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Billy McBride #1
Only Killers and Thieves
Two adolescent brothers are exposed to the brutal realities of life and the seductive cruelty of power after a tragedy shatters their family in this riveting debut novel—a story of savagery and race, injustice and honor set in the untamed frontier of 1880s Australia—reminiscent of Philipp Meyer’s The Son and the novels of Cormac McCarthy
An epic Western, a tough coming-of-age story, and a tension-laden tale of survival, Only Killers and Thieves is a gripping and utterly transporting debut that brings to vivid life a colonial Australian frontier that bears a striking resemblance to the American West in its formative years.
It is 1885 and the McBride family are trying to survive a crippling drought that is slowly eroding their lives and hopes: their cattle are starved, and the family can no longer purchase the supplies they need on their depleted credit. When the rain finally comes, it’s a miracle. For a moment, the scrubland flourishes and the remote swimming hole fills. Returning home from an afternoon swim, fourteen-year-old Tommy and sixteen-year-old Billy McBride discover a scene of heartbreaking carnage: their dogs dead in the yard, their hardworking father and mother shot to death, and their precocious younger sister unconscious and severely bleeding from a wound to her gut. The boys believe the killer is their former Aboriginal stockman, and, desperate to save Mary, they rush her to John Sullivan, the wealthiest landowner in the region and their father’s former employer, who promises to take care of them.
Eager for retribution, the distraught brothers fall sway to Sullivan, who persuades them to join his posse led by the Queensland Native Police, an infamous arm of British colonial power whose sole purpose is the “dispersal” of indigenous Australians to “protect” settler rights. The group is led by the intimidating inspector Edmund Noone, a dangerous and pragmatic officer whose intellect and ruthlessness both fascinates and unnerves the watchful Tommy. Riding for days across the barren outback, the group is determined to find the perpetrators they insist are guilty, for reasons neither of the brothers truly understands. It is a harsh and horrifying journey that will have a devastating impact on Tommy, tormenting him for the rest of his life—and hold enduring consequences for a young country struggling to come into its own.
Set in a period of Australian and British history as raw and relevant as that of the wild frontier of nineteenth-century America, Only Killers and Thieves is an unforgettable story of family, guilt, empire, race, manhood, and faith that combines the insightfulness of Philipp Meyer’s The Son with the atmospheric beauty of Amanda Coplin’s The Orchardist and the raw storytelling power of Ian McGuire’s The North Water.
An epic Western, a tough coming-of-age story, and a tension-laden tale of survival, Only Killers and Thieves is a gripping and utterly transporting debut that brings to vivid life a colonial Australian frontier that bears a striking resemblance to the American West in its formative years.
It is 1885 and the McBride family are trying to survive a crippling drought that is slowly eroding their lives and hopes: their cattle are starved, and the family can no longer purchase the supplies they need on their depleted credit. When the rain finally comes, it’s a miracle. For a moment, the scrubland flourishes and the remote swimming hole fills. Returning home from an afternoon swim, fourteen-year-old Tommy and sixteen-year-old Billy McBride discover a scene of heartbreaking carnage: their dogs dead in the yard, their hardworking father and mother shot to death, and their precocious younger sister unconscious and severely bleeding from a wound to her gut. The boys believe the killer is their former Aboriginal stockman, and, desperate to save Mary, they rush her to John Sullivan, the wealthiest landowner in the region and their father’s former employer, who promises to take care of them.
Eager for retribution, the distraught brothers fall sway to Sullivan, who persuades them to join his posse led by the Queensland Native Police, an infamous arm of British colonial power whose sole purpose is the “dispersal” of indigenous Australians to “protect” settler rights. The group is led by the intimidating inspector Edmund Noone, a dangerous and pragmatic officer whose intellect and ruthlessness both fascinates and unnerves the watchful Tommy. Riding for days across the barren outback, the group is determined to find the perpetrators they insist are guilty, for reasons neither of the brothers truly understands. It is a harsh and horrifying journey that will have a devastating impact on Tommy, tormenting him for the rest of his life—and hold enduring consequences for a young country struggling to come into its own.
Set in a period of Australian and British history as raw and relevant as that of the wild frontier of nineteenth-century America, Only Killers and Thieves is an unforgettable story of family, guilt, empire, race, manhood, and faith that combines the insightfulness of Philipp Meyer’s The Son with the atmospheric beauty of Amanda Coplin’s The Orchardist and the raw storytelling power of Ian McGuire’s The North Water.
325 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2018
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6983 people want to read
About the author
Paul Howarth
4 books169 followersPaul 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, was published in Summer 2021 to starred reviews by Kirkus and Publishers Weekly, and was named a Book of the Month by both the Times and Sunday Times.
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August 28, 2025
The guilt is collective, the responsibility shared. In a hundred years no one will even remember what happened here and certainly no one will care. History is forgetting. Afterward we write the account, the account becomes truth, and we tell ourselves it has always been this way, that others were responsible, that there was nothing we could have done.Australia, 1885, drought-stricken central Queensland. The McBrides struggle to scratch a living from their parcel of land, raising bony cattle, and listening, always listening for the siren song of rain. Tommy (14) and Billy (16) are out hunting a bit too far afield, for something, anything, to add to the family menu when they see the local bigshot, John Sullivan, his assistant, and some native troopers engaged in a nefarious activity. The boys’ father had warned them about staying away from Sullivan’s land. But their witness sparks a tragic sequence of events that leads the boys on a life-altering quest for vengeance, led by none other than the untrustworthy Mr. Sullivan.
Colonial Oz has a lot in common with the westward expansion of the United States. Not least among these similarities are a sere landscape, and thus challenges for any seeking to make a living from the land, and the inconvenient presence of prior inhabitants. As in the USA, the locals did not fare well once the invaders set their sights on their turf. The “dispersal” of the native people is a core element of Only Killers and Thieves.
Paul Howarth (and two close associates) - image from his FB page
The chief baddie here is John Sullivan, the largest local landowner, a person with no limits to his avarice and no moral qualms to guide his actions. He has brought in a team of Native Mounted Police, led by the frightening but intriguing Inspector Edmund Noone. Cop? Bounty hunter? Horseman of the apocalypse? Whatever. You do not get in this man’s way.
A crime is committed, evidence suggesting the perpetrator might be an erstwhile native employee of the McBrides. Sullivan and Noone lead a group of troopers and the two boys in pursuit.
Australia is a vast place, fodder for the imagination, like ancient maps that filled in unexplored parts of the blue with “There be dragons here.”
Father had a surveyor’s map showing their selection and the surrounding land, everything to the north, south, or east. The lines only went so far west then faded into nothingness; the interior blank.A place where one comes face to face with physical challenges, a venue in which hard moral choices must be made, and where character, one’s personal unknown interior, is both sculpted and revealed. The landscape is a character here. It has moods and expresses itself dramatically. A dark god perhaps rendering judgment on the acts of men with sand storms that can kill in diverse way. The land also serves as a powerful external manifestation of emotional turmoil.
“Might have only dust in it,” Locke said. “We could ride right through.”Like Cormac McCarthy, Howarth intertwines scenes of extreme horror with writing that is rapturous.
“Or might not,” Noone replied. “Might be a sandstorm, blind the horses, strip the skin from your bones. You’re welcome to stay, Raymond. Please do. But the rest of you, back to that shit-pile of a house we found this afternoon.
Locke began protesting but Noone didn’t wait. He turned his horse sharply, gave it both spurs; the horse bared its teeth and took off like it had been shot. Noone didn’t check who was following, though all of them did. Pushing their horses desperately, frantic backward glances as they rode. Tiny little figures on the darkening plain, the wall of earth behind them, its shadows lengthening, swallowing all before it, and gaining. Like the advance of the end of the world.
But all the imagery and content would be for nothing if we did not care about Tommy McBride. A decent young man put into indecent situations. You will love him and feel for the moral torment he endures as he works through his doubts in struggling mightily to find truth, and follow the righteous path. He is forced by dire events to grow up in a hurry.
Four days ago the world had been one way, now it was twisted another way around. He couldn’t get his bearings. Didn’t know for certain where anyone stood. What he’d always taken as definite now felt flaky as the soil on the ground.As Tommy binds us to the story, it is Edmund Noone who captures our attention. He is an extremely dark presence, but shows moments of perception and humanity, seeing Tommy’s talents, and the failings of others. All heads turn when Noone crosses the page. He personifies the cold genocidal brutality of the west invading aboriginal Australia, carrying out the dispersal campaign through which natives were massacred, mirroring the annihilation of native peoples in the USA. This is the core point of the book. He presents his case to Tommy as stripped down truth, reminiscent of CCA Chairman Arthur Jensen reading the riot act to Howard Beale in the stunning film, Network, although with a more outback wardrobe, fewer words, and a lot less bombast. (I hear it delivered as slow burn, a la Clint Eastwood, through gritted teeth, rather than the Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God blast of the Network scene.)
