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The Road
A shocking and gruesome murder wakes an ancient evil in outback Australia.
A truck driver, a schoolboy and a retired couple on their dream holiday, are among a group of travellers caught up in a supernatural time loop. Trapped on a long stretch of the Silver City Highway, just outside Broken Hill, they enter a nightmarish journey from which there seems no escape. Following the gruesome discovery of the bloodied and battered bodies of a young woman and a man on a property not far from the highway, the truck driver is forced to confront the very real possibility that there is a killer on the loose and then convince his fellow travellers that they are all in danger.
A truck driver, a schoolboy and a retired couple on their dream holiday, are among a group of travellers caught up in a supernatural time loop. Trapped on a long stretch of the Silver City Highway, just outside Broken Hill, they enter a nightmarish journey from which there seems no escape. Following the gruesome discovery of the bloodied and battered bodies of a young woman and a man on a property not far from the highway, the truck driver is forced to confront the very real possibility that there is a killer on the loose and then convince his fellow travellers that they are all in danger.
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First published October 1, 2004
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About the author
Catherine Jinks
62 books537 followersCatherine Jinks is the Australian author of more than thirty books for all ages. She has garnered many awards, including the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award(three times), the Victorian Premier’s Award, the Aurealis Award for Science Fiction, the Australian Ibby Award, and the Davitt Award for Crime Fiction. Her work has been published in Australia, New Zealand, Britain, the United States, Germany, Spain, France, Portugal, Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic and Thailand.
Catherine was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1963. She grew up in Papua New Guinea, where her father worked as a patrol officer. Her high-school years were spent in Sydney, NSW; in 2006, her alma mater, Ku-ring-gai High School, named its library after her.
From 1982 to 1986, Catherine studied at the University of Sydney, graduating with an honours degree in medieval history. She then worked on Westpac Banking Corporation’s staff magazine for approximately seven years. In 1992 she married Peter Dockrill, a Canadian journalist; in 1993 she and her husband left Australia for a brief spell in Nova Scotia, where she began to write full time. They returned to Australia in 1994, and Catherine gave birth to her daughter Hannah in 1997. Since 1998, she and her family have been living in Leura, NSW.
She has two brothers, and two pet rats. Like most people in Leura, she has become a slave to her garden, but not to the extent that she’ll buy rooting powder.
Catherine has been writing books since she was eight years old. She doesn’t expect to stop writing them any time soon.
Author photo: Catherine Jinks in front of 'Conceptual Networks', by artist Paul du Moulin.
Photo by Paul du Moulin
Catherine was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1963. She grew up in Papua New Guinea, where her father worked as a patrol officer. Her high-school years were spent in Sydney, NSW; in 2006, her alma mater, Ku-ring-gai High School, named its library after her.
From 1982 to 1986, Catherine studied at the University of Sydney, graduating with an honours degree in medieval history. She then worked on Westpac Banking Corporation’s staff magazine for approximately seven years. In 1992 she married Peter Dockrill, a Canadian journalist; in 1993 she and her husband left Australia for a brief spell in Nova Scotia, where she began to write full time. They returned to Australia in 1994, and Catherine gave birth to her daughter Hannah in 1997. Since 1998, she and her family have been living in Leura, NSW.
She has two brothers, and two pet rats. Like most people in Leura, she has become a slave to her garden, but not to the extent that she’ll buy rooting powder.
Catherine has been writing books since she was eight years old. She doesn’t expect to stop writing them any time soon.
Author photo: Catherine Jinks in front of 'Conceptual Networks', by artist Paul du Moulin.
Photo by Paul du Moulin
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 2, 2025
An atmospheric and menacing story, following a group of travelers who do not seem to be making any progress on the road, despite how long they drive.
November 6, 2020
3.5 stars
Weird little mystery with some Aboriginal supernatural happenings. Various people travelling in different directions find themselves trapped on a stretch of road and can't leave (like they are on a loop). They meet up and try to solve a mystery and a murder. It was an easy and enjoyable read, although a bit of an abrupt ending.
Weird little mystery with some Aboriginal supernatural happenings. Various people travelling in different directions find themselves trapped on a stretch of road and can't leave (like they are on a loop). They meet up and try to solve a mystery and a murder. It was an easy and enjoyable read, although a bit of an abrupt ending.
