules weren’t so important after all… He then murders the Texan when faced with what I assume would have been arrest. The fact he does so with no further consideration and even states plainly later that he has “pretty clean” hands, was insane. I suppose the thought that this Texan dude has young children, or a sick family member etc., is lost on others. Or were we supposed to view these characters as one dimensional after all? I think the author struggled to articulate Jack’s thoughts after this incident and so decided not to bother. THEN Jack becomes some kind of a Mr. Ripley parasite creature, set to take over Percival’s entire estate. Why? If louisa hadn’t inherited the fortune, and instead had to start over again with a simple life on Bill’s farm, it would have brought jack back to his roots with important growth from his journey. But the author couldn’t help himself, and I can only assume that in the sequel he immediately loses this undeserved fortune.
The reader who has finished this book may find himself wondering, as I did, why jack was so stupid, and why he didn’t do anything the entire novel after arriving at the mine. Sure he sends a few letters and boards a moving train, but what does he really *do*? Perhaps he’s young and immature, unsure of himself, or, to take an idea from the end, a “dumb bystander”, but I don’t think that’s it. My own theory is this: he’s actually fully impaired. Reread any passage and tell me it doesn’t align, try the one where he’s umming and ahhing about the train works at Fitz’s house lmao. I further believe that this book was inspired by the hit Vietnam war epic Tropic Thunder. In that movie Ben Stiller’s character, in a previous film, plays the role of an impaired gentleman. That character’s name? Simple Jack. Of the few snippets we get of this film, to whom is Mr Simple Jack seen declaring “you muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh make me happy”? An attractive blonde woman (Christine Taylor), much like our Louisa. So, the Jack in our novel must be likewise impaired. It’s why adult themes such as de*d b*bies and murder don’t affect him and why he gets the easy jobs, people see he’s like that a mile away and feel sorry for him. He’s just fully walking around this 1880’s gold mine fully impaired. And we all remember what a black RDJ said about that.
Now obviously I’m joking in that last para, but this is where this type of writing will take you, and perhaps why there hasn’t been greater interest in this work in media and so on like it would be nice to see. There really is a lot of good here and with a little more care for language, slowing of pace, and delving more into intimate moments (like all are already done in the light house book) the sequel should be a success, or at least it conforms to what I consider a good read lol. I recommend the author go and pick up East of Eden, Dubliners, and All the Pretty Horses, reread these, and be inspired. Cheers.
Now, I do also have some constructive criticism, effortposting inbound. This is not my typical read and highlighted for me the difference between so called ‘genre’ and ‘literary’ fiction. This book is very plot-centric, and while that works in some parts, it left me wanting more from the characters more often than not. Spoilers ahead. For example, early in the novel Jack’s wife and newborn son die. A horrific experience like this would typically represent the climax or major motivating incident of a novel, but instead it’s treated more as a minor inconvenience. Jack is clearly more motivated by his desire to get Louisa back, and to get back at Fitz (I guess he never realises he can achieve both at once? if you know what I mean). I never quite understood his desire for revenge either, I know he wants the gold, but perhaps if there was a personal significance to that land it would have added emotional depth to leaving. As an aside I don’t recall him ever visiting Ed’s grave at the mine (or his wife’s now that I think about it lol).
While there were great passages that immersed me in the story, some word or phrase would pull me out again. Saying “I don’t *even* know”, “he didn’t *really* have to be anywhere”, “that was *actually* a good idea”, ending a thought with “for some reason”, or whenever someone “sprints” somewhere (surely he “raced”); this is all contemporary language which felt out of place for the 1880s. There was also a moment when Louisa referred to Jack and Ellis as “gentlemen”, do I even need to explain? The dialogue felt stilted, in an era like this you would expect an array of British and Australian accents to be at play, but really there is only 1x Texan accent (he says Ah instead of I) and 1x Cockney accent (he ends every sentence with “cob”). Fitz was my favourite character for the reason that he came across distinctly and with energy, and Whittaker had a nice jolliness to him. The others spoke like dictionaries and could not be differentiated by their speech.
If this novel was less plot heavy there would have been opportunity for introspection on the behalf of Jack, who is clearly young and been through the wringer. After his wife dies he teleports to Brisbane- in reality he had to sit on this donkey for hours, alone, but we don’t see that because the gold needs to be sold and that’s what the plot is. There was also space for some practical insight, which according to the author’s bio he should be able to provide. Think of any Cormac novel and there will be long passages saddling a horse, changing a tyre, sorting scuba equipment, interspersed with casual dialogue. My favourite scene in this novel was when Jack went to the merchant and had his gold chemically tested- that was a nice moment where we got some detail and a sense of anticipation.
