Judy Nunn's "Maralinga"

November 2009 has been a good month for Australian author Judy Nunn. Her new novel, "Maralinga" was November's selection for the Daily Telegraph Big Book Club. To top that off, Judy Nunn was on the cover of November's edition of "Good Reading" magazine, and the lead story was about her writing career and "Maralinga". "Maralinga" is the story of British Lieutenant Daniel Gardiner, who, in 1956, accepts a twelve-month posting to the wilds of South Australia on the promise of promotion. His fiance, Elizabeth Hoffman, is an adventurous English journalist. The site Daniel is posted to is the top-secret nuclear testing facility at Maralinga. There he is drawn into the unique madness surrounding the nuclear tests, where the young soldiers and the local Indigenous people were exposed to radiation. Sarah Minns, writing for "Good reading" magazine, November issue, stated that "The book is hard to categorise: part historical fiction, part intelligent thriller, part romance, it is very compelling, and often the most memorable parts are the scenes inspired by the true accounts of the period. For example, a gripping scene in "Maralinga" portrays the time the young British and Australian soldiers were instructed to stand near the explosions wearing just their combat uniforms, so the army could test out various fabric's suitability to nuclear warfare".

Judy Nunn is one of the most popular authors in our Library.