An extraordinary novel of friendship and redemption, set in the Australian outback Bernie Molloy has returned to her home town after years of reckless living. A chance encounter with violence frightens Bernie into taking lodgers, and two very different men enter her life, to change it forever. Gradually, as Bernie, Eddy and John settle into an uneasy yet strangely companionable routine, she dares to hope that this may mark the beginning of a new life. Three lost souls come together in an Australian town during the 1970s as barmaid Bernie approaches 40 and realizes that she is all alone after spending her life rebelling against her parents and her strict Catholic upbringing. After her home is violated by rowdy customers, she decides to take in borders to provide protection and extra money. Two other misfits move in: sensitive loner Eddy Carpenter and John Roper, an English pilot. At first Bernie wants nothing to do with her new tenants. She finds John very odd and formal, while Eddy attempts to breech the shell surrounding his housemates. Eventually Eddy's gentle nature wins them over and the trio has a Christmas dinner filled with camaraderie and a sense of hope, a brief interlude for these lonely souls destined for more heartache. Mooney expertly portrays lives of quiet desperation as she pays homage to the rugged individualism of Australian small-town life. Patty Engelmann Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Bel Mooney made her name as a journalist, columnist, and broadcaster before writing fiction for adults and children. She is the author of a best-selling series of stories for young girls, including I Don't Want To! and So What, which were inspired by her own daughter, Kitty.