There was one particular sequence where I thought this approach should have been taken. Near the end Jack is wasting time before heading off to secretly meet Louisa, a very important moment. What happens is he gets a haircut (too many haircuts in this book), hears some camp gossip (which he should have heard from Jim, if he needed to hear it at all), and then goes and shoots a kangaroo for some reason. Task successfully described using words, next scene. Now, I would remove all this haircut business and focus on the following instead: to kill time Jack decides to oil his Winchester, we watch him carefully dismantle it like his dad taught him years ago, and he contemplates what will happen when he meets Louisa. He remembers how Bill always chided him for forgetting to XYZ, he does this now and corrects some issue with the mechanism, he is grateful. To test the rifle he decides to shoot a kangaroo. We follow him across the valley to an undisturbed area where he had hunted with Ed, and as he walks he reflects on the death of his cousin, his thoughts on all the people he has lost. We watch him take and make the shot. He’s hit a doe with a joey, and as he dispatches it, he is reminded of his dead family and how death follows him. He can’t waste what he’s done so he processes the kangaroo, the cuts he makes and etc. As he looks upon this hunk of flesh he considers his own mortality and whether he can seek revenge against another equally mortal person (Fitz). He decides he doesn’t want to lose anyone else (Louisa). Symbolism. Character development. Atmosphere. Then, he resolves to go and see her.
In part I the plot moves consistently and works well; however the middle section was too slow. Jack basically picks up a summer job working on his arch nemesis’ gold mine while impotently attempting to exact his revenge. It reminded me of one of those videos where the male panda is trying to figure out how to do it- I think you know what I mean. The side quest of trying to shoot Percival- not needed, and under baked. The multiple side quests of Vanguards gang- not needed. There’s about five tropes (rival workers, unfair boss, skimming off the top, laughing evilly from a ridge line) applied to them and one is enough. The saga about the sluicing equipment- honestly, not needed. And I enjoyed hearing about all the gadgets too, but it goes on and on and doesn’t relate to Jacks physical or moral journey AT ALL. It would have been enough to nicely describe how it works, have Jack working on it with his hands, demonstrating some intelligence, then Jim sees his opportunity to get revenge and sabotages the machine. He is content with having caused thousands of pounds of damage, convinced in his own way that this will be the mine’s downfall (cut to Ellis saying this changes nothing), and goads Jack to quickly get his revenge too. At the height of his euphoria he’s done in.
I bought the hollows after reading the lighthouse short story (a good strategy for a new author to adopt btw) and enjoyed that a lot. There, the lighthouse dude is basically trapped on this island with only his dog and his thoughts, and we get some detail of his job and life. That’s the kind of thing I think this novel should have included more, and I hope there will be more in the sequel. This focus on moving the plot and trying to keep the reader entertained can then be reduced.
Now the ending. Tbh I didn’t like it, and while I am sure many readers will have found it entertaining it came across to me as a bit of a mess. I liked the idea of three revenge plots intersecting at once, but I think the author lacked the skill to pull it off, and so it was confused and even rushed. I felt in particular that the motive of vanguard was not properly developed, and I laughed when this needed extra explanation in the last chapter. Vanguard gets kicked out and is suspected of stealing gold… therefore he wants to commit mass murder? Why? Should he not, ya know, want to steal the gold too? perhaps he reasons this can be achieved by derailing the train and boarding the wreck? The confrontations within the carriage were half and half. Some moments were great, but others were just expository dialogue explaining this and that, each character patiently waiting for the next to finish their sentence. Fitz switching between Bond villain-esque (should have kept this) and cry baby, the continued drunken slurring of speech. Then the train suddenly derails and two pages later it’s all in the past, just another plot point to hit.