“Listen,” Noone said. “Listen to me now. I’m going to tell you what will happen if we were to let that man live. He will hate us. Not only you and I personally, but all white men. He will become like a tick on the back of a beautiful horse, biting and gnawing and burrowing into the very fabric of this country we are trying to build. He will hunt us, all of us, we will never be safe in our homes. Your families, should you have them, will not be safe. Your children, your grandchildren, will not be safe. Remember, he will breed also. He will produce a dozen heirs, all with his hatred in their blood.There are plenty of other works this book calls to mind. Lonesome Dove for the moral challenges and struggle with responsibility, Cormac McCarthy’s various works for their depiction of western violence and violation, and their richness of language, and The Son for its epic depiction of the savage displacement of one civilization by an invading other.
It is a powerful and moving portrayal of a very dark period in Australian, in human history. I cannot say how much attention this period and these atrocities receive in the local history books, but if that telling is in short supply, I hope that this book will help revive the memory. It is a time that should never be forgotten, an era of criminality on which a future was constructed. That it is Paul Howarth’s first novel is amazing, encouraging us to look forward to many future triumphs from him. Only Killers and Thieves is the first great book of 2018. You must read this.
Review – September 22, 2017
Published – February 6, 2018
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s Twitter and FB pages, although the FB page does not appear to have been updated since 2014. I expect there to be some on-line updating as publication date approaches.
My review of the sequel to this novel, Dust off the Bones
A local magazine is referenced both in the epigram and by one of the characters being a regular reader. If you get a hankering to see what The Queenslander looked like, issues from the way back have been digitized and can be seen here.
An interesting wiki on the Australian Native Police
A fascinating article from The Guardian by Clarissa Sebag-Montefiore on Horror in the outback: Jane Harper, Charlotte Wood and the landscape of fear
You might also pick up a few words new to non-Australian eyes and ears. Bunyip, coolibah and bilby pop to mind.
April 1, 2018
Only Killers and Thieves by Paul Howarth is a 2018 Harper publication.
Absorbing coming of age tale of two brothers who took different paths in the harsh scrublands of Australia in the 1800’s-
When Billy and Tommy find their parents brutally murdered and their sister barely clinging to life, they make an uneasy bargain with the rich landowner, their father had not trusted, to hunt down the man accused of killing their family.
There is a horrible backstory that leads up this chain of events, as the boy witnessed something they probably shouldn’t have, which involved racism, and outright cruelty. Now they find themselves aligned with those same people on a quest that fuels their hate filled agenda.
The journey will prove to be a hard one, where both boys will take a side, one will follow the corrupt path, believing himself superior, stronger, and determined to get his share of the pie, while the other will follow his heart, his own moral code and his principles, refusing to sacrifice his convictions, even though his feelings forge a wedge between them.
The Australian landscape, the dry, parched land, creates a harsh backdrop that sets the mood and tone of the story perfectly. This coming of age tale is a poignant story, as well as one steeped in historical details, and examines the brutal realities indigenous Aborigines suffered through at the hands of white men who felt themselves superior, smarter, and entitled.
The story is quite violent and not for the faint of heart. There are several intensely uncomfortable passages in the book, that offended my sensitive nature, forcing me to put the book aside from time to time.
I can’t remember how or why this book caught my attention, but at some point, I’d put it on hold on it at the library. I can only guess that someone recommended it to me or I added it because of my love of historical fiction. However, this book also falls into the western category, which I have read sparingly and is certainly not a genre I would have chosen ordinarily.
However, the story is very thought provoking, and despite the brutal nature of the tale, is very absorbing, and suspenseful. Tommy is a character I found myself worrying over and wishing I could reach through the pages and give him a word of encouragement or maybe a little motherly nurturing. It’s too bad we have more people in this world who think like his brother, but that makes Tommy stand out all the more, and in my book, he was a true hero.
The story well written, very vivid and realistic, and a very impressive debut novel!
4.5 stars
Absorbing coming of age tale of two brothers who took different paths in the harsh scrublands of Australia in the 1800’s-
When Billy and Tommy find their parents brutally murdered and their sister barely clinging to life, they make an uneasy bargain with the rich landowner, their father had not trusted, to hunt down the man accused of killing their family.
There is a horrible backstory that leads up this chain of events, as the boy witnessed something they probably shouldn’t have, which involved racism, and outright cruelty. Now they find themselves aligned with those same people on a quest that fuels their hate filled agenda.
The journey will prove to be a hard one, where both boys will take a side, one will follow the corrupt path, believing himself superior, stronger, and determined to get his share of the pie, while the other will follow his heart, his own moral code and his principles, refusing to sacrifice his convictions, even though his feelings forge a wedge between them.
The Australian landscape, the dry, parched land, creates a harsh backdrop that sets the mood and tone of the story perfectly. This coming of age tale is a poignant story, as well as one steeped in historical details, and examines the brutal realities indigenous Aborigines suffered through at the hands of white men who felt themselves superior, smarter, and entitled.
The story is quite violent and not for the faint of heart. There are several intensely uncomfortable passages in the book, that offended my sensitive nature, forcing me to put the book aside from time to time.
I can’t remember how or why this book caught my attention, but at some point, I’d put it on hold on it at the library. I can only guess that someone recommended it to me or I added it because of my love of historical fiction. However, this book also falls into the western category, which I have read sparingly and is certainly not a genre I would have chosen ordinarily.
However, the story is very thought provoking, and despite the brutal nature of the tale, is very absorbing, and suspenseful. Tommy is a character I found myself worrying over and wishing I could reach through the pages and give him a word of encouragement or maybe a little motherly nurturing. It’s too bad we have more people in this world who think like his brother, but that makes Tommy stand out all the more, and in my book, he was a true hero.
The story well written, very vivid and realistic, and a very impressive debut novel!
4.5 stars
May 25, 2020
One of those novels which make me pause and take a break while reading ...
It is a story which shows the cold-blooded policy towards the Aborignes in the 1880s called 'dispersal' which actually was annihilation under any disguise available.
This is coming-of-age fiction with two brothers, Tommy and Billy McBride, aged 14 and 16, whose family are murdered and who at some point have to choose which side they are on, is a gut-wrenching, harrowing, terrifying and graphic tale about dominance, greed and pure hatred towards the indigenous population of Australia.
If you want to read just one novel on this subject, choose Only Killers and Thieves. A debut that will stay with you ...
It is a story which shows the cold-blooded policy towards the Aborignes in the 1880s called 'dispersal' which actually was annihilation under any disguise available.
This is coming-of-age fiction with two brothers, Tommy and Billy McBride, aged 14 and 16, whose family are murdered and who at some point have to choose which side they are on, is a gut-wrenching, harrowing, terrifying and graphic tale about dominance, greed and pure hatred towards the indigenous population of Australia.
If you want to read just one novel on this subject, choose Only Killers and Thieves. A debut that will stay with you ...
February 1, 2023
Why I chose to read this book:
1. after reading some of my GR friends' intriguing reviews, I added it to my WTR list; and,
2. January 2023 is my self-appointed "Books That Come From a Land Down Under Month".
Praises:
1. author Paul Howarth's debut novel is truly a masterpiece! He has skillfully captured the nuances of his characters, the atmospheric setting of the Australian Outback, and an intense plot that took a hard-to-stomach but believable path;
2. I could empathize with MC Tommy McBride as he struggles with the injustices of the rampant racism towards the Australian Aborigines in the late 1800s, even though several of his family members were brutally murdered. I felt his confliction about the dishonesty and intense hatred emanating from others, especially his brother, Billy. Too much guilt for an adult to handle, never mind a 14-year-old boy; and,
3. I did have my suspicions about the true culprits' identities, but I had some questions that needed to be answered - and they were to my satisfaction.
Niggles:
Couldn't find a one!
Overall Thoughts:
"Men fear that which is alien, that which they cannot control."
This quote speaks to the essence of this story. It's so heartbreaking how easily children are swayed by the prejudices of their elders. A powerful read about misplaced hate, greed, regret and conscience.
Recommendation?
This book is not for everyone as it contains extreme violence. If Australia's dark history, especially about the "dispersal" of the Aborigines, intrigues you, then I highly recommend this well-written novel!
1. after reading some of my GR friends' intriguing reviews, I added it to my WTR list; and,
2. January 2023 is my self-appointed "Books That Come From a Land Down Under Month".
Praises:
1. author Paul Howarth's debut novel is truly a masterpiece! He has skillfully captured the nuances of his characters, the atmospheric setting of the Australian Outback, and an intense plot that took a hard-to-stomach but believable path;
2. I could empathize with MC Tommy McBride as he struggles with the injustices of the rampant racism towards the Australian Aborigines in the late 1800s, even though several of his family members were brutally murdered. I felt his confliction about the dishonesty and intense hatred emanating from others, especially his brother, Billy. Too much guilt for an adult to handle, never mind a 14-year-old boy; and,
3. I did have my suspicions about the true culprits' identities, but I had some questions that needed to be answered - and they were to my satisfaction.
Niggles:
Couldn't find a one!
Overall Thoughts:
"Men fear that which is alien, that which they cannot control."
This quote speaks to the essence of this story. It's so heartbreaking how easily children are swayed by the prejudices of their elders. A powerful read about misplaced hate, greed, regret and conscience.
Recommendation?
This book is not for everyone as it contains extreme violence. If Australia's dark history, especially about the "dispersal" of the Aborigines, intrigues you, then I highly recommend this well-written novel!
