Who better than newshounds to uncover mysteries and track down murderers? Three Melbourne authors, Louise Milligan (Shellybanks), Laraine Stephens (The White Feather Murders), and Madeleine Cleary (The Butterfly Women), talk about how and why journalists make such superlative investigators with former journalist and crime author, Dr Liz Porter.
Murder mysteries and history books have a similar modus operandi. Both are concerned with whodunnit – and usually the why and how. Historical murder mysteries are doubly credentialled, as three authors with new books – Amanda Hampson, Natalie Conyer, and Tara Oldfield – will explore with host Maryanne Vagg. Book here The Model Murder (Penguin) …
Childhood writing games, shelves of books, and a sister who became a librarian and introduced Bronwyn Rodden to the Blue Mountains helped in the creation of her book series set there. As a child, her family stayed at the old art deco hotels. They seemed so luxurious, after growing up in a fibro house on the fringes of the city. The breathtaking natural scenery also made an impact.
The first SA Chapter event for 2026. Internationally published SA-based author Rebecca Heath will be in conversation with Michelle Prak about her latest book, The Last Encore, a sweltering, claustrophobic thriller in which a former band reunites for a one-night-only show broadcast from a private island . . . but not everyone is there to enjoy the music.
Penguin Books is generously donating ten copies of Dove, and ten copies of Dead Heat for the Crime Stack for March.
Dove, the new novel by Georgia Harper, the winner of the 2025 Davitt award for best debut novel, revolves around a provocative question. ‘What would you do if you had a whole day on earth free of men?’ Dead Heat, the explosive new thriller from Sunday Times bestselling author Sabine Durrant, is set over one blazing Mediterranean summer. Join now and be in the running.
For this month’s Author Spotlight, Narrelle M. Harris spoke to Brisbane author, Shailee Thompson, about her wonderfully named debut novel, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates (Simon & Schuster). She had an absolute BLAST writing this book.
This special event showcases the remarkable talents of three Melbourne women crime writers – Sarah Bailey, Mali Cornish, and Riley James. Sarah will talk to fellow crime author, Tanya Scott, about her latest thriller, Click. Mali Cornish and Riley James will read briefly from their forthcoming novels – The Missing Mother and The Wreck.
by Sandi Wallace Publisher: Next Chapter Reviewer: Kay Weller What You Don’t Know is the perfect title for this serpentine novel, where it becomesincreasingly difficult to untangle the underlying truth from the knot of strange and sinisterevents that surround the main character, Tess. Tess and Joe live on an island, where the small community looks …
Laraine Stephens first novel, The Death Mask Murders, was inspired by her work as a volunteer guide at the Old Melbourne Gaol. In the cells are displayed death masks of executed felons. This gave her the impetus for a story line: What if the psychopath in The Death Mask Murders had developed a fixation with death masks and created them as ‘trophies’ of his victims?
Jo Dixon spoke to Narrelle M Harris about her latest novel, A Disappearing Act – a cracking good read, with some great reveals along the way, Narrelle says. Jo is the Tasmanian author of three crime books, all set in Tasmania.