The Hidden

by Bryan Brown

Bryan Brown's distinctive storytelling voice returns in this unflinching, gripping novel from the bestselling author of The Drowning.

The Heads was once a small village on the NSW north coast. Now it's a large village with a lot of action below the surface. A shipment of coke, a crime squad investigation and a drug overdose keeps the local sergeant pretty busy.

Someone is preying on the women of The Heads. And what does the discovery of buried roosters in the forest mean to a young boy traumatised by the death of his mother?

Will Sergeant William Jarrett uncover what is really going on or will it all remain hidden?

Praise for BRYAN BROWN

'Uniquely Australian and uncommonly good, I could hear the author's voice in every spare, haunting line. More please.' MICHAEL ROBOTHAM

'My friend Bryan Brown, quite apart from his other manifold talents, turns out to be an excellent writer. An authentic voice; highly imaginative yet completely believable, with a flair for fully realised characters and a gripping narrative ... a great storyteller. This is utterly baffling. I'm furious.' SAM NEILL

'A work of rattling and serpentine suspense ... gripping and sinuous and so, so good.' TRENT DALTON

'The Drowning has all the hallmarks of great Aussie crime writing ... Brown's punchy prose makes this novel absolutely devourable, and all will be revealed in due time. The Drowning is highly recommended holiday reading.' BETTER READING

372 pages, Paperback

Published November 4, 2025

About the author

Bryan Brown is an actor, having appeared in over a hundred film and television productions. He has worked in some twenty countries, including his home country of Australia and the United States. Sweet Jimmy, seven short stories on crime, was released in 2021. The Drowning was his first novel, released in 2023. The Hidden is his latest thriller.

Reviews

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed all of actor Bryan Browns books and The Hidden is another fun but dark read.

Lots of interesting characters in a small coastal town where apparently nothing much happens… until it does. Sergeant William Jarrett suddenly has his hands full. A local woman has died from a drug overdose, but he believes that there is more to it. Her son knows something g but is traumatised by her death and is not talking. Meanwhile, feathers are found in the forest, somebody is watching the women of The Heads without their knowledge, and large drug shipment is headed their way.

The Hidden certainly keeps the reader on their toes. It was a fast read, with its short sentences and larrikin language, I found I was reading it in the authors voice. It made me laugh, and I could see it all happening in my head as I read. Would love to see this on the screen one day.

Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me an early copy to read. It was so enjoyable to read.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about a small town called The Heads based on the North Coast of NSW Australia.

Now there is a lot going on in this town. Theres a drug overdose, drug shipments, voyeur, and cockfighting. Are the local police going to be able to solve all these incidents?

At the heart of this book is a young boy who has lost his mother to the drug overdose.

This book is written by a well-known Australian actor. His wit is strong in this book. So much so you hear his voice narrating it to you.

This book is actually not only a crime book, but it also made me feel emotions. Sad for the young boy Rory who lost his mum to the drug overdose, angry when Maria spoke about the treatment of aborigines, and disgusted when we heard of the women being violated.

If a book can make you feel certain emotions, that's a good book in my eyes. Hoping to read his other 2 books, if they are anything like this I am in for a treat.

[Janelle]

Dnf around 10%. Really didn’t like the way this was written. Short sentences. Some not really sentences. Just words. Fullstops. No commas. Really annoying. Aussie bloke style. Couldn’t be bothered reading any further.

[Ron Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Hidden is set on the mid north coast of NSW. Having lived in this area for two decades my assumption that ‘The Heads’ is based on one of these places, or an amalgam of many: Crescent Head, Hat Head, Scotts Head, Grassy Head, Nambucca Heads, or maybe Whoopi! The author mentions the Gumbaynggirr people as being the local Aboriginal people.

The author doesn’t spend much effort in capturing the taste and feel of this idyllic part of the world. He has no time to wax on about crystal blue waters with rolling waves or green soft hills with Herefords grazing peacefully, no this book is all about the characters of this seaside village/town and the things they get up to.