December 6, 2022
A number of travelers find themselves stranded on a particular stretch of road. It is hard to say much more without giving it away but I found the concept intriguing.
The ending was a bit odd but I thought it was still a good read.
The ending was a bit odd but I thought it was still a good read.
December 22, 2022
A interesting tale. Quite an enjoyable read
November 15, 2017
The thing that sticks out most vividly about this book is that the author must really hate dogs.
I struggled with that throughout this book; the sheer brutality against dog, after dog, after dog, after dog. More than any gory violence against human characters, this genuinely bothered me and made me want to stop reading. I didn't, but upon having reached the end, was just... disappointed.
Let me say that the book did not go where I expected it to go, and that probably accounts for the majority of my disappointment. I feel like my theory about the ending and direction of the book may have been the original path, but then it was tossed aside for a new idea. See, I thought the reason they couldn't escape the loop was because Nathan was still alive, and they had to go back to rescue him. There were signs, foreshadowing, leads... I thought that was the event the whole story circulated around; Grace, or God, or the aboriginals, or the land itself was angry about the murders, had protected Nathan (the only confirmation of his death was that John shot into the hole and a deep, almost black liquid came pouring out, which I suspected was the same that Rosie later dug into), and now it had trapped these people there so that they might save his life.
This was apparently not the case, as Nathan was never spoken of again. Instead there was basically no justice as most of the characters lost their lives before John was even suspected of the murders (which seemed weird; why dwell so much on Alec but not consider John, with his haggard appearance and reclusive behavior, for even an instance?). And the bit where he picked up Mongrel and threw him at Dell without anyone seeing him before hand? That seems extremely farfetched. He was a relatively big dog from how he was spoken about, 40-50lbs. Dead weight, it would be impossible for a sleep deprived, food deprived man of average build to chuck this dog's body more than a foot.
Another issue I found was that some characters seemed utterly pointless. You know who I'm talking about. Ambrosia, or whatever the blonde rich dumbass's name was, and Georgie? What was the point of these two, exactly? What did they contribute to the story? Nothing. Nothing at all.
Now let's talk about the ending. The family and Alec, the only survivors out of our wayward bunch, drove on fumes and then bam, they're found by an officer and the book is over --- aside from a strange cryptic prologue that frankly, I didn't understand at all.
*sigh*
Here's how it should have gone.
After driving on the gore, everyone should have gotten suspicious. That's just not normal. Gore as far as the eye can see, people aren't just like, "teehee, let's take another road!" They should have connected the dots about John (especially since Mongrel wouldn't stop barking at him -- C'MON!), who then should have been held at gunpoint until he spilled his guts. Half of the group should have returned for Nathan who indeed was alive while the other half stayed with John, then the funky fly and muck monster could have come about and killed everyone who did not return to the ranch or all but one (maybe sparing Alec) who would then realize the key to escape would be to kill John, which he would do, and bam, creepy loop would be lifted, John would be dead, they'd have saved the kid, the spirits would be happy, and you now have a fulfilling ending and a sentiment rich story.
I suppose this isn't so much a review as it is a rant. I just hate when I'm really loving a book, and the ending disappoints so drastically by having almost no meaning. Where was the substance? The ending it got was far too obvious. There were no twists aside from a few senseless, unrealistic deaths.
I'd still recommend the book, but warn that the journey is far better than the destination.
I struggled with that throughout this book; the sheer brutality against dog, after dog, after dog, after dog. More than any gory violence against human characters, this genuinely bothered me and made me want to stop reading. I didn't, but upon having reached the end, was just... disappointed.
Let me say that the book did not go where I expected it to go, and that probably accounts for the majority of my disappointment. I feel like my theory about the ending and direction of the book may have been the original path, but then it was tossed aside for a new idea. See, I thought the reason they couldn't escape the loop was because Nathan was still alive, and they had to go back to rescue him. There were signs, foreshadowing, leads... I thought that was the event the whole story circulated around; Grace, or God, or the aboriginals, or the land itself was angry about the murders, had protected Nathan (the only confirmation of his death was that John shot into the hole and a deep, almost black liquid came pouring out, which I suspected was the same that Rosie later dug into), and now it had trapped these people there so that they might save his life.
