Michael Brissenden is an author and journalist. His first book of fiction – ‘The List’ was published in 2017 and ‘Dead Letters’ 2021 also features the Federal investigator Sidney Allen.
'Smoke' was published in June 2024 and his new book 'Dust' is published in September 2025.

Michael was a journalist with the ABC for 35 years. He was posted to Moscow, Brussels and Washington and worked in Canberra for many years in various roles – including as the Political Editor for the daily television current affairs program – the 7.30 Report, as the ABC’s defence and security correspondent and as the presenter of the ‘AM’ Current Affairs program on ABC radio. From 2017 to 2021 he was a reporter with the ABC’s investigative television documentary program – 4Corners.

Michael has also written non fiction. In 2012 ‘American Stories – tales of hope and anger’ was published by UQP. The book was a personal account of a country on edge that chronicled the undercurrents of division and anger that surfaced during the first term of the Obama presidency. Divisions that would later be exploited to such devastating effect by Donald Trump.

He has contributed to a number of essay collections over the years and written for ‘The Bulletin’, ‘The Canberra Times’ and ‘New Matilda.’