There were other developments which I thought should be treated differently. Among these was the decision of jack to become an outlaw. After all we’d heard about how bad vanguard was for stealing gold he does that same thing? This would necessarily involve stealing from his friend who, as far as he knows, is part owner of the mine, and I loved how he was immediately recognised on boarding the train lmfao. I’m sure we also all realised that this plan required constant lying to those around him, thus breaking Jim’s rule. However he also covets another man’s wife. So I guess those rules weren’t so important after all… He then murders the Texan when faced with what I assume would have been arrest. The fact he does so with no further consideration and even states plainly later that he has “pretty clean” hands, was insane. I suppose the thought that this Texan dude has young children, or a sick family member etc., is lost on others. Or were we supposed to view these characters as one dimensional after all? I think the author struggled to articulate Jack’s thoughts after this incident and so decided not to bother. THEN Jack becomes some kind of a Mr. Ripley parasite creature, set to take over Percival’s entire estate. Why? If louisa hadn’t inherited the fortune, and instead had to start over again with a simple life on Bill’s farm, it would have brought jack back to his roots with important growth from his journey. But the author couldn’t help himself, and I can only assume that in the sequel he immediately loses this undeserved fortune.
The reader who has finished this book may find himself wondering, as I did, why jack was so stupid, and why he didn’t do anything the entire novel after arriving at the mine. Sure he sends a few letters and boards a moving train, but what does he really *do*? Perhaps he’s young and immature, unsure of himself, or, to take an idea from the end, a “dumb bystander”, but I don’t think that’s it. My own theory is this: he’s actually fully impaired. Reread any passage and tell me it doesn’t align, try the one where he’s umming and ahhing about the train works at Fitz’s house lmao. I further believe that this book was inspired by the hit Vietnam war epic Tropic Thunder. In that movie Ben Stiller’s character, in a previous film, plays the role of an impaired gentleman. That character’s name? Simple Jack. Of the few snippets we get of this film, to whom is Mr Simple Jack seen declaring “you muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh make me happy”? An attractive blonde woman (Christine Taylor), much like our Louisa. So, the Jack in our novel must be likewise impaired. It’s why adult themes such as de*d b*bies and murder don’t affect him and why he gets the easy jobs, people see he’s like that a mile away and feel sorry for him. He’s just fully walking around this 1880’s gold mine fully impaired. And we all remember what a black RDJ said about that.
Now obviously I’m joking in that last para, but this is where this type of writing will take you, and perhaps why there hasn’t been greater interest in this work in media and so on like it would be nice to see. There really is a lot of good here and with a little more care for language, slowing of pace, and delving more into intimate moments (like all are already done in the light house book) the sequel should be a success, or at least it conforms to what I consider a good read lol. I recommend the author go and pick up East of Eden, Dubliners, and All the Pretty Horses, reread these, and be inspired. Cheers.
February 3, 2025
Interesting read
A good book, I didn't want to put it down. All the more interesting because it's Australian and based on somewhere near where I live, as the crow flies. I enjoyed it.
A good book, I didn't want to put it down. All the more interesting because it's Australian and based on somewhere near where I live, as the crow flies. I enjoyed it.
January 18, 2025
great story … can feel the grit and heat in the air
Australia… 19th century gold mining.. desperate times and desperate men. Edge of the seat thrills 😊. And a bit of loving too.
Australia… 19th century gold mining.. desperate times and desperate men. Edge of the seat thrills 😊. And a bit of loving too.
January 10, 2026
This book started strong, giving me all I was expecting from the blurb. Early colonial Australian setting, a gold mine, rugged outback characters and a great story of the underdog battler’s losing everything to the greedy, self centred, rich overlord. But then, it went downhill for me faster than the railway line they were carving through the Queensland countryside. The sudden introduction of romance between Louisa and Jack left me stunned. In the blink of an eye the main character went from a devastating loss that transformed his life and set the scene for his anger and revenge to hankering after a new love with an intensity that felt totally contrived. The language changed to predictable slop so fast I was left with windswept hair. The speed at which Louisa fell for Jack felt more like a fantasy of Jack’s than an authentic love story. Had I just fallen back into the Victorian age of swooning women?
‘They’d talked all night, exploring each other’s hidden depths and vulnerabilities, their strengths and their quirks…’
I’m sorry Foster, but this does not feel natural. No-one is exploring each other’s hidden depths and vulnerabilities on the first night. For me, this romance lacked a spark, a feeling. It felt like speed dating with an urgency to soft launch the announcement on Instagram followed by a fast wedding.
I guess I am used to reading books with stronger female character’s and any story that has sentences that begin with ‘In her anguish..’ gives me an indication that this character is not for me. I’m not sure what the equivalent of ‘chick lit’ is for men but I think this book is a romance for the bro’s.
Great setting, good writing, page turner, plenty of horses, trains, guns and gold. Read if you like the main character getting everything they want, happy endings and women who hold the party line!
