Invasion of the Pod People: Rachael Brown at The Wheeler Centre

In 1980, Maria James was found murdered in the back of her Thornbury bookshop. In the years since, her death (and its mysterious circumstances) have haunted her two sons, and dogged Detective Ron Iddles. One of Australia’s most respected homicide detectives, the now-retired Iddles has never really let the unsolved killing go. It was his first case.

The Maria James cold case caught the attention of ABC journalist Rachael Brown, who launched an exhaustive two-year investigation which ultimately spawned the Walkley Award-winning true-crime podcast Trace. In the podcast, Brown revisits the initial suspects, discovers a new one, and uncovers information that could have shocking implications for the Catholic Church. In a new book, Trace: Who Killed Maria James?, Brown further unravels the story of Maria’s death and reveals the fascinating details of her relentless investigation.

This event comes as the Coroner is expected to decide whether to hold a fresh inquest into the death of Maria James. Brown will speak alongside Ron Iddles and Maria’s son Mark James – their first public appearance together – to discuss the case, its insistent questions and the uncommon task of investigating a murder in the public arena.

About the author
Rachael Brown has won numerous awards as an Australian broadcast journalist. She was the creator, investigator, and host of the Australian Broadcasting Company's first true-crime podcast, Trace, which won three national awards. She lives in Melbourne.

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Invasion of the Pod People: Rachael Brown at The Wheeler Centre

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Multi-time winner of the Australian Small Publisher of the Year Award