This work investigates the life, criminal career, and eventual execution of Ned Kelly to determine his status as a folk hero versus a common criminal within the context of 19th-century Australian colonial society. John Molony, a respected historian, utilizes primary source documents, court transcripts, and contemporary accounts to reconstruct the socio-economic pressures that shaped the Kelly gang. The text argues that Kelly's actions were a direct response to the systemic corruption and police harassment prevalent in the Victorian frontier. By examining the political climate of the era, the author provides a framework for understanding the cultural mythos surrounding the outlaw.

Historians frequently cite this text for its rigorous use of archival evidence and its balanced approach to a highly polarized historical figure. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a thorough examination of the legal and social conditions of the time.