Dark Deeds, again

Dark Deeds Down Under 2 includes stories from 22 Aussie & Kiwi authors

Craig every second Tuesday

Kia ora and gidday everyone,

So we've hit April here in the UK, and the signs of Spring have been taking over for a while. Miss Nine and I particularly enjoy spotting the early flowers bursting through in February and March on our park walks and streets: cherry blossoms and daffodils, then some crocuses and in recent weeks, hyacinths and magnolias. Later this month we'll be heading out bluebell-spotting (April and early May being the best time of year). Of course back home Down Under in 'the antipodes' of New Zealand and Australia the opposite is true, with summer waning and autumn colour taking over, as I see in vid chats with my mother and her well-tended garden in the background.

Looking up through the magnolias last week

It's also the season, at last, for Dark Deeds Down Under 2, an anthology that I've been working on sporadically as editor for the past 18-24 months, through some rather bumpy times in my personal life. The second volume in our pioneering anthology series showcasing Australian and New Zealand crime writing, it comes out globally later this month. I don't yet have my editor copies, but a few of our contributors have posted enthusiastically on social media about receiving theirs in recent days, which has filled my heart and made the overlong gestation all worthwhile. 

I was also recently interviewed for a piece in the biggest newspaper in my home country, the Weekend Herald. I'm far more used to being on the interviewer side of these things, rather than the interviewee, so I'm curious to see how the resulting article comes out in a couple of weeks' time. In the end these anthologies aren't about me, even if my name is on the cover as editor, but all the wonderful authors who've contributed their stories. Hopefully that comes through. 

Sydney podcaster and kids author Dani Vee with her copy of Dark Deeds Down Under 2;
Dani's contributed her first adult crime story to our collection

I've known about the power of short stories since my high school English teacher, Mrs Sivak - a US immigrant to the Top of the South region of New Zealand - introduced my class to the likes of "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson and "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell. They still resonate, decades later. So it brings me great joy (in among the life bumps) to have gotten the opportunity to help put these anthologies together in recent years, since long-time Sisters in Crime Australian national co-convenor Lindy Cameron, a crime writer, event organiser, and publisher, came to me with an offer I couldn't refuse back in late 2021. Like me, Lindy has a longstanding passion for showcasing the quality and diversity of our local Down Under storytellers at home and abroad, so it's been really cool to 'join forces' on this rather exciting project. 

Back in late 2021 (and still) I was honoured to be asked to be series editor, and very keen to dive in. My enthusiasm just escalated after a weekend of video chats with a bit of a wish-list of contributors. I’d expected to receive a majority of ‘noes’ given we were asking novelists with busy lives to supply a new short story on short-ish notice, so I had a long list of possibilities to speak with, but instead I got 90%+ yeses, and I barely got partway down my wish-list before having the first anthology full! Given the enthusiastic response of Aussie and Kiwi authors to our project, and the many more fab authors I wanted to include, we soon decided to make it a trilogy, at least. 

David Wenham as Murray Whelan in "The Brush Off", a 2004 screen
adaptation of Shane Maloney's book, directed by Sam Neill 

Our first anthology, which came out mid 2022, included new brand adventures for some popular antipodean crime fiction heroes like Vanda Symon's Detective Sam Shephard, Garry Disher's "Hirsch", RWR McDonald's 'The Nancys', Katherine Kovacic's Alex Clayton, Kerry Greenwood's Corinna Chapman, Dan Rabarts & Lee Murray's Penny Yee and Matiu, and Alan Carter's Nick Chester. Sulari Gentill and Dinuka McKenzie offered prequel tales for their series characters Rowly Sinclair and DS Kate Miles. And we even had the honour of 'bringing back' Murray Whelan, political advisor turned sleuth (played by David Wenham in screen adaptations) from legendary Melbourne author Shane Maloney. Not to mention some terrific standalone crime and thriller short stories from the likes of Nikki Crutchley, Narrelle M Harris, Renee, Stephen Ross, Fiona Sussman, Lisa Fuller, Aoife Clifford, Helen Vivienne Fletcher, and David Whish Wilson. It was a pretty cool project that I was very proud to be a wee part of. 

The Queen of Crime, Val McDermid, with the first hardcover
of Dark Deeds Down Under, at Harrogate in 2022. 