This was apparently not the case, as Nathan was never spoken of again. Instead there was basically no justice as most of the characters lost their lives before John was even suspected of the murders (which seemed weird; why dwell so much on Alec but not consider John, with his haggard appearance and reclusive behavior, for even an instance?). And the bit where he picked up Mongrel and threw him at Dell without anyone seeing him before hand? That seems extremely farfetched. He was a relatively big dog from how he was spoken about, 40-50lbs. Dead weight, it would be impossible for a sleep deprived, food deprived man of average build to chuck this dog's body more than a foot.
Another issue I found was that some characters seemed utterly pointless. You know who I'm talking about. Ambrosia, or whatever the blonde rich dumbass's name was, and Georgie? What was the point of these two, exactly? What did they contribute to the story? Nothing. Nothing at all.
Now let's talk about the ending. The family and Alec, the only survivors out of our wayward bunch, drove on fumes and then bam, they're found by an officer and the book is over --- aside from a strange cryptic prologue that frankly, I didn't understand at all.
*sigh*
Here's how it should have gone.
After driving on the gore, everyone should have gotten suspicious. That's just not normal. Gore as far as the eye can see, people aren't just like, "teehee, let's take another road!" They should have connected the dots about John (especially since Mongrel wouldn't stop barking at him -- C'MON!), who then should have been held at gunpoint until he spilled his guts. Half of the group should have returned for Nathan who indeed was alive while the other half stayed with John, then the funky fly and muck monster could have come about and killed everyone who did not return to the ranch or all but one (maybe sparing Alec) who would then realize the key to escape would be to kill John, which he would do, and bam, creepy loop would be lifted, John would be dead, they'd have saved the kid, the spirits would be happy, and you now have a fulfilling ending and a sentiment rich story.
I suppose this isn't so much a review as it is a rant. I just hate when I'm really loving a book, and the ending disappoints so drastically by having almost no meaning. Where was the substance? The ending it got was far too obvious. There were no twists aside from a few senseless, unrealistic deaths.
I'd still recommend the book, but warn that the journey is far better than the destination.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2018
This book needed some severe editing. So many characters, so many back stories, so little point. If you like gory horror films that are so bad they're funny, then this book is for you. If you enjoy suspenseful dialog such as "OH MY GOD!" and "WHAT? WHAT IS IT?" then this book is for you. If you're not fussed about plot holes or minor details like things actually making sense, then this book is also for you. I listened to The Road on audiobook, on an actual road trip, so that was enjoyable. One star.
September 21, 2025
There did not need to be such horrible abuse of dogs in this book.
I found the book an easy read and would have rated it a lot higher if not for the needlessly graphic horrors that happened to every single dog.
Also the fate of the original kid never is resolved.
I found the book an easy read and would have rated it a lot higher if not for the needlessly graphic horrors that happened to every single dog.
Also the fate of the original kid never is resolved.
November 19, 2025
I really struggled to keep motivated to get through this book. It is far longer than the meagre plot can support and is bereft of and inspiration. It is about a road but there is no description of the road, its surrounding or features. Happy to be done with it.
December 2, 2024
Gruesomely scary, and beautifully executed by Jinks. A fabulous blend of the real and the supernatural, with thriller twists aplenty set in outback Australia.
A great read.
A great read.
September 21, 2025
disappointed
September 22, 2025
As a long haul specialist who has experienced these time warps in the deep bush, this book was chillingly awesome. Couldn’t put it down. Loved the detail. Bloody awesome 🤙🏽🤙🏽
October 11, 2012
I've read a couple other Catherine Jinks books, and this is my favorite yet. Very suspenseful, very gory - my jaw dropped at times because she went places I really didn't think she would go. The pipe section? My blood ran cold. This book honestly reminded me of a lighter Stephen King, the way she slowly built up the tension and how natural the reactions were. I can honestly see him writing something like this, and to me, that's high praise. (Say what you want about his grammar - he writes people and suspense better than any writer I've yet to experience.)
With this book, she's proven she can write for young adults and adults, she can write about vampires and non-vampires, and from what I've read of her Evil Genius trilogy, she can also do humor and has some really wicked takes on different things. An author worth keeping an eye on.
