Sons of Grace — Michael Green

Abbervale, mining village, 1940s country Australia. The McCanns a local family, Grace the wise and strong wife and mother, Gordon, a mining team boss with elder son, Bruce. His brother, William, works in the mine office. Delicate daughter, Millie, dies. In 1949 comes the long strike. Tough times for Abbervale. Gordon is killed in a mine collapse. Grace and boys move to the city. William works as an accountant. He marries Ellen and soon a child arrives. Bruce rises to Party leader and muscles William into state premiership. But William is appalled by the extent of criminal corruption, tolerated by Bruce and the Party. He sets about reform. Ross, police officer and friend of William, is killed by corrupt police. This is the turning point for William. He resigns from the premiership and announces a judicial inquiry into state criminal activity. Sons of Grace is a story about a family, first in a mining village then in the city. Its focus is on love between mother, father, son and wife. It highlights the futility of words to reform corruption. It points to the success of courageous action and the value of a strong supportive woman.