Local Author Margaret Hickey to Launch Rural Crime Thriller

Published on 11 July 2025

Booktique, proudly supported by Wangaratta Library, is delighted to host acclaimed local author Margaret Hickey for the launch of her latest novel, An Ill Wind — a chilling rural crime thriller set in the heart of Victoria.

Margaret Hickey, an award-winning author and playwright from North East Victoria, brings her signature storytelling to this gripping new tale. With a PhD in Creative Writing, Margaret is also a dedicated English teacher and university lecturer, whose plays have been performed across regional Victoria, Brisbane, Melbourne, and even New York.

An Ill Wind explores the tensions and secrets that surface when a massive wind farm is constructed on the outskirts of a small Victorian town. High on a hill above Carrabeen, 300 wind turbines spin relentlessly — except one, now eerily still, with a body hanging from its blade.

Detective Sergeants Belinda Burney and Will Lovell are drawn into a complex investigation when the victim is revealed to be Geordie Pritchard, a wealthy local philanthropist and owner of the wind farm. As the town reels from the shock, long-standing divisions erupt — some residents embrace the economic boost, while others mourn the loss of farmland and community identity.

Join us for an evening of conversation and insight as Margaret discusses the inspiration behind An Ill Wind, her writing process, and the real-life issues that shape her compelling fiction.

When: Thursday 24 July at 6pm

Where: Wangaratta Library, 21 Docker St

Bookings are essential: https://events.humanitix.com/host/wangaratta-library , contact Library staff on 5721 2366 or email library@wangaratta.vic.gov.au