The story has, drug overdose, drug dealing, bikies, a peeping tom, numerous heterosexual prurient affairs between the locals, cockfighting, a touch of C. S. Lewis and a certain wardrobe, Aboriginal identity, criminal gangs, PTSD, Cryptocurrency.

Brown captures the characters who live in this part of the world. I appreciate the use of Australian language, the idioms, vernacular and slang. It is not over done. In the opening chapters I don’t think I read one simile, metaphor or even an adjective. His use of conjunctions is nowhere evident and so compound and complex sentences do not make an appearance. It is all simple sentences with the force of a Kostya Tszyu right arm jab. I have read Brown’s other two publications. Bryan Brown is no literary master, yet one can equate his acting and writing coming from the same mind and soul. I enjoyed this light read, I am sure it would be like sitting with Brown and his good mate Sam Neill listening to them exchange banter and trying to outdo each other. Speaking of Neill, can I recommend his own memoir ‘Did I Ever Tell You This?’? Brown belongs to the Robert G Barrett school of crime fiction, no bullshit, full of interesting but stereotypical characters.

I was interested in the part of the story that dealt with drug crime gangs. Criminal gang shootings are a regular occurrence on western Sydney streets. There are no morals or ethics in the criminal milieu and Brown captures this situation totally. Either criminals don’t have the ability to construct infallible deals or keeping to their word is impossible. I guess written contracts aren’t an option! It would be an interesting study to discover the reason for each shooting. So Brown successfully captures the mindset and behaviour of these individuals.

An underlining story line in this book is, who’s fucking whom in The Heads? Prurient behaviour is awash in The Heads. I think Brown’s concept of promiscuous women has gone to his head. (Excuse the pun.)

So, Brown skilfully brings all the storylines to a neat and tidy conclusion. The baddies are dealt with, some are dispatched permanently, others detained at His Majesty’s pleasure. Some seem to have pursued relationships while change has been foisted on others, yet I imagine the Cross is still serving quality coffee and quality waves are still rolling in on the beaches around The Heads.

Over the first few chapters a list of characters as long as a month’s shopping list is introduced to the audience. Below is that list:

Sergeant William Jarrett – The Heads resident cop, a bit sweet on Daisy, investigating who gave Lily the drugs that killed her.
Lily: partner of Tommy and mother of Rory. Now deceased from drug overdose.
Tommy Lily’s partner and father of Rory.
Liana: Rory’s counsellor with an interest in Tommy.
Donny Lucas: a peeping Tom, installs solar panels, WiFi and as a side line cameras in the ceilings of The Heads’ resident sexy women. Comes to a sticky end.
Bitsy Lucas: Donny’s wife.
Maria: ex-partner of Henry, now runs the rifle range, Aboriginal heritage.
Henry: ex-partner of Maria. Wants to become big time drug dealer.
Nancy Murphy: Teacher sweet on Phil Jaffrey
Phil Jaffrey: New in town RSPCA man meets Nancy
Shirley: ex-National swimmer hot for horseman Brody.
Brody: new to the Heads ex-soldier a touch of PTSD, horse owner.
Lloyd: runs cock fighting, partner of Filipino girl, Princess.
Princess: Lloyd’s Filipino wife.
Daisy: owner of the Cross Café The Heads, daughter of Matt.
Matt: Father of Daisy, enjoys a surf, chef at the Cross Café.
Leo: big bad bikie supplier of drugs to Henry.
Freddy: Leo’s mate, one time hitman.
Hamish Clarkson: owns mechanic workshop, ex-gambler, does work for Lloyd.
Christine Clarkson: Hamish’s loving wife, owner of missing hairbrush.
Larry Pratt: Pratt by name prat by character. Drug user come informer.
Barnabas & Esther: Solomon Islander work visa holders who work on Lloyd’s farm.
Boomerang: the horse everyone loves.

