Legendary Australian actor and author Bryan Brown will be in conversation with Alex Sloan on his new novel The Hidden and his journey into writing, following the success of his debut novel The Drowning.

The Heads was once a small village on the NSW north coast. Now it's a large village with a lot of action below the surface. A shipment of coke, a crime squad investigation and a drug overdose keep the local sergeant pretty busy. Someone is preying on the women of The Heads. And what does the discovery of buried roosters in the forest mean to a young boy? Will Sergeant William Jarrett uncover what is really going on or will it all remain hidden?

'Stepping into The Hidden is like arriving as a voyeur into a small town gripped by everyday difficulties and some much bigger problems. With the rapid-fire switching between characters, Brown crafts a tale that is both intimate and cinematic – layered with suspense and a quiet intensity. If you appreciate a well-told tale with heart and grit, The Hidden delivers.' Vikki Petraitis '.

My friend Bryan Brown, quite apart from his other manifold talents, turns out to be an excellent writer. An authentic voice; highly imaginative yet completely believable, with a flair for fully realised characters and a gripping narrative ... a great storyteller. Sam Neill

Bryan Brown AM has appeared in over 100 film and television productions. including Newsfront, Breaker Morant, Australia and Palm Beach, as well as the US mini-series The Thorn Birds , which won him an Emmy. In 2018 Bryan won the prestigious Longford Lyell award recognising his contribution to Australian cinema. His book, Sweet Jimmy, seven short stories on crime, was released in 2021 and The Drowning, his bestselling first novel, was released in 2023. His latest film, The Travellers, with a new video introduction by Bryan, will be shown by the ANU Film Group at 730 in the cinema.

Alex Sloan AM is an award winning journalist, panellist, MC and commentator whose extensive media career spans 30 years, including 27 years with ABC Radio. Alex is a Director and Deputy Chair of Australia's think-tank, The Australia Institute and a Director of The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. In 2017 Alex was named ACT Citizen of the Year and in 2019 was made a Member of the Order of Australia. Alex is a regular conversationalist in the Meet the Author series.

Canberra crime fiction reviewer Anna Creer will give the vote of thanks.

Books will be available for signing from 5.30pm and again after the event.

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A podcast will be made available after the event.

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