Simply a terriffic, rollicking read. Harold Bell Lasseter and the legend of his vast gold reef are an Australian legend, up there with Ned Kelly, Burke and Wills and Gallipolli. I have read many versions of the story over the years, but this is the best. Brown has cleared way a lot of the accretions that have clung to the legend over the years, to reach the essential story of Lasseters' life, the ill-fated expedition sent to find his fabled gold reef, and Lasseter's own tragic death in the aftermath of the expedition. However even Brown's research finds few answers to Lasseter's continuing mysteries, such as whether or not his fabulous gold reef actually existed (although the balance of evidence Brown presents says, probably not.), and what exactly happened to Lasseter in the last few days before his presumed death from starvation (Brown even canvasses the possibility that Lasseter did not die but lived on either in Australia or overseas). This is a great Australian story, really well-told, its an absolute page-turner that exhibits the best and worst in human nature when confronted with the possibility of wealth beyond the dreams of avarice. Ripping stuff. ( )