[Jarrod Murrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m still not sure what I just read tbh…

I get it, the premise was great. A small coastal town cop trying to solve the murder of one of his locals.
But then throw in her son who may hold the secrets to help find her killer. A major drug deal in the works. A peeping Tom working as a solar panel installer and So. Many. Horny. People. SO MANY!

I’ll admit that I was hooked, the curiosity that the lives of these townsfolk created was second to none. But rather than the mysterious thriller I was expecting, I got something that reminded me more of Hot Fuzz.

And that wasn’t a bad thing, just…different. I did struggle at first with the pacing, the sentences short and snappy. The change between characters quick and constant. The story wrapping perfectly.

Still. I’m unsure what to think of this…

[Davena · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Hidden by Bryan Brown

I requested this book because I'd already purchased tickets to the book launch at the State Library - Australian icon Bryan Brown is going to be talking to an icon of Australian writing, Sarah Bailey (stand by for photos of me fangirling over Sarah Bailey). I haven't read any of Bryan Browns earlier works, so I wasn't really sure what to expect going in. What I can confirm upfront is that this book reads like it was written by Bryan Brown. The blurb covers this with: "Written in Bryan's uniquely Australian style."

Set in what was once a small village on the NSW north coast. Now it's a large village that has a wild amount of activity bubbling below the surface. The crime squad is investigating a shipment of coke, and the new RSPCA man discovers a bunch of buried roosters in the forest. And the guy installing solar panels seems to be up to something shady. The local sergeant is being kept busy investigating a drug overdose death that involves a traumatised young boy who might just be the key to it all.

The Hidden treads the line between mystery and cosy mystery. If you can imagine a cosy mystery written by that one weird uncle, the one who's borderline racist/misogynistic, but every time you mention it, everyone goes "Oh, you are just over-reacting!". It's packed full of small-town Australia stereotypes, with some perhaps a little clumsily written.
Brown writes in short, sharp sentences, and some of the story suffers as a result, where the well-planned plot points could have been fleshed out more around them.

With all that being said, I enjoyed the read and still give it a 👍 Thumbs up. The Hidden by Bryan Brown is out now. Thanks to Allen & Unwin and NetGalley for the eARC.

Body count = 1

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[Jackie McMillan · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars)
I liked The Hidden in the end, but actor and author Bryan Brown throws so many characters at you so quickly in the first part of the book, it was too annoying to give it a higher rating. You'll probably like it if you like Australian novels like Trent Dalton, though Dalton is a far more accomplished descriptive writer than Brown: "She had been found by her son overdosed in her bed. Tragic. Young. Nobody knew anything. All quiet on the Western Front." I think we can do better than: "Matt's tummy was rumbling Mexican tonight, so Mexican it was", no?

There's the usual stereotyping of sex workers (Why are Australian authors seemingly immune to the fact sex work was decriminalised here in 1995, and is a legitimate and shame-free occupation?): "Lilly closed her eyes to the source of the money. If she thought about it, she felt shame and she couldn't bear that." Actually when Lilly's husband abandoned her through his own behaviour seeing him imprisoned, she made life work for herself and her son. It's an example of her resilience, not her shame.

Myths about domestic violence not being everyone's business are also reinforced: "Stories floated around about domestic violence, but that's all–floated. No one really wanted to know their neighbours' goings on." Men's poor behaviour is normalised: "Eventually they became a couple and it was good. Good as it could be, given that Henry had a roving eye and dick." Even some of the women made me wince: "Nancy wondered when it might be appropriate to mention to the very nice Phil Jaffe that she had a pussy needing attention."

However sexism aside, The Hidden does capture a quirky tale about a band of characters in a coastal town on the north coast of NSW, colloquially called The Heads.

With thanks to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for sending me a copy to read.

