The Promise

Outstanding new fiction from the Miles Franklin-shortlisted author of BloodIn this breathtaking new work, Tony Birch affirms his position as one of Australia''s finest writers of short-form fiction.Using his unflinching creative gaze, he ponders love and loss and faith. A trio of amateur thieves are left in charge of a baby moments before a heist. A group of boys compete in the final of a marbles tournament, only to find their biggest challenge was the opponent they didn''t see coming. Two young friends find a submerged car in their local swimming hole and become obsessed by the mystery of the driver''s identity. Across twelve blistering stories, The Promise delivers a sensitive and often humorous take on the lives of those who have loved, lost and wandered.