This week’s Murder Mondays interview by Sisters in Crime’s national co-convenor, Karina Kilmore is with Astrid Scholte, the winner of the 2020 Davitt (Best Young Adult Crime Novel) for her debut novel, Four Dead Queens, (Allen & Unwin).
(Click on the image below to go to the YouTube recording.)
Astrid, who is based in Melbourne, was raised on a diet of Spielberg, Lucas and Disney and knew she wanted to be surrounded by all things fantastical from a young age. She has spent the past fourteen years working in film, animation and VFX production.
Despite her sunny demeanour, she is inexplicably drawn to murder mysteries, true crime, Agatha Christie, and Cluedo. (That applies to many of us in Sisters in Crime!)
The Davitt Judges were full of praise for her book:
“Four Dead Queens is an action-packed journey into the world of Quadara where four queens jointly reign over its quadrants of agriculture, technology, commerce and the arts. Keralie Corrington is a feisty, resourceful young thief who is shadowed by the guilt of past deeds. She finds herself in a dangerous race against time when she uncovers a plot to assassinate all four queens.
“Astrid Scholte enhances the gripping narrative by offering rich insights into her characters and the cultural tensions that exist between the diverse quadrants. Her story culminates in a genuinely shocking twist. An outstanding debut and inventive world-building at its peak.”
Since Four Dead Queens, Astrid has published a second novel, The Vanishing Deep (Allen & Unwin), released in March.
Murders Mondays are available on Sisters in Crime YouTube channel at 6pm on Mondays. Previous guests include Jenny Blackford, Susan Hurley, Emma Viskic, Meg Mundell, J. P. Powell, Kerry Greenwood, Lili Wilkinson, Petronella McGovern, Heather Rose, Malla Nunn, Sara Paretsky, Judith Rossell, Sulari Gentill, Sarah Epstein, Mirandi Riwoe, Kerry McGinnis, Kathy Reichs, Ellie Marney, Katherine Kovacic, Candice Fox, Anne Buist, Dervla McTiernan and Val McDermid.