[Kate M · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Hidden is the first book I have read by Bryan Brown, and I confess to not liking it as much as others seem to. The book's cover should have been a giveaway as I didn't like it either, finding it jarring and after reading its significance in the story, it felt bad taste, humorous with malicious undertones. The minimalist, man of few words style of writing read like old man ramblings although some of the characters' back stories and motivations provided fascinating reading. Switching character points of view every chapter, and with so many characters to keep swapping to and to keep track of each of their stories is not the way to keep suspense alive for me as a reader, slowing down the pace and definitely not making it that engaging or gripping. I am also not a fan of switching so often to the antagonist's point of view and their corrupt mindset which was excessive in this book as there was a huge array of jerk characters behaving despicably that made for large chunks of tedious, unpleasant reading. I did have my favourite characters though, Rory and Boomerang, Tommy, Brodie and Sarge but because of the huge number of characters, they were not fully fleshed out and it was hard to invest in any of their outcomes. A good story needs well developed characters, but the character depictions felt shallow and a bit flip. Still the mystery surrounding Lilly Gray's death and what her young son Rory knew about it grabbed my curiosity and I persevered with this crowded, muddled, confusing, chaotic plot set against the backdrop of a small Australian coastal town.

[Gretchen Bernet-Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, not sure what I can say about this one except it’s an excellent entry level story for crime readers, airbrushed to suit an international market but Aussie enough to pass muster. There is no shortage of characters, their partners mainly on the rough side, a gambler, a slimy creep and a misfit or two adding to the mystery, then there’s hero Sergeant William Jarrett the local copper. The dialogue is pretty basic but the subtext is obvious enough, sex, drugs and rock and roll plus extras, although initially only one clear bad guy. There are emotional Indigenous moments particularly Maria and her grandmother’s story. White Australia has a lot to fix when it comes to our First Nation citizens. I found Scott Brodie’s equine therapy for soldiers very interesting but the involvement of roosters not very pleasant, nor the inclusion of a peeping Tom - not the mysterious one in the bushes.

Events are casual contemporary, beachside surfing at The Heads etc, and while there are nice tender moments about good locals doing the right thing, there are mighty sus events going on behind the scenes. Classic filmscript dialogue spoken to Henry “If you don’t come through when you say you will, then you end up dead.” which just about sums up ‘The Hidden’ although none of the above stopped Christine from enjoying her ritual Saturday night at the pub. I am not as stalwart as Christine – The book has a casual reading feel to it, nicely fitted together but when I relaxed my guard, ouch. Time should erase some of the more graphic moments from my memory. I pushed myself towards the final chapters and a fair resolution. When an author’s name on the bookcover is bigger and showier than the title I guess that means they have made it? Scepticism aside, I do love iconic Bryan Brown to bits!

[Brody Hitchcock · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Hidden by Bryan Brown is definitely a quick, accessible thriller that delivers on its promise of sharp, Australian humor. The pace is excellent, and I genuinely appreciated the witty dialogue and comedic elements sprinkled throughout the suspense—it’s clear why many readers would find this book appealing and highly entertaining. If you're looking for a fast-paced narrative that balances genuine threat with laugh-out-loud moments, this could be a perfect choice. I managed to finish the book because those stronger elements kept me invested enough to see the story through to the end.

​However, the book's intense Australian flavor, particularly the heavy reliance on vernacular and cultural references, was a significant hurdle for me personally. More notably, the sheer volume of profanity felt excessive and, at times, unnecessary, to the point where it pulled me out of the narrative. While I understand this is a deliberate stylistic choice that reflects a certain aspect of Australian culture and dialogue, for me, it felt like a swear word was on every second page. Potential readers should know that if explicit, frequent swearing and a strong, localized Australian sensibility don't bother you, then you will likely love this book. Unfortunately, for this reader, those elements made the novel a struggle

[Jay Dwight · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Sweet Jimmy and The Drowning, and with The Hidden, Bryan Brown's writing is developing nicely.

The Heads is a village in Northern NSW. Lots of strands to this story, and the multi-faceted narrative keeps the pace moving along. We have a drug overdose, hidden cameras scanning the bedrooms of attractive women, a large drug shipment and even clandestine cock-fighting. All told in Bryan Brown's unique voice, and whilst reading it, in my head I heard Bryan Brown's voice narrating the events to me.