With this book, she's proven she can write for young adults and adults, she can write about vampires and non-vampires, and from what I've read of her Evil Genius trilogy, she can also do humor and has some really wicked takes on different things. An author worth keeping an eye on.
October 15, 2015
This is the first book by Catherine Jinks I have read and I wasn't sure if I'd like this novel but if turned out I loved it. This was well written, very creepy, scary and eerie.I don't usually read supernatural novels or the paranormal anymore but I'm certainly glad I read "The Road". I loved all the characters in this spooky story and eccentric old Dell was definitely a HOOT.You can really identity with all these wonderful characters I felt like I knew them.This eerie tale could turn anyone off going anywhere near Broken Hill and keep well away from the strange and cursed Silver City Highway. But I have to say what became of Grace's son Nathan❤❤❤
October 19, 2014
Based upon an old Aboriginal tale, this book details the events that befall a group of individuals that find themselves trapped on a road through the Outback, unable to reach their destinations.
I found the main characters quite interesting and well developed. Writing quality was merely adequate. The story at times was quite suspenseful, but the ending was a bit of a letdown and rather predictable. I was drawn to this book for the supernatural element but was a little disappointed in that regard.
I found the main characters quite interesting and well developed. Writing quality was merely adequate. The story at times was quite suspenseful, but the ending was a bit of a letdown and rather predictable. I was drawn to this book for the supernatural element but was a little disappointed in that regard.
March 11, 2011
Brilliant read. It builds the suspense in a wonderful way, nothing too over the top but a growing sense of uneasiness. The mix of characters and responses is also perfectly handled. An absolute pleasure to read and wonderful to see Catherine Jinks again exploring Australian mythology in a modern setting.
September 14, 2012
Gripping but gory. The plot is based on an Aboriginal story (and because I only listened to the book, I can't spell the name). It is all set over a couple of days on the Silver City highway between Broken Hill and Mildura. Quite scary, so not ideal for bedtime listening.
April 30, 2007
This book is a real page turner, and its a pleasure to read a real suspense book set in Australia. It was hard to put The Road down.
March 8, 2013
This was shocking and terrifying, and I had to get up & check the doors & windows were locked!
Read
May 30, 2016This book was spell binding, one of the best horror stories I have ever read, couldn't put it down until I had finished it. Excellent read must read more of her books thanks.
March 27, 2017
Very atmospheric, a fantastic sense of place that any Aussie will recognize well. Seems more dated than it is - feels like it was set in the mid-90s instead of the mid-00s with the lack of mobile phones and the overt racism.
I disliked that the adult female characters - with the exception of Del - were all pigeonholed as stereotypes. The nagging shrill wife/mother, the doormat older housewife, the incompetent selfish brat, the abused wife. The male characters all had more nuanced portrayals of their character. Del was the only female character who contained any surprises. Linda almost had a breakout moment when she threw the kerosene at the end, but that lasted all of 30 seconds.
I also had deep concerns about the way the villain was portrayed. He was a domestic abuser. Grace never mentioned anything to make us question his mental state or grip on reality. And then all of a sudden he actually is a mass murderer with no grip on reality and believes grace is a witch causing all his woes through aboriginal magic? Doesn't seem to make sense to me.
Also, domestic abusers are awful enough without trying to demonise mental illness or blame domestic abuse on a bad mental state or paranoid delusions.
I disliked that the adult female characters - with the exception of Del - were all pigeonholed as stereotypes. The nagging shrill wife/mother, the doormat older housewife, the incompetent selfish brat, the abused wife. The male characters all had more nuanced portrayals of their character. Del was the only female character who contained any surprises. Linda almost had a breakout moment when she threw the kerosene at the end, but that lasted all of 30 seconds.
I also had deep concerns about the way the villain was portrayed. He was a domestic abuser. Grace never mentioned anything to make us question his mental state or grip on reality. And then all of a sudden he actually is a mass murderer with no grip on reality and believes grace is a witch causing all his woes through aboriginal magic? Doesn't seem to make sense to me.
Also, domestic abusers are awful enough without trying to demonise mental illness or blame domestic abuse on a bad mental state or paranoid delusions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews