How to get away with murder

We investigate murder within crime literature and take a humorous stab at revealing what works – and what doesn’t – when it comes to making a killing. The advantages – and disadvantages – of poison, bullets, a push off a tall building or cliff, or the Strangers on a Train scenario will all go under the deadly scrutiny of authors Vikki Petraitis, Karina Kilmore, Narrelle M Harris and Ilsa Evans.

The panel host, author and podcaster Vikki Petraitis, has often been asked this very question. With 16 books to her name and the internationally successful podcast The Vanishing of Vivienne Cameron, with 1.3 million downloads, Vikki has been so immersed in writing about crime and murder that she probably could get away with one. Indeed, there’s a scene in her PhD novel in which one minute, a nasty chap is standing too close to a cliff edge, and the next minute … he’s not. Could this be getting away with murder?

As a business journalist, Karina Kilmore has spent more than 30 years writing and analysing financial crimes, including almost every major financial scandal since the 1987 sharemarket crash, so she knows all about the bloody trail to where the money is! Her childhood love of mystery and crime stories by Ngaio Marsh and later Sara Paretsky sharpened her love of the dark arts and she has now turned her hand to writing crime fiction with her debut novel, Where the Truth Lies (Simon & Schuster). Although she says (wink wink) she wouldn’t really want to murder anyone, she admits her internet search history tells a very different story! Karina’s novel was a finalist in the Victorian Premiers Literary Awards (unpublished manuscript), shortlisted in the 2020 Ned Kelly Awards (best debut crime book) and listed for the 2021 Ngaio Marsh Awards (best first novel).

Narrelle M Harris has spent many years researching ways to commit murder and hide the evidence. Her resulting ASIO file probably means she’ll never get away with it. Fortunately, most of this plotting has been solely for fiction. Narrelle has written more than 30 novels and short stories, many of them crime-related, some of them nominated for awards. She lacks the energy and time to do any of those crimes for real. Her latest book is an edited collection, The Only One in the World: A Sherlock Holmes anthology (Clan Destine Press). When not plotting/writing crime, Narrelle edits books, writes song lyrics, crafts and travels.

Ilsa Evans has written 14 books across a variety of genres and her 15th, The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer, is due out this September with Harlequin. When not writing, she co-ordinates several higher education degrees at Chisholm TAFE. She readily admits that, although (ostensibly) fictional, every one of the books borrows heavily from her life and those around her. Given that murder features strongly in several of these, it does indeed suggest that she could get away it. This could also be the reason why, despite now officially being an empty nester, she is reluctant to move from her rambling property in the hills…

Tickets
$20 / $15 concession / $12 Sisters in Crime and Writers Victoria members / $10 Youth
Tickets not sold prior to the event will be available at the door for $22 / $18 / $15 / $10
Dinner upstairs from 6:30pm (bookings not necessary)
Men or ‘brothers-in-law’ welcome

Bookings
Please book through Eventbrite by Friday 23 July, 4pm

Venue
Rising Sun Hotel (upstairs – no lift)
cnr Raglan Street and Eastern Road
South Melbourne
Melways map 57 H2
Free on-street parking after 6pm
Trams 1, 12 or 55 or St Kilda Road trams

Sun Bookshop stall
Sisters in Crime members receive a 10% discount

Additional information
Carmel Shute
0412 569 356
admin@sistersincrime.org.au