Where the Dust Settles - by Duncan Ewing Graham (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Where the Dust Settles is a provocative work of Australian legal fiction following one couple's pursuit of justice against asbestos mining and manufacturing companies.

For the first time, a story about the history of asbestos in Australia told by someone with real inside knowledge and expertise. An insight into the legal profession and how the legal process really works, told by a lawyer and medical doctor with decades of first-hand experience.

Everyone knows someone touched by the asbestos story. How was it allowed to happen? Where the Dust Settles tells us why - corporate greed, cover-ups, the misuse of science & unscrupulous politicians. The story of asbestos is as relevant now as it has been for decades. Informed consent is said to be important for patients receiving medical treatment so they have a choice about whether to take on a risk or not. With asbestos and many other products, companies took away the ability for ordinary men and women to decide what was best for them. That's at the heart of this story.

Do you know what's within you? If it's deadly asbestos, you'd better have what it takes to fight for what's right.

James and Jenny Henderson came to Australia for a new life. They started a family and worked hard for a brighter future. They never expected to be fighting for their lives or for justice in a court case against two of Australia's largest companies.

Big-end lawyer Bruce Fraser hopes to springboard into partnership and fame with a win for his client, a leading asbestos-cement manufacturer. Plaintiff lawyer Viviana Glosioli must overcome her self-doubt, her boss's advances and the sausage-factory mentality of her firm if she's to secure a win for James and Jenny.

What unfolds is the ugly truth of asbestos and the legal industry it spawned. James and Jenny's story embodies the history of asbestos exploitation in Australia. Their legal battle has the potential to change the law forever. Money, careers, reputations, lives - everything is at stake. Where will the dust settle when all is said and done?

Review Quotes

"An important book - in my judgment, a very important book - that deserves to be read and studied widely."

"It is a morality tale, Dickensian in its scope. But it is also a terrific, entertaining read. I devoured it in a weekend."

Roy Williams, author, lawyer and lecturer