February 5, 2021
“We first crush people to the earth, and then claim the right of trampling on them forever, because they are prostrate.”
― Lydia Maria Child
An Australian story set in 1885 depicting brutality, racism, and vengeance. Many sections of this book are hard to read. That said, the writing style and tension were incredibly well done and compulsively readable. It is a period in Australian history as violent as the American frontier portrayed in Philipp Meyer’s novel, The Son, which was compared to this story. Both share epic themes of power, white vigilantism, and land with unlikeable and deeply flawed personalities. I enjoyed this novel much more because the author focused on two very fascinating and complex characters.
Tommy McBride and his brother Billy come to believe their family was murdered by an Aboriginal employee and they seek assistance from the local land baron, John Sullivan. Unlike his immature and violent older brother Billy, Tommy is a complicated young man tormented with mixed feelings of revenge for the murder of his family and haunted with guilt over his actions toward a tribe of indigenous people.
While Tommy is a character whose goodness shines through even in this dark and violent novel, Inspector Edmund Noone is his antithesis and the most fascinating character in this story. He and his posse lead the McBride brothers into the Australian outback (allegedly) to take revenge on the Aboriginal employee of their family.
Noone is well-read and his soft-spoken and brilliant personality contrasts with his venomous and cunning persona. He was complicated, and so well-written that I was absolutely mesmerized despite his monstrous behavior.
The novel is as brutal as the harsh, isolating and unforgiving elements of the Queensland landscape, also a character in this story. It is a blunt, difficult book, but a rewarding one.
― Lydia Maria Child
An Australian story set in 1885 depicting brutality, racism, and vengeance. Many sections of this book are hard to read. That said, the writing style and tension were incredibly well done and compulsively readable. It is a period in Australian history as violent as the American frontier portrayed in Philipp Meyer’s novel, The Son, which was compared to this story. Both share epic themes of power, white vigilantism, and land with unlikeable and deeply flawed personalities. I enjoyed this novel much more because the author focused on two very fascinating and complex characters.
Tommy McBride and his brother Billy come to believe their family was murdered by an Aboriginal employee and they seek assistance from the local land baron, John Sullivan. Unlike his immature and violent older brother Billy, Tommy is a complicated young man tormented with mixed feelings of revenge for the murder of his family and haunted with guilt over his actions toward a tribe of indigenous people.
While Tommy is a character whose goodness shines through even in this dark and violent novel, Inspector Edmund Noone is his antithesis and the most fascinating character in this story. He and his posse lead the McBride brothers into the Australian outback (allegedly) to take revenge on the Aboriginal employee of their family.
Noone is well-read and his soft-spoken and brilliant personality contrasts with his venomous and cunning persona. He was complicated, and so well-written that I was absolutely mesmerized despite his monstrous behavior.
The novel is as brutal as the harsh, isolating and unforgiving elements of the Queensland landscape, also a character in this story. It is a blunt, difficult book, but a rewarding one.
May 1, 2020
This book is a coming of age story, a western, a depiction of Australia's racist past and a really good book. Blurbs generally oversell, but in this case I believe that the comparison of this book to the work of Philipp Meyer and Cormac McCarthy is justified, although I liked this book a lot more than I liked "The Son" by Meyer.
In 1885 Tommy (14) and Billy (16) McBride live on a Queensland cattle ranch with their sister Mary (11) and their parents. They are in the midst of a drought and their cattle are starving and worthless, the family's credit is used up and the father has a fraught relationship with their wealthy neighbor John Sullivan who has managed to amass most of the land in the area. Sullivan has a teenaged wife who is more possession than wife. The McBrides have only two Aborigines workers left, long-time employee Arthur and the new hire Joseph. During a cattle muster, the men encounter the lynched remains of two Aborigines from Joseph's clan and he leaves the McBrides, after an argument, to tend to their burial. Shortly thereafter, the boys come home to discover the dead bodies of their parents, their wounded sister and Joseph's gun which is left at the scene.
Billy lies and says that he saw not only Joseph but a group of Aborigines fleeing from the crime scene. This damning statement is the catalyst for a manhunt consisting of the sadistic Inspector Noone, who is in charge of native police troops, Sullivan and the McBride brothers. Sullivan and Noone have reasons for their actions that are unrelated to the McBride murders. The group goes on a spree of killing and raping the natives they encounter along their way to Joseph's clan. This is a story of unbelievable cruelty, violence, greed and bigotry. Almost everyone in this book is detestable, with the most significant exception being Tommy. Tommy and Billy return from the rampage physically and emotionally damaged, estranged from each other and vulnerable to further treachery. A somewhat satisfying example of rough justice is eventually meted out. The book concludes with a coda set in 1904. It's a very credible ending to the story.
Tommy, Billy, Noone and Sullivan are all interesting characters. This is the second book I've read this month about Australia's past and this one was much more direct about it. It's hard to believe that this is the first book by this author. It was a very compelling and well written book. I'd be happy to read anything else he writes.
In 1885 Tommy (14) and Billy (16) McBride live on a Queensland cattle ranch with their sister Mary (11) and their parents. They are in the midst of a drought and their cattle are starving and worthless, the family's credit is used up and the father has a fraught relationship with their wealthy neighbor John Sullivan who has managed to amass most of the land in the area. Sullivan has a teenaged wife who is more possession than wife. The McBrides have only two Aborigines workers left, long-time employee Arthur and the new hire Joseph. During a cattle muster, the men encounter the lynched remains of two Aborigines from Joseph's clan and he leaves the McBrides, after an argument, to tend to their burial. Shortly thereafter, the boys come home to discover the dead bodies of their parents, their wounded sister and Joseph's gun which is left at the scene.
Billy lies and says that he saw not only Joseph but a group of Aborigines fleeing from the crime scene. This damning statement is the catalyst for a manhunt consisting of the sadistic Inspector Noone, who is in charge of native police troops, Sullivan and the McBride brothers. Sullivan and Noone have reasons for their actions that are unrelated to the McBride murders. The group goes on a spree of killing and raping the natives they encounter along their way to Joseph's clan. This is a story of unbelievable cruelty, violence, greed and bigotry. Almost everyone in this book is detestable, with the most significant exception being Tommy. Tommy and Billy return from the rampage physically and emotionally damaged, estranged from each other and vulnerable to further treachery. A somewhat satisfying example of rough justice is eventually meted out. The book concludes with a coda set in 1904. It's a very credible ending to the story.
Tommy, Billy, Noone and Sullivan are all interesting characters. This is the second book I've read this month about Australia's past and this one was much more direct about it. It's hard to believe that this is the first book by this author. It was a very compelling and well written book. I'd be happy to read anything else he writes.
August 22, 2018
"We're on our own, Tommy. There ain't no God out here."
Two brothers, growing up during a time of turmoil in 1885 Australia. The land is harsh, the climate unforgiving. Their indigenous neighbors are considered to be less than human, and destined for "dispersal."
"These natives . . . they've the Devil in them, Tommy, they're naught but killers and thieves."
This book is not for the faint of heart; there are trigger warnings galore: rape, the liberal use of the N- and C-words, and one horrific chapter where the author pulls no punches in describing the utter slaughter of innocents. It is hard to read, and at the same time, hard to put down. Howarth's writing is sublime; it's difficult to believe this is a first novel.
With his hand raised against the glare he staggered along the front path, past the stocks and the sound of whipcracks and the screams of dying men . . . and women screaming also, babies crying, gunshot after gunshot and bodies falling down, down, down.
Two brothers, growing up during a time of turmoil in 1885 Australia. The land is harsh, the climate unforgiving. Their indigenous neighbors are considered to be less than human, and destined for "dispersal."
"These natives . . . they've the Devil in them, Tommy, they're naught but killers and thieves."
This book is not for the faint of heart; there are trigger warnings galore: rape, the liberal use of the N- and C-words, and one horrific chapter where the author pulls no punches in describing the utter slaughter of innocents. It is hard to read, and at the same time, hard to put down. Howarth's writing is sublime; it's difficult to believe this is a first novel.
With his hand raised against the glare he staggered along the front path, past the stocks and the sound of whipcracks and the screams of dying men . . . and women screaming also, babies crying, gunshot after gunshot and bodies falling down, down, down.
November 14, 2017
Oh my. Where should I begin? Perhaps here: it is not yet 2018 and this book has already earned a secure place on my Best of 2018 list. It is a searing indictment of racism, and injustice, a glowing tribute to the part of us that struggles to remain human in the worst of circumstances, and a riveting testimony to the power of the writer.
I’ve seen this book compared to Philipp Meyer’s The Son and the works of Cormac McCarthy, but to me, the most apt comparison is to Richard Flanagan’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Like Flanagan’s book, this one is savagely beautiful and tells a tale of how one young man comes of age, only to discover all he has lost. I loved Narrow Road so coming from me, this is high praise indeed.
