Carmel Shute 
Inspired by all the women who wrote gothic mysteries before me, I wrote my own modern-day take on one with The Fiction Writer. But I also wanted to explore what it means to create original work, what it means to be a struggling writer, and who owns any story.
For the first time, pioneering, prize-winning Sysney author, Marele Day, has put herself on the page. Reckless blends memoir, adventure and crime, and explores the nature of risk and friendship. In it Marele writes about her past, her friendship with the ‘shapeshifter’ Jean Kay, and her investigation into his part in a multi-million-dollar heist. Reckless is a memoir and its structure more closely mirrors how memory works – events in the present trigger memories of the past.
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 …
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.
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.
Hooray! Fiona Eagger and Deb Cox, the creators of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and much more, will present the 30th Scarlet Stiletto Awards after discussing their lives in crime with host Senior Professor Sue Turnbull, crime fiction scholar, reviewer, and Sisters in Crime Ambassador. Cate Kennedy (picture here) will launch Scarlet Stiletto: The Fifteenth Cut, an-ebook of winning 2023 stories, along with a paperback of the winning stories over the past 30 years, The Scarlet Stiletto: 30 Years of Mystery, Murder and Malice.
Go wild in scarlet and pearls, the traditional 30th-anniversary gift.
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.
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.
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.