Three of Australia’s most remarkable writers delve into the all-consuming and inescapable case of Erin Patterson.  

From sprouting daily podcasts to inspiring sudden surges in amateur mycology, the story of Erin Patterson’s sensational murder trial gripped not just the nation but the world.  

For over eight weeks, three of Australia’s greatest literary forces – Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper and Sarah Krasnostein – tracked Erin Patterson’s preliminary hearings and trial. They joined the media scrum at the Latrobe Valley Law Courts, camped out in Morwell and spent countless hours in fervent discussion of the case, dissecting the facts, speculating on motives and contemplating its sensation.  

In this unmissable and exclusive event at Melbourne Town Hall, they take the stage with Raf Epstein to ponder what happened and why it matters – reflecting on why they and all of us became so invested in Erin Patterson’s story, and what it means to bear witness to humanity’s darkest impulses. Together, they will examine the gap between the certainties of the law and the messiness of reality, the tension between truth and narrative, ethics and entertainment, justice and voyeurism, and confront their own ambivalence about the record of true crime.

Be the FIRST in Brisbane to get your copy of The Strength of the Few! The SEQUEL to the bestselling fantasy novel The Will of the Many by James Islington! James Islington will be joining us for a meet & greet in the lead up to midnight. We will have some of HIS fantasy picks here at the bookshop!

Join us for another midnight release party with giveaways, fantasy book chat and a meet & greet with the one and only James Islington in the countdown to the long awaited sequel!

This is a brilliant first for us! A panel of local YA authors together in one bookshop to talk about the genre that's still growing every year. Bring your passion for books, your friends, all your difficult questions and join us for this special event.

There'll be Vikki Wakefield as our Chair, plus Allayne Webster, Margot McGovern, Adam Cece, Mike Lucas, Sharon Kernot and Lyndall Clipstone.
This is a fantastic line-up, so do book and don't miss out!

Join Stella for a one-day beachside festival at Aireys Inlet, an exciting literary afternoon featuring acclaimed Australian authors.

Session 1

11am – 12pm

Katherine Brabon in conversation with Angela Savage

Stella Prize listed author Katherine Brabon (Cure, Body Friend) returns with Cure, a moving novel exploring the complexities of illness, identity and the mother-daughter bond. She joins award-winning author and advocate Angela Savage for an intimate conversation about writing the body and much more.

Session 2

1pm – 2pm

Jacinta Halloran in conversation with Inala Cooper

Jacinta Halloran, a local author and former GP, will be discussing resistance, responsibility and what it means to care – personally and politically – with writer and advocate Inala Cooper. Jacinta will be discussing her new book Resistance, which will be available for sale and signing on the day.

Stick around for light refreshments served after each session.

It’s an age-old question. What is better: Fantasy or Contemporary Romance? Well, we’ve rounded up six of your favourite Australian YA authors so they can battle it out to prove why their chosen genre is better.

Representing Fantasy:
Mikayla Bridge, author of Of Flame and Fury
Keshe Chow, author of For No Mortal Creature
Vanessa Len, author of the Only a Monster trilogy

Representing Contemporary Romance:
Ann Liang, author of Never Thought I’d End Up Here
Miranda Luby, author of The Edge of Everything

This very serious debate will be adjudicated by the one and only Lili Wilkinson. The winner will be decided by you, the audience!

We are delighted to offer you the opportunity to meet James Islington, the author of the Hierarchy series and the Licanius Trilogy. 

James Islington’s latest novel, The Strength of the Few, is the highly anticipated follow-up to The Will of the Many. 

Books must first be purchased inside at the Readings Carlton registers before you head out the front door and around to the Tyne St door queue to get them signed.

The signing will run between 11am and 12pm.

Free, no need to book.

Love, hate, jealousy, revenge – what prompts a home-cooked triple murder?

In The Mushroom Tapes: Conversations about a Triple Murder Trial three renowned writers of true crime unite to unravel the mystery that gripped the nation. Helen Garner (This House of Grief), Chloe Hooper (The Arsonist) and Sarah Krasnostein (The Trauma Cleaner) spent countless hours in fervent discussion about the case. In this highly anticipated book they share their private conversations about their impressions from inside the courtroom, media scrums and stakeouts in Morwell.

The trio explore the gap between the certainties of the law and the messiness of reality, their own ambivalence about the true crime genre and all that remains unknowable about Erin Patterson.

Three multi-award winning authors, Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper and Sarah Krasnostein, will be in conversation with Beejay Silcox on their book The Mushroom Tapes: Conversations on a Triple Murder Trial

In July 2023, in the quiet Gippsland town of Leongatha, Erin Patterson—stay-at-home mother and true-crime devotee—invited her husband’s devoutly Christian family to lunch. Within days, three of her guests were dead and the fourth was in a coma. They had all been poisoned by death cap mushrooms. Two years later, Patterson stood trial, accused of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. The court case gripped the nation and fascinated people all over the world.

Among those drawn into the drama were three of Australia’s greatest literary forces: Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper and Sarah Krasnostein. Together, they  spent long days immersed in the case’s sinister and complex themes: love, hate, jealousy, revenge, marriage, money, mycology and murder. In The Mushroom Tapes, they examine the gap between the certainties of the law and the messiness of reality, the tension between truth and narrative, ethics and entertainment, justice and voyeurism, and confront their own ambivalence about the record of true crime.

Meet internationally celebrated author James Islington - author of The Licanius Trilogy and most recent winner of the 2023 Aurealis Award for the Best Fantasy Novel - Will of the Many. We are pleased to also have the much anticipated sequel to Will of the Many - Strength of the Few available for James to sign for you in store. If you are unable to be at Dymocks Chadstone , don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to arrange a signed copy of any of his books for you.

Meet internationally celebrated author James Islington - author of The Licanius Trilogy and most recent winner of the 2023 Aurealis Award for the Best Fantasy Novel - Will of the Many. We are pleased to also have the much anticipated sequel to Will of the Many - Strength of the Few available for James to sign for you in store. If you are unable to be at Dymocks Eastland, don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to arrange a signed copy of any of his books for you.