Print feature
The Age — John Silvester
Weekend Naked City crime feature on the true story behind 11 Minutes and Melbourne's Great Bookie Robbery.
Read The Age feature
Media Kit
11 MINUTES
A Crime Novel of Melbourne’s 1976 Great Bookie Robbery
Press resources, background notes, and contact details for interviews and coverage of 11 Minutes, a gritty Australian noir novel inspired by Melbourne's most audacious armed robbery.
In the media
Press, podcasts, and television coverage
Coverage of 11 Minutes, the real Great Bookie Robbery, and Gregory M Carroll's personal connection to Melbourne's 1976 crime of the century.
Podcast interview
Andrew Rule — Life and Crimes
A two-part interview unpacking the robbery, the men behind it, and the lived history that shaped 11 Minutes.
TV news
9 News Melbourne — 9Now
Channel 9 coverage of the 50th anniversary presentation, filmed at the original crime scene on the anniversary of the Great Bookie Robbery.
To view on 9Now, register for a free account. No subscription is required.
Watch on 9NowBook Overview
Six men. Eleven minutes. The perfect crime — and the decade of violence that followed.
On 21 April 1976, a crew of masked gunmen robbed Melbourne’s Victoria Club in broad daylight, escaping with what would now be worth $80 million. No one was convicted. The money was never recovered. Within ten years, every man was dead.
11 Minutes is a gritty Australian noir novel that retells the heist and its aftermath through the eyes of those who lived it — thieves, wives, cops, and the younger brother who had to identify one of the bodies.
It's a story about power, loyalty, and the illusion of control in a city where everyone has something to lose.
Media Angles & Story Hooks
- 50th anniversary of the Great Bookie Robbery (April 2026) — revisiting an unsolved heist that still fascinates Melbourne.
- Author as younger brother of one of the real men — personal, lived connection to the underworld.
- Melbourne's gangland history — Painters & Dockers waterfront wars, crooked cops, and union violence.
- Australian noir revival — in the tradition of George V. Higgins, Andrew Nette, Peter Temple.
- Women in the underworld — the wives and families navigating the fallout.
Early Praise
“A quietly devastating tale of crime, loyalty, and consequence – 11 Minutes captures the uneasy truths of Melbourne’s underworld.”— Mark Q., ex-Melbourne bookie
“A great read for those who appreciate a crime novel with depth, historical resonance, and a distinctly Australian voice.”— Michelle B., ex Kings Cross bar worker
“Your writing is perfect for this ‘vintage crime’ genre – it’s a fun ride, so easy to get into the characters that I found myself rooting for them.”— Katrina M., school registrar