They made a pact at twenty. At forty, someone's about to collect.
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Seven childhood friends confront the consequences of an insurance policy scheme hatched as reckless youths. When one is diagnosed terminally ill, greed enters the room.
The Pact
By Elliot McGarva
MARCH 28, 2026
Seven young friends enter into a foolhardy plot involving multiple insurance policies that will pay out upon the first man’s death.
Many years later in the men’s early forties the group are put on collision course with their million dollars windfalls when one of the friends becomes terminally ill.
The once close-knit group splinters as the men put plan for their money in place as oblivious wife and girlfriends’ look on.
Betterment is a story & study of greed, stupidity, friendship and humanity in Sydney’s pressure-cooker social spheres where financial strain and city life place lofty demands on the young.
With no assurances in life or death an end game looms that will leave winners and losers bruised and battered but perhaps not better off.
Written with humour and pathos, the story mirrors the ups, downs and sideways of daily life.
Reviews of The Pact
A tale of betrayal, ambition and fractured loyalties, keeps readers guessing until the very last page.
Poignant and provocative, this novel will make you question the strength of your bonds with those closest to you and what really matters in life.
Elliot’s writing has a distinctive style, pairing stark realism with a quiet, lyrical sense of promise.
Elliot is a masterful storyteller. His keen emotional insight brings every page to life.
Creative and poetic. Elliot creates unforgettable characters and narratives that linger long after the final word.
