During the European summer of 1916, the horror of war spreads its tentacles to grip a working-class family in Balmain, New South Wales. The war has ended, and Clarence Miller carries wounds that cannot be seen. He returns home to a loving wife and infant son, but his life will never be the same again.

Together they seek a fresh start in the country, but memories of his trauma near the Northern French village of Fromelles still imprison him. Tragedy strikes and casts a heavy shadow over ensuing generations of the Miller family. A voice from the past and a resolute young woman may be the family’s only chance of finding peace.

“Murphy captures the brutal reality of conflict, entering the minds of soldiers faced with the unthinkable. His attention to detail regarding historical and military events is faultless.”
– Gary McKay, Author & Historian

About the Author

Author Michael J Murphy lives in rural New South Wales with his wife and five children. While working as a journalist for a country newspaper, Michael has combined his passion for writing with his life-long interest in history to produce his first novel, Beneath the Willow.