Kate Mildenhall’s latest novel, a crime story, is completely and utterly outrageous. I read it in one sitting. 

The premise of the novel begins when a group of city friends decide to purchase an entire mining town, which is deserted and located in the bush. For each member, this is their opportunity to do something good: something for their kids, for the environment, to reconnect by disconnecting, and because a grand statement feels possible and important right now. Make no mistake, Mildenhall is poking fun at us left-leaning readers with this wild, wonderful novel.

Think of it as a portrait of any of us who enjoy a statement or two about how we could make our world a better place. The characters in this novel are known to me immediately. I understand their politics, their intentions, and, most of all, their conduct. You will as well. They are good people living their lives with purpose and gravitas. They have all known each other for years, travelled through various time periods and life phases together – they are forever friends. The novel is set during the friends’ first weekend together in their own town. Everything that could go wrong does. And what happens next will blow your mind.

There are clues within these questions for you to ponder: Can you take the person out of the inner city and make them understand the country? Do you support hunting animals that are a problem? Can you teach teenagers responsibility, and not be liable? Does having watched a lesson in butchering on YouTube mean you can kill an animal?

Reading this novel was a delight. I laughed aloud several times. I appreciated the compunction of these characters, and the consequences of their behaviour. I found the ending to be gloriously gratifying – the most pitch-perfect conclusion I have read for a long time. It made me love this story even more. I can already see how this novel will become a classic.