Robbie Arnott – författare

Shortlisted for the Climate Fiction PrizeThe story of outcast twins Iris and Floyd who join a hunt through the Tasmanian wilderness for a man-killing puma. But there is a threat closer to home . . .‘A sublime novel of loss and redemption’ Hannah Kent‘A propulsive novel of survival and betrayal’ The EconomistIn the Tasmanian highlands, a wild puma is on the loose. Dusk has escaped her captors and reports of killing sprees soon follow.Twins Iris and Floyd are out of work, money and friends. When they hear that a bounty has been placed on Dusk, they reluctantly decide to join the hunt. As they journey up into this wild, haunted country, they discover there's far more to the land and people of the highlands than they imagined.And as they close in on their prey, they're forced to reckon with conflicts both ancient and deeply personal.'Starkly beautiful and deeply felt ... the pared-back textures of Dusk’s prose occasionally recall those of Cormac McCarthy' Guardian‘An expertly paced quest narrative doubling as the tale of a community riven by suspicion’ Mail on Sunday

Shortlisted for the Climate Fiction PrizeThe story of outcast twins Iris and Floyd who join a hunt through the Tasmanian wilderness for a man-killing puma. But there is a threat closer to home . . .‘A sublime novel of loss and redemption’ Hannah Kent‘A propulsive novel of survival and betrayal’ The EconomistIn the Tasmanian highlands, a wild puma is on the loose. Dusk has escaped her captors and reports of killing sprees soon follow.Twins Iris and Floyd are out of work, money and friends. When they hear that a bounty has been placed on Dusk, they reluctantly decide to join the hunt. As they journey up into this wild, haunted country, they discover there's far more to the land and people of the highlands than they imagined.And as they close in on their prey, they're forced to reckon with conflicts both ancient and deeply personal.'Starkly beautiful and deeply felt ... the pared-back textures of Dusk’s prose occasionally recall those of Cormac McCarthy' Guardian‘An expertly paced quest narrative doubling as the tale of a community riven by suspicion’ Mail on Sunday

Brought to you by Penguin.An explosive novel of the wild, and the lengths humans will go to control itThe distant highlands, covered in snow and strewn with ancient bones, are an alien home for a puma from South America. But when Dusk escapes her captors, reports of killing sprees of sheep and shepherds are not long to follow.The highlands are no less alien to twins Iris and Floyd, whose family history renders them outcasts. Out of work, money and friends, they hear of the significant bounty on Dusk's head. They decide to join the hunt.As they journey up into the wild, haunted country, they discover there's far more to the land and people than they imagined. Forced to make an uneasy alliance with a fellow tracker, the twins' lifelong bond is put at risk. And as the trio close in on their prey, it becomes clear where the true danger lies . . .'A sublime novel' Hannah Kent'Magnificent' TIM WINTON, author of Juice'Starkly beautiful and deeply felt ... the pared-back textures of Dusk's prose occasionally recall those of Cormac McCarthy' Guardian (Australia)(c) Robbie Arnott 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

'A stunner' THE TIMES'Sublime' HANNAH KENT'Magnificent' TIM WINTONThe explosive story of outcast twins Iris and Floyd as they join a hunt through the wilderness for a man-killing puma. But there is a threat closer to home . . .The distant highlands, covered in snow and strewn with ancient bones, are an alien home for a puma from South America. But when Dusk escapes her captors, reports of killing sprees of sheep and shepherds are not long to follow.The highlands are no less alien to twins Iris and Floyd, whose family history renders them outcasts. Out of work, money and friends, they hear of the significant bounty on Dusk’s head. They decide to join the hunt.As they journey up into the wild, haunted country, they discover there's far more to the land and people than they imagined. Forced to make an uneasy alliance with a fellow tracker, the twins’ lifelong bond is put at risk. And as the trio close in on their prey, it becomes clear where the true danger lies . . .'Starkly beautiful and deeply felt ... the pared-back textures of Dusk’s prose occasionally recall those of Cormac McCarthy' Guardian

'A strange and joyous marvel' Richard Flanagan'Delightful... Enchanting' Guardian'Spectacular' CultureflyA young man named Levi McAllister decides to build a coffin for his sister, Charlotte - who promptly runs for her life. A water rat swims upriver in quest of the cloud god. A fisherman named Karl hunts for tuna in partnership with a seal. And a father takes form from fire.The answers to these riddles are to be found in this tale of grief and love and the bonds of family, tracing a journey across the southern island that takes us full circle.SHORTLISTED FOR THE READINGS PRIZE FOR NEW AUSTRALIAN FICTION

**SHORTLISTED FOR THE MILES FRANKLIN LITERARY AWARD 2021**'Astonishing... With the intensity of a perfect balance between the mythic and the real, The Rain Heron keeps turning and twisting, taking you to unexpected places. A deeply emotional and satisfying read. Beautifully written.' Jeff VanderMeer, author of BorneRen lives alone on the remote frontier of a country devastated by a coup. High on the forested slopes, she survives by hunting and trading - and forgetting. But when a young soldier comes to the mountains in search of a legendary creature, Ren is inexorably drawn into an impossible mission. As their lives entwine, unravel and erupt - as myth merges with reality - both Ren and the soldier are forced to confront what they regret, what they love, and what they fear.A vibrant homage to the natural world, bursting with beautiful landscapes and memorable characters, The Rain Heron is a beautifully told eco-fable about our fragile and dysfunctional relationships with the planet and with each other, the havoc we wreak and the price we pay.'I was transfixed' Catherine Lacey, author of Pew'Fantastic' Kawai Strong Washburn, author of Sharks in the Time of Saviours

SHORTLISTED FOR THE DYLAN THOMAS PRIZE 2023'Arnott has an eye and an ear for description that can elevate otherwise quiet moments to something genuinely transcendent... A luminously told, whole-life story of a young boy discovering how to be his own man.' GuardianNed West dreams of sailing across the river on a boat of his very own. To Ned, a boat means freedom - the fresh open water, squid-rich reefs, fires on private beaches - a far cry from life on Limberlost, the family farm, where his father worries and grieves for Ned's older brothers. They're away fighting in a ruthless and distant war, becoming men on the battlefield, while Ned - too young to enlist - roams the land in search of rabbits to shoot, selling their pelts to fund his secret boat ambitions. But as the seasons pass and Ned grows up, real life gets in the way. Ned falls for Callie, the tough, capable sister of his best friend, and together they learn the lessons of love, loss, and hardship. When a storm decimates the Limberlost crop and shakes the orchard's future, Ned must decide what to protect: his childhood dreams, or the people and the land that surround him... At turns tender and vicious, Limberlost is a tale of the masculinities we inherit, the limits of ownership and understanding, and the teeming, vibrant wonders of growing up. Told in spellbinding, folkloric spirit, this is an unforgettable love letter to the richness of the natural world from a writer of rare talent.