The gripping stories have been inspired by true Kalgoorlie crimes and give a unique insight into the lives of ordinary and extraordinary people living in the Australian outback. Kalgoorlie in the 1990s, as it is now, was a place where the very rich lived alongside the dirt poor. The stories are full of characters who made the town their home – prostitutes, weary coppers, pastoralists, gold stealers, chancers, geos, bikies, cheeky kids and the unforgettable Bob, the fencing contractor. Gary is a hardworking Kalgoorlie driller packing his rig for a bush stint and his young son begs to go too. After hours of being pestered by the kid, Gary snaps and yells at the boy. His wife Sarah returns home and sees only her husband’s unkindness. Later the husband and wife fight and Gary leaves for work with tension still in the air. While he is away, Sarah meets another man on a rare night out. In a week, the marriage is turned upside down. The Driller’s Wife is also a poignant tale of the emotional consequences of endless contract work, chasing the booms. True Crime Australia pp. 173 #1219/0121