The first in a series set in Australia I spotted this as a free e-book and as it was a kid’s adventure set in Australia I grabbed it. Patrick’s father John was framed by the Editor of the Newspaper where John worked as a reporter; and the chief of Dublin police was in on it too. Patrick and his young brother witness the framing but no-one will listen so John is convicted and sent to Australia.

The family then follows John on another ship only for Patrick to jump overboard off the Australian coast to save a ship-hand and watch the ship sail off. Patrick and his new travelling companion fall into one adventure after another, fighting sharks off, battling hunger, falling down a sink hole and saving Patrick’s family (who believe Patrick dead) from the nasty Editor who has followed them to Australia.

ESCAPE TO MURRAY RIVER ends on a cliff hanger and with lots of loose ends to lead the reader into the rest of the series. The short novel is filled with suspense and plot twists and readers will learn the early history of Australia in an easy to read and balanced manner. There is a Christian message – Patrick does quite a bit of praying – but it doesn’t intrude into the story.