On the Edge

Something is killing the sheep on Epsom Downs. With her father sprawled on the sofa in an alcoholic haze, Lizzie Epsom and her siblings set out in the family ute armed with guns and spotlight to save the farm. However, it is not the expected wild dogs that they find on the edge of Magnetic Hill but a creature far more threatening. Soon Lizzie holds the fate of an entire species in her hands. At stake are not only the lives and livelihood of the community of Bullyacre but also Australia's global reputation and balance of trade. Incidents proliferate as Bullyacre is brought to national and international attention. Is the Beast of Magnetic Hill marsupial and, if so, does the Beast's survival transcend human interests? Margaret Visciglio, author of The Blue Roses of Orroroo, winner of the 2013 People's Choice Award, has written a second novel that is not only hilarious but confrontational, addressing the ethics surrounding the extinction of the Tasmanian tiger, ecological versus pastoralist interests, the reaction of a rural community to an overwhelming threat, and how education should be addressed in the twenty-first century.