Only Killers and Thieves takes place in the nineteenth-century Australia. where two brothers in their mid teens, Billy and Tommy, arrive home to discover a tragedy of senseless proportions. Not knowing where to turn, they rely the only person they know who they believe can help them — John Sullivan, a ruthless and wealthy landowner, who is determined to help them get the revenge they seek. Together with Inspector Noone and his Native Queensland Police, their aim is nothing short of the genocide of the native Kurrong tribe. And these men without a conscience will do everything in their power to use the young brothers’ personal tragedy to their own despicable ends.
Paul Howarth – I can’t believe he is a debut writer – refuses to sugarcoat his story, and some of the scenes are so brutal and heartbreaking that I actually needed to pause and catch my breath. The exploration of how Tommy, the more sensitive of the two brothers, undergoes his journey into his personal heart of darkness is wrenching and real.
The key theme – the development of Tommy’s moral core and conscience – is stunningly rendered and harkens back to the old question: what makes us human? How do we sustain a sense of empathy and righteousness when our society enfolds us into an umbrella of collective guilt? As Paul Howarth writes, “The only question is the individual’s willingness to act. The rest is veneer, formality, perception…words.”
This is an astoundingly good book and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to be an early reader. It is not a book I will forget anytime
I’ve seen this book compared to Philipp Meyer’s The Son and the works of Cormac McCarthy, but to me, the most apt comparison is to Richard Flanagan’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Like Flanagan’s book, this one is savagely beautiful and tells a tale of how one young man comes of age, only to discover all he has lost. I loved Narrow Road so coming from me, this is high praise indeed.
Only Killers and Thieves takes place in the nineteenth-century Australia. where two brothers in their mid teens, Billy and Tommy, arrive home to discover a tragedy of senseless proportions. Not knowing where to turn, they rely the only person they know who they believe can help them — John Sullivan, a ruthless and wealthy landowner, who is determined to help them get the revenge they seek. Together with Inspector Noone and his Native Queensland Police, their aim is nothing short of the genocide of the native Kurrong tribe. And these men without a conscience will do everything in their power to use the young brothers’ personal tragedy to their own despicable ends.
Paul Howarth – I can’t believe he is a debut writer – refuses to sugarcoat his story, and some of the scenes are so brutal and heartbreaking that I actually needed to pause and catch my breath. The exploration of how Tommy, the more sensitive of the two brothers, undergoes his journey into his personal heart of darkness is wrenching and real.
The key theme – the development of Tommy’s moral core and conscience – is stunningly rendered and harkens back to the old question: what makes us human? How do we sustain a sense of empathy and righteousness when our society enfolds us into an umbrella of collective guilt? As Paul Howarth writes, “The only question is the individual’s willingness to act. The rest is veneer, formality, perception…words.”
This is an astoundingly good book and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to be an early reader. It is not a book I will forget anytime
July 29, 2018
This gritty, brutal book set in late 1800s Australia by Paul Howarth was intense. And well-written.
This novel has been compared to Philipp Meyers’s THE SON (which I loved), but I’m not sure it’s a truly accurate comparison. Yes, there are parallels to the horrible treatment and ‘displacement’ of Aboriginal people in Australia vs. the same treatment of Native American Indians in the United States around the same time. Both have an ‘old west’ feel to them with uncharted territories as the backdrop. And there are settlers and greed and bigotry and genocide. And while Howarth’s writing is lovely and descriptive of the Australian plains, it is not quite as florid and dense as Meyers’s. That said, it stands on its own as solid, sensory writing that placed me squarely in the saddle with our young protagonist, Tommy, 14-going-on-15.
Samples:
The whole bush smelled ready to burn. Dust blew in rivulets between the clutches of scrub and slid in great sheets over open ground.
---
His skin was stretched tightly over his cheekbones, and his eyes were soft and milky, no color in them at all, fogged like a lantern whose wick has burned out.
---
It rained for three full days, then in the sunshine of the fourth the earth steamed like it burned. Blankets of smoke rising and drifting across the ground, the air moist and close and fresh. The buildings creaked and ticked.
---
Howarth shines in his characterization of the young narrator, Tommy, as he takes us deep into the boy’s personal struggles after tragedy strikes his family. This book is, at its core, a story of moral struggle. And it is so. Well. Done. But those with squeamish stomachs may be warned that there is brutality in this book – no sugar-coating, and most likely, pure, unabashed reality when it comes to the savagery against Aboriginal natives (including women and children). Many scenes are not easy to read. And because of that, we ache alongside Tommy.
It is not lost on the reader, the author's deliberate decision to name one of the bad guys Mr. Noone (and may have you pondering just why it was such an excellent choice).
I am not generally a fan of books with young narrators, but Howarth proves adept at inhabiting the mind of just-turned-teen Tommy. This is character-driven fiction (with many heart-pumping scenes of action) at its best.
This book also reminded me of Tatanja Soli’s The Removes in terms of its themes of displacement of native people, and settlers’ attitudes and actions toward them (another book I appreciated immensely). I definitely look forward to future books by Howarth. If you enjoy literary fiction, western fiction, historical fiction, and familial themes, as well as struggles between good and evil, this book may be a great pick for you!
This novel has been compared to Philipp Meyers’s THE SON (which I loved), but I’m not sure it’s a truly accurate comparison. Yes, there are parallels to the horrible treatment and ‘displacement’ of Aboriginal people in Australia vs. the same treatment of Native American Indians in the United States around the same time. Both have an ‘old west’ feel to them with uncharted territories as the backdrop. And there are settlers and greed and bigotry and genocide. And while Howarth’s writing is lovely and descriptive of the Australian plains, it is not quite as florid and dense as Meyers’s. That said, it stands on its own as solid, sensory writing that placed me squarely in the saddle with our young protagonist, Tommy, 14-going-on-15.
Samples:
The whole bush smelled ready to burn. Dust blew in rivulets between the clutches of scrub and slid in great sheets over open ground.
---
His skin was stretched tightly over his cheekbones, and his eyes were soft and milky, no color in them at all, fogged like a lantern whose wick has burned out.
---
It rained for three full days, then in the sunshine of the fourth the earth steamed like it burned. Blankets of smoke rising and drifting across the ground, the air moist and close and fresh. The buildings creaked and ticked.
---
Howarth shines in his characterization of the young narrator, Tommy, as he takes us deep into the boy’s personal struggles after tragedy strikes his family. This book is, at its core, a story of moral struggle. And it is so. Well. Done. But those with squeamish stomachs may be warned that there is brutality in this book – no sugar-coating, and most likely, pure, unabashed reality when it comes to the savagery against Aboriginal natives (including women and children). Many scenes are not easy to read. And because of that, we ache alongside Tommy.
It is not lost on the reader, the author's deliberate decision to name one of the bad guys Mr. Noone (and may have you pondering just why it was such an excellent choice).
I am not generally a fan of books with young narrators, but Howarth proves adept at inhabiting the mind of just-turned-teen Tommy. This is character-driven fiction (with many heart-pumping scenes of action) at its best.
This book also reminded me of Tatanja Soli’s The Removes in terms of its themes of displacement of native people, and settlers’ attitudes and actions toward them (another book I appreciated immensely). I definitely look forward to future books by Howarth. If you enjoy literary fiction, western fiction, historical fiction, and familial themes, as well as struggles between good and evil, this book may be a great pick for you!
February 14, 2020
3+ stars
Many countries have a history of violence toward the indigenous population, and Australia is no exception. This book vividly (sometimes too vividly) details attacks on the aborigines. It is a suspenseful story or racism, injustice, revenge, and good vs. evil. It is well worth the time and I am glad I read it, although the violence and brutality were gruesome.
Many countries have a history of violence toward the indigenous population, and Australia is no exception. This book vividly (sometimes too vividly) details attacks on the aborigines. It is a suspenseful story or racism, injustice, revenge, and good vs. evil. It is well worth the time and I am glad I read it, although the violence and brutality were gruesome.
August 22, 2022
"These natives… they’ve the Devil in them, Tommy, they’re naught but killers and thieves."
Initial Thoughts
I've had some great Westerns recommended to me recently, including Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry and Paradise Sky by Joe Lansdale, and it's certainly a genre I'm looking to explore more with Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian on the horizon. So when a good friend of mine started talking up a new author to me, that had written a western style story set in the Australian outback, I took notice. Actually I did more than that and went straight out and bought the damn book!
The author, Paul Howarth, is a British writer who lived in Melbourne for six years, before moving back here and completing his creative writing MA at East Anglia Uni. Looks like his time down under has been put to good use as it has inspired him to give us a piece of historical fiction that gives us an insight into one of the most brutal periods in Australian history. It's not something I've seen covered before and certainly had my interest going into...Only Killers and Thieves. Also, what a kick ass title!
"I find that killing everyone usually works out for the best."
The Story
What Paul Howarth gives us, is a dark and violent coming of age, revenge tale set in Queensland in 1885. Tommy McBride and his older brother Billy are the sons of a drunken cattle rancher. Life is tough for the pair and the family is faced with severe hardship during a time of drought. Money and food is scarce but even greater tragedy lies ahead.
The boys are up the proverbial creek without a paddle and the only person to turn to is the unscrupulous and flamboyant land baron, John Sullivan. The fact that this callous individual has a long standing grudge with the indigenous people and is looking for a reason to 'disperse' them from his land isn't immediately apparent to the boys and they are quickly drawn into a vicious and violent mission that is the basis for the story.
