Mark Brandi Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

About Mark Brandi

The Australian author Mark Brandi is a highly skilled novelist, most noteworthy for his ability in capturing a core idea and really elevating it for the reader. Bringing them in he manages to immediately capture their imagination, allowing them immerse themselves in his words on the page. This goes some way towards explaining how it is that he has come to be one of the foremost writers currently working within his field to date. Focusing on the genres of the crime novel and thriller, he really understands what it is that his readers are looking for within his work. This has progressed into something unique and different, as he has gone on to create something entirely of his own that definitely stands apart from the rest of what’s on currently on the market.

Getting a lot of recognition for his work in a relatively short amount of time, he would initially start out by writing shorter fiction. This would allow him to progress to longer form novels, setting him up as a writer to pay close attention by industry insiders. Not only that, but he would also gain a worldwide following too, with many readers from across the globe singing his praises as well. Starting out looking at the pains of youth with his debut novel, Brandi wasn’t afraid to take his work into somewhat darker territory either. With a lot more set to come, he is definitely someone to watch in the years to come, as he doesn’t appear to be stopping any time soon.

Early and Personal Life

Born in Italy he would grow up in a small town there, an upbringing that would come to provide him with a sense of ‘otherness’. Over time this feeling would come to be reflected within his work as well, allowing him to sharpen his voice and style as writer. Reading such novels as ‘The Stranger’ by Albert Camus, he would use this to also sharpen his material as a writer who would chronicle his views from an outside perspective. Moving to Australia as a young boy, he would quickly adapt to this new environment, allowing him to see another side of life. This experience would allow him to vary himself as a writer with something clear and interesting to say for himself.

Wanting to reflect how society reacts to crimes perpetuated, he would come to invest himself in the works of writers such as Camus and Helen Garner. This would then be taken into the territory of the ‘coming-of-age’ novel for his debut novel, allowing him to draw from his own upbringing in the process. A crime writer in essence, Brandi really draws out the truth behind his subject matter, something which he has taught himself over the years. With scores of ideas and musings prior to becoming a full-time writer, he would hone his craft over the many years before being discovered. Currently living in Melbourne, he continues to put out work at a regular pace, with a lot more to follow in the future.

Writing Career

It would be in the year of 2017 that Mark Brandi would release his first novel, with his debut title ‘Wimmera’ being released that year. He would later follow this up in 2019 with his second novel ‘The Rip’, which would seek to develop his ideas and style as a writer. Taking his ideas forwards, he would really progress as an author of crime fiction who sought to write about deeper elements of the human condition. Showing a definite insight into the minds of his characters, he really got to the heart of what made them grow as people and individuals. This is why his readers have managed to find so much in his work, allowing them to really feel close to the action and what’s going on.

His debut novel would also provide a ‘coming-of-age’ story which, as well as being a crime novel, would elevate it to something else quite different. This is why he has gone on to receive awards and nominations, such as the ‘Debut Dagger’ in the United Kingdom for his first release. Along with this he has also managed to gain the ‘Indie Book Award for Debut Fiction’, as well as being shortlisted for numerous other prizes too. Using a short-story about a father and son on a trip hunting for rabbits, he would go on to use it as the inception for his first novel, showing just how far he has come. This would also reflect his own childhood, with his own parents bringing him up in Wimmera, something which continues to shape his career as a successful and popular writer.

Wimmera

Released through the ‘Hachette Australia’ label, this would mark the first title for Mark Brandi as an author. Published on the 27th of June, it was initially brought out in 2017. Setting the tone for his books to follow, this is a definite must for any fans of Brandi as an author.

Set in 1989, this sees two young boys called Fab and Ben growing up as best friends in the small country town of Wimmera. Dealing with all the typical features of young boys at the time on the surface, they avoid the fact that Fab’s father beats him, along with the sudden death of Ben’s next door neighbor. Then, twenty years later, Fab finds himself still in the town hoping for something larger, looking to move on, as a body turns up in the river. Where did it come from and why? Can they look back to the past for answers? What is the truth about the ongoings of Wimmera?

The Rip

Published though the ‘Hachette Australia’ outlet once again, this would provide another stand-alone title from Mark Brandi. Setting up his second novel, it would come out in 2019 on the 26th of February. This would continue his career, developing his both his style and ideas in an entirely new environment

Anton is on the lookout for the woman that he feels would be most safe with him, as she used her street smarts to keep her head above water. The only issue previously was that Steve came along and changed it all, as he would come to draw a wedge between the two of them. With a flat of his own though, Anton can change that, along with his easy access to drugs, making him more of an apparent prospect for her. Why is Steve’s door permanently locked though? What’s that terrible smell? Where is the rip?