Grassland

De: Billy Betts

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

In the unforgiving Australian outback, a miracle community hides a deadly secret.

Grassland is an oasis of impossible green, a devoted following, and a charismatic leader promising salvation. For journalist Katie Crate, it’s the career-making story she can’t resist.

But the commune’s leader is no stranger. He’s JJ—a figure from a past she’s tried to forget. As Katie embeds herself in a world of unsettling rituals and feverish devotion, she realizes the idyllic façade conceals a darkness that threatens to swallow everyone whole.

The locals whisper warnings. A former employee has vanished. And Katie’s investigation isn’t just about exposing a cult—it’s a dangerous excavation of her own history, forcing her to confront the toxic secrets that bind her to JJ.

In a place where faith is a weapon and the only thing more dangerous than the lies is the truth, will exposing JJ’s secrets save the lost—or make Katie the next to disappear into the desert?

Perfect for fans of Jane Harper, Chris Hammer, Tana French, and Gillian Flynn, Grassland is a chilling journey into a world where the path to salvation leads straight to hell.

About the author:

Billy Betts is a versatile author of dark, suspenseful fiction whose work explores the depths of psychological tension. His writing is deeply informed by his keen observations of the human condition. He enjoys hiking and traveling, having visited more than 20 countries and lived in several.

In a remarkable creative surge between late 2019 and early 2021, Betts released five distinct books in just 15 months. This period showcased his incredible range, including three novels—Falter, Burg, and Grassland—the eclectic short story collection Mixtape Volume 1, and the transgressive fiction novella I Paid to Stab a Lion. From his collection, he cites “The Karma of the Wildest Man in the West” as a personal favorite for its unforgettable final scene. You can read this story for free in the Amazon sample for Mixtape Volume 1 as it's the first story.

Following this prolific period, Betts devoted the years between 2021 and 2025 to mindfulness, including the practice of Vipassanā meditation. He recommends the notoriously challenging 10-day introductory course to anyone with the time to undertake it.

2025 marks his return to writing with the release of his latest novella, Then, I Hear The Train Coming

His current public works are:

1. Falter (Novel, 2019)
2. Burg (Novel, 2020)
3. Grassland (Novel, 2020)
4. Mixtape Volume 1 (Short Story Collection, 2020)
5. I Paid to Stab a Lion (Novella, 2021)
6. *The Karma of the Wildest Man in the West (Short Story, 2025)
7. *The Moon (Short Story, 2025)
8. Then, I Hear The Train Coming (Novella, 2025)

*Short Stories originally published in the Mixtape Volume 1 collection