Glenrowan

by Aidan Phelan

"The police are my natural enemies. They chose to bully and persecute those I care for. Now they'll reap what they've sown."

The Kelly Gang have been on the run for months and are the most wanted men in the British Empire. No expense has been spared in the hunt to bring them to justice. With the introduction of highly specialised trackers to hunt them and rumours of treachery amongst their supporters, the outlaws are desperate. Soon their leader, Ned Kelly, will hatch a plan that will not only bring an end to the pursuit, but will leave an indelible mark on the history of Australia.

Glenrowan is the story of how one man's burning obsession can have far reaching consequences, and how a tiny town between towns became as iconic as Gettsyburg or Waterloo.

387 pages, Paperback

Published July 31, 2020

About the author

Aidan Phelan was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1986. He attended school in Greensborough and Eltham, then completed tertiary qualifications at NMIT (later known as Melbourne Polytechnic), Australian Catholic University and RMIT. He is the historian and writer for A Guide to Australian Bushranging, an online resource that focuses on the history of banditry in Australia, which he started in 2017. He also provided illustrations for Judy Lawson's book, The Clarke Bushrangers: Innocent Until Proven Guilty (2nd edition.)

In 2020 he published his first novel, Glenrowan, which depicts the final months of the notorious Kelly Gang. He has since written or contributed to many more, including Aaron Sherrritt: Persona non Grata (2022), Ned Kelly: The Bullet-Proof Bushranger (2023) and The Widow (2024).

Reviews

[Neal Carney · Rating 5 out of 5]

As close as you can get to being at the capture of Ned Kelly. This book is fiction in so much as the author has imagined what could have been said while retelling with historical accuracy the capture of Ned Kelly and the end of the Kelly Gang. We'll never know what was said 140+ years ago, but this could be as close as we can get. A very enjoyable book.

[Georgina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this novel by Aidan Phelan. The writing and research undertaken by Phelan is second to none. ‘Glenrowan’ offers an amazing insight into the Kelly Gang and all those whose lives were intertwined with these four young men.

[Erin Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

From someone who is mostly unfamiliar with the Ned Kelly story, except for a basic understanding, I found this novel to be very thought-provoking and captivating. A very good, well-written read.