‘They’d talked all night, exploring each other’s hidden depths and vulnerabilities, their strengths and their quirks…’
I’m sorry Foster, but this does not feel natural. No-one is exploring each other’s hidden depths and vulnerabilities on the first night. For me, this romance lacked a spark, a feeling. It felt like speed dating with an urgency to soft launch the announcement on Instagram followed by a fast wedding.
I guess I am used to reading books with stronger female character’s and any story that has sentences that begin with ‘In her anguish..’ gives me an indication that this character is not for me. I’m not sure what the equivalent of ‘chick lit’ is for men but I think this book is a romance for the bro’s.
Great setting, good writing, page turner, plenty of horses, trains, guns and gold. Read if you like the main character getting everything they want, happy endings and women who hold the party line!
December 5, 2025
4.5 🌟 Rating from Me
This book is wonderfully written and incredibly easy to read – I was drawn in from page one and kept in suspense, constantly turning the page to see what would transpire on this journey. At times when I thought I had the plot figured out...the story surprised me in the best possible way.
The characters are endearing, taking me on an emotional ride at times.
The plot itself feels so original and authentically Australian. It is centred around Jack—our MMC—who has been cheated, robbed in more ways than one, and has suffered deep personal losses. Watching him fight to rebuild a happier life/revenge(?), much of what the story is about, and to eventually find love again, make for a truly rewarding story.
A beautifully told story with a satisfying HEA. Highly recommend.
This book is wonderfully written and incredibly easy to read – I was drawn in from page one and kept in suspense, constantly turning the page to see what would transpire on this journey. At times when I thought I had the plot figured out...the story surprised me in the best possible way.
The characters are endearing, taking me on an emotional ride at times.
The plot itself feels so original and authentically Australian. It is centred around Jack—our MMC—who has been cheated, robbed in more ways than one, and has suffered deep personal losses. Watching him fight to rebuild a happier life/revenge(?), much of what the story is about, and to eventually find love again, make for a truly rewarding story.
A beautifully told story with a satisfying HEA. Highly recommend.
October 10, 2025
What a cracker of a read! This is the Aussie "Western" I never knew I needed.
The blurb and the cover art of The Hollows piqued my interest enough to drag me away from the comfort of my horror novels and I was not disappointed. Swept up in the drama from the very first page, it was obvious that I had chanced upon a world of characters and events that I would quickly become addicted to. It was so easy to empathise with the main character and the expertly crafted descriptions of the various scenes made visualising a breeze.
This is one of those books where you want to find out what happens on the final page but you also don't want it to end.
The blurb and the cover art of The Hollows piqued my interest enough to drag me away from the comfort of my horror novels and I was not disappointed. Swept up in the drama from the very first page, it was obvious that I had chanced upon a world of characters and events that I would quickly become addicted to. It was so easy to empathise with the main character and the expertly crafted descriptions of the various scenes made visualising a breeze.
This is one of those books where you want to find out what happens on the final page but you also don't want it to end.
September 21, 2025
This story follows the gold trail in 1880s Queensland. A story of hardship, lost dreams, found dreams, love and loss, and a lot of whiskey and corruption - large-scale and small. It read well, but I would have liked the hero, Jack Thomas, to have more maturity, less bad decisions, and to curb his rash impulses. Then he truly would have been heroic. Oh, and maybe less of the hard drinking, although it seemed rather the norm with everyone. A ripping yarn none the less. Great cover, and both book and a bookmark was signed with my copy.
June 13, 2025
This is an absolute ripper of an Aussie yarn. Fans of historical fiction will love this great read from an upcoming author who is the real deal. Foster Burton has a wonderful way of conveying his story through authentic dialogue, visceral setting descriptions, and meticulously researched detail that keeps the story true to the era (1880s). A masterfully written and engaging yarn. Highly recommend.
October 24, 2025
Its been a long time since I read such an absorbing and gripping book. A book that has caused me to be late for appointments- 'just one more chapter". Literally from the first few pages, I felt I had entered Jack's world and was following him on his at times tragic journey. The author has created characters that are alive and realistic, and a storyline that is so engaging, be warned, this is a difficult book to put down. Wonderful. I look forward to the sequel!
December 12, 2025
This book is not my usual genre - however at no point in this book did I feel engaged or enthralled by the story, it felt super messy, and at times childish. The writing was all over the place and it was a chore for me to read. There were sensitive topics early on in the book that I felt also weren’t given enough care or attention, which was disappointing. IMO this is not a book I would recommend.
