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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Entertainment
Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen

Our New Gods by Thomas Vowles review – debut queer thriller dares to wade into the muck of modern desire

Thomas Vowles and the cover of his book
‘Propulsive and gripping’: Our New Gods by Thomas Vowles. Composite: University of Queensland Press

Like many young people, Ash has left his small country town for the big city. As a gay man, it’s a relief to be in Melbourne, where he can be himself. Through Grindr he has met James, once a hookup and now a friend, though Ash still desires him. So he’s on edge when he meets James’s mysterious new boyfriend, Raf – an intimidatingly beautiful Brazilian man who looks like “Jesus in an old oil painting”.

Then Ash witnesses Raf committing a violent act at a house party. When tragedy strikes later at a bush doof, it seems this is Raf’s doing, too. Ash tasks himself with investigating all the clues to uncover the truth – a pursuit that becomes his undoing.

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