Sullivan soon enlists the assistance of the sinister Inspector Edmund Noone and his Native Police, who are in effect a group of Aboriginals who are paid to hunt and kill other natives. The two boys are drawn into a world of violence and lawlessness and both must make moral choices with dire consequences.
The Writing
I'll start by saying that over the last few years I've become a fan of good writing. As long as an authors writing doesn't distract me from a story then I'm on board with it. But I do love when an author has a flair with description that help to immerse you in the world. I was instantly a fan of Paul Howarth.
Although a work of historical fiction the story is written as an adventure and a thriller. This author has absolutely no problem describing the horrific brutality of the times, although it never becomes the centre piece of the story.
What is the centre of the story is Tommy's coming of age narrative as we see him grow up quickly in a hostile and brutal environment where law and morality seem to have been forgotten. Howarth is able to focus on the way his characters act when there aren't mechanisms in place to penalise them for their heinous acts.
But what I really liked was that amongst these graphic descriptions, the writer showed a fine eye for small details of setting and local history. There was a feel of real authenticity that oozed out of the prose and a very immersive feel for me personally in his descriptions of the harsh and oppressive environment. I often found myself right there in the blazing heat of the Australian outback and it was awesome.
"The posse roared in unison and sent their calling on the wind. A calling of hatred and of bloodlust, and of thirty-six hooves pounding the red earth, which shook like the skin of a drum."
The Characters
Every aspect of this book was top notch and when it comes to the characters there's no exceptions. Each one is fully drawn and realistic. The central character of Tommy and his brother Billy grow up an awful lot, awful fast on this trip but look to be on starkly different paths. Whereas Tommy takes the part of the moral compass in this tale, never loosing sight of what is right, Billy is completely drawn in by Sullivan's warped vision for the future. Along with his reprehensible pet henchman, Raymond Locke, Sullivan is hellbent on achieving his goal of total annihilation of the native people.
But as good as the aforementioned pair are at fulfilling the role of villains in this piece, they both pail in comparison to the terrifying character of Edmund Noone. He is without doubt the true villain and the opposite to Tommy. A truly malevolent character without a shred of compassion for his fellow man. One minute he is the perfect upper class gentleman quoting the Bible, the next he is orchestrating acts of complete nihilistic savagery. He is nonetheless fascinating and such a compelling character to read about. I spent a significant time discussing his evil deeds with the friend who recommended this book. That was until he politely let me know he was sick to death of my non stop chatter. Isn't the whole point of books being able to discuss them later? Anyway, back to the point. Great characters and one of the most memorable bad guys I've come across in recent memory.
Final Thoughts
What a fantastic debut from an author who has grabbed my attention by the short and curlies. There's not many stories that hold my complete attention from start to finish, but Only Killers and Thieves certainly did. Not only that but I feel like I came out with a bit of an education on Australian history.
If you can handle a bit of prejudice and violence then I thoroughly recommend it. In fact stop what you're doing and go buy this book right now. And if you can't afford it just rob a bank or something. I'm already eyeing up the sequel, . So if you need an accomplice give me a shout and I'll be right with you. Yee ha!
Thanks for reading. Cheers!
November 17, 2019
1885 and the Queensland outback was in the grips of a terrible drought. Tommy McBride, fourteen years of age, and his older brother, sixteen-year-old Billy helped their father with the cattle mustering and other chores around their property, whilst their young sister, eleven-year-old Mary helped their mother in the farmhouse. The drought was causing their cattle to lose condition; the water had almost dried up and the feed was nonexistent. When the small town nearby refused them credit for basic necessities, the situation became dire.
The day Tommy and Billy ventured to the distant waterhole after some rain, swimming and sky larking the hours away, then sleeping in the sun before heading home was the day their lives changed forever. The shocking discovery the boys made on their return had them heading to their nearest neighbour, the much despised John Sullivan, for help. With Inspector Noone of the Queensland Native Police in charge, the boys joined Sullivan and the men in their search for justice…
Only Killers and Thieves is the debut novel by Aussie author Paul Howarth and it was brutal, violent and cruel. The harsh terrain plus the treatment of the native tribes (Australia’s Aboriginals) who inhabited the area was stark and savage. The story is well told; I found it hard to put down even with the content. Based on historical fact, the majority of the story is fictitious – but the knowledge that this kind of thing happened is shocking. Those two boys – Tommy and Billy – had to grow up quickly. Highly recommended.
The day Tommy and Billy ventured to the distant waterhole after some rain, swimming and sky larking the hours away, then sleeping in the sun before heading home was the day their lives changed forever. The shocking discovery the boys made on their return had them heading to their nearest neighbour, the much despised John Sullivan, for help. With Inspector Noone of the Queensland Native Police in charge, the boys joined Sullivan and the men in their search for justice…
Only Killers and Thieves is the debut novel by Aussie author Paul Howarth and it was brutal, violent and cruel. The harsh terrain plus the treatment of the native tribes (Australia’s Aboriginals) who inhabited the area was stark and savage. The story is well told; I found it hard to put down even with the content. Based on historical fact, the majority of the story is fictitious – but the knowledge that this kind of thing happened is shocking. Those two boys – Tommy and Billy – had to grow up quickly. Highly recommended.
July 8, 2020
What happens when a boy on the verge of manhood is stripped from the moorings that formed his conscience? Can he hold out against those who are stronger and less principled than he is?
This novel starts out in Bleaksville and grows ever more bleaky as it progresses. What makes it worth persevering are the extraordinary writing gifts of the author, and his choice to tell the story in the third person, but through the eyes of fourteen-going-on-fifteen Tommy McBride. (I'm very much an un-fan of first person narration in stories like this.) You keep reading because you have to find out what becomes of Tommy.
Paul Howarth's writing puts you right there on a nineteenth-century Australian cattle operation. You can feel the dry air and smell the stenches and witness the brutality of the men who are determined to entirely erase the aboriginal people from the land. The men who dominate the land come alive in all their animal ugliness and occasional soft moments.
Tommy struggles with his conscience and his decision to participate in unjustifiable acts of violence. What he's too young to understand is that he never really had a choice to begin with. He's in a position familiar to most adolescents---adult in body and mind, but subject to forces that leave you still as powerless as a child. While I can't say I condone the final act that determined his destiny, I think he did a whole lot of people a big favor. And....well.....sometimes testosterone just takes over!
This novel starts out in Bleaksville and grows ever more bleaky as it progresses. What makes it worth persevering are the extraordinary writing gifts of the author, and his choice to tell the story in the third person, but through the eyes of fourteen-going-on-fifteen Tommy McBride. (I'm very much an un-fan of first person narration in stories like this.) You keep reading because you have to find out what becomes of Tommy.
Paul Howarth's writing puts you right there on a nineteenth-century Australian cattle operation. You can feel the dry air and smell the stenches and witness the brutality of the men who are determined to entirely erase the aboriginal people from the land. The men who dominate the land come alive in all their animal ugliness and occasional soft moments.
Tommy struggles with his conscience and his decision to participate in unjustifiable acts of violence. What he's too young to understand is that he never really had a choice to begin with. He's in a position familiar to most adolescents---adult in body and mind, but subject to forces that leave you still as powerless as a child. While I can't say I condone the final act that determined his destiny, I think he did a whole lot of people a big favor. And....well.....sometimes testosterone just takes over!
November 29, 2018
This is riveting powerful writing. The description of the Queensland frontier with its wide open spaces is rapturous. Scorched scrubland, drought, dust storms, rare chilling heavy rain, the blank wasteland stretching beyond, all vividly expressed in glorious prose. The story is set in the 1880’s in the untamed Australian frontier, it is a gripping tale transporting the reader to the time and place.
The characters are complex and compelling. The heart of the story is 15 year old Tommy who sees and experiences things which cause him a lifetime of reflection and guilt. He has a slightly older brother, Billy, and a younger sister. The father and mother seem to be sharecroppers on a piece of land which has gone dry. Their cattle are starving and dying, and credit for supplies has been cut off at the general store. Their two native helpers have left. It is a time of despair, but the rains come finally bringing hope. The boys go off for a swim in a creek. When they return home, they find a scene of unspeakable, horrific tragedy.
They make their way to the estate of the wealthiest man and largest landowner in the district for help. John Sullivan is an unscrupulous, immoral man. He is powerful in the region, always scheming, being intent on gaining more land and more money at the expense of others. He is ready to place blame for the boys’ family tragedy on the Aboriginal people for his own purposes.
“ They have the Devil in them, Tommy. They are naught but Killers and Thieves.”
He has a brutal, uncouth, stupid overseer, Locke, and a teenaged wife. We have seen villains like him before in literature, but don’t think I have ever encountered anyone resembling the frightening, brilliant and complicated Inspector Noone(No One?) head of the Queensland Native police force.
Noone is backed by colonial powers to disperse (murder?) Indigenous people in order to protect settlers and secure their land ownership. He inspires fear and spouts a lot of racial hatred based on twisted Darwinisms, but at times shows remarkable insight into his followers that makes the reader gasp. Does he see his role as legitimate policeman, bounty hunter, or the Devil made flesh who will never die? He is a dark presence, but recognizes Tommy’s moral centre and talents which older brother, Billy, lacks and he seizes upon the weaknesses he observes in his followers.
