Aussie Readers discussion

We've got a few new members who list crime/mystery novels as their preferred genre. Here are some sites that might help you find Aussie crime writers:

Our own group bookshelf (still a work in progress but more books being added every week): Crime Mystery Thriller

The National Library of Australia is a great resource for Aussie books. Here is the link to their crime fiction list: Detective and mystery stories, Australian (N.B. Lots of the older <90's books are not on Goodreads but should be available at your library)

One of our Aussie Readers members Bernadette, has a great blog where she reviews lots of crime fiction including plenty of Australian authors: Reactions to Reading

Check out The Ned Kelly Awards (The Neddies) (Australia's leading literary awards for crime writing in both the crime fiction and true crime genres). This year's winners were: Wyatt, King of the Cross and Pitcairn: Paradise Lost.

Feel free to post your own recommendations, thoughts and reviews in this thread.

This isn't an Aussie site but I thought I'd mention Becke Davis's Barnes and Noble Mystery Blog. Becked is lovely and had some Aussie authors on her blog which introudced us to a wider audience. You can find her on facebook or shoot me a message if you want to know more.
Cathleen
Dirty Sexy Murder.

Cathleen wrote: "This isn't an Aussie site but I thought I'd mention Becke Davis's Barnes and Noble Mystery Blog. Becked is lovely and had some Aussie authors on her blog which introudced us to a wider audience. Yo..."

Thanks Cathleen! Maybe you could post a link or web address here in this thread.:)

Marianne Delacourt's Crime Fiction series is pretty damn good.

The Davitt awards shortlists are a good place to pick up new books as well. The run parallel to the Ned Kelly's and are hosted by Sisters in Crime.

Marianne wrote: "The Davitt awards shortlists are a good place to pick up new books as well. The run parallel to the Ned Kelly's and are hosted by Sisters in Crime."

LOL Marianne, you and Belinda are like a tag team! Are your sisters or friends in real life? I saw the interview with L.A. Larkin and her description of the research she did for her next book sounds very adventurous. I've added her book The Genesis Flaw to our group bookshelf.:)

Here is a link to the Sisters in Crime website and all the crime fiction & non-fiction nominations from the Davitt Awards.

Long time member who mostly lurks but perhaps I could mention my own site http://www.austcrimefiction.org - I don't just read Australian and New Zealand crime fiction, but I do try to read a lot of it.

Karen wrote: "Long time member who mostly lurks but perhaps I could mention my own site http://www.austcrimefiction.org - I don't just read Australian and New Zealand crime fiction, but I do try to read a lot of..."

Thanks Karen. I had a look at your site and it's fantastic. I would thoroughly recommend Aussie crime fiction lovers to check it out!:)

Karen wrote: "Long time member who mostly lurks but perhaps I could mention my own site http://www.austcrimefiction.org - I don't just read Australian and New Zealand crime fiction, but I do try to read a lot of..."

An interesting site, Karen. You have done a lot of work on it. a good site for anyone wanting to buy a crime fiction book and get an update on it. Laurel

Thanks Mandy / Laurel - it's a very addictive hobby :)

The Australian's reviewer of Crime Fiction is (ex-actor) Graeme Blundell. Apparently he reads and reviews predominantly crime fiction written by men so the Sisters in Crime writers group (Australian women who write crime fiction) have a few words of advice for him as well as plenty of suggestions for fabulous crime fiction written by women. Read more.

Thanks for the shout out and link Mandy, and I'm glad Karen has posted her site in here as I would have done so - stumbling across Karen's site is how I discovered that there IS so much great Australian crime fiction.

I must admit I was very disappointed to see Blundell's list on the weekend. I like his crime fiction reviews (and he's about the only person doing them in mainstream media) but I thought that particular list lacked imagination.

Yes, it's a pain when men think only men can write crime fiction. There have been plenty of women crime/mystery writers in the past including the queen of them all - Agatha Christie. Then there's my first murder mystery, Murder Among the Roses, and Carole Sutton's thriller murders. Laurel

Laurel wrote: "Yes, it's a pain when men think only men can write crime fiction. There have been plenty of women crime/mystery writers in the past including the queen of them all - Agatha Christie. Then there's m..."

Laurel,
Please don't suggest all men consider that. My favourite crime writer is Agatha Christie, who inspires my crime fiction writing. Blundell is Blundell, not all men.
Have a great day.
Justin

Crime does pay!

Want to be a crime writer? Well, if three winners of the 17th Scarlet Stiletto Awards are any indication, it pays to live in a rural setting and have at least three children, preferably all boys.

Eleanor Marney, who won the HarperCollins first prize of $750 plus the scarlet stiletto shoe trophy, is a mother of four boys and lives in Guilford, Victoria.

Second place went to Kristin McEvoy of Warooka, SA, who has three children. In addition to the Kill City 2nd prize of $400, she won the $500 Kerry Greenwood Malice Domestic Award for Sally’s Sea Change.

The $300 Dorothy Porter Award for Innovation went to Kylie Fox, of Bittern, who has four children.

The awards, held on November 26, kicked off with national co-convenor Sue Turnball interviewing actor Nadine Garner.

Garner talked candidly about the competing demands of acting and motherhood, and the insanity of working on City Homicide and The Wedding Party, a soon-to-be-released a sexy romantic comedy, while pregnant and looking after a newborn. Not recommended, but based on the experiences of those at Bell's Hotel in South Melbourne, procreation and creativity are a job lot.

