I bought this novel as recommended by Fiona Stager from Avid Reader when it was released three years ago; life intervened and it has sat patiently on my TBR pile ever since. It finally rose to the top (as do all good things) and WOW, what a ride. Michael Trant’s WILD DOGS (Penguin Random House 2022) is like the book version of a car chase scene in an action movie, but at a sustained pace throughout the entire novel. Tense, atmospheric, gripping, high stakes, emotional, timely themes – this book has it all.
Set in drought-ridden Western Australia, the story centres around Gabe Ahern, a wild dog trapper (or ‘dogger’) who lives off the land and the cash he makes by trapping and shooting the wild dog pests who harm livestock. His life is solitary and haunted by the part he played in his wife’s death some years earlier. He is a deeply flawed but highly likeable character. Others call him a ‘good man’, something he disputes. He is certainly a complex person and the author puts him through his paces with some extremely dicey and morally complicated scenarios.
The novel begins when Gabe accidently saves a young Afghan man, Amin, from execution. To say too much would be a spoiler, but the circumstances of Amin’s situation in Australia, and that of his family, ensure that the stakes could not be higher for whatever happens next. And what happens next is an extremely fast-paced and dangerous situation with twists and turns and unexpected surprises (some of them tender and some decidedly grim).
Not only are Gabe (and Amin) fleeing from people smugglers but also from the outlaw Chase Fowler, a kangaroo hunter with wiles and bush smarts to match Gabe in every way. These two grisly hunters who’ve both led harsh lives have much in common, but also have key differences, mostly that underneath his gruff exterior, Gabe has a heart, and every now and then the common sense (or naivety) to follow it.
Although I have no interest in dogging or roo hunting, this book had me hooked from the first page and I could not put it down. The underlying themes of people trafficking, illegal activities and the deprivations of outback life (including First Nations dry communities) add layers of interest and depth to this outstanding cat and mouse tale. With several key characters at risk, the constant ethical tightrope-walking and the relationships built up over only a matter of days, WILD DOGS is a fantastic read that will clutch you and not let you go.
And remember, if you want to read a book but it was published a couple of years ago, your local bookstore is always happy to order a copy in for you, or you can request it at your local library.