BOOKS AT THE BREWERY
Louise Milligan
​Author and Investigative Journalist, Louise Milligan returns to The Taproom to discuss her latest novel, Shellybanks a novel of buried secrets, unimaginable trauma and how the love of family can pull you through to a brighter future.
Credit: Hugh Stewart
About the Book:
On the sands of Shellybanks, where tides can quickly turn treacherous, journalist Kate Delaney once nearly drowned. Years later, reeling from a violent crime that has upended her life in Melbourne, she returns to Dublin to comfort her beloved aunt Dolores—only to discover Dolores has her own buried trauma.
As a teenager, Dolores was drawn into a disturbing religious movement that stole her youth, her freedom, and so much more. With Kate's help, she is determined to confront the powerful network that made her endure years of silence and shame.
Shellybanks is a haunting tale of secrecy and survival, charting how two women find strength in each other as they reckon with Ireland's hidden histories and the scars that endure across generations.
'So much more than a crime novel. I loved it. Beautiful. The humanity shines through. A stunning dive into Ireland's dark past.' Chris Hammer, author of Legacy
'Taut, atmospheric and deeply human, Milligan masterfully weaves tension, truth and place into every page.' Brigid Delaney, author of The Seeker and the Sage
About the Author:
Louise Milligan is a multi-award-winning investigative journalist for ABC TV's Four Corners, the Australian national broadcaster's flagship current affairs documentary program. Louise's first novel, Pheasants Nest, was published in 2024 to wide acclaim, and was shortlisted for the Best Debut Fiction, Indie Book Awards and the Best Crime Fiction, Danger Awards. She also is the author of two bestselling non-fiction books: Cardinal, The Rise and Fall of George Pell and Witness, An Investigation into the Brutal Cost of Seeking Justice. Her books have been awarded multiple prizes, including the Walkley Book Award, the Davitt Awards Best Non-Fiction Crime Book, the Melbourne Prize for Literature People's Choice Award, the Victorian Premier's Literary Award's People's Choice prize, the Sir Owen Dixon Chambers Law Reporter of the Year Award, a Press Freedom Medal and a shortlisting for the Stella Prize.
Born in Ireland to an Irish mother and Scottish father, Louise moved to Australia as a child. She lives in Melbourne with her husband and two children. Shellybanks is her second novel.
Date:
Tuesday March 17 2026
Time:
6 00pm for a 6 30pm start and 8 00pm finish
Venue:
The Taproom, Shedshaker Brewing, 9 Walker Street, Castlemaine 3450
Cost:
$15