Sisters in Crime – 18th Davitt Awards for the best crime books by Australian women – 6pm Saturday 11 August
Swinburne University of Technology The George Building, Level 2, 34 Wakefield Street, Hawthorn
Proudly supported by Swinburne University of Technology, Department of Media and Communication and the Danish Arts Foundation
Frock up and join us for champagne and canapés as we present Sisters in Crime’s annual Davitt Awards with international guest, Danish author Sissel Jo-Gazan.
This year a record 101 books written by Australian women and published in 2017 are competing for the Davitts in six categories: Best Adult Crime Novel, Best Children’s Crime Novel, Best Young Adult Crime Novel, Best True Crime Book, Best Debut Book (any category) and Readers’ Choice (as judged by the members of Sisters in Crime). Twenty-seven books have made it to the shortlist.
Harlequin Australia has kindly donated 100 proof copies of Anna Snoekstra’s new book, The Spite Game (out October) to give to attendees.
Bookings by Wednesday 8 August: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2018-davitt-awards-tickets-35593104935
Prior to the presentations, Sissel-Jo will discuss her life in crime with author Leigh Redhead (left).
Sissel-Jo is a biology graduate from the University of Copenhagen and author of seven novels. The Dinosaur Feather, a scientific thriller which was her breakthrough crime book and
has been published in twelve countries. The Danish Broadcasting Corporation named it the Danish Novel of the Decade and Wall Street Journal listed it as one of the 10 Best Mysteries of 2013. It was also judged the Danish People’s Favourite Crime Novel of the Decade, 2000-–2010.
The Arc of the Swallow, Sissel-Jo’s second crime novel, won the 2014 Danish Reader’s Book Award. Although not set in Australia, it was written and researched while Sissel-Jo was here. It follows the pattern established in The Dinosaur Feather of an academic murder interwoven with domestic turmoil. Click here to read Robyn Walton’s reviews of her two books.
Sissel-Jo is married to an Australian with whom she has two children. The novel she is writing now, Grace Street, is her first to be partly set in Australia. After realising that members of her Australian family stayed at the scandal-riddled Box Hill Salvation Army Boys Home, she began to investigate child abuse scandals perpetrated by the church in Australia and Denmark, and also in other countries such as America and Ireland.
Sissel-Jo’s visit to Australia is supported by the Danish Arts Foundation.
Compere Leigh Redhead has worked on a prawn trawler and as a waitress, exotic dancer, masseuse, teacher and apprentice chef. She is the author of the award-winning Simone Kirsch private eye series and has completed the 5th in the series for her PhD in Australian noir fiction.
Tickets: $48 (no concession). Men or ‘brothers-in-Law’ welcome.
Saturday 11 August at 6pm.
Bookings by Thursday 8 August, 8pm: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2018-davitt-awards-tickets-35593104935
Venue: Swinburne University of Technology
The George Building, Level 2, 34 Wakefield Street, Hawthorn (accessible by lift and stairs)
Sun Bookshop stall: members receive a 10% discount.
Additional information: Michaela Lobb: 0409 431 397; michaelalobb@hotmail.com