The Heads

CRIME. CHAOS. COCAINE.

Frank Quinlivan has come a long way from his working-class beginnings. Now a wealthy Sydney advertising tycoon, he has a mansion overlooking the harbour, a beautiful young wife, a luxury racing yacht and a reputation for getting exactly what he wants.

But Frank has a secret. His business empire isn’t quite what it used to be, and a lucrative sideline smuggling cocaine into Australia has proved remarkably good for the balance sheet.

Until, one stormy night, his yacht disappears off the Australian coast. Along with its crew and a cargo worth millions.

Suddenly, Frank has some very dangerous people demanding answers. The money is missing, the criminals are circling, and the man who once ruled his own little empire is rapidly losing control of everything.

And Frank Quinlivan is about to discover that there are some problems even money can’t solve.

Savage, irreverent and wickedly funny, The Heads is a riotous black comedy of cocaine, corruption and catastrophic misfortune, populated by an unforgettable cast of crooks, chancers and spectacularly flawed characters.

From award-winning playwright and comedian John Livings.

Also released on 27 October 2026 as an Audible Original, narrated by acclaimed Australian actor Colin Friels.

John Livings is a British-born novelist, award-winning playwright and stand-up comedian who has spent much of his life in Australia.

His career has taken him from comedy stages across Australia, the UK and the United States to some of the world’s most celebrated theatres. His acclaimed productions include At Last: The Etta James Story, which has toured internationally and played to sell-out audiences at the Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne, and Let’s Get It On: The Life and Music of Marvin Gaye.

Bringing his irreverent humour and flair for larger-than-life characters to fiction, The Heads is his second novel, following his debut, Pommy Bastard!.