IN late 2021, a bold new voice emerged in Australian crime fiction with Michael Burge’s debut novel, Tank Water.
Now, his unflinching storytelling continues with the much-anticipated sequel, Dirt Trap, Sunshine Coast readers can hear Michael in conversation with local crime author Georgia Harper at The Red Room, Maleny, on Monday December 1, at 5.30pm.
“I’m very much looking forward to returning to Maleny, after experiencing all that this burgeoning ‘book town’ has to offer readers,” Michael said. “As a writer who lives in the bush, I’m fascinated by how rural and regional communities are portrayed in Australian fiction. My novels challenge stereotypes about country towns and explore the insidious nature of homophobia in rural life.”
Based in New England, NSW, Michael is also an accomplished journalist. The inspiration for Dirt Trap came from a reader’s question about how the Brandt family from Tank Water might respond to the NSW inquiry into LGBTIQ+ hate crimes.
“I realised there was a novel in that question,” he said. “Fiction offers an emotional depth journalism can’t always reach.”
Cost: $5 Includes welcome glass of wine by Spill Wine Maleny and cheese/fruit platter. Tickets in-store or online www.rosettabooks.com.au