Noone, Sullivan, Locke, Tommy, Billy, along with some native policemen go out on a journey of misplaced revenge and injustice carried out under the name of the law. What follows are scenes of genocidal savagery brutally against a gathering of Aboriginal people. At this point a story of colonial hardship becomes one of bloody horror, and I kept looking away from the pages. Strong stuff.
As Noone so eloquently expresses:
“ we did nothing wrong......the law is on our side. What was done to the Kurrong (tribal people) was necessary, Tommy, and it is happening all over the land.”
“ The guilt is a collective, the responsibility shared. In a hundred years no one will even remember what happened here and certainly no one will care. History is forgetting. Afterward we will write the account, the account becomes the truth, and we well tell ourselves it has always been this way, that others were responsible, that there was nothing we could have done.”
We later learn the outcome for the main characters. Some is unexpected. Highly recommended for those who enjoy a Western frontier type story, and those who like a book which delves deep into the hearts and minds of its characters.
The characters are complex and compelling. The heart of the story is 15 year old Tommy who sees and experiences things which cause him a lifetime of reflection and guilt. He has a slightly older brother, Billy, and a younger sister. The father and mother seem to be sharecroppers on a piece of land which has gone dry. Their cattle are starving and dying, and credit for supplies has been cut off at the general store. Their two native helpers have left. It is a time of despair, but the rains come finally bringing hope. The boys go off for a swim in a creek. When they return home, they find a scene of unspeakable, horrific tragedy.
They make their way to the estate of the wealthiest man and largest landowner in the district for help. John Sullivan is an unscrupulous, immoral man. He is powerful in the region, always scheming, being intent on gaining more land and more money at the expense of others. He is ready to place blame for the boys’ family tragedy on the Aboriginal people for his own purposes.
“ They have the Devil in them, Tommy. They are naught but Killers and Thieves.”
He has a brutal, uncouth, stupid overseer, Locke, and a teenaged wife. We have seen villains like him before in literature, but don’t think I have ever encountered anyone resembling the frightening, brilliant and complicated Inspector Noone(No One?) head of the Queensland Native police force.
Noone is backed by colonial powers to disperse (murder?) Indigenous people in order to protect settlers and secure their land ownership. He inspires fear and spouts a lot of racial hatred based on twisted Darwinisms, but at times shows remarkable insight into his followers that makes the reader gasp. Does he see his role as legitimate policeman, bounty hunter, or the Devil made flesh who will never die? He is a dark presence, but recognizes Tommy’s moral centre and talents which older brother, Billy, lacks and he seizes upon the weaknesses he observes in his followers.
Noone, Sullivan, Locke, Tommy, Billy, along with some native policemen go out on a journey of misplaced revenge and injustice carried out under the name of the law. What follows are scenes of genocidal savagery brutally against a gathering of Aboriginal people. At this point a story of colonial hardship becomes one of bloody horror, and I kept looking away from the pages. Strong stuff.
As Noone so eloquently expresses:
“ we did nothing wrong......the law is on our side. What was done to the Kurrong (tribal people) was necessary, Tommy, and it is happening all over the land.”
“ The guilt is a collective, the responsibility shared. In a hundred years no one will even remember what happened here and certainly no one will care. History is forgetting. Afterward we will write the account, the account becomes the truth, and we well tell ourselves it has always been this way, that others were responsible, that there was nothing we could have done.”
We later learn the outcome for the main characters. Some is unexpected. Highly recommended for those who enjoy a Western frontier type story, and those who like a book which delves deep into the hearts and minds of its characters.
November 22, 2021
“Only Killers and Thieves” is a magnificent book that can be read on many levels. Most immediately, it tells the story of the two teenaged McBride brothers who are emerging into adulthood and defining their place in their society. Set in the mid 1880s, they live with their parents in Queensland as the family struggles to eke out a living as tenant farmers in the bleak scrublands. They cope with a hard land, troubled by recurring drought and populated with hard men reflective of the physical environment that is vividly described throughout the book. This land is dominated by a rapacious and unscrupulous landowner, John Sullivan. The most powerful person in the district, Sullivan displays an unerring commitment to acquiring great wealth and fomenting xenophobic and racist attitudes towards the Aboriginal population to further his gains.
After a long overdue and welcome period of rain, the brothers( Tommy, 14 and Billy, 16) return from a brief swimming excursion and are shattered by a violent family tragedy. There are some indications that this crime might have been perpetrated by an Aboriginal stockman who had worked on the family holding. The boys turn to Sullivan for advice.Sullivan enlists the services of the Queensland Native Police, led by Inspector Edward Noone.This British colonial force is dedicated to the containment and extermination of the native population.
Thus begins a journey that is both violent and graphically described as Native Police and Sullivan’s minions, including the two boys, implacably seek out retribution without regard to justice or actual guilt of their prey.This level of the narrative fleshes out the personality of Inspector Noone, who is extremely intelligent, amoral and possibly psychotic. During this journey, the brothers begin to define their outlook on life.Billy is swayed by the prevailing racism and xenophobia.Tommy recognizes the untruth of these sentiments and struggles to accommodate his beliefs with the social structure around him.This conflict will haunt him and define his life.
Inspector Noone, during one of his philosophical discourses, notes that the victors in a struggle get to write history.This is a fitting comment that causes reflection on a larger question: How true are the political myths and founding stories that a society creates for itself? If we embrace a faulty founding story, can a social entity ever heal itself and function harmoniously? This novel left me pondering these questions while simultaneously being mesmerized by a well told yet horrifying story.A sequel to this book is coming out this year.I will be anxiously looking forward to its release.
After a long overdue and welcome period of rain, the brothers( Tommy, 14 and Billy, 16) return from a brief swimming excursion and are shattered by a violent family tragedy. There are some indications that this crime might have been perpetrated by an Aboriginal stockman who had worked on the family holding. The boys turn to Sullivan for advice.Sullivan enlists the services of the Queensland Native Police, led by Inspector Edward Noone.This British colonial force is dedicated to the containment and extermination of the native population.
Thus begins a journey that is both violent and graphically described as Native Police and Sullivan’s minions, including the two boys, implacably seek out retribution without regard to justice or actual guilt of their prey.This level of the narrative fleshes out the personality of Inspector Noone, who is extremely intelligent, amoral and possibly psychotic. During this journey, the brothers begin to define their outlook on life.Billy is swayed by the prevailing racism and xenophobia.Tommy recognizes the untruth of these sentiments and struggles to accommodate his beliefs with the social structure around him.This conflict will haunt him and define his life.
Inspector Noone, during one of his philosophical discourses, notes that the victors in a struggle get to write history.This is a fitting comment that causes reflection on a larger question: How true are the political myths and founding stories that a society creates for itself? If we embrace a faulty founding story, can a social entity ever heal itself and function harmoniously? This novel left me pondering these questions while simultaneously being mesmerized by a well told yet horrifying story.A sequel to this book is coming out this year.I will be anxiously looking forward to its release.
August 21, 2020
Set in Queensland, Australia, in 1885, brothers Billy and Tommy McBride are part of a ranching family struggling to survive in a harsh environment. After a tragic loss, they join the deceitful neighboring landowner on a hunt for those responsible. There is only one problem. The people they are hunting are innocent. The landowner is taking advantage of the situation to conduct a genocide.
This novel is a story of brothers driven apart by differing convictions. It is a story of twisting the “law” for nefarious purposes. It is a historic novel based on the Native Police of the time, conducting “dispersal” of native people to accommodate colonial settlers. Unfortunately, frontier Australia was not much different from frontier America in the terrible treatment of the indigenous people.
As a warning, this book contains many grisly descriptions of brutality, rape, and murder. Though the protagonist brothers are teens, it is not a young adult novel. The ending includes a small element of redemption. I found it well-crafted and extremely disturbing. It has inspired me to read more about Australian history.
This novel is a story of brothers driven apart by differing convictions. It is a story of twisting the “law” for nefarious purposes. It is a historic novel based on the Native Police of the time, conducting “dispersal” of native people to accommodate colonial settlers. Unfortunately, frontier Australia was not much different from frontier America in the terrible treatment of the indigenous people.
As a warning, this book contains many grisly descriptions of brutality, rape, and murder. Though the protagonist brothers are teens, it is not a young adult novel. The ending includes a small element of redemption. I found it well-crafted and extremely disturbing. It has inspired me to read more about Australian history.
December 2, 2018
Excellent. I loved it and would highly recommend.
March 22, 2018
Somewhat slow start but gains speed. Nasty and violent characters....thus the title is perfect. Superb, debut novel.
April 30, 2024
Man, this was bleak. Depressing to learn that Australia has an equally unforgivable past in how it treated its indigenous people as we have here in the States. This book also includes two of the most purely evil characters I can ever remember reading about; the one almost seductive in his charming devilry, and the other even worse since his own particular evil is so banal and obliviously self-centered. You'd really have to read the book to understand them - although I'm reluctant to actually recommend it to anyone in these complicated times, because again, it is just DARK.