Overall, I’m very happy with how Dark Deeds Down Under has been received by readers and critics. We’ve had some really lovely reviews and feedback, and lots of nice moments. Some unforgettable stuff like the great Val McDermid holding it up onstage at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate in July 2022 and telling an audience of 800+ people how great it was and that they should all go and buy it! – unfortunately Val hadn’t realised that I’d given her a pre-release hardcover (the first off the press, so to speak) as a thank you for reading the manuscript and giving us a cover blurb, so it wasn’t in the festival bookshop! What might have been. 

So I'm pretty excited that we're back later this month with a second volume. Hopefully we'll be able to get both books into more readers hands, and showcase a range of cool Aussie and Kiwi storytellers at home and abroad. 

TV news producer turned crime writer Stephen Johnson with a
pre-release copy at the recent Clunes Booktown Festival

Our contributors are mainly crime novelists (one of our guiding ideas was to get new short stories about familiar characters from ANZ crime series, eg Vanda Symon’s Detective Sam Shephard, Garry Disher’s South Australian cop ‘Hirsch’, etc), but also include some genre-blending authors, short story specialists, and fresh/unpublished authors. This time around we're planning some bookshop or library events around both countries, among other things, celebrating many of the forty one authors who are featured across the first two volumes. 

I feel pretty lucky to get to do what I do, and how my lifelong love of mystery fiction has grown into this rather surreal more-than-a-hobby/less-than-a-career life in adulthood. And particularly that I get to help shine a light on cool storytellers from our corner of the globe (yes, I know globes don't have corners, but you know what I mean). 

So Dark Deeds Down Under volume 2 will officially be out around 16 April, though you can pre-order copies now direct from the publisher (Australia/New Zealand here, United States here) with a nice wee discount. 

The second volume includes a diverse array of intriguing and exciting stories from a cool range of Kiwi and Aussie storytellers, who I'll talk more in depth about next time on Murder is Everywhere: Charity Norman, Anna Downes, Jack Heath, Jennifer Lane, Emma Viskic, Natalie Conyer, Malla Nunn, Chad Taylor, Jean Bedford, Ben Hobson, Peter Papathanasiou, Helen Fitzgerald, Andi C Buchanan, Dorothy Porter, Shelley Burne-Field, Ashley Kalagian Blunt, Robert Gott, Dani Vee, Stephen Johnson, Michael Botur, Renee, and Peter Corris. 

But for now I hope you're enjoying Spring or Autumn, wherever you are in the world, and you have some great books to read. If you're looking for something new, maybe try a little Dark Deeds Down Under. 

Thanks for reading. Until next time. Ka kite anō.

Whakataukī of the fortnight: 

Inspired by Zoe and her 'word of the week', I'll be ending my fortnightly posts by sharing a whakataukī (Māori proverb), a pithy and poetic thought to mull on as we go through life.

Poipoia te kākano kia puawai

(Nurture the seed and it will blossom.)

Sharing a joke with the wonderful Renee, a legendary figure in Kiwi storytelling
and one of our DDDU contributors, at Nelson Arts Festival in Oct 2022

Advance Australia Fair?

Nicole Chamoun as Amanda and Thomas Jane as Ted in the ABC series Troppo, based on Candice Fox's excellent "Crimson Lake" crime novels

Craig, once again every second Tuesday. 

Kia ora and gidday everyone.

So later this week, on Thursday, Australia Day is celebrated. It's the national day for our 'cuzzies across the Ditch' as we Kiwis would say (the Ditch being the Tasman Sea that separates Australia and New Zealand - that's right, you can't drive from one country to the other, as some of my northern hemisphere friends have sometimes thought, and there is no bridge given it's a three-hour flight across the waters. For my UK friends, imagine if Greece was the nearest country to the UK and everything in between was water). 

There's been growing controversy about Australia Day in recent years, given that its date originally marks the 1788 landing of the 'First Fleet' at Sydney Cove and the raising of the Union flag. So a bit of a 'colonial' thing, when of course there had been people living in Australia for tens of thousands of years before European immigrants first arrived. In fact Australia's true first peoples - widely known as Aboriginal Australians - are likely the oldest human cultures outside of Africa. But while the date may have first been chosen for colonial/Euro-centric reasons, for many people Australia Day has come to mean celebrating all of Australia and Australian-ness, including its first peoples. 

Lisa Fuller is the award-winning author of GHOST BIRD, an excellent YA mystery. She's a Wuilli Wuilli woman from Queensland, also descended from Gooreng Gooreng and Wakka Wakka peoples who lived in Australia for thousands of years before European settlement. 

