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The Dream
Corrupt cops, powerful criminals. A PI caught in the middle. The Gold Coast's darkest hour.In the midst of a violent crime wave, Detective Bruno Karras (The Strip) investigates the disappearance of a wealthy family, confronting corruption within his own ranks. Political operative Mark Nichols arrives, tasked with reviving the troubled Fantasyland theme park amidst suspicious delays. Caught between ruthless gangsters and corrupt officials, PI Amy Owens navigates a web of deceit.
As shocking connections emerge between the crimes, the trio find themselves fighting for survival in a heart-stopping climax at Fantasyland. Not all will make it out alive.
A pulse-pounding thriller perfect for fans of "Heat" and "True Detective," "The Dream" masterfully blends suspense, action, and psychological depth while exploring the dark underbelly of the Gold Coast, where ambition, greed, and corruption reign supreme.
As shocking connections emerge between the crimes, the trio find themselves fighting for survival in a heart-stopping climax at Fantasyland. Not all will make it out alive.
A pulse-pounding thriller perfect for fans of "Heat" and "True Detective," "The Dream" masterfully blends suspense, action, and psychological depth while exploring the dark underbelly of the Gold Coast, where ambition, greed, and corruption reign supreme.
448 pages, Paperback
Published December 3, 2024
7 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Iain Ryan
15 books82 followersIain Ryan grew up in the outer suburbs of Brisbane, Australia. He predominantly writes in the hard-boiled/noir genre and his work has been previously published by Akashic Books Online, Crime Factory, Kill Your Darlings and Seizure.
His novella, Four Days, was published in November 2015 by small press Broken River Books (Portland, USA). The following year the book was shortlisted for the Australian Crime Writing Association’s Ned Kelly Awards (Best Debut Fiction). It didn’t win. Then Broken River Books folded, and the book fell out-of-print. On a roll, Ryan wrote and
self-published a trilogy of grimy romans durs, all set in the Queensland tropics: Drainland (2016), Harsh Recovery (2016), and Civil Twilight (2017).
Disillusioned with self-publishing, Ryan submitted the
manuscript for The Student to a single editor (Angela Meyer, an
acquaintance) and the book was published by Echo Publishing. In 2018, The Student was shortlisted for The Australian Crime Writing Association’s Ned Kelly Awards (Best Novel). In 2021, Echo Publishing and Bonnier Zaffre (UK) published Ryan’s third novel, The Spiral. Virtually no one liked it, except Ryan himself. In 2023, Ultimo Press published Ryan’s sixth novel The Strip. A QBD Book of the Month, The Strip is Ryan’s highest selling book to date and will be followed by sequel, The Dream (2024).
His novella, Four Days, was published in November 2015 by small press Broken River Books (Portland, USA). The following year the book was shortlisted for the Australian Crime Writing Association’s Ned Kelly Awards (Best Debut Fiction). It didn’t win. Then Broken River Books folded, and the book fell out-of-print. On a roll, Ryan wrote and
self-published a trilogy of grimy romans durs, all set in the Queensland tropics: Drainland (2016), Harsh Recovery (2016), and Civil Twilight (2017).
Disillusioned with self-publishing, Ryan submitted the
manuscript for The Student to a single editor (Angela Meyer, an
acquaintance) and the book was published by Echo Publishing. In 2018, The Student was shortlisted for The Australian Crime Writing Association’s Ned Kelly Awards (Best Novel). In 2021, Echo Publishing and Bonnier Zaffre (UK) published Ryan’s third novel, The Spiral. Virtually no one liked it, except Ryan himself. In 2023, Ultimo Press published Ryan’s sixth novel The Strip. A QBD Book of the Month, The Strip is Ryan’s highest selling book to date and will be followed by sequel, The Dream (2024).
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 6, 2024
It is 1982 and Australia is deep in recession. Set on the Gold Coast in a Queensland, this is a dark and messy crime novel that is very easy to get lost in. It follows on from last year’s book, The Strip, but can easily be read as a standalone story.
