Award-winning Moroccan American novelist Laila Lalami is heading to The Wheeler Centre in Melbourne on March 4, 2026, to discuss her latest novel The Dream Hotel, which was longlisted for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction. The author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Moor’s Account and essay collection Conditional Citizens will be in conversation with Melbourne critic Sonia Nair.

The Dream Hotel imagines a near-future America where surveillance extends into the realm of dreams. The novel follows a woman detained indefinitely in a California desert retention center, accused of a crime she hasn’t yet committed based on predictive algorithms that claim to read her subconscious. It’s a gripping exploration of surveillance culture, technological overreach, and the ways corporations and governments trade in our most private selves.

The event takes place from 6:30 to 7:30pm at The Wheeler Centre, located at 176 Little Lonsdale Street. Tickets are $35.50 for general admission and $25.50 for concessions and those under 30. Members of The Wheeler Centre receive a 10% discount.

Lalami will be signing books after the event. The venue is fully accessible, with assistive listening devices, wheelchair access, and companion tickets available. For accessibility requirements or more information, contact [email protected] or visit wheelercentre.com.