While official government websites now stress that Australia Day celebrates all Australians - showcasing its first peoples, descendants of those early European settlers, and modern immigrants, and the official Australia Day website talks of it being "the story of an extraordinary nation ... The Story begins 60,000 years ago. New chapters are written every day", there are still plenty of calls for the date of Australia's 'national day' to be changed. 

Some high-profile Australians have spoken out against celebrating the entire country on a day some see as 'Invasion Day', or as indigenous cricket star Ash Gardner recently said, "marked the beginning of genocide, massacres, and dispossession". The Australian Open tennis tournament is reportedly not doing any Australia Day celebrations this year, even as thousands of events from backyard barbecues to fireworks shows to sailing regattas and international cricket matches will take place. In Sydney, Australia Day will dawn with a display of artwork by Kamilaroi woman Rhonda Sampson projected on the sails of the Sydney Opera House. So, feelings are mixed among Australians. 

Ash Gardner, a proud Muruwari woman and international cricket star, with
some traditional dot art she created during COVID lockdowns

I have lots of Aussie mates who really enjoy their national holiday, whether its gathering with fellow Aussies overseas for drunken shenanigans and stories of home (or memories of such from their younger years) or spending time with their family and friends at home or at the beach or at one of the many events taking place across the nation and overseas. Of course all of that could and would continue even if the date changed on the calendar. 

But given our bookish bent here, let me celebrate my Aussie cuzzies with a wee showcase of recent-ish books from Down Under that readers all over the world should check out. Here are 13 Aussie crime novels and authors to try. 

GHOST BIRD by Lisa Fuller - originally published in Australian in 2019, this multi-award-winning YA mystery was released in the UK by Old Barn Books in late 2021 - it's great to see it more readily available for northern hemisphere readers. Fuller weaves indigenous community, culture, and spiritual beliefs into a terrific thriller about a small-town teenager in rural Queensland searching for her missing twin sister. 

EXILES by Jane Harper - the fifth mystery from a modern Queen of Australian Crime, whose brilliant debut THE DRY opened eyes to Outback Noir all over the world, is released in the USA and UK in the next fortnight. It sees the return of federal investigator Aaron Falk (played by Eric Bana in the film of THE DRY), as he's caught up in a bewildering family tragedy after a mother vanishes from a springtime festival in South Australian wine country. 

EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE by Benjamin Stevenson - one of my favourite reads of 2022 has just come out this month in the United States. Crime writing how-to-guide writer Ernie Cunningham reluctantly heads to a family reunion to celebrate the release from prison of his brother, who's now with Ernie's wife. A startlingly clever mystery that delights in and plays with longstanding tropes and rules of the crime genre. 

DIRT TOWN by Hayley Scrivenor aka DIRT CREEK in the United States - an intimate portrait of a community torn by the disappearance of 12-year-old Esther Bianchi, told via kaleidoscopic narration. exquisite characterization, as Scrivenor deftly brings a variety of townsfolk to vivid life, along with the intricate tapestry of their connections, secrets, feuds, prejudices, and (mis)perceptions. Character-centric crime fiction imbued with humanity and hurt. 

NO COUNTRY FOR GIRLS by Emma Styles - the riveting tale of two young women from messy family situations thrust together in Western Australia, and the carnage that ensues. Shades of "Thelma and Louise" as Aboriginal law student Nao and fists-first highschooler Charlie end up stuck together, on the run. There’s a fabulous rawness to Styles’ debut crime tale; strong voices and viewpoints that aren’t polite or prettied up. Gritty and gripping,

DEAD MAN'S CREEK by Chris Hammer - out in UK hardcover this month, Hammer's excellent fifth novel (aka THE TILT in Australia and New Zealand) sees the return of young cop Nell Buchanan and her sorta-mentor Ivan Lucic. A decades-old murder wasn't what Nell wanted as a newly minted detective, especially when it takes her back to her hometown, and starts getting entwined with her own family history. A superb novel from a master storyteller. 

THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY by Sulari Gentill - recently announced as one of the nominees for the prestigious Mary Higgins Clark Award at the Edgar Awards, Gentill (creator of the excellent Rowly Sinclair historical mysteries) crafts a mind-bending standalone firmly ensconced in the book world. Four people are sitting at a table in the Boston Public Library: is one a murderer? A story within a story, an unconventional, brilliant thriller. 

