My First Novel
I was driven to write the story; obsessed until Death of a Sparrow was published in 1991 by Hazard Press and Leafgreen in Christchurch. Now, it is published as an ebook as Terror Down Under by myself.
It tells the story of a family not coping with their sheep farm during a seriously dreadful drought caused by Climate Change in Gollans Valley; they unwittingly sell to the US company eyeing their land for a nuclear power station and Park. At first, Peter and Jenny Fairbrother, are happy for their son Sam who can attend school and ammenities for the Blind. Jenny has a science degree and gets Lab work while Peter works for the US company on creating the People's Park. After a time the truth becomes common knowledge and they are upset and angry that New Zealand is to get a nuclear power station. That it is on their old farm eventually destroys their marriage.
New Zealand now has close ties with Australia and the United States in ANZUS and it is an Australian who is in Wellington to act as Liason with the people of New Zealand and lead a Task Force to assist in making the case for nuclear power.
Peter's health deteriorates and his personality changes. The company he keeps are finally his downfall and lure him to become party to a criminal plot against the US built power station. This brings about an 'accident' so deadly that New Zealand is thrown into an unheard of situation such that the people of Wellington and The Hutt Valley become refugees in their own country. Jenny and Sam are forced to flee their home and the scared and scarred Peter Fairbrother takes on a caring role in the make-shift hospitals in the Wairarapa as he seaches for his wife and family.
