Books in the Brewery - Duncraig - Feb: At Cafe 64 by Shaeden Berry

Books in the Brewery is a free casual book club. In February we discuss At Cafe 64 by Shaeden Berry.

Book of the Month: At Cafe 64 by Shaeden Berry

Books in the Brewery is a free casual event combining great beer with good chat and an Aussie novel. Readers and drinkers are invited to take part in a guided conversation with our resident host.

Duncraig meetings will be held at 6pm on the second Tuesday of the month.

Adult readers of all experience are invited to think and talk about books in a safe and encouraging space. Expect to be discussing books from both award-winning Australian authors and new voices from around the country.

To stay updated on the latest book selection and event details, follow us on Instagram at @booksinthebrewery and join the conversation by subscribing to our Substack newsletter.

About the book: What does it mean to be a victim?

Without any warning, Justin Kowalski drives his vehicle across a line of traffic and through the front wall of Cafe 64, killing himself and three other people - and taking the reasons for this shocking act to the grave. Unable to locate any evidence of criminal behaviour or mental illness in Justin's past, and with no one left to prosecute, the police have no choice but to label it 'an isolated incident'.

Almost two years later, three women walk into a meeting being held by the 'Victims of the Cafe 64 Tragedy' support group.

A fiancée left behind. Maddie, consumed with an all-encompassing rage, on a desperate hunt for the truth.

A sister hiding in the shadows. Emily, wracked by guilt, being eaten from the inside out by the secrets she keeps.

A bystander who refuses to look back. Flo, with her mask of optimism firmly in place, who insists to anyone who will listen that she is fine.

When these three come together, the fallout will rock the foundations of their shaky, precarious lives, forcing them to confront the truths, lies and questions that surround that deadly day at Cafe 64. Can any horrific event truly exist in isolation? How do we cope when the nature of our loss is not so cut and dried? In the aftermath of a tragic event, how do we define a victim - who do we allow to grieve, what are we allowed to grieve, and where do we place blame?