WAKE by Shelley Burr - an extraordinary debut and one of my fave 2022 reads. A beautifully written novel where first-time novelist Burr meshes two increasingly popular things - true crime obsession and Outback Noir - and still crafts her own distinctive, vivid and atmospheric story. New investigations of a 19-year-old cold case of a vanished child upturn the lives of family and the small farming community. Tense and emotional, an excellent read. 

THE WAY IT IS NOW by Garry Disher - the latest novel (in the northern hemisphere - Australian and New Zealand readers got DAYS END late last year) from the quiet King of Australian crime writing. Disher is a doyen of Australian crime, a giant on whose shoulders many modern authors have stood. Here he delves into the toll policing can take, as burnt-out cop Charlie Deravin finds himself caught up in a deeply personal investigation. Outstanding.

SEVEN SISTERS by Katherine Kovacic - a striking standalone just released in Australia from the author of the Alex Clayton art mysteries (and writer of JUST MURDERED, a TV tie-in of Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries). Naomi joins a grief counselling group with therapist Mia and five other women who've suffered devastating losses. Can they help each other overcome their hurt and anger, through any means necessary? A gripping revenge thriller. 

TAKEN by Dinuka McKenzie - the sequel to one of my fave debuts of last year (a year of tremendous debuts), and second Detective Kate Miles novel is released in Australia next week. DS Miles is back from maternity leave and feeling the pressure at work and home. When an infant goes missing, she finds herself fronting a high stakes and emotionally fraught case. THE TORRENT was terrific, and this is one of my most-anticipated reads of 2023. 

LYING BESIDE YOU by Michael Robotham - two-time CWA Gold Dagger winner Michael Robotham returns with another terrific thriller, the third in his newer series starring psychologist Cyrus Haven and gifted, damaged teenager Evie Cormac. While struggling with the upcoming release of his brother from state hospital, Cyrus is called to help the police hunt a killer who beat a father to death and abducted the daughter. Robotham is a must-read. 

THOSE WHO PERISH by Emma Viskic - the fourth and (for now) final instalment in Viskic's outstanding series starring deaf private eye Caleb Zelic – who’s grown but is still a stubborn and snarky work-in-progress. Caleb once again puts himself in danger and risks his most precious relationships as he tries to uncover the truth after getting a text from his drug addict brother, and shot at. Twisty storytelling pulsing with humanity and prose that sings. 

So there you go, a baker's dozen of fantastic Australian crime novels and authors for you to try. What has been your favourite Australian crime novel of the past few years? Oh, and of course if you want to try some Down Under authors in shorter form, test things out so to speak, you could always grab this ground-breaking anthology I had the privilege of editing last year - DARK DEEDS DOWN UNDER, which does include short stories from some of the excellent authors above. 

Until next time. Ka kite anō. 

Whakataukī of the fortnight: 

Inspired by Zoe and her 'word of the week', I'll be ending my fortnightly posts by sharing a whakataukī (Māori proverb), a pithy and poetic thought to mull on as we go through life. 

Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi

(With your basket and my basket the people will live)

Dark Deeds, Down Under

 

Craig every second Tuesday

Kia ora and gidday everyone,

So it's the half-term break here in the UK, and I was meant to be going camping with Miss Seven the past three days - her first 'sleepaway' camp with the local Woodcraft group she's been going to (Woodcraft Folk is a Scouts-like group that I hadn't heard of myself until recently, but has been going for almost 100 years and is pretty big here in the UK - I guess like some of those other outdoorsy groups in the US like Camp Fire etc). 

Unfortunately a wee gastro bug on Friday put paid to our plans for the weekend - and my thoughts of writing today about getting out into nature, or revisiting the childhood Scouts/camping/summer camp kinds of thing with my own daughter now rather than being a kid or a leader for others' kids, as I've done in the past. Another time. 

But while I was feeling a bit sorry for myself and like the world's worst Dad (I was the one who came down sick just before we were meant to go to camp), something good happened to lift my spirits. Well, Miss Seven was being an absolute trooper and keeping a smile on my face, even though she was pretty disappointed herself - but this was another outside-the-household thing that made me grin when I woke up on Saturday morning: the cover was finalised and the official announcement made about the first anthology I've edited: DARK DEEDS DOWN UNDER. 

