As a legal thriller it does the job, and as a warning of the dangers of pushing oneself and others too hard it is superb.
Feature image credit: Echo Publishing
Fiction books about Australian Rules Football have always been a bit thin on the ground (for adults, anyway), which is something of a mystery given the sport’s importance in southern Australian culture. Those few books that do exist run the gamut of genres, from the comic (The Coach From The City by Alan O’Toole) and the bildungsroman (A Salute to the Great McCarthy by Barry Oakley), to gay romance (After The Siren by Darcy Green), and whatever Pissants by Brandon Jack was. Now they are joined by Smother, a clever legal thriller by Eve Thomson.
Smother introduces us to two worlds: the ultra-competitive world of elite private school sport, and the feeder system into the AFLW. Grace Dooley, a 16-year-old student at prestigious private school Bruce College, is tackled during a game of AFL, a move that leaves her comatose. Who is to blame? Was the coach, ex-AFL star Brick Hannaford, pushing the girls too hard? Was the school pushing Brick too hard? Were her parents pushing Grace too hard? Or were there scholarships, money, peer pressure, and other factors at play?
Once Romola Cross, a solicitor, becomes involved in the case, the stage is set for an investigation into all of these elements. Romola discovers the world of Aussie Rules, as well as delving deep into the private education system.
Eve Thomson takes what could be a fairly standard setup and enlivens it with a very clever framing device. Each chapter shows a part of the investigation by Romola with a discovery, confession, or new information being brought to light. Each chapter ends with a transcript from the eventual court case (held many months after the events of the chapter) in which the key discovery is put to good use. While this has the potential to become clichéd, Thomson keeps the transcripts fresh with interjections from counsel, surprise witnesses, and an inquisitive judge.
The book moves along at a fast pace, although it feels held back in places when the subplot about Romola’s love life take centre stage. This feels tacked on and not integral to the story, although the scenes do contain some nice moments which flesh Romola out as a person.
Smother is at its best when exploring social issues. Romola’s discoveries of the culture of ignored misogyny beneath the calm surface of Bruce College contrast well with her dawning realisation of Brick’s ongoing health issues, as she sees his own battle with the effects of multiple untreated concussions.
Anyone who has been following the growth of awareness within the Australian Football League of the dangers of concussion will find the book’s themes familiar, as will any parent whose children play competitive sport. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by D C White
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: Echo Publishing
Released: March 2026
RRP: $34.99