There is corruption everywhere, in the police force, in the government. Some really bad men are taking control of the strip and not for the better. Drugs and prostitution are rampant, there are murders and underworld figures. And in the middle of it all is a new theme park being built.
I loved the 80s setting, memories of the Mike Walsh Show, Dame Edna, these new ATMs and VCRs, no mobile phones, no emails. It was also the year of the commonwealth games in Brisbane at QE2 stadium. A step back to a different time.
Thanks Ultimo Press for my copy of this book to read.
There is corruption everywhere, in the police force, in the government. Some really bad men are taking control of the strip and not for the better. Drugs and prostitution are rampant, there are murders and underworld figures. And in the middle of it all is a new theme park being built.
I loved the 80s setting, memories of the Mike Walsh Show, Dame Edna, these new ATMs and VCRs, no mobile phones, no emails. It was also the year of the commonwealth games in Brisbane at QE2 stadium. A step back to a different time.
Thanks Ultimo Press for my copy of this book to read.
January 2, 2026
A fast-paced, tense, Australian crime fiction story.
Set on the Gold Coast in Queensland, during the 1970’s and 1980’s, within a community gripped by recession, and impacted greatly by drugs, violent bank robberies and murder.
This story tackles the tangled web of corruption, power, deception, ambition, betrayal and revenge.
This book is a sequel to The Strip, although this also reads well as a standalone storyline.
Set on the Gold Coast in Queensland, during the 1970’s and 1980’s, within a community gripped by recession, and impacted greatly by drugs, violent bank robberies and murder.
This story tackles the tangled web of corruption, power, deception, ambition, betrayal and revenge.
This book is a sequel to The Strip, although this also reads well as a standalone storyline.
January 6, 2025
Fast paced and entertaining Queensland crime novel. Setting the book in the 1980s enables a lot of licence about crooked cops, property developers, politicians, etc. And all very believable based on my experience of living there in 1990/1. Corruption reigned. But I thought it introduced a few too many characters too quickly, so I found myself going back a lot in the first half to check on who was who (and wished it had been "cleaned up" a bit to enable more development of fewer characters). Anyhow, onto the next instalment ...
January 3, 2025
Iain Ryan is carving out his own Ellroyesque quartet , doing for the Gold Coast what Ellroy did for LA. 1980s Queensland is the perfect time and place, so much so I can’t believe it hasn’t been done before.
This is his LA Confidential. Some similarities of character and plot, the Disneyland subplot in particular, but there’s enough originality to make it more than a retread.
A distinctive Australian style and humour here too.
This is his LA Confidential. Some similarities of character and plot, the Disneyland subplot in particular, but there’s enough originality to make it more than a retread.
A distinctive Australian style and humour here too.
December 6, 2024
3.5⭐️ Another new Aussie crime author discovered!
Set not too far from me in Queensland’s glittering Gold Coast this book had me swept straight into 1982. The Commonwealth Games are underway in Brisbane but on the Gold Coast Detective Bruno Karras finds photos left on his car of a bloodstained house and the residents missing presumed dead.
Bruno finds himself caught up in the underworld of corrupt cops and politicians. Wealthy businessmen and a spate of bank robberies that are hitting the coast.
The book is full of characters and set over only a couple of weeks giving the reader a fast-paced page-turner. The story comes together in a thrilling finale.
Thank you to @ultimopress for the ARC.
Set not too far from me in Queensland’s glittering Gold Coast this book had me swept straight into 1982. The Commonwealth Games are underway in Brisbane but on the Gold Coast Detective Bruno Karras finds photos left on his car of a bloodstained house and the residents missing presumed dead.
Bruno finds himself caught up in the underworld of corrupt cops and politicians. Wealthy businessmen and a spate of bank robberies that are hitting the coast.
The book is full of characters and set over only a couple of weeks giving the reader a fast-paced page-turner. The story comes together in a thrilling finale.
Thank you to @ultimopress for the ARC.
September 22, 2025
Set in Surfers Paradise, this is loosely a story about the construction of Fantasyland and the nefarious dealings surrounding it. This book lost me. There were so many characters that I couldn’t tell Arthur from Martha. Nor who knew who. Nor what happened, not really. This might work better as a movie. I just couldn’t get invested.