But that said, beautifully written, and with an excellent narration by David Linski, who manages to make each Australian accent still sound unique. So would definitely consider reading whatever Howarth comes up with next - as long as it's even just a little lighter in tone.
But that said, beautifully written, and with an excellent narration by David Linski, who manages to make each Australian accent still sound unique. So would definitely consider reading whatever Howarth comes up with next - as long as it's even just a little lighter in tone.
February 3, 2019
What a debut! Superb writing! It was able to alert all of my 5 senses and all of my emotions. It was so vivid and believable that I was transported to the story and that era. I was so absorbed that I was totally oblivious to my surroundings. The story line is terrific and the characters, although not very likeable, are great. I loved Tommy. But be warned that it is full of violence (especially against women and dogs) and racism. There were times that I did not want to continue because I did not want to know what was going to happen. This is not a book for everyone.
January 5, 2018
I received a copy of Only Killers and Thieves by Paul Howarth in a goodeads give away in exchange for an honest review. To be fair, I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy reading this book when I first read what it was about. However, once I started reading it I had a hard time putting it down. I didn't know much about Australia's history during this time period. Paul Howarth did an excellent job describing the terrain of the Australian outback during this time. The characters he created were believable and complex.
The story begins in Central Queensland, Australia in 1885 where two brothers Billy, 16 years old and Tommy, 14 years old were out in the bush trying to capture something for their family to eat. A severe drought had plagued their land for over a year and the family and their farm were suffering. The boys were sent by their mother to find something that could kill that would be worthy of eating. It was during their search that the two boys wandered onto the land of John Sullivan, one of the richest men in the region and their father's former employer. Sullivan caught them but let them go with just a warning. This chance meeting became the catalyst for remainder of the story.
Then one day it began to rain. The MacBride family began to feel hopeful that they could save their farm and starving cattle. After the rain finally stopped, Tommy and Billy decided to go to a favorite water hole to swim. When they returned home they were greeted with the biggest tragedy of their young lives. Both of their parents had been killed while they were out enjoying their swim. Their younger sister, Mary had been wounded but was still alive. Both of their dogs had been killed. Lying on the porch, near their dead father, was the gun of a hired black native who had left their farm only a short while ago. Both boys assumed that Joseph, the hired black man, had killed their parents. On instinct, Billy took charge. He and Tommy gathered up Mary and rode to John Sullivan's house for help. Tommy, immediately questioned Billy's motives. John Sullivan and their father were far from friends. Tommy knew his father did not like Sullivan or trust him. Sullivan offered to take the boys in and care for their sister. Tommy did not trust his intentions. Billy was determined to get revenge for his parent's death. Both brothers believed that their former Aboriginal stockman, Joseph, was the killer. Sullivan was quick to offer help and organized a posse led by Inspector Edmund Noone, a ruthless and determined man, and accompanied by the Queensland Native Police. Tommy, wrestled with the decision of staying with Mary to make sure she did not die or die alone or going with Billy and the rest of the posse to get revenge for his parent's death. In the end, Tommy decided to leave Mary in the hands of Mrs. Sullivan and go with Billy and the others to revenge his parent's death. The results and horrors Tommy experienced from that trip across the isolated outback haunted him for the rest of his life.
My emotions were on high gear throughout the story. This is a must read. I highly recommend this book.
The story begins in Central Queensland, Australia in 1885 where two brothers Billy, 16 years old and Tommy, 14 years old were out in the bush trying to capture something for their family to eat. A severe drought had plagued their land for over a year and the family and their farm were suffering. The boys were sent by their mother to find something that could kill that would be worthy of eating. It was during their search that the two boys wandered onto the land of John Sullivan, one of the richest men in the region and their father's former employer. Sullivan caught them but let them go with just a warning. This chance meeting became the catalyst for remainder of the story.
Then one day it began to rain. The MacBride family began to feel hopeful that they could save their farm and starving cattle. After the rain finally stopped, Tommy and Billy decided to go to a favorite water hole to swim. When they returned home they were greeted with the biggest tragedy of their young lives. Both of their parents had been killed while they were out enjoying their swim. Their younger sister, Mary had been wounded but was still alive. Both of their dogs had been killed. Lying on the porch, near their dead father, was the gun of a hired black native who had left their farm only a short while ago. Both boys assumed that Joseph, the hired black man, had killed their parents. On instinct, Billy took charge. He and Tommy gathered up Mary and rode to John Sullivan's house for help. Tommy, immediately questioned Billy's motives. John Sullivan and their father were far from friends. Tommy knew his father did not like Sullivan or trust him. Sullivan offered to take the boys in and care for their sister. Tommy did not trust his intentions. Billy was determined to get revenge for his parent's death. Both brothers believed that their former Aboriginal stockman, Joseph, was the killer. Sullivan was quick to offer help and organized a posse led by Inspector Edmund Noone, a ruthless and determined man, and accompanied by the Queensland Native Police. Tommy, wrestled with the decision of staying with Mary to make sure she did not die or die alone or going with Billy and the rest of the posse to get revenge for his parent's death. In the end, Tommy decided to leave Mary in the hands of Mrs. Sullivan and go with Billy and the others to revenge his parent's death. The results and horrors Tommy experienced from that trip across the isolated outback haunted him for the rest of his life.
My emotions were on high gear throughout the story. This is a must read. I highly recommend this book.
February 27, 2018
***UPDATE***--- I have decided that I simply enjoyed this book too darn much to leave it as a 4 star rating, and want to tell the world I hereby give it the fabled '4.5' rating! (Alas, the uneven ending can't allow the full 5). Also, I liked this book enough that I need to take some real time, return to this page and write a much longer, full, detailed review. This book has earned one. --Jen from Quebec :0) (Feb 27th, 2018)
WOW! For a debut novel, this book was incredible. I have a LOT to say about it, but for now, I will just say this: if you like history, stories about racism, colonialism, family, sibling rivalry, and the ultimate in right/wrong + good/evil, you need look no farther than this book. --Jen from Quebec :0)
WOW! For a debut novel, this book was incredible. I have a LOT to say about it, but for now, I will just say this: if you like history, stories about racism, colonialism, family, sibling rivalry, and the ultimate in right/wrong + good/evil, you need look no farther than this book. --Jen from Quebec :0)
February 12, 2018
This book (IMO) is THE BEST book I think that I’ve read so far in 2018. With that said, this book won’t be for everyone. I’m a western type of girl. I love western movies and tv! This is a different type of western set in 1880’s Australia.
The writing is fantastic!! The story is heartbreaking but so poignant. The characters come alive with raw emotion and ego! Often situations are difficult to read but necessary for the time and life of the book.
GREAT debut!! Look forward to many more Mr. Howarth!! I’m definitely a new fan!!
The writing is fantastic!! The story is heartbreaking but so poignant. The characters come alive with raw emotion and ego! Often situations are difficult to read but necessary for the time and life of the book.
GREAT debut!! Look forward to many more Mr. Howarth!! I’m definitely a new fan!!
May 12, 2022
This book, a staggering effort for a debut, is propelled by a plot which is fierce and relentless in its vision of colonial Australia.
‘Pop, pop, pop. Not unlike the sounds of a wheat field ripening in the sun.’
This is the simile Howarth uses to describe the slaughter of Aboriginals, by a posse headed by a ferocious inspector of the Queensland Native Police. The narrative is violent and brutal, as is much of our history and it is this force of action that also makes it simultaneously uncomfortable yet impossible to resist. The story pivots upon a massacre which is justified as an act of retribution but which really underpins a policy of ‘dispersal’ - a euphemism for murder.
The characters are believable and often frightening. Indeed the inspector mouths white platitudes that are savage and immoral. ‘Only killers and thieves’ is not just the title but also a reference to the indigenous people of Australia. This sentiment is essentially the recurrent attitude of the settlers (our pioneers) and the colonial collective voice of our nation. There is an insidious irony in this phrase too because killers and thieves comprised the convicts who were destined to inhabit Australia.
Powerful stuff from a new voice in historical fiction. There is a sequel too!
Highly recommended.
‘Pop, pop, pop. Not unlike the sounds of a wheat field ripening in the sun.’
This is the simile Howarth uses to describe the slaughter of Aboriginals, by a posse headed by a ferocious inspector of the Queensland Native Police. The narrative is violent and brutal, as is much of our history and it is this force of action that also makes it simultaneously uncomfortable yet impossible to resist. The story pivots upon a massacre which is justified as an act of retribution but which really underpins a policy of ‘dispersal’ - a euphemism for murder.
The characters are believable and often frightening. Indeed the inspector mouths white platitudes that are savage and immoral. ‘Only killers and thieves’ is not just the title but also a reference to the indigenous people of Australia. This sentiment is essentially the recurrent attitude of the settlers (our pioneers) and the colonial collective voice of our nation. There is an insidious irony in this phrase too because killers and thieves comprised the convicts who were destined to inhabit Australia.
Powerful stuff from a new voice in historical fiction. There is a sequel too!
Highly recommended.
