Rat Daniels

An unforgettable story from a stunning new voice in Australian fiction, for those who love Mark Brandi, Favel Parrett and Tim Winton.

'A coming-of-age novel with hints of Trent Dalton's Boy Swallows Universe. It is vivid, haunting and completely engrossing' The Australian Women's Weekly

An unforgettable story from a stunning new voice in Australian fiction, for those who love Mark Brandi, Favel Parrett and Tim Winton.

I was six, turning seven, and all I really remember is the loneliness, and the lumpy feeling that I was somehow doing everything wrong. And then I met Rat.

Jimmy Quinn is only a boy when he meets Rat Daniels down by the creek. Until that moment, Rat wasn't called Rat, and Jimmy didn't have a best friend. That day at Edens Ridge is the beginning of everything.

Mercurial, wild and rebellious, Rat is thrillingly far from Jimmy's tidy world. But there is a dangerous current in Rat that scares Jimmy sometimes. So do the things that happen in Rat's house: the yelling, the fighting and, most of all, Rat's hatred for a man named Davey Callaghan.

As they get older, Rat slips toward the darker elements of the Ridge. Ziplock bags and wadded-up foil balls - there's money to be made, and Rat has a plan that needs money. For the two friends, allegiances will be stretched and intentions questioned. Some days, Jimmy's not sure if he even likes Rat anymore.

Then a devastating fire on the Callaghan farm forces Jimmy to wrestle with his conscience and his memories. People are dead. The police are investigating. Jimmy will have to decide how far his loyalty will go, and just who his friend really is.

Rat Daniels is a luminous and deeply evocative debut novel from the 2023 Richell Prize winner, Alex Sawyer.

'A heartfelt, lyrical portrait of friendship, love and loss. Rat Daniels is a superb Australian novel and Alex Sawyer is a bright new talent to watch' Mark Brandi

'An unflinching coming-of-age novel with plenty of poignancy and grit' Sydney Morning Herald

'A layered novel that captures both the recklessness of adolescence and the inner turmoil of searching for connection. Powerfully atmospheric and thematically heavy, Rat Daniels explores complex family dynamics, friendships and drug culture with an authenticity that brings its social dynamics vividly to life' Books+Publishing

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