April 21, 2025
Fell asleep too many times listening to this audio book so missed half the story and whatever the plot twist at the end was... thought I'd catch-up along the way but too many characters and didn't love it enough to keep going back to relisten.
January 7, 2026
The era and vibe of crime on the Gold Coast in the 1980s are depicted well but the plot becomes convoluted. So much so that the story has to end with the key villains explaining what you have waded through.
January 16, 2025
Loved it! Fast paced, short chapters, wild characters, no idea what all the clues mean until they come together!
Fantastic Australian read!
Reading The Strip isn't necessary but would help (this is the 2nd installment).
I cannot wait for the next one!!
Fantastic Australian read!
Reading The Strip isn't necessary but would help (this is the 2nd installment).
I cannot wait for the next one!!
December 23, 2024
It is 1982, and the Gold Coast is a hive of activity. The Commonwealth Games was about to being together the country, meter maids were walking the street of the Gold Coast along side beat cops. Brothels and drugs seemed to ruled the streets, and dirty cops worked hand in hand with the underworld. Banks were being hit by robberies, high rise buildings were slowly starting to fill the skyline, and the new theme park called Fantasyland was set for completion, with or without investors.
This is a vivid book, as much as the scenes are garish and graphic. No character is safe, nor are they aware of just how connected they all are. And it is the glare and the unknown surprises that create the hook to not leave this book for a minute, else something is missed. It felt like there was no escape from the fear, violence, fraud and immorality of this place and time. The ‘God Minister’ and the ‘Minister for Everything’ seemed to keep the movement going, although they were really only puppets, with their strings controlled by so many others. The other central characters are just as complex: Bruno Karras, police officer with good moral intent was drawn into the vortex of corruption, crime, peadophilia and murder. He learned quickly those those he was assigned to investigate had deeper stories than he could imagine, and the criminals were calculated in more ways than expected. The man the God Minister assigned to the flailing Fantasyland project was, Mike Nicholls, about to have his eyes opened to the underworld of the underworld, including his own personal relationship with Colleen Vincent, prominent and ominous criminal figure on the Gold Coast. Amy Owens works as a private investigator for Colleen Vincent, and is caught up in the thick of it, by bloodline, to those who is investigating and whom she works for.
This book brought this sin city to life, where criminals, the corrupted, and the wronged are all out for blood. activities which are tolerated. It is a great exploration into whether morality actually exists. Some are fighting the baddies who are fighting other baddies. Killing one to prevent the murder of another: what is the best option? Who would be left, and who would hold the power? This story of long-term corruption and abuse of power in Queensland even borrowed from reality: the Former Queensland Police Commissioner Sir Terence Lewis who was convicted of corruption, jailed, and stripped of his knighthood was a key character in this wicked game. And even at this level, it was hard to see the full picture of the extend of crimes being committed. All with the flashing lights of fantasyland, looming overhead to attract the innocent, and corrupt them from underneath.
It is a sequel to The Strip, yet you don’t need to have read it to sink your teeth into The Dream – this book will sink its teeth into you, and make you feel like you cannot scrub yourself clean. Thank you #ultimopress for the #gifted copy.
This is a vivid book, as much as the scenes are garish and graphic. No character is safe, nor are they aware of just how connected they all are. And it is the glare and the unknown surprises that create the hook to not leave this book for a minute, else something is missed. It felt like there was no escape from the fear, violence, fraud and immorality of this place and time. The ‘God Minister’ and the ‘Minister for Everything’ seemed to keep the movement going, although they were really only puppets, with their strings controlled by so many others. The other central characters are just as complex: Bruno Karras, police officer with good moral intent was drawn into the vortex of corruption, crime, peadophilia and murder. He learned quickly those those he was assigned to investigate had deeper stories than he could imagine, and the criminals were calculated in more ways than expected. The man the God Minister assigned to the flailing Fantasyland project was, Mike Nicholls, about to have his eyes opened to the underworld of the underworld, including his own personal relationship with Colleen Vincent, prominent and ominous criminal figure on the Gold Coast. Amy Owens works as a private investigator for Colleen Vincent, and is caught up in the thick of it, by bloodline, to those who is investigating and whom she works for.
