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This House of Grief

The Story of a Murder Trial

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This House of Grief

By: Helen Garner
Narrated by: Kate Hood
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$8.99/month after 3 months. Cancel anytime. Offer ends on 29 July 2026 at 11:59 AEST.

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This House of Grief is a heartbreaking audiobook by one of Australia's most admired authors. Anyone can see the place where the children died. You take the Princes Highway past Geelong, and keep going west in the direction of Colac.

Late in August 2006, soon after I had watched a magistrate commit Robert Farquharson to stand trial before a jury on three charges of murder, I headed out that way on a Sunday morning, across the great volcanic plain.

On the evening of 4 September 2005, Father's Day, Robert Farquharson, a separated husband, was driving his three sons home to their mother, Cindy, when his car left the road and plunged into a dam. The boys, aged 10, seven and two, drowned. Was this an act of revenge or a tragic accident?

The court case became Helen Garner's obsession. She followed it on its protracted course until the final verdict.

In this utterly compelling audiobook, Helen Garner tells the story of a man and his broken life. She presents the theatre of the courtroom with its actors and audience - all gathered to witness to the truth - players in the extraordinary and unpredictable drama of the quest for justice.

©2014 Helen Garner (P)2016 Bolinda Crime Grief & Loss History Law Murder Personal Development Relationships True Crime Words, Language & Grammar Writing & Publishing
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Helen Garner has recreated a very long trial and retrial which few of us would have sat through. It is a fine book, very well read here.

Fine telling of sad story

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A harrowing and heartbreaking story. Delicately and sensitively crafted. The shitty car with the footy on the wireless and the little boys face at the window. Little ones never forgotten.

The shit car was his house of grief

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Narration was excellent. The author was thoughtful, respectful and knowledgeable in her delivery of a story that should never have had to be written.

A thoughtful re-telling and analysis of a hideous tragedy

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I didn’t want to start the book by disliking the narration. I tried to keep an open mind, I really did! I wanted to give the narrator a fair go but I am sorry - I have to agree the narration was hokey, over dramatic and distracted from a well-written account of an interesting trial.

I honestly tried

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An in-depth coverage of a murder trial in modern Australia. Well written and interesting, despite the horrendous content.

Difficult topic well covered

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.