This work investigates the life, criminal activities, and eventual downfall of Ned Kelly and his associates within the context of 19th-century Australian colonial society. Frank Clune, a prolific chronicler of Australian history, utilizes historical records and regional accounts to reconstruct the events surrounding the Kelly Gang. The text examines the socio-economic pressures of the era and the specific conflicts between the bushrangers and the colonial police force.

Readers often note that Clune’s prose style is accessible and narrative-driven, favoring a popular history approach over dense academic analysis. Historians frequently acknowledge the book as a significant early effort to document the Kelly legend for a general audience.