John Silvester

With over 1 million books sold in Australia, John Silvester is one of the country’s most successful crime writers. Boasting a prolific journalism career across leading Australian papers, many of John’s published works have also been the basis for the country’s top crime series ‘Underbelly’.

John began his career in Melbourne during the late 70’s, where he worked as a crime reporter for The Sunday Times, and later as the senior crime reporter for The Age. He has also provided valuable insight on various media programs, including ABC’s TV documentary ‘Trigger Point’, and as a crime commentator on 3AW’s ‘Sly of the Underworld’.

With his research, John participated in various Royal Commissions where he gave crucial evidence on crime and police corruption.

John is a best-selling author, best known for his writing on Melbourne's crime history alongside co-author Andrew Rule. They are best known for their ‘Underbelly’ series, which has since been adapted into the beloved Australian crime drama of the same name. 

In 2016, they published ‘Underbelly: Shot At Close Range’, taking readers back into the dark history of Melbourne.

For his journalism, John has been awarded three Walkley Awards. He was also the 2007 recipient of the Graham Perkin Australian Journalist of the Year, and the 2008 Legal Reporter of the Year at Victoria Law Foundation.

He has also been awarded a Ned Kelly Award for true crime writing, a Ned Kelly Lifetime Achievement Award, seven Melbourne Press Club Quill Awards and nine Victoria Law Foundation Awards.