The Secret River
London, 1806 - William Thornhill, happily wedded to his childhood sweetheart Sal, is a waterman on the River Thames. Life is tough but bearable until William makes a mistake, a bad mistake for which he and his family are made to pay dearly. His sentence: to be transported to New South Wales for the term of his natural life. Soon Thornhill, a man no better or worse than most, has to make the most difficult decision of his life . . . The compelling new novel from prize-winning author Kate Grenville is a universal and timeless story of love, identity and belonging.
Themes & atmosphere
What you might want to know about The Secret River
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
In 1806, London Thames bargeman William Thornhill is convicted of theft and transported with his wife Sal and their small son to New South Wales. After his pardon, he claims a stretch of the Hawkesbury River as his own land, and the Dharug people who already live there start to push back.
Loosely. Kate Grenville drew on her own family history of British convicts settling in early colonial Australia. The events and characters are invented but the setting and conditions are documented.
Yes. ABC Australia released a two-part adaptation in 2015. A stage adaptation by Andrew Bovell has also been widely produced in Australia.
The Secret River was written by Kate Grenville, published in 2005 by Canongate.
The Secret River is 349 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, The Secret River takes most readers 5 to 8 hours to finish.
The Secret River is a standalone novel by Kate Grenville, not part of a series.
The Secret River is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.