Penguin Noir returns with an evening of suspense, intrigue and criminally good conversation featuring some of Australia's most acclaimed crime writers alongside exciting new voices in the genre.
Be among the first to hear local favourite Fiona Mcintosh introduce The Silencing. She will open the night with an exclusive preview of her forthcoming detective novel.
A panel conversation will follow with Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier, authors of the action-packed gothic thriller The Mortons, and Margaret Hickey, whose latest novel, Cold River, returns readers to the rugged Victorian High Country. The discussion will be moderated by award-winning YA author Margot McGovern.
Enjoy themed "booktails" from Fiction Distilling, plus door prizes and exclusive giveaways throughout the evening.
Books will be available for purchase and signing on the night.
About the authors:
Fiona McIntosh is an internationally and million-copy bestselling author of novels for adults and children across several genres. Alongside her highly successful historical fiction titles, for which she has been nominated at the Australian Book Industry Awards for commercial fiction book of the year, her popular Detective Jack Hawksworth series has recently been released across the UK. Several of her historical titles as well as the ‘world of Hawksworth’ crime novels have been optioned for the screen. Her debut children’s picture book, Harry and Gran Bake a Cake, was published in 2025. Fiona roams the world for her research and lives between Adelaide in South Australia and Wiltshire in England.
Justine Larbalestier & Scott Westerfeld are the authors of The Mortons, their joint adult debut, slated for simultaneous publication in 2026. Justine is an award-winning author of several novels for young adults, including My Sister Rosa, How to Ditch Your Fairy, Liar, Razorhurst, and Zombies v Unicorns (with Holly Black). Scott is best known as the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over 20 books for adults and young readers, including the Uglies and Impostors series, and the Leviathan trilogy. Justine and Scott are married and split their time between Sydney and NYC.
Margaret Hickey is an award-winning author and playwright from North East Victoria. She has a PhD in Creative Writing and is deeply interested in rural lives and communities. She is the author of six crime novels - Cutters End, Stone Town, Broken Bay, The Creeper, An Ill Wind and Cold River - and a collection of short stories, Rural Dreams.
Cutters End was awarded the BAD Crime Sydney Festival’s Danger Prize, and was also shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award for First Fiction. Margaret won the Ned Kelly Award for Best Fiction in 2025 for The Creeper.
Margot McGovern lives in Adelaide, Australia. She is the author of This Stays Between Us and Neverland, and has a creative writing PhD from Flinders University. Her work has been shortlisted for the Text Prize and the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature. You can find Margot on Instagram: @margot.mcgovern
A darkly funny, action-packed gothic thriller following a modern-day, old-money crime family with murderous intent. It's The Secret History meets The Sopranos, with a dash of Saltburn!