August 1, 2020
This novel contains many of the themes associated with classic Westerns: 19th century European settlers trying to eke out a living in a harsh, unforgiving landscape and climate; ruthless magnates attempting to grab all the land they can; corrupt law enforcement; the brutal treatment of indigenous peoples. Other than the action being transferred from the American Midwest to Queensland, Australia, generically there’s no difference at all.
Teenage brothers Billy and Tommy McBride return to their isolated family home to discover their parents have been brutally murdered. At first it seems as if an Aboriginal man who was previously employed by their father is the culprit; an explanation the racist Queensland Native Police are more than happy to go along with. However, as the story progresses, it soon becomes apparent that nothing is as simple as it first appears. The effect on Tommy is devastating and permanently severs his relationship with Billy.
In all this is an thoroughly engrossing and original debut novel by this British author.
Teenage brothers Billy and Tommy McBride return to their isolated family home to discover their parents have been brutally murdered. At first it seems as if an Aboriginal man who was previously employed by their father is the culprit; an explanation the racist Queensland Native Police are more than happy to go along with. However, as the story progresses, it soon becomes apparent that nothing is as simple as it first appears. The effect on Tommy is devastating and permanently severs his relationship with Billy.
In all this is an thoroughly engrossing and original debut novel by this British author.
August 7, 2023
A beautifully written, harrowing novel with a cast of excellent characters. (Not that they are excellent people mind you..)
This is not a 5* book but deserves to be given a 5 rather than a 4.
4.5/5
This is not a 5* book but deserves to be given a 5 rather than a 4.
4.5/5
January 11, 2019
Interview with Paul Howarth On Writing | More2Read Interviews
“. . . they’ve the Devil in them, Tommy, they’re naught but killers and thieves.”
Doings and undoings, survival, war, blood, and loss set in motion.
An unsettling relevant timeless tale coming out of Australia.
Tommy and Billy were fourteen and sixteen years old caught in a web of doings, some done complicitly in the whirlwind of there minds in the blood and thunder of events. The fates of the two brothers and a community of people a hook in the narrative, the justices and injustices upon the page successfully evoke feelings of discomfort and emotions on what men did and do, questioning savagery and its real roots, the blood upon the soil and the cycle of violence and hate, and ultimately the endurance of the human heart at conflict with itself with events transitioning.
This narrative ticks for me one of the purposes of storytelling of which an author E.L. Doctorow mentioned.
“Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader—not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.”
Themes handled with great telling and memorable characters like that of past and present masters writers John Steinbeck, William Faulkner, Flannery O’connor, James Lee Burke, Joe Lansdale, and Cormac McCarthy.
Excerpts and review @ https://more2read.com/review/killers-thieves-paul-howarth/
“. . . they’ve the Devil in them, Tommy, they’re naught but killers and thieves.”
Doings and undoings, survival, war, blood, and loss set in motion.
An unsettling relevant timeless tale coming out of Australia.
Tommy and Billy were fourteen and sixteen years old caught in a web of doings, some done complicitly in the whirlwind of there minds in the blood and thunder of events. The fates of the two brothers and a community of people a hook in the narrative, the justices and injustices upon the page successfully evoke feelings of discomfort and emotions on what men did and do, questioning savagery and its real roots, the blood upon the soil and the cycle of violence and hate, and ultimately the endurance of the human heart at conflict with itself with events transitioning.
This narrative ticks for me one of the purposes of storytelling of which an author E.L. Doctorow mentioned.
“Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader—not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.”
Themes handled with great telling and memorable characters like that of past and present masters writers John Steinbeck, William Faulkner, Flannery O’connor, James Lee Burke, Joe Lansdale, and Cormac McCarthy.
Excerpts and review @ https://more2read.com/review/killers-thieves-paul-howarth/
November 23, 2017
Only Killers and Thieves is a personal reading highlight for 2017. The blurb on the back of the cover compares Howarth to Philipp Meyer and Cormac McCarthy. I’ve become leery when I read such comparisons because I’ve been disappointed so many times and though I haven’t read Meyers I have read Cormac McCarthy and loved his writing. In this case the comparison of Howard’s to McCarthy is apt in that they both write on the edges of what is almost too horrifying to think about but the language is so beautiful and truth piles up onto truth so you keep reading.
Billy and Tommy MacBride live in Australia’s outback with their parents and younger sister. When a tragedy occurs they allow themselves to be complicit with some unscrupulous characters. Since they are 16 and 14 they might be forgiven for how they take revenge....forgiven by others but maybe not to themselves. Killers and Thieves is not easy reading but it’s valuable and rewarding.
Howarth is British but lived in Australia became a dual citizen, then he moved back to the UK. I know some people consider this doesn’t give him street creed in writing about the horrors that occurred between immigrants and the aborigines but to me his writing is imminently valid.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance reader’s copy.
Billy and Tommy MacBride live in Australia’s outback with their parents and younger sister. When a tragedy occurs they allow themselves to be complicit with some unscrupulous characters. Since they are 16 and 14 they might be forgiven for how they take revenge....forgiven by others but maybe not to themselves. Killers and Thieves is not easy reading but it’s valuable and rewarding.
Howarth is British but lived in Australia became a dual citizen, then he moved back to the UK. I know some people consider this doesn’t give him street creed in writing about the horrors that occurred between immigrants and the aborigines but to me his writing is imminently valid.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance reader’s copy.
January 26, 2018
I just finished Only Killers and Thieves, and I’m heartbroken to be at the end. I was hesitant to read it, because it's clear by reading the description that this wild west saga set in 19th century Queensland will be violent & cruel which is not my favorite.
Even though there is brutality which is painful to read, this is a gorgeous story. I was especially impressed by how convincingly the different characters were written.
Tommy is a teenager searching for himself and a place to belong in terrible circumstances, and I was completely wrapped up in his story. Even though his experiences ripped my heart out, there was so much beauty is his perspective even in hellish circumstances.
Noone is a tremendously complex villain, and he added depth because even though he was full of violence and his actions were disgusting, he saw through everyone and knew what motivated them and I couldn’t help respecting him in some kind of twisted way.
A perfect ending is so rare. Often a good book ends up disappointing by the end, but this bittersweet end was perfect in my opinion, and I read the last paragraph several times. I loved this book. It goes on my favorites shelf.
Even though there is brutality which is painful to read, this is a gorgeous story. I was especially impressed by how convincingly the different characters were written.
Tommy is a teenager searching for himself and a place to belong in terrible circumstances, and I was completely wrapped up in his story. Even though his experiences ripped my heart out, there was so much beauty is his perspective even in hellish circumstances.
Noone is a tremendously complex villain, and he added depth because even though he was full of violence and his actions were disgusting, he saw through everyone and knew what motivated them and I couldn’t help respecting him in some kind of twisted way.
A perfect ending is so rare. Often a good book ends up disappointing by the end, but this bittersweet end was perfect in my opinion, and I read the last paragraph several times. I loved this book. It goes on my favorites shelf.
February 7, 2018
The Devil in the Mind
Men fear that which is alien, that which they cannot control. Hence most are afraid of certain animals, predators, those they cannot tame. In this country that would be snakes, dingos to an extent, but mostly the wild native. It is remarkable really, to see how afraid you all are. They have become like the Devil in the minds of white men.Goodreads has you choose shelves for books you review. I am making a new one for this, Top Ten 2018 maybe; of course, it is provisional as yet, but I am pretty sure it will still be there in December. This brutal story of settlers, sharecroppers, and frontier justice on the edge of the Outback in 1880s Queensland also clearly goes on my Australia-NZ shelf—it has the sharp ring of authenticity—but in fact it was written by a Brit who only spent six years of his life Down Under. I am also putting it on my Bildungsroman shelf, although its main action takes less than a year, because its main character, Tommy McBride, learns the moral lessons of a lifetime during the few weeks surrounding his 15th birthday. And I was considering starting another one, Good Books I Hated, but that would only apply to the first half, so instead I shall explain.
The jacket blurb has it right with phrases like "the brutal realities of life," "seductive cruelty of power," "a story of savagery and race, injustice and honor," and most certainly in the comparison to Cormac McCarthy. If I did indeed have a “Good Books I Hated" shelf, all McCarthy’s books would be on it. And this is recognizably the same world as, say, Blood Meridian, 19th-century frontier country where a thin veneer of legality provides cover for vigilante atavism. It took almost 100 pages, however, for the book to get moving; before that, it was more depressing than violent. Ned McBride farms a subsidiary holding leased from the big landowner of the region, John Sullivan. While Sullivan’s vast ranch seems to prosper in all conditions, McBride’s is hit badly by the drought, and those cattle that do not die outright can be sold only for glue. He has a wife and young daughter at home, and is assisted in the fields by two native men and his teenage sons, Billy and Tommy. At 16, Billy is eager to prove himself a man, but it is the observant, questioning Tommy who is the main focus; the heart of the book is his coming-of-age.
This element does not really kick in until around page 90, when a sudden act of violence changes the entire course of the novel. Before this, I admit, I was about to write it off. Could the misery get any worse? But the tragedy opens a new dimension in which escalating violence is matched by increasing moral nuance. I was hooked. But to explain more, I have to at least hint at the nature of this pivotal event. It is not a big spoiler, but some readers may prefer not to know.
I obtained a free copy of the book through the Amazon Vine program.
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