2026 Keynote – Chris Hammer
Chris Hammer is a leading Australian crime fiction novelist, author of the internationally bestselling Martin Scarsden series: Scrublands, Silver, Trust and Legacy. Chris has also written two non-fiction books The River (2010) – winner of the ACT Book of the Year – and The Coast (2012).
Scrublands was an instant bestseller upon publication in 2018, topping the Australian fiction charts.In the UK it was named the Sunday Times Crime Novel of the Year 2019 and won the prestigious UK Crime Writers’ Association John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award.
Chris’s books are well known for their atmospheric Australian settings, a range of colourful characters, intricate plots, descriptive language and emotional depth.
His upcoming book Full Circle is his first stand-alone thriller, releasing in September later this year.
Aaron Lamb
Aaron Lamb, a storyteller from childhood, hails from the gritty terraces of an industrial town in South East England. His adventurous spirit has led him to trek the wilderness of Norway and Finland, live in eastern Cambodia, run ultra-marathons and host a cabaret show in London’s West End.
He has self-published 5 novels with his latest book Cults, Coffee and Close Encounters outsold George Orwell and Margaret Atwood for 24 hours on Amazon earlier this year, launching him into rare and elite company.
He has lived in the hills for 13 years with his partner and two sons and can be found writing his sixth book at the Patch General store.