This book brought this sin city to life, where criminals, the corrupted, and the wronged are all out for blood. activities which are tolerated. It is a great exploration into whether morality actually exists. Some are fighting the baddies who are fighting other baddies. Killing one to prevent the murder of another: what is the best option? Who would be left, and who would hold the power? This story of long-term corruption and abuse of power in Queensland even borrowed from reality: the Former Queensland Police Commissioner Sir Terence Lewis who was convicted of corruption, jailed, and stripped of his knighthood was a key character in this wicked game. And even at this level, it was hard to see the full picture of the extend of crimes being committed. All with the flashing lights of fantasyland, looming overhead to attract the innocent, and corrupt them from underneath.
It is a sequel to The Strip, yet you don’t need to have read it to sink your teeth into The Dream – this book will sink its teeth into you, and make you feel like you cannot scrub yourself clean. Thank you #ultimopress for the #gifted copy.
December 2, 2024
4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Summed Up: Cops, Corruption and Chaos On The Coast
- - -
I’m calling it! If you love gritty Australian crime with a heavy dose of police corruption, The Dream will be your dream read.
From the very first page I was hooked. Set against the backdrop of the Gold Coast in the '80s, this novel brings the seedy underbelly of the era to life and everyone is in on it - junkies, crime bosses, corrupt cops and even priests - all playing a part in this wild, tangled web of crime.
The setting was brilliantly depicted, immersing me in the dark neon lit world of 80’s crime. The characters were robust and fascinating, though I’ll admit that at times I felt like I needed a cheat sheet to keep track of who was who in this zoo - probably more due to my memory than the writing 🫠
The Dream was busy, action packed, fast paced and the very definition of a page turner - finished in less than 24 hours! It didn’t let up for a second and I loved every twist and turn 🎢 I also just discovered this is the second book in the series so you can bet I’ll be diving into the first one as soon as I can.
This one releases on December 4th and would make the perfect Christmas gift for fans of dark underbelly style suspense stories.
Big thanks to Ultimo Press for the early sneak peek!
Summed Up: Cops, Corruption and Chaos On The Coast
- - -
I’m calling it! If you love gritty Australian crime with a heavy dose of police corruption, The Dream will be your dream read.
From the very first page I was hooked. Set against the backdrop of the Gold Coast in the '80s, this novel brings the seedy underbelly of the era to life and everyone is in on it - junkies, crime bosses, corrupt cops and even priests - all playing a part in this wild, tangled web of crime.
The setting was brilliantly depicted, immersing me in the dark neon lit world of 80’s crime. The characters were robust and fascinating, though I’ll admit that at times I felt like I needed a cheat sheet to keep track of who was who in this zoo - probably more due to my memory than the writing 🫠
The Dream was busy, action packed, fast paced and the very definition of a page turner - finished in less than 24 hours! It didn’t let up for a second and I loved every twist and turn 🎢 I also just discovered this is the second book in the series so you can bet I’ll be diving into the first one as soon as I can.
This one releases on December 4th and would make the perfect Christmas gift for fans of dark underbelly style suspense stories.
Big thanks to Ultimo Press for the early sneak peek!
February 22, 2025
Lots of reminders of Brisbane and the Gold Coast when I was 16 in the pre-Fitzgerald Inquiry era (bent cops and the white shoe brigade). One surprising geographical mistake though. On page 62 (Chapter 17 - Amy - Bulcock Street, Caloundra), Caloundra is not on the Gold Coast (south of Brisbane) - it's on the Sunshine Coast (north of Brisbane. There is no way you could get from Surfers Paradise to Caloundra in an hour. They're 170km apart, and even now with motorways and the Gateway Bridge built since 1982 it would still take well over two hours' driving. Amy was following Bill Webber who continues further south to his house at Tugun from what I expect was somewhere like Currumbin rather than Caloundra. I ended up looking other street addresses after that and they are all real streets (as is Bulcock Street). Entertaining fast-paced read. Looking forward to number 3 in the quartet.