September 14, 2025
I didn't finish this. The death in the beginning made me equal parts devastated and furious.
I immediately got the feeling that this death was a refrigerator death and she deserves so much more than to be a plot point for the main character who will clearly use the death as an excuse for more bad decisions.
I immediately got the feeling that this death was a refrigerator death and she deserves so much more than to be a plot point for the main character who will clearly use the death as an excuse for more bad decisions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2025
I didn't know what to expect from this book, but I wanted to support an Aussie author, and I sure am glad I did. I couldn't put the book down. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, and I loved that it is set in my home country. Great first book, and really looking forward to reading book two next year.
January 5, 2026
Spectacular read! This book has it all.
Fosters ability to create connection between the reader and the characters in such a minimal amount of time is outstanding.
This book left me satisfied and definitely wanting more of Jack! Definitely some room for character growth and excited to explore this in ‘The Reckoning.’
Fosters ability to create connection between the reader and the characters in such a minimal amount of time is outstanding.
This book left me satisfied and definitely wanting more of Jack! Definitely some room for character growth and excited to explore this in ‘The Reckoning.’
October 12, 2024
This book had me turning pages, I loved the pace, the characters have personalities that made you want to know more and more. Please tell me there will be a sequel???
May 18, 2025
Fantastic novel. I highly recommend collecting this book from your local book store.
September 2, 2025
The last quarter was great I wasn't as keen at the beginning. Glad I kept going and finished it.
September 13, 2025
Brilliant debut novel by Foster Burton. Captivating from start to end. Highly recommend!!
November 24, 2025
Brilliant debut novel, well written, cinematic, kept me engaged, and being Australian myself I could really picture the landscape. Looking forward to the sequel.
December 7, 2025
Had me googling coffee in the 1800’s.
January 3, 2026
Enjoyed this book immensely. Foster Burton really takes the reader back to the days of the Australian gold rushes.
January 17, 2026
Had a great time reading this book. Living in the actual area the book is set gave it such life to me. Absolutely sucks you in and you can’t put this book down.
January 9, 2026
I am insufferable when it comes to ratings, so I don't give my 5 stars lightly.
Foster Burton is a budding historical fiction author, based on the East Coast of Australia (NSW), so I thought I would take the chance on a local and give it the book a crack.
Note: This has spoilers.
Within the first few chapters of The Hollows I was questioning whether I could get through the story, that surely it would get better for poor old Jack (protagonist) after the horrific loss of his beloved and newborn. Not even a chapter on and the knife dug in deeper!
There has only been one protagonist in another novel that I have felt so many emotions for.
I really felt for Jack and his poor luck, especially since none of it was really his own doing. The tears really came when his beloved horse, Pepper, was shot.
The last aspect of the story had me yelling at the pages for Jack to run in the opposite direction of what I believed was the impending doom of the hangman's noose.
The story itself wrapped up nicely so I would recommend for those people (like myself) who just want to read a book/story without having to read 10 novels to wrap it up. Whilst The Hollows is not really needing a series- I will welcome it, as Foster Burton's style of writing and how he intertwines stories is brilliant novel chemistry.
Ultimately, I adored the story and when there was an option to purchase a first edition (I originally read on kindle), I did not hesitate to purchase as a keepsake.
Recommend wholeheartedly.
Foster Burton is a budding historical fiction author, based on the East Coast of Australia (NSW), so I thought I would take the chance on a local and give it the book a crack.
Note: This has spoilers.
Within the first few chapters of The Hollows I was questioning whether I could get through the story, that surely it would get better for poor old Jack (protagonist) after the horrific loss of his beloved and newborn. Not even a chapter on and the knife dug in deeper!
There has only been one protagonist in another novel that I have felt so many emotions for.
I really felt for Jack and his poor luck, especially since none of it was really his own doing. The tears really came when his beloved horse, Pepper, was shot.
The last aspect of the story had me yelling at the pages for Jack to run in the opposite direction of what I believed was the impending doom of the hangman's noose.
The story itself wrapped up nicely so I would recommend for those people (like myself) who just want to read a book/story without having to read 10 novels to wrap it up. Whilst The Hollows is not really needing a series- I will welcome it, as Foster Burton's style of writing and how he intertwines stories is brilliant novel chemistry.
Ultimately, I adored the story and when there was an option to purchase a first edition (I originally read on kindle), I did not hesitate to purchase as a keepsake.
Recommend wholeheartedly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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