The Last Days of Zane Grey

The Last Days of Zane Grey by Vicki Hastrich is a captivating exploration of the legendary author's lesser-known adventures in Australia. Zane Grey, the world's first millionaire author and the inventor of the western genre in both literature and Hollywood films, embarked on his journey to Australia in the mid-1930s. His pursuits were as much about the thrill of game fishing and a secret Australian lover as they were about securing his financial future.

While breaking world records in game fishing at Bermagui and instructing Australians on harnessing their marine resources, Grey was simultaneously trying to stabilise his finances by making the first-ever 'Jaws' movie at Queensland’s Hayman Island. During this tumultuous period, he engaged in an epic battle against a massive great white shark in the wild seas off Port Lincoln — a quest that tested his resolve unlike any other adventure before.

Vicki Hastrich's biography weaves Grey's legacy with the intrigue of a new frontier, offering a compelling narrative that documents an important yet overlooked chapter of Australian history. Her portrayal paints a vivid picture of the convergence between the dreams of the Australian and American landscapes, in a setting where wilderness and civilisation collide.

"This swashbuckling tale has it all: encrypted letters, love quadrangles, high society hi-jinks, very big fish, cinematic fiascos, and a man in a duel with death itself." The Guardian

"Utterly absorbing! Vicki Hastrich's deeply perceptive portrait of writer Zane Grey recovers a kind of twentieth-century Captain Ahab in a rip-roaring tale of obsession, money, and high adventure." Grace Karskens, Emeritus Professor of History, author of People of the River

"Zane Grey's writing set the stage for the western movie genre; however, the characters he created to populate that world did not compare to those he met in Australia whilst chasing the giants of the sea. Vicki Hastrich has uncovered a story as big as the Great White Shark that haunted the famous fisherman's dreams." Scott Levi, ABC broadcaster and host of the Big Fish podcast

"Zane Grey's fishing exploits in Australia in the 1930s are the stuff of legend. Here we finally meet the man himself, warts and all, vividly brought to life by Vicki Hastrich in this gritty, honest, always fascinating biography." Dr Julian Pepperell, marine biologist and author of Fishes of the Open Ocean