Historical:  London 1832.

Bruce Cooke takes the reader into the life of Rebecca Smith and her daughter Mary McBride. Rebecca, a whore for the gentlemen’s club in London is convicted of stealing, a transportable crime. She is sentenced to seven years imprisonment at his Majesty’s Penal Colony in New South Wales, Australia. 

Rebecca, suffering harsh indignities whist travelling to Australia on a convict ship, ‘The White Swan’ under the command of Captain James Bartholomew, is doomed to serve not only the guards but the new settlers in Botany Bay. Pregnant and forced into marriage to serve her husband, her personality shines through when she doesn’t give up her fight to be a free woman or her struggle to find her daughter, Mary, sold by her stepfather.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. A heart wrenching and gut twisting story, delivering an enthralling emotional journey, showing the reader what women suffered in the colonies of early Australia.

If you enjoy reading historical, especially early Australian, than I recommend reading this captivating novel.

I do have to say ‘The Pursuit of Mary McBride’ is not for the light hearted. It does not have a rating and one is not warned of the explicit scenes throughout this novel.