{"product_id":"9781743095799_the-ghost-by-the-billabong","title":"The Ghost by the Billabong","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe fifth title in the sweeping Matilda Saga\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eHippies wear beads, demonstrators march against the Vietnam War, and the world waits to see the first human steps on the moon's surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut at Gibbers Creek, Jed Kelly sees ghosts, from the past and future, at the Drinkwater billabong where long ago the swaggie leaped to his defiant death. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut is seventeen-year-old Jed a con artist or a survivor? When she turns up at Drinkwater Station claiming to be the great-granddaughter of Matilda Thompson's dying husband, Jed clearly has secrets. As does a veteran called Nicholas, who was badly wounded in the Vietnam War and now must try to create a life he truly wants to live, despite the ghosts that haunt him too.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSet during the turbulence of the late 1960s, this was a time when brilliant and little-known endeavours saw Australia play a vital role in Neil Armstrong's 'one giant leap for mankind' on that first unforgettable moon walk.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe fifth title in the highly acclaimed Matilda Saga, \u003cem\u003eThe Ghost by the Billabong\u003c\/em\u003e is a story of deep conflicts and enduring passions - for other people, for the land, and for the future of humanity.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size: 1em; letter-spacing: 0em;\"\u003ePRAISE FOR THE MATILDA SAGA\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An engrossing mystery story, an ode to strong women, and a moving exploration of the private wounds we carry ... The Last Dingo Summer is a must for your summer reading list' - \u003cem\u003eBetter Reading\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'The perfect read for anyone who loves immersing themselves in Australian fiction. Gripping, emotional and moving, Facing the Flame is a great book to curl up with on a warm spring night' - \u003cem\u003eNew Idea\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Highly recommended ... this was a complete binge, read in one night because it was just too good and too gripping to put down ... a cracking story filled with rich characters both old and new and imbued with all that we hold dear about Australian love of country and mateship' - \u003cem\u003eReadPlus\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jackie French","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46908456108181,"sku":"9781743095799","price":22.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0484\/3175\/9509\/files\/9781743095799_5f8ebaa5-035c-4028-8699-43efb90c9f51.jpg?v=1776889901","url":"https:\/\/harpercollins.com.au\/products\/9781743095799_the-ghost-by-the-billabong","provider":"HarperCollins AU","version":"1.0","type":"link"}