December 19, 2024
Ryan does it again with another action-packed, suspense-filled thriller that keeps you hooked from cover to cover. He drops you right into a chaotic world of crime and corruption, full of secrets that’ll keep you guessing until the very end.
The story is super layered—there’s a lot happening—which adds a ton of drama and depth you don’t always get in a typical thriller. That said, it did feel a bit overwhelming at times, especially early on while trying to figure out who’s who and later on when piecing together all the different characters and storylines. But that complexity makes for a jam-packed plot that keeps you on your toes.
I loved the Gold Coast setting and the wild, loose behavior of the corrupt cops from the ‘80s—it adds a gritty, retro vibe to the story
The story is super layered—there’s a lot happening—which adds a ton of drama and depth you don’t always get in a typical thriller. That said, it did feel a bit overwhelming at times, especially early on while trying to figure out who’s who and later on when piecing together all the different characters and storylines. But that complexity makes for a jam-packed plot that keeps you on your toes.
I loved the Gold Coast setting and the wild, loose behavior of the corrupt cops from the ‘80s—it adds a gritty, retro vibe to the story
September 12, 2025
A historic Aussie noir, The Dream (2024) by Iain Ryan is another Detective Bruno Karras case set in Queensland in 1982. The Gold Coast Commonwealth Games are on in Brisbane when Dt Karras gets sent a photograph of a blood-stained house. Meantime, Mr fix-it Mike Nicholls is investigating the delays and problems of building a fantasyland theme park. Then there is Amy Owens, a private investigator working for a notorious crime family. These three protagonists get caught up in a sinister conspiracy involving corruption and jeopardises their safety. A riveting story with a suitably fast action narrative and gritty atmospheric capture of the period, makes for a four and a half star read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement.
December 31, 2024
the first book I read this year was The Strip. It was appropriate that I bookend my reading in 2024 by finishing the next instalment an hour from midnight. And this is my book of the year, with the prequel a close second - a searing noir rendition of the cesspit of corruption that was early 1980s Queensland. Iain Ryan has taken a narrative approach that James Ellroy failed terribly at and made it work wonders. It's all here - the White Shoe Brigade, Russ Hinze (broadly hinted at), the entire cast of dodgy Gold Coast characters who built a shiny strip of high-rises to celebrate their own corrupt excesses. Stone brilliant.
January 20, 2025
A great crime novel set in Queensland, in what seems to be a thinly veiled look at the state government from the 1980s and the crime that underpinned the booming development in the Gold Coast.
The cast of characters on the police side, and the criminals, and some who seem to occupy both categories are written well, and the story moves at a terrific pace.
There is violence galore and then more....
A good read that keeps you interested and horrified, but well done. And there seems to be potential for a follow-up so if you liked Amy, Bruno, Colleen etc you'll be looking forward to it
Recommended
The cast of characters on the police side, and the criminals, and some who seem to occupy both categories are written well, and the story moves at a terrific pace.
There is violence galore and then more....
A good read that keeps you interested and horrified, but well done. And there seems to be potential for a follow-up so if you liked Amy, Bruno, Colleen etc you'll be looking forward to it
Recommended
October 10, 2024
3.5 stars
We're on Queensland's Gold Coast and it's 1982. At the height of the state's corruption - the time of the White Shoe brigade, corrupt police, corrupt politicians and seedy underworld characters.
Crooked deals, crime, corruption and revenge permeate the pages from start to finish in this gritty read.
I haven't read the first book in the quartet, and this can easily be enjoyed as a stand alone.
We're on Queensland's Gold Coast and it's 1982. At the height of the state's corruption - the time of the White Shoe brigade, corrupt police, corrupt politicians and seedy underworld characters.
Crooked deals, crime, corruption and revenge permeate the pages from start to finish in this gritty read.
I haven't read the first book in the quartet, and this can easily be enjoyed as a stand alone.
December 30, 2024
This was hard work. A loose plot and written in the Australian vernacular, it took me till well over 30% to work out what was happening. I kept hoping it would get better... If you're not an Aussie, then you might have trouble understanding many of the Aussie idioms and innuendos. However, I did finish it, so I guess that means something.
