Celebration: 23rd Davitt Awards for the best crime books by Australian women

Proudly supported by Swinburne University of Technology, Department of Media and Communication

Frock up (or suit up) and join us for an à la carte dinner (including antipasto platters on arrival) as we present Sisters in Crime’s annual Davitt Awards, 6.00 for 6.30 pm, Saturday 2 September.

This year, our guest presenter is award-winning journalist, true crime author, and television producer, Debi Marshall, who will discuss her life in crime with Sisters in Crime’s Emily Webb before presenting the awards.

This year there are 144 books in contention for these awards: Best Adult Novel; Best Young Adult Novel; Best Children’s Novel; Best Non-fiction Book; Best Debut Book (any category); and Readers’ Choice (as voted by the 600+ members of Sisters in Crime Australia).

Debi Marshall, a Leadership Walkley-award investigative journalist, lives in her favourite part of the world, Tasmania. Debi has written nine books, each of which combines her excellent storytelling skills with a forensic approach to accurate research. Throughout her career, despite frequent danger and personal threats, she has been motivated to seek truth and justice for the victims of unsolved serial killings and to work with the highest ethical considerations to tell the darkest and most challenging stories without embellishment or sensationalism.

From 2011-2016, Debi was an Associate Producer for Sunday Night (Seven), specialising in crime stories. In 2019, she was the presenter and investigative producer for Debi Marshall Investigates: Frozen Lies, a five-episode television series and later, podcast. Last year, Debi was the investigative producer/presenter and co-writer of the acclaimed ABC TV series, The Family Court Murders, based on her book of the same name which was shortlisted for a Walkley award. Debi’s work was pivotal in bringing the Family Court killer to justice after 33 years.

In 1992, Debi’s partner, Ron Jarvis was murdered. In 2014, his killer, Stephen Standage was convicted for his murder, and for that of another man, a decade later. Debi had pursued Standage who in turn threatened to kill her. She was the chief prosecution witness at the trial and her testimony was a major key to securing Standage’s 48-year sentence. This story formed the basis of a Sunday Night story on Debi, Murder She Wrote.

Debi has won or been shortlisted for a slew of awards, including two Ned Kellys for her ground-breaking books on the Snowtown murders, on which the movie was based, and for Adelaide’s Family Murders; a Walkley Award and shortlist for the 2022 AACTA’s for Best Documentary for her series on the Family Court murders.

Emily Webb is a Melbourne-based journalist, true crime writer,  and podcaster including seven years as co-host of Australian True Crime. 

Her books include Suburban True Crime and Angels of Death. 

She was a Davitt Awards judge in 2021 and 2022.

Men or ‘brothers-in-Law’ welcome. Book individually or in groups of up to 10.

Bookings essential by Wednesday 30 August, 12 pm here.

Sun Bookshop stall: Members receive a 10% discount.

Venue: The Rising Sun Hotel (upstairs – no lift), cnr Raglan Street and Eastern Road, South Melbourne. Free on-street parking. Trams 1, 12 or 55 or St Kilda Road trams.

Additional information: Carmel Shute, Secretary & National Co-convenor: 0412 569 356; admin@sistersincrime.org.au;