ABOUT THE EVENT:

A regional Australian town on the brink of collapse and a body found in a dried lakebed; Michael Brissenden returns with a dark gripping tale of conspiracy, corruption and injustice

On Thursday 28th August at The Royal Oak, Balmain, join Michael Brissenden in conversation with Paul Daley.

Copies of Dust will be available for purchase at the venue through Roaring Stories, with Brissenden signing copies after the discussion.

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ABOUT THE VENUE

The Royal Oak, one of Balmain's oldest and most loved pubs has been hosting Roaring Stories author events since the inception of our events program.

Attendees are asked to arrive at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. The event bar on L1 is serving drinks from 6.30pm and also following the author talk. Seating is unallocated – another reason to arrive early to secure an optimal spot. Why not make a full evening of it, too, by ordering a meal at the Royal Oak before or after the event? To make a dinner reservation before or after the event, simply click on the restaurant reservation link here.

Royal Oak Balmain – Acrylic – Artist Jan Larsen

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ABOUT THE BOOK

As the lake dries up, the bodies rise to the top...

Lake Herrod, a once-thriving community, now lies in the shadow of a nearly dry lake. The town, like the water, is evaporating and its residents are left clinging to what little remains.

When Aaron Love discovers a fresh corpse near the cracked lakebed – along with evidence his missing father is alive and linked to a web of organised crime – he is thrust into a world of deception, injustice and betrayal. With the town on the brink of collapse, Aaron and a haunted detective, Martyn Kravets, uncover a web of conspiracy that reaches far beyond the small community.

Dust is a dark, gripping thriller that explores the complexities of identity, a search for truth, and the unyielding forces of corruption in a world where lives are lived on the fringe and nothing is as it seems.

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ABOUT MICHAEL BRISSENDEN

Michael Brissenden was a journalist and foreign correspondent with the ABC for 35 years. He was posted to Moscow, Brussels and Washington, and worked in Canberra for many years in various roles, including as the political editor for ABCTV’s 7.30 and as a reporter with the ABC’s investigative television documentary program Four Corners. Michael has published four previous books including his highly successful 2024 release, Smoke.

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ABOUT PAUL DALEY

Paul Daley is an author, journalist, essayist and short story writer. His books have been shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s History Prize and ACT Book of the Year. He has won two Walkley Awards and the National Press Club Award for Excellence in Press Gallery Journalism. His essays have appeared in Meanjin and Griffith Review, and he writes ‘Postcolonial’, a column for The Guardian about Australian national identity, history and Indigenous culture. His literary novel Jesustown was published to great acclaim in 2022. Paul Daley’s new novel, The Leap is released July 29, 2025. Published by Summit Books/S&S Australia.

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TERMS & CONDITIONS

Refunds

Please note that tickets are non-refundable unless the event is cancelled or postponed due to extenuating circumstances. Refunds are not issued within 48 hours notice of event date. Humanitix fee is nonrefundable.

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This event is presented by Roaring Stories Bookshop Balmain and Affirm Press.

With thanks to our venue partner The Royal Oak.

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