The Sisters in Crime event has been an incredible launching pad for many writers, including Cate Kennedy and Tara Moss (that gives you some idea of the diversity of entrants).

The remarkable thing about Friday night's event was seeing how supportive and nurturing the women involved in the Sisters in Crime organisation are towards emerging writers.

Last year, Marney won the Cate Kennedy Award for Best New Talent ($350) and now she is working on a series of adventure novels for junior readers.

Amanda Wrangles (a mother of three young boys), who won last year’s trophy for Persia Blooms, received a commendation for her story Annie at the Beach. She has nearly finished a young adult urban fantasy.

I must also mention that Benn’s Books Best Investigative Story Award ($200) was awarded to Herald Sun journalist Corinna Hente for Playing Chicken. Go Corinna.

You can see the full list winners at website: www.sistersincrime.org.au

(Article from todays Herald Sun Newspaper)

Swweet! Lets start writing crime books...ahaha! I used to write..maybe time to flex those skills again..Though my stories weren't in crime exactly..hard to explain.

Overal I like crime fiction but I also hate it..Love/Hate relationship I've got with it for sure. I don't really have a fav aussie writer but I'd be interested in other ppls selections.

Laura wrote: "Swweet! Lets start writing crime books...ahaha! I used to write..maybe time to flex those skills again..Though my stories weren't in crime exactly..hard to explain. Overal I like crime fiction but..."

I'm like you Laura, I'm of two minds with crime fiction these days. I think I overdosed on it in the 80's and 90's! Now if there is a serial killer mentioned in the blurb I tend to avoid it. Although I still love those thriller/espionage/chick Lit type crime novels. You could have a look at Marianne Delacourt for some great Aussie crime fiction in the same vein as Janet Evanovitch. But there's loads more. Check out the Crime/Mystery/Thriller shelf in the Aussie Readers bookshelf for lots more suggestions.:)

Happily there are lots of Aussie crime writers who don't have a thing to do with serial killers.

Some of my favourite Aussie crime writers:

Lindy Cameron has written thrillers, private detective tales and a cosy mystery with an amateur sleuth - all good

Kathryn Fox writes more traditional stories featuring a forensic psychologist but she tackles some really interesting subjects - her latest book takes a look at rape being carried out by members of a sports team

Sulari Gentill published her first historical crime fiction book last year - really clever and looked at interesting time in our political history

Leah Giarratano has a series of police procedurals set in Sydney which are pretty dark but well written

Kerry Greenwood who has a historical series set in the 1920's and a modern day series set in Melbourine - they're light/cosy and feature strong, feisty female characters

Phillip Gwynne has only written one crime fiction book called The Build Up but it's awesome - set in/around Darwin

Jarad Henry has only written a couple of books but they're both great - set in Melbourne and really topical

Katherine Howell who writes books in which a paramedic is the main character

Adrian Hyland whose two books are set in outback Northern Territory and are beautifully written - they're almost not crime fiction at all

Brian Kavanagh writes cosy mysteries with a historical theme that are set in England

Gabrielle Lord writes all sorts of crime fiction - both for adults and YA - she has several series as well as lots of standalone novels and they're rarely about serial killers

Malla Nunn lives in Australia so we count her as Aussie though both of her books are set in 1950's South Africa (where Nunn was born) and tackle the beginnings of apartheid - brilliantly done.

Great list Bernadette..many thanks..:)

Wooohooo!! Mandy and Bernadette, thankyou both muchly!

You're welcome - As a fan of Aussie crime writers I see it as my mission to let people know there is a whole range of Aussie crime fiction being written - you'd never know it from our bookstores (well not mine anyway which promotes all the really popular American and English authors and you have to dig around for the Aussie stuff).

Two Aussie crime readers and reviewers have started the Fair Dinkum Crime blog which posts reviews, news, and interviews relating to Australian crime fiction.

Looks like a great resource for Aussie Reader group members who love crime fiction. Check it out!

Mandy wrote: "Two Aussie crime readers and reviewers have started the Fair Dinkum Crime blog which posts reviews, news, and interviews relating to Australian crime fiction.

Looks like a great resource for Au..."

Thanx Mandy!

For Aussie Author Month, I posted a list of some great Australian crime and mysteries on my blog. Who did I miss?

http://bookdout.wordpress.com/2011/04...

I am just reading Bleed for Me by Michael Robotham. It is very good so far. He writes really well and the story is very engaging.

Bit of interesting info here from Sisters in Crime Australia, book reviews and more http://www.sistersincrime.org.au/book...

Thanks for that information Cliff...very interesting!

Cliff wrote: "Wakefield Press is an Adelaide based publishing company that has republished quite a few pre-1980s Australian mystery novels.

The Wakefield Crime Classics series revives forgotten or neglected gem..."

I'll have to remember this site when I'm looking for books,cliff. Laurel
http://aussieauthorsatwork.blogspot.com

Thanks for sharing the links :) I know where I am going to start looking when I catch up with my reading list

Thanks for revitalising this thread Samantha, it hasn't been checked out in AGES!!!!

I'm currently reading by Karen M. Davis which definitely qualifies for this thread;)

Katherine Howell's new release Deserving Death is available for purchase now and it's the 7th in the Ella Marconi series. All fantastic reads, all set in Sydney, all crime fiction:)