Three Boys Gone

Mark Smith presents the ultimate moral dilemma in a breathtaking psychological thriller. Would you try to save them?

'First rule of rescue: don't create another casualty.'

Grace Disher is about to face every teacher's worst nightmare.

Three of her students are going to die.

On a high school camping trip, three boys slip away for an ocean swim. By the time Grace catches up, the perilous surf conditions are overwhelming the teenagers. If she goes in, she will die trying to save them.

Should she have given her life?

The question haunts Grace as investigations begin and her decision not to attempt a rescue comes under scrutiny. Hounded by conflicted staff, grieving parents and relentless media - all dissecting her actions, all looking for someone to blame - Grace's safety is compromised and she must be careful who she trusts.

And she's not the only one with a secret.

Three Boys Gone is a heart-in-mouth psychological thriller by award-winning author Mark Smith - a twisty, unflinching and pacey page-turner about an impossible choice and how tragedy tests and defines us.

Praise for Three Boys Gone

'Complex and compelling in all the right ways.' Jane Harper

'An utterly gripping portrayal of guilt and blame in the modern age. I couldn't put it down.' Mark Brandi

'A consuming, taut mystery' J.P. Pomare

'The thrilling twists kept me guessing right to the last page' Michael Brissenden

'Very authentic and also very Aussie without being cliched in any way' Sarah Bailey 'Could not put it down' Kate Mildenhall

'Utterly gripping, harrowing and unputdownable.' Dinuka McKenzie

'Smith taps into a primal fear in all of us and doesn't let go - Three Boys Gone drags you under like a rip and keeps you there, twisting through impossible choices until the very last page.' R.W.R. McDonald

'Three Boys Gone is a masterful novel of tension, menace and grief. It's a rollercoaster' Robert Gott '

Tense, stressful and absorbing ... A book that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go' Karen Viggers

About the Author

Mark Smith has written four young adult novels including the highly acclaimed Winter Trilogy. The first book in the series, The Road to Winter, was a finalist for multiple awards and has become a popular teaching text in schools throughout Australia. The sequel, Wilder Country, won the 2018 Australian Indie Book Award for Young Adults. Beyond his novels, Mark is an award-winning writer of short fiction, with his work featured in prominent publications both in Australia and overseas. He has also co-curated two short story anthologies: Minds Went Walking: Paul Kelly's Songs Reimagined and Into Your Arms: Nick Cave's Songs Reimagined.