Bloodthirsty Brilliance
Participating Chair: Emma Macdonald • Peter Papathanasiou, Alison Booth and Lucy Campbell
Some of the best crime writing in the country is being penned in Canberra. What is it about this city that encourages such bloodthirsty brilliance? Is it the proximity to the shadowy halls of Parliament House? Or do roundabouts inspire plot twists? Not one, not two, but three local authors have new noirish novels to share! We join them for a discussion of this murderously fascinating genre.
Artist
PETER PAPATHANASIOU is an author of four books and has published many articles in mainstream media and literary journals. His first book in 2019 was a memoir about his international adoption; since then, he has authored a series of crime novels that have been published and translated internationally. Peter is currently working on his next novel and also screenwriting with filmmakers as his books are adapted to the screen.
Artist
ALISON BOOTH has published seven novels, the most recent being Bellevue, a mystery and crime novel set in the 1970s. Her fiction has been translated into French and her short stories have appeared in international publications including Antipodes and New Writing. Her fiction awards include a Varuna Longlines Fellowship from the Eleanor Dark Foundation, Highly Commended in the ACT Book of the Year Award, and Highly Commended in the ACT Notables Award. Alison is Emeritus Professor at the Australian National University, a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, a Fellow of the Econometric Society, and recipient of the ESA Distinguished Fellow Award.
Artist
LUCY CAMPBELL has worked as a writer and sub-editor across magazines, newspapers and non-fiction books. Lowbridge is her first novel. She lives in Canberra with her husband and three children.
PARTICIPATING CHAIR
EMMA MACDONALD OAM is a multi-award winning journalist, speaker and maternal health advocate. In the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2022 Emma was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for services to journalism and women. Emma has been writing about Canberra and its people for nearly three decades, winning numerous awards for her journalism – including a Walkley or two – along the way. Canberra born and bred, she’s fiercely loyal to the city, tribally inner-north, and grateful to tell stories for a living.