About the Novel
In the cold English winter of 1863, Maggie Wallace waits for her friend at the East India Docks as the migrant ship Sebastopol prepares to leave for New Zealand. But her friend does not come and she boards the clipper alone to face an unknown future. On the voyage she meets John Marshall and George Braid, men of contrasting characters whose lives become intertwined with Maggie's as they struggle to find a place in the new colony.
The migrants become involved in significant events of exploration, murder and heartbreaking loss against the backdrop of the Canterbury high country, the West Coast gold rush, and the search for alpine passes. Arthur's Past blends real events and personal narrative into a story of discovery, both literal and metaphorical, and brings a chapter of New Zealand's colonial history to life.