The Diggers Rest Hotel

This article is about a novel. For the hotel, see Diggers Rest Hotel.

The Diggers Rest Hotel

Author	Geoffrey McGeachin
Language	English
Series	Charlie Berlin
Genre	Crime novel
Publisher	Penguin, Australia
Publication date	2010
Publication place	Australia
Media type	Print (Paperback)
Pages	316
ISBN	9780670072736
Preceded by	Dead and Kicking
Followed by	Blackwattle Creek

The Diggers Rest Hotel (2010) is a crime novel by Australian author Geoffrey McGeachin. ^[1] It is the first in the author's Charlie Berlin mystery series ^[2] and won the 2011 Ned Kelly Award for Best Novel.

Plot summary

Charlie Berlin, a bomber pilot during World War II, rejoins the Melbourne police force after the war and in 1947 he is sent to Albury-Wodonga to investigate a series of violent robberies.

Reviews

Fair Dinkum Crime found the novel to build to be a winner and that the author "has taken care with the historical detail and it gives the novel a great feeling of authenticity". ^[3]

Awards and nominations

• 2011 winner Ned Kelly Award — Best Novel ^[4]

References

1. "The Diggers Rest Hotel by Geoffrey McGeachin". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
2. "Austlit — Charlie Berlin series by Geoffrey McGeachin". Austlit. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
3. "Review: The Diggers Rest Hotel, Geoffrey McGeachin", Fair Dinkum Crime, 14 July 2011
4. ""2011 Ned Kelly Award winners"". Australian Crime Writers. Retrieved 21 December 2025.