Allen & Unwin has established itself as a publisher of significant true crime and crime fiction works exploring Australia's darkest cases and fictional investigations.
The publisher's non-fiction catalogue includes **Falsely Convicted**, an investigative work by Neil Mercer, a Walkley Award-winning crime reporter. This title examines chilling crimes centered on wrongful convictions, offering readers detailed accounts of cases where justice took unexpected turns. The book's ISBN is 9781761472978.
Another major non-fiction release is **Australia's Most Infamous Criminals** by Graham Seal, published under Allen & Unwin's Australian imprint. This volume documents the scams, escapes, captures, and crimes committed by some of Australia's most notorious figures, presenting a historical perspective on criminal enterprise in the country.
The publisher also offers **The Australian Book of True Crime: Crimes that Shocked Australia**, a curated collection of 21 real-life cases spanning from the late 1800s to the present day. This anthology approach allows readers to explore diverse criminal narratives across Australian history.
On the crime fiction side, Allen & Unwin has invested in contemporary murder mystery series. **The Bluff** launches the Detective Stilwell series, with its first installment released as an ebook on 20 May 2025. The 351-page novel centers on an exiled detective stationed on Catalina Island who investigates the discovery of a murdered girl at the harbour's bottom, uncovering secrets buried within the island community.
**The Valley**, released on 1 October 2024, follows a rural homicide investigation team led by DS Ivan Lucic and DSC Nell Buchanan. The plot unfolds in a remote New South Wales mountain valley near Canberra, where detectives investigate the death of a controversial entrepreneur—a case that promises to reveal tensions within a geographically isolated community.
The publisher's crime fiction catalogue also includes **When It Rains**, part of the Dan Clements outback noir series. Set in remote Broome, this title explores the complexities of policing in Australia's outback regions, featuring twists, mounting tension, and graphic descriptions that appeal to readers seeking darker, more atmospheric crime narratives.
These releases reflect Allen & Unwin's commitment to both investigative journalism and genre fiction, offering international readers authentic perspectives on Australian crime—whether grounded in real cases or fictional explorations of law enforcement in isolated communities. The mix of established crime reporters and emerging fiction authors demonstrates the publisher's breadth in the crime category.
For international audiences, these titles provide windows into Australian criminal history, the justice system's complexities, and the country's unique geographical and social contexts that shape crime narratives. From wrongful conviction investigations to island and outback mysteries, Allen & Unwin's crime catalogue spans multiple reader interests and storytelling approaches.
**Sources:** - https://unseenlibrary.com/tag/allen-unwin-australia/ - https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/aussie-crime-2025-recent-australian-crime-novels-to-read-this-australia-day/ - https://books.google.mg/books?id=wYt-tfhsH7sC&printsec=frontcover - https://www.allenandunwin.com/search?series=AU10008 - https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Neil-Mercer-Falsely-Convicted-9781761472978
