Cloud

The twins Iris and Floyd Renshaw—descendants of English convicts banished to the farthest reaches of the world—survive in the remote Tasmanian backcountry and barely make ends meet. From chance passersby, they hear about a large bounty for a cougar known as the Mists. Long ago, these predators were brought here to curb the exploding deer population, but now the last cougar in the area keeps the countryside in fear, attacking sheep and people alike. Without weapons or proper preparation, the brother and sister head into the harsh, almost spellbound highlands. But there, their struggle with the wild turns into something far more than a hunt: they must uncover the ancient secrets of this land and face, face-to-face, their own grim past. The line between hunter and prey gradually disappears, and it becomes clear that human greed may be just as predatory and lethal as the instincts of a beast.

Robby Arnott’s novel—one of the most prominent contemporary Australian authors—combines elements of a western, a thriller, and magical realism.