A major modern classic by one of Australia’s most celebrated writers is set for reissue this summer, as The Hamilton Case returns in a new edition with an introduction by Damon Galgut.
First published in 2003, the book — described by TIME as “that rare treasure, a perfect novel” — follows Stanley Obeysekere, a wealthy lawyer in colonial Ceylon who becomes consumed by a high-profile murder case. Cast as ‘our Sherlock Holmes’, his pursuit of justice brings fame, but at a profound personal cost.
With characteristic precision and psychological depth, de Kretser charts not only the unraveling of a man, but of a family and a society on the brink of change, as the certainties of empire begin to fracture.
Born in Sri Lanka and raised in Australia, de Kretser is one of the country’s most acclaimed literary voices. Her most recent novel, Theory & Practice, won the Stella Prize, cementing her reputation for formally inventive, intellectually rich fiction.
This new edition offers readers the chance to revisit — or discover — a novel widely regarded as one of the defining works of contemporary Australian literature.
“One of the most remarkable books I’ve read in a long while… brilliant.” — Hilary Mantel
“A novel so delicious that you have to keep stopping… for fear of finishing too soon.” — The Sunday Telegraph