DARK DEEDS DOWN UNDER is a first-of-its-kind anthology
of Australian & New Zealand crime and thriller short fiction

So if you'll indulge me, I thought I'd share a bit more about this cool project I've been involved in for the past few months. I'd say 'I'll write about nature next time', but in fact there's a fair bit of nature in this book, threaded through some criminally good stories. After all, the presence and impact of rugged elements (and weather) is one of a few things that can make antipodean crime writing a little distinct and different from its British counterparts.

While you could say that next month's publication of DARK DEEDS DOWN UNDER will be the culmination of a project kickstarted last European summer/autumn, you could also say that the seeds of it all go back far, far further. In a way, it's another culmination of several of the crime writing related things I've been doing the past fourteen years - and that Lindy Cameron, the long-time President of Sisters in Crime Australia as well as the publisher at Clan Destine Press and an acclaimed crime writer in her own right, has been doing for twice as long. 

It's been fabulous to collaborate with Lindy and all the authors on DARK DEEDS DOWN UNDER. We have 20 outstanding storytellers in the first volume, a diverse constellation of Aussie & Kiwi storytelling talent. And yes, I said first volume, because due to the enthusiastic response from many, many authors I reached out to as Commissioning Editor we've already decided to make it something of a series. The second volume (many of the stories already gathered for that one) will be out late this year, just before Christmas. And the third, next year. 

The 'Quiet King of Aussie Crime', Garry Disher, is among the authors providing brand-new stories with the series characters for DARK DEEDS DOWN UNDER

While some things dragged out a little - as many creative projects can do at the best of times, and our pandemic-bruised lives are hardly the best of times - I'm so stoked with how it has all come together. The lineup of 20 authors includes three Ned Kelly Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, multiple Ngaio Marsh Awards, Ned Kelly Awards, and Davitt Awards winners (the three main crime prizes Down Under), and some fresh newer voices too. It's a great mix, with authors ranging from 30s to 90s, across most states and territories, and several writers of colour. 

I couldn't be happier with how it has come together, and I'm looking forward to keen crime readers out there getting a chance to try the stories. Several include characters familiar to keen crime readers from books series, eg Constable Paul 'Hirsch' Hirschhausen from Garry Disher's award-winning books, Vanda Symon's Detective Sam Shephard, Sulari Gentill's gentleman sleuth Rowly Sinclair, Kerry Greenwoods baker and amateur sleuth Corinna Chapman, and more. From the raucous antics of the Nancys in small-town Otago to a prequel tale starring Dinuka McKenzie's Kate Miles, to the futuristic noir escapades of Matiu and Penny Yee in a supernatural-tinged Auckland, DARK DEEDS DOWN UNDER has got quite the mix of characters whose adventures you can follow elsewhere too. 

It also includes some brilliant standalone crime tales. 

And the long-awaited return of Murray Whelan, the political functionary who found himself investigating crimes linked to his job in an outstanding series of novels by Shane Maloney that were first published in Australia and internationally between 1994-2007, and made Maloney Australia's most popular crime writer of the time. 

David Wenham starred as Murray Whelan in a TV adaptation in 2004.
Our anthology includes the first new Murray Whelan tale in 15 years

I feel very honoured and privileged to get to be the Commissioning editor of this book (series) that showcases some of the amazing modern-day crime writers we have in Australia and New Zealand. While I know short stories and anthologies aren't for everyone, I hope the keen crime readers out there will give it a go. 

Here's a sneak peek at the line-up in Volume One: 

• Alan Carter
• Nikki Crutchley
• Aoife Clifford
• Garry Disher
• Helen Vivienne Fletcher
• Lisa Fuller
• Sulari Gentill
• Kerry Greenwood
• Narelle Harris 
• Katherine Kovacic
• Shane Maloney
• RWR McDonald
• Dinuka McKenzie
• Lee Murray & Dan Rabarts
• Renee
• Fiona Sussman
• Stephen Ross
• Vanda Symon
• David Whish-Wilson

Sulari Gentill, who was born in Sri Lanka and now lives in the Snowy Mountains,
offers readers a prequel to her award-winning Rowly Sinclair historical mysteries

There's lots more I could say about DARK DEEDS DOWN UNDER, but perhaps another time. For now, I'm just swimming in gratitude for the Aussie & Kiwi crime writing community. It's been a pleasure. 

Stay safe, and happy reading. 

Until next time, ka kita ano. 

