New release

Under Seige

Under Siege offers a fresh perspective on one of Australia’s most enduring historical stories, revealing the remarkable life of Superintendent Francis Augustus Hare, the Mounted Police officer who played a leading role in the hunt for the Kelly Gang.

Drawing on archival records, historical research and family insight, Hare’s great-great-grandniece, Sue Hare, brings to life a man long overshadowed by the legend of Ned Kelly.

RRP $44.95 plus $9.99 postage and package.

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Meet the Author: Susan Hare

Writing under her maiden name, Susan Hare explores the life of her great-great-granduncle Superintendent Francis Hare, the officer in charge of the capture of the Kelly Gang.

After relocating to Australia, she meticulously traced her ancestors' footsteps, combining original archival research with family records and stories from Kelly descendants. Her work offers the portrait of a man whose life was shaped by the opportunities and challenges of colonial Victoria during the Kelly era.

Reader Reviews

"This historical novel is wonderful. It is an authentic, moving and extremely informative story of a man who comes to Australia and tries his luck at the Victorian goldfields. His fate draws him into the police force and ultimately in the pursuit of Ned Kelly and his Gang. We are given a superb insight into that hunt and into Melbourne in the late 1800’s including some of Melbourne’s notable characters of the time. We get to know the mounted policeman, the superintendent and eventually the police magistrate, Francis Hare. And to share much of his internal and external world. I felt I was there. I cannot give higher praise than that." Rod Saunders, Lawyer, Playwright.

"Sue’s work vividly brings Superintendent Francis Hare to life depicting him not as a character in ‘The Kelly Story’ but as a genuine man shaped by his era. Her engaging writing is under pinned by meticulous research, providing a richer understanding of the world he inhabited. Kellyland Glenrowan was please to facilitate Sue’s access to original source material including a Victorian Police general orders volume containing directives issued between 1867 and 1872, penned in Francis Hare’s own hand. I am proud to support this vital work and see it shared with readers." Jesse Sanderson, Director Kellyland.

'A compelling and intimate account that puts you inside the mind of a man history has largely overlooked. I found it fascinating and essential reading for anyone curious about the Kelly era beyond the legend."

Lucas Scheffel, author of Ned Kelly & The 5 Revolvers, Angry Fred Comics

'A welcome addition to the story of the Kelly Outbreak and Australian history is this publication by S.P. Hare a great-great-grandniece of the book’s subject Francis Augustus Hare. Told in a first-person narrative the book’s pace is clear from the first chapter. The encounter at Glenrowan is so well told that one could almost taste the frosty night air. The shift from lying injured in bed to Hare’s early days in South Africa is very effectively done. Having a mother related to the great slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce is also a notable family connection. Hare’s recounting of the various attempts to capture the gang and police procedures at the time provides great insight into what life was like then This stands in stark contrast to the Kelly revisionists who blame the police for everything that happened to the Kelly family. That said the police were not without fault, as such organisations have had flaws since their foundation. The falling out with Sadleir as well Hare’s friendship with Captain Standish is also examined. Well done Sue on a superb piece of writing, I am pleased to endorse it as a must read. Overall, a fantastic book that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish' Michael O’Connor Irish Garda (RTD.) Author From Sligo to Stringybark.

I recently finished reading "UNDER SIEGE" and found it absolutely captivating. It provides an incredible new perspective on Francis Hare’s life and his service within the Victoria Police, particularly amidst the Kelly hunt. My own Great-Grandfather, Joseph Ladd Mayes, served as Hare’s second-in-command during the cave party operations in the Woolshed Valley while tracking the gang. My research reveals that he held the highest regard for Francis Hare.
While history remains unchanged, I truly believe that the descendants of both the law and the Kellys have finally discovered a path toward reconciliation. Thank you, Sue, for this significant work. Wishing you and your family nothing but the best for the years ahead. — Steve Mayes, Great-Grandson of Joseph Ladd Mayes. 2026

Contacts:

NCS publishing

(Network Creative Services Pty Ltd)

Email: enquiry@NCS.net.au

webpage https://ncspublishing.com/about

Author: Sue Brown (nee Hare)

Email: haringaround @gmail.com

f.b. https://www.facebook.com/under.siege.francis.hare/

Webpage: https://www.brownharecreative.com

Logo artwork: Olivia Divitcos.