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King of Dirt

By Holden Sheppard
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Brief Description
A gritty and heartfelt gay coming-of-age story from the author of the bestselling Invisible Boys King of Dirt introduces us to Giacomo Brolo, aka Jack, who is a mess. He works piecemeal construction gigs in remote WA, drinks himself to oblivion and is estranged from his... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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A gritty and heartfelt gay coming-of-age story from the author of the bestselling Invisible Boys

King of Dirt introduces us to Giacomo Brolo, aka Jack, who is a mess. He works piecemeal construction gigs in remote WA, drinks himself to oblivion and is estranged from his family and friends.

But then Jack returns to his hometown of Geraldton for a family wedding. He hasn’t been back since he fled at the age of eighteen, and his past soon catches up with him.

Turns out Jack’s deeply conservative Italian family would prefer he remained in the closet. Then he finds out he may have conceived a son with his teenage girlfriend, and now Jack needs to convince her and her new husband that he’s fit to be a father figure. And whatever happened to Xavier, the former schoolmate who Jack was in love with and whose rejection spurred him to leave Geraldton in the first place?

Is Jack doomed to live a dead-end life – or can he open himself up to the possibility of love, found family and connection?

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781763516595

Publisher: Pantera Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 June 2025

Country: Australia

Imprint: Pantera Press

Illustration: Text only

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 454g

Pages: 400

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Holden Sheppard LGBTQ+ Romance Literary Fiction

About the Author

Holden Sheppard is a West Australian author whose debut novel Invisible Boys won multiple awards, including the 2019 WA Premier’s Prize for an Emerging Writer. Invisible Boys has now been adapted as a ten-episode television series with Stan Australia which premiered in 2025. Holden’s second book The Brink won several accolades, including the 2024 Ena Noël Award. His new 2025 release King of Dirt is his third novel, and his first book for adults. Holden’s writing has been widely published in books, journals and the media. A country boy from Geraldton, Holden now lives in Perth’s far north with his husband and his V8 ute.

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