Brother of Great Bookie Robbery Figure Publishes Authentic Crime Novel Based on Family Experience

Gregory M. Carroll has released "11 MINUTES," a dark Australian noir heist novel drawing from his unique position as the younger brother of Ian "Fingers" Carroll, one of the real figures involved in Melbourne's criminal underworld surrounding the 1976 Great Bookie Robbery. The novel's authenticity stems from Carroll's firsthand experiences growing up within the environment that produced one of Australia's most famous unsolved crimes. "I didn't hear these stories second-hand," Carroll stated. "I grew up inside them."

The book reconstructs the infamous April 21, 1976, incident when masked gunmen stormed Melbourne's Victoria Club and disappeared with a fortune in just eleven minutes. No convictions were ever made for the robbery, the money was never recovered, and remarkably, every man involved was dead within a decade. Carroll's novel uses a five-part structure to explore not just the rapid heist itself but the broader criminal landscape that produced it, including the violent Waterfront Organized Crime War that left dozens dead.

Drawing from personal memory, court records, and underworld histories, Carroll merges heist thriller tension with the human tragedy of families caught in crime's undertow. The narrative follows the crew's rise through Melbourne's violent docklands, the aftermath involving corrupt police and underworld rivals, and the final reckoning where greed, paranoia, and betrayal eliminated all participants. Readers can learn more about The Great Bookie Robbery to understand the historical context that informs Carroll's work.

The novel represents a significant contribution to true crime and historical crime fiction by offering a perspective never before published—that of a family member who witnessed both the criminal activities and their devastating consequences. Carroll's personal connection extends to having identified his own brother's body, providing the narrative with emotional depth beyond typical crime fiction. "11 MINUTES" is available for pre-order through major retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Australian booksellers, with global release scheduled for December 1, 2025.