Enjoy !

[Todd Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story, it was thoroughly captivating, and certainly entertaining from start to finish. I already knew that I liked Bryan Brown’s writing style from reading his first two novels; Sweet Jimmy & The Drowning. They were both great books. The Hidden is full of great characters that you can’t help but like.
There’s so much to like about this book, it’s well worth a read. 5/5 Star Rating.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very similar tale to The Drowning. Looking at the seedier side of life with drugs at the centre of most crime. Gambling, addiction & sexual perversion take a turn with many of the characters. Relationship development is happening with the rest of the characters. Vulnerability of children in these environments is a particular focus as is self worth & ptsd.
Love that At 78 Bryan Brown is still telling stories.

[Georgia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bryan Brown’s latest release is packed with crime, suspense and secrets yet to uncover, which keeps the local sergeant busy. Set in an Australian coastal village, we get the POV’s of all the key characters in this book. I found this to be really fast paced, with short sentences and a simple writing style. The book was suspenseful, and I did like all the little subplots that connected together in the end.

[Hu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Allen & Unwin and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this eARC. This book will be published on November 4th.

I was so thrilled when Allen & Unwin approved my NetGalley request of this eARC. This book did not disappoint and l really enjoyed Bryan Brown’s writing style. The sentences were short and to the point giving off a no nonsense energy.

We encounter a small coastal town cop trying to solve a murder made to look like a drug overdose but then we have her traumatised son with several hidden secrets that may hold the key to this investigation. Throw in a bit of voyerism and an illegal cock fighting scheme and we have a mystery thriller stitched together with some dry Aussie humour which made for a captivating and entertaining read. You can also expect dealings with illegal substances, bikie gangs and budding romances.

Admittedly I was a little worried at first because there was a big cast of characters introduced almost all at once and I thought I would get confused as to who is who but it wasn’t long before it all clicked in to place. If I had held the physical book in my hands to read instead of on e-book I could have easily raced through it, I have his other book The Drowning on my TBR shelf so I cant wait to get stuck into that one!

This book gave me vibes of the tv shows Mystery Road and Jack Irish; so if you enjoyed those type of vibes then you will enjoy this too!

[Tim Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cracker of a read from Mr Brown with some deft emotions shown with some of the characters. Sparse but balanced in tone and description - a compelling read. A book about Australian regional towns and characters.....when's the next one?

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

True to his style. Bryan Browns laconic and succinct voice comes through in his prose making for an enjoyable yarn. Realistic characters who evoke empathy. An easy and enjoyable read. Keep writing Bryan.

[Robyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Great book. Listened to it instead of reading it which was not a great idea, Bryan Brown put me to sleep on numerous occasions with his monotone voice. I think he should just write the books and leave the reading to someone who has a varied reading style

[Suzanne Glew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good page turner, very enjoyable!!

[Barondestructo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lost interest in the minutae of the lives of these characters. DNF

[Margie Johansson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed Bryan Brown's, The Hidden. Loved all the characters and how his story line brought the ending to a great climax. Excellent 10x🤩 read.

[Glenys · Rating 5 out of 5]

phew.... couldn't put the book down. which is great, quite complex with about 3 stories coming to an end in just 2 chapters. Really believable characters and great plot with each character.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

If there is one thing I enjoy about Bryan Brown's storytelling...it's how unique and authentic it is. As you're reading, you can imagine Brown telling you a yarn!

The start of this book introduces a lot of characters in rapid succession and it took a minute to wrap my head around them all. But it then settled into a distinct and enjoyable story.

I enjoyed the setting and the movement between the town and the bushland. And I liked that there was one character you had no context on...l quiet observer adding depth to compelling narrative.

I don't know that Brown's writing style will be for everyone, but The Hidden was great read that I found hard to put down with its fast pace and multiple perspectives.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy to read and honestly review.

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tense and unflinching story.

This worked well as an audiobook, which is narrated by the author.