At Cafe 64

What does it mean to be a victim?

Without any warning, Justin Kowalski drives his vehicle across a line of traffic and through the front wall of Cafe 64, killing himself and three other people - and taking the reasons for this shocking act to the grave. Unable to locate any evidence of criminal behaviour or mental illness in Justin's past, and with no one left to prosecute, the police have no choice but to label it 'an isolated incident'.

Almost two years later, three women walk into a meeting being held by the 'Victims of the Cafe 64 Tragedy' support group.

A fiancee left behind. Maddie, consumed with an all-encompassing rage, on a desperate hunt for the truth.

A sister hiding in the shadows. Emily, wracked by guilt, being eaten from the inside out by the secrets she keeps.

A bystander who refuses to look back. Flo, with her mask of optimism firmly in place, who insists to anyone who will listen that she is fine.

When these three come together, the fallout will rock the foundations of their shaky, precarious lives, forcing them to confront the truths, lies and questions that surround that deadly day at Cafe 64. Can any horrific event truly exist in isolation? How do we cope when the nature of our loss is not so cut and dried? In the aftermath of a tragic event, how do we define a victim - who do we allow to grieve, what are we allowed to grieve, and where do we place blame?

About the Author

Shaeden Berry is a writer with a Bachelor's Degree in Creative Writing, and a Master's in Writing. Her short stories have featured in anthologies such as Kill Your Darlings' New Australian Fiction 2023, The Unexpected Party and Strangely Enough. She lives in Boorloo with her partner and their two cats, Frumpkin and George. Shaeden's debut novel, Down the Rabbit Hole, was published by Echo Publishing in 2024.