The Convict and the Soldier

Michael, convicted of a minor crime, is sent to Van Diemen&apos;s Land to serve his sentence; John (the soldier) is involved in a minor scandal that means he must resign his commission. He decides to pursue a new military career in the Colonies.<br /> <br />Paths cross, families join and hardships are overcome. This is a story of courage, seized opportunities and new beginnings.<br /> <br />This novel is an insight into the life and times of an Irish convict and English soldier during the 1850s. The reader journeys with them from Ireland&apos;s County Clare and Cumberland in England, to the Australian Colonies of Van Diemen&apos;s Land with its penal system and finally to the Victorian bushlands.<br /> <br />Generally historically and geographically accurate, John Lynch has lived up to his previous local history publications, by weaving true tales within these pages.