Diamonds in the Mud and Other Stories
Dettman, Joy

RRP
A$22.95

"Joy Dettman is a natural-born storyteller whose dark tales of rural life are addictive" (The Age)

At the beginning of her writing journey, Joy Dettman's charming, irascible, melancholy, wisecracking characters appeared in over twenty unique tales, many of which have won awards, many of which have never been published. Now, for the first time, Diamonds in the Mud and Other Stories is the complete collection of Joy Dettman's exquisite short stories.

We meet an old coot in a rusty ute who picks up a hitchhiker, a neighbour reaches across the language divide to lend a helping hand, a grave digger might just have saved a young man's life, an exhausted farmer's wife lusts after a china cup, Granny Jordan is losing her marbles and an author is troubled by rats under the floorboards.

Since Joy's first novel, Mallawindy, was published in 1998 she has attracted a growing number of readers who are entertained and shocked by her array of unforgettable characters populating the Australian landscape. This anthology will not disappoint the voracious fans of her distinctive narrative and adroit storytelling.

Author Information

Joy Dettman was born in Echuca, Victoria and now lives in Melbourne. Joy, a mother of four, is a full-time writer of award-winning short stories and the highly acclaimed novels Mallawindy, Jacaranda Blue, Goose Girl, Yesterday's Dust, The Seventh Day, Henry's Daughter and One Sunday.