A sea of scarlet and pearls: Celebrating 30 years of mystery, murder, and malice with Sisters in Crime’s Scarlet Stiletto Awards

South Melbourne’s Rising Sun Hotel was awash with scarlet and pearls on Saturday night (25 November) as crime writers and fans gathered to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Sisters in Crime’s Scarlet Stiletto Awards for best short stories. This year, a record 250 short stories competed for a record $12,720 in prize money. Over the…

Murder Monday: Patricia Wolf

For the November Murder Monday, Sisters in Crime’s Jacq Ellem talks to Patricia Wolf, author of the international bestselling debut novel, Outback. Her second DS Walker novel, Paradise, came out in May, and a third one is in the offing. Patricia grew up in Queensland, Australia. She likes whisky and strong coffee, busy cities, surf beaches and wild places which doesn’t quite square with now living in Berlin.

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Jillian Cantor, The Fiction Writer

For the November Crime Stack, Simon & Schuster has kindly offered 20 copies of The Fiction Writer the 12th novel by international bestselling author, Jillian Cantor, who is based in Arizona. The Crime Stack is a benefit for Sisters in Crime members. Every month there are 20 books to win in a random draw of members. Join now and be in the running for a complimentary paperback copy of The Fiction Writer.

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Another big year for Sisters in Crime Australia  

Sisters in Crime Australia held its 2023 Annual General Meeting on Friday 13 October 2023, following its Killing Time event at South Melbourne’s Rising Sun Hotel. Elected were President: Kelly Gardiner; Vice-President: Lindy Cameron; Secretary: Carmel Shute: Treasurer: Lesley Gillis and committee members Leslie Falkiner Rose and Ruth Wykes.

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23rd Davitt Awards winners announced

The 23rd Davitt Awards Ceremony on 2 September was booked out and a huge success. Debi Marshall, the Walkley-award winning investigative journalist and true-crime author, presented the awards after discussing her amazing life in crime with Emily Webb, true crime author and podcaster (and former Davitt Judge). Six wonderul books won awards.

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Clothing crime: Marjorie McCown

For this month’s Author Spotlight, Robyn Walton spoke to US crime writer, Marjorie McCown, about her debut novel, Final Cut (Crooked Lane Books, 2023) that draws on her 30 years in costume design in Hollywood. Costume design, she says, is about storytelling.

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Trauma and the healing gift of writing: Sonya Leeding

Sonya Leeding was always an aspsiring writer but it became incredibly important when, on 29 May 2011, her life changed forever when her policeman husband was killed by an armed robber – one of the biggest crime stories that the Gold Coast had experienced.

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War and other crimes: Belinda Alexandra

A lot has been written about the German occupation of France and the French Resistance. But what Belinda Aleandra was interested in what happened after the Germans left, and the French people who had collaborated and those who resisted had to face each other. She also wanted to bring the story home. Australia was relatively untouched by war, compared to Europe, but one million servicemen and women had participated in the armed services in some way and their lives were never the same.

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New Reviews

Every month Sisters in Crime brings you new reviews from women who write criminally good books.

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