Mark Brandi: Southern Aurora

Novelist Mark Brandi worked in the justice system before deciding to devote himself to writing fiction. He has since garnered critical acclaim around the world for his bestselling novels including his debut, Wimmera, which won the coveted British Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger and was named Best Debut at the 2018 Australian Indie Book Awards.

In his fourth novel, Southern Aurora, Brandi delves into familial relationships in a small town to explore the link between socioeconomics, victimisation and class. For Melbourne City Reads, he joins author Sarah Bailey to share his own journey from Italy to rural Victoria and to discuss Southern Aurora’s complex thematic undercurrents and its story of two brothers growing up with obligations beyond their years.

Recorded on 12 July 2023 as part of the Melbourne City Reads series.