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Imagine a network of secret Cold War bunkers, underground spy headquarters, and hidden corridors large enough to drive through sitting right beneath Australia’s capital city. In this episode of The DownUnder Mystery Club, authors AJ Blythe and Ava Ness travel down into the urban legends of Canberra to unpack the persistent myths surrounding secret underground tunnels running beneath the city's most iconic institutions.

Listen in as we separate fact from decades of local folklore—exploring mysterious subterranean networks beneath the Australian National University (ANU), the Department of Defence in Russell, and Old Parliament House, alongside a wonderfully weird conspiracy theory about the foundations of the Treasury building being layered with thousands of leftover meat pies from 1927. Then we head into the Mystery Book Club segment to chat about the best mystery novels this underground case brings to mind!

Do you think government officials are navigating hidden subterranean shortcuts beneath the capital, or are these just the pipedreams of a purpose-built capital? Drop us a comment with your favourite conspiracy tales and current reading recommendations!

Book Links:

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Secret of the Lost Tunnel by Franklin W. Dixon

Swamp Spirit by Jana DeLeon

The Italian Secret by Tara Moss

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

How to use psychology to write a best seller with Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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For the full reference list visit The DownUnder Mystery Club website at ajblythe.com/podcast