Hitch

An extraordinary take on the picaresque . . . At times I found the book so intense I had to pause to catch my breath. Moving at a pace so relentless, the controlled, crafted storytelling provides an elegant masterclass in how to write a novel.

Elanor Dymott, Judges' comments, Betty Trask Awards 2020

A breath-taking debut novel that is both tender and tense and wholly original.

Canberra Critics Circle

A tautly poetic and gripping tale of a young woman's perilous odyssey as she willingly puts herself at the mercy of the strangers – whether kind or cruel – in order to test her ability to confront her painful past.

Ceridwen Dovey

This fine novel is frightening and tender and wholly original.

Tessa Hadley

The initial experience of Hitch is sobering and savage, and its final effect is emotionally shattering, despite glimpses of tenderness, goodness and beauty. The novel is relentless, but in the best possible way, pushing readers through the wringer but also compelling them to read on through the power of the prose. Quite simply a must read.

Simon McDonald, Potts Point Bookshop

Gritty and suspenseful, and left you feeling wrung out but relieved by the end. A very impressive novel.

Max Shirley, Macleans Bookshop

An introspective tale about a young woman hitchhiking across Australia to escape her life but not knowing what she is looking for. Amelia is complicated and relatable. I really enjoyed and recommend it.

Sarah Deasy, Avid Reader Bookshop

Kathryn Hind has achieved the remarkable feat of creating a story that is both tense and tender. You'll fall hard for the indefatigable Amelia and her loyal dog, Lucy, hitching together through the harsh Australian outback, with all its strange and dangerous characters. Amelia chases freedom from a traumatic past on the loneliest roads all while heading toward a reckoning with it. Some things you can't escape. Some, perhaps, you can. A wonderful debut. And a great book club choice too.

John, Better Read Than Dead

It's tempting to read this novel in one sitting as every chapter demands your undivided attention. But a slower read lets you absorb Hind's colourful descriptions of landscape, appreciate her compelling exposure of the characters' thoughts and enjoy their natural, snappy dialogue.

Judith Grace, Good Reading

Hitch is sparely written; despite this the reader is drawn into the visceral details of the harsh Australian climate and its impact on Amelia. It is a very readable and compassionate book, and the issues it raises about trauma and recovery are timely and relevant.

Annie Condon, Readings

The storyline of Hitch, the deserving winner of the inaugural Penguin Literary Prize, is a hitchhiker’s progress. Kathryn Hind’s hurting protagonist, Amelia, hitches with her dog through outback South Australia, randomly encountering strangers who ­respond variously to her vulnerability, some with concern, others with indifference or opportunism. Although the episodic nature of hitchhiking suggests chapter breaks, Hind offers a linear narrative that will be consumed in a few sittings by readers wanting to know what happens.

Robyn Walton, The Australian

Hind has written a fine novel about trust and betrayal, about how women – young, single women in particular – are almost always unsafe, treated as property by men for whom the term 'unreconstructed male' remains unintelligible.

Nigel Featherstone, Canberra Times

This novel is not a difficult read but it can be a heart-stopping one, and while the style is straightforward, the exploration of ideas around sexual exploitation, grooming, complicity and consent is both subtle and complex.

Kerryn Goldsworthy, Sydney Morning Herald

Kathryn Hind is a new Australian voice and her debut novel is well crafted and genuinely gripping. The winner of the inaugural Penguin Literary Prize, Hind explores the ambiguities of consent through a pacy, authentic storyline that is sure to set your heart racing.

Anna Carew-Reid, Sunday Times Perth

Hitch is a timely and powerful novel.

Maria Takolander, Saturday Paper

Gripping, tender, traumatic, empathetic and wise.

Cass Moriarty