A Far-flung Life

Brought to you by Penguin.

The mesmeric new novel from the author of the award-winning global bestseller, THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS

Outback Western Australia, 1958: for generations, the MacBrides have lived on a remote sheep station, Meredith Downs. A million arid acres, it’s an ocean of land, where the weather is a capricious god, and time still roams untamed.

One ordinary day, on a lonely road, under the unending blue sky, patriarch Phil MacBride swerves to avoid a kangaroo. In seconds the lives of the entire MacBride family are shattered. Then, instead of leaving wounds to heal, Fate comes for them yet again, in a twist of consequences that will cause one of them to lose their life, and another to sacrifice theirs for the sake of an innocent child. Matt, the youngest MacBride, is plunged into a moral and emotional journey for which there is no map, no guide, as he is forced to choose between love and duty, sacrifice and happiness.

A tale of family and belonging, of compassion and hope, A Far-flung Life is about people trying to do their best, each, for private reasons, seeking shelter from the storm of life. Exploring the lives of a handful of isolated souls and the secrets they shield in order to survive, this epic novel stands as a testament to the enduring power of love.

Praise for The Light Between Oceans:

'An extraordinary book…Unforgettable' Guardian
'A moving tale . . . prepare to weep' New York Times
‘A moving tale. One of this year's must-reads’ Stylist Magazine

© M L Stedman 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025