Review by Stacey O’Carroll
Author: Sue Williams
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
RRP: $32.99
Release Date: 3 April 2024
“On a rugged beach of fiery red sand, shark-infested waters and patrolling crocodiles somewhere in the remote reaches of Australia’s far northwest, a little family are fighting the battle of their lives.”
Would you go into hiding in the isolated and dangerous stretches of northwest Western Australia to save your family? This is exactly what Nick Stride did with his family for nearly a decade. In Run For Your Life: The remarkable true story of a family forced into hiding after leaking Russian secrets, author and journalist Sue Williams tells the fascinating true fight for the survival of Nick Stride, his Russian wife Luda and their children Michael and Anya (and later dog Molly).
“He’d lost his wife, his two children and most of his will to live when that fateful call came through with the offer of a job in Russia.”
After divorcing his first wife and losing custody of his two children, Nick leaves England in 1998 and takes a job in Russia to build the British Embassy. There, he meets Luda, and they build a life in Russia, marry and have two children, Michael and Anya. However, when Nick witnesses some concerning events, his family no longer feel safe and flees to England. Still unsure of their safety, and with the threat of Luda being sent back, the family escape to Australia and go into hiding with the hope of seeking asylum. Thus begins the fight for their lives, not just from Russia, but Australian immigration and the wild, dangerous outback of Western Australia.
“They dared to hope it would all be over soon, and with the best-possible outcome.”
Williams crafts a compelling narrative from the shockingly true events of Nick and his family’s years on the run. Run For You Life could easily be a fictional novel or feature film, but truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Williams keeps readers turning the page with the thriller-style pacing when the family go on the run. With each chapter, readers are left hoping that this year, the family will be granted asylum and allowed to live in safety. Williams shines a much-needed light on some of the heartbreaking, frustrating and infuriating treatment people in similar circumstances face when up against governmental bureaucracy.
“From this point on, the coral coast became wild and windswept with few signs of life.”
When the family goes into hiding in the remote reaches of Western Australia, there are times of amazing adventure and fascinating encounters with wildlife. However, there is also the looming dark cloud of trauma following their every move. We see the children struggle when they are taken away from their friends, and the family dynamics strain under the pressure of their circumstances and minimal resources.
“The marshlands, creeks and mangroves of Banana Well were teeming with all manner of deadly animals and insects, which too often also found their way into the family’s home.”
Run For Your Life is a fascinating of the Stride family’s survival when there seems to be no end in sight. There are family photos of their time in Russia and across Australia that bring home the beautiful yet dangerous landscape they called home. Once you finish the book, you will be grateful for any security you currently have.