I give this honest review of my own volition. I didn't receive a free copy in return for a review.
I give this honest review of my own volition. I didn't receive a free copy in return for a review.
February 14, 2025
As I gave The Strip *** 1/2 and enjoyed this more **** seemed the relevant rating.
Gritty.
Well written.
Police corruption[ in fact an ex qsld cop wants to PM : SHUDDER !!!!!}
Set in the sleazy Gold Coast none of what happens here is beyond belief for I am sure what REALLY transpired in the 80's was FAR WORSE !!! [Think the Fitzgerald Inquiry and that despot joh bjelke petersen who I am sure would have loved trump !!!
Absorbing read.
Gritty.
Well written.
Police corruption[ in fact an ex qsld cop wants to PM : SHUDDER !!!!!}
Set in the sleazy Gold Coast none of what happens here is beyond belief for I am sure what REALLY transpired in the 80's was FAR WORSE !!! [Think the Fitzgerald Inquiry and that despot joh bjelke petersen who I am sure would have loved trump !!!
Absorbing read.
September 26, 2025
This book was chosen for Ben’s Book Club this month and I was about 1/3 of the way through when I listened to the talk. It encouraged me greatly to read on and it was everything that Iain explained. He is not big on flowery descriptions and when the plot involves fast paced action, the writing is filled with short sharp sentences written as paragraphs. I loved it. Can’t say I loved the ending where one of my favourites was killed but I am looking forward to reading the first book in the quartet (this is the second) before the third is released soon.
Indyreads audiobook.
Indyreads audiobook.
September 14, 2025
I’m not sure how it’s possible for a second book in a series to fall so far from the first. This felt like a pretentious amalgamation of mystery storylines that didn’t really make sense — and was not particularly interesting either. I didn’t care about any of the characters like I did in the first book. One star.
December 23, 2024
Almost killed me.
December 27, 2024
The best fictional rendering on the page of Queensland's not so distant criminal past that I have read (admittedly, there is not a huge amount of competition, but, still). Very Strong on vibe, perhaps slightly less so on plot, but a great noir read nonetheless. Thoroughly recommended.
February 2, 2025
I enjoyed listening to this Australian crime novel. Twisted cops, people and plots.
March 26, 2025
Rubbish. Bailed at page 26. Superficial plot and characters.
September 16, 2025
A bit too gritty for me.
December 13, 2025
Fast paced crime novel set in Australia in the 80’s. It’s an easy read and enjoyable, but not something that gripped me
July 18, 2025
This was a great second instalment in a series I’ve really come to enjoy, and has enthralled me even further with this book in the world of Queensland police and political corruption. This was probably better than the strip, and the intrigue with two of the protagonists not being police officers was great. Lots of new characters and old, and the conspiracy was more complicated, I don’t think I fully grasped everything that happened and how it all tied in. It was great to still see the underlying background of Father Hanlon and Colleen still there, as well as questions around a certain baby. I hope Henry makes a return in the third book too, as he was missed. Hopefully Amy also comes back chasing down the baby, as well as Bruno investigating the assistant commissioner.
July 29, 2025
I must admit I probably wouldn’t have read this book if a publishing mate hadn’t given me a copy, but I’m richer for the experience!!
Sharp, punchy writing is hard to sustain but this author pulls it off, with aplomb and with a touch of irony and humour, so there is much to like!!
Set in the 70’s Gold Coast when if you didn’t have a safari suit and gold chains you were probably not a local, the book is very evocative of the times and indeed the rumoured corruption!!
A great bit of escapism that ideally will appeal to the targeted audience, if they can find it!!
Sharp, punchy writing is hard to sustain but this author pulls it off, with aplomb and with a touch of irony and humour, so there is much to like!!
Set in the 70’s Gold Coast when if you didn’t have a safari suit and gold chains you were probably not a local, the book is very evocative of the times and indeed the rumoured corruption!!
A great bit of escapism that ideally will appeal to the targeted audience, if they can find it!!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews