Last Drinks

For the 2008 nonfiction book, see Last Drinks: The Impact of the Northern Territory Intervention.

Last Drinks

First edition
Author	Andrew McGahan
Cover artist	Nada Backovic [1]
Language	English
Genre	Crime novel
Publisher	Allen and Unwin, Sydney
Publication date	2000
Publication place	Australia
Media type	Print Paperback
Pages	377pp
ISBN	1-86508-406-9
OCLC	47033960
Preceded by	1988
Followed by	The White Earth

Last Drinks is a 2000 Ned Kelly Award-winning novel by the Australian author Andrew McGahan. ^[2]

Synopsis

Ten years after the Fitzgerald Inquiry into Queensland police, disgraced journalist George Verney hears of the death of an estranged friend in the remote town George fled to from Brisbane after the inquiry. George travels back to Brisbane to help arrange the funeral, and to try to find out what caused his friend's death, confronting memories and loose ends from his past.

Awards

• Ned Kelly Awards for Crime Writing, Best First Novel, 2001: winner ^[3]

Notes

• Author's note: This is a work of fiction. While obviously inspired to some degree by the Fitzgerald inquiry and its era in Queensland, this is not, even for a moment, an historic or factual version of those times. In particular, no character in this book should be mistaken for any actual person, living or dead. ^[4]
• A stage version, adapted by Shaun Charles, premiered at Brisbane's La Boite Theatre in August 2006. ^[5]

Reviews

• "Aussiereviews" Book Review: Last Drinks, by Andrew McGahan
• "The Australian Public Intellectual network" Australian Public Intellectual [API Network]

References

1. "LAST DRINKS by Andrew McGahan". www.middlemiss.org.
2. "Last Drinks by Andrew McGahan". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
3. "2001 Ned Kelly Award Winners". Australian Crime Writers. Archived from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
4. "Austlit — Last Drinks by Andrew McGahan". Austlit. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
5. ""Last Drinks by Shaun Charles"". PlayLab Theatre. Retrieved 14 October 2024.