Whakataukī of the fortnight: 

Inspired by Zoe and her 'word of the week', I've been ending my fortnightly posts by sharing a whakataukī (Māori proverb), a pithy and poetic thought to mull on as we go through life. I'd usually never use the same whakatauki in repeated posts, but given this one's celebrating storytelling on s small scale, it seemed particularly apt. 

Ahakoa he iti he pounamu

(Although it is small, it is greenstone)

Pounamu are treasured items carved in a variety of traditional designs. While they are relatively small - often worn as necklaces - they are powerful and full of meaning.

They come from a land Downunder

A wonderful array of Australian storytellers comprise this year's shortlist for the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction. Some world class crime writing from lands Downunder

Craig every second Tuesday.

Kia ora and gidday everyone.

So since my last post the shortlists were announced for this year's Ned Kelly Awards, which are Australia's national crime writing prizes. They're named after an infamous bush ranger (aka rural outlaw) who famously wore a suit of protective armour while in a shootout with police in the nineteenth century, Ned Kelly remains a figure both divisive and romanticised in Australia, akin to famed outlaws like Billy the Kid and others from the Old West.

The Ned Kelly Awards - which are fashioned as an impression of the metal helmet Ned Kelly wore while battling police - were established in 1996 by the Australian Crime Writers Association "to reward excellence in the field of crime writing within Australia". So this year is the 25 year anniversary of the first awards, where the Best Novel prize was shared by Barry Maitland for MALCONTENTA and Paul Thomas for INSIDE DOPE, Best First Novel prize was won by John Dale for DARK ANGEL, and Jon Cleary was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Sulari Gentill, shortlisted for this year's Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction for her latest historical mystery, won in 2018 for her standalone meta-thriller CROSSING THE LINES

At the time, Cleary had written 12 crime novels (among other novels and screenplays) starring Sydney detective Scobie Malone - the first, THE HIGH COMMISSIONER, was published in 1966. He'd eventually write 20 Scobie Malone novels before his passing in 2010, the finale being DEGREES OF CONNECTION in 2003. 

That final Cleary novel won the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Novel, too. Cleary was writing at a time when it was relatively rare for crime novels to be set in Australia (Peter Corris with his Cliff Hardy series was another early pioneer), and even until recent years I've heard stories of Australian novelists being discouraged by publishers or agents from setting their books in their homeland in case the don't sell like US or UK-set crime. 

Another example of the famous saying from novelist and legendary Hollywood screenwriter William Goldman (re Hollywood but often it could equally apply to publishing): "Nobody Knows Anything". 

While Australia's crime writing award have been around for a quarter of a century, and that country (like Ireland, New Zealand, and Scandinavia, among others) seems to be going through a modern crime writing gold rush, the literary ancestors of this year's Ned Kelly shortlistees date back to the earliest days of the genre we love. 

A scene from the 2012 television adaptation of Fergus Hume's 1886 novel THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB, the first global blockbuster of detective fiction

As I mention in the introduction to SOUTHERN CROSS CRIME, if you're looking for a good pub quiz question for mystery lovers, "What was the bestselling detective novel of the nineteenth century?" may be a good one. 

Even big mystery fans are likely to guess something like A STUDY IN SCARLET, the first Sherlock Holmes novel, or perhaps THE MOONSTONE by Wilkie Collins (I would have until several years ago). But the answer is in fact THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB (1886) by Fergus Hume, a still enjoyable tale set on the streets of 'Marvellous Melbourne', a booming gold rush city where wealth and poverty rubbed up against each other. It significantly outsold the early Sherlock Holmes tales at the time, much to Arthur Conan Doyle's chagrin. 

As ground-breaking as Hume was on a global scale - not only did he craft the first 'global blockbuster' in detective fiction, he made his book's setting as important as a character - he wasn’t the first Australian crime writer. 

Mary Fortune's pseudonymous crime tales in the Australian Journal have
seen her called the world's first female detective fiction author

Literary archaeologist Dr Lucy Sussex, who wrote an excellent book about Fergus Hume, has long championed the importance of Mary Fortune, a trailblazing pioneer who began writing from remote goldfields and could be considered not only the mother of Australian crime writing, but the mother of the police procedural in a global sense. Under the pseudonyms Waif Wander and WW, Fortune penned more than 500 stories from the viewpoint of a police detective for the popular Australian Journal between 1865 and 1908. Fortune’s use of a police narrator, her focus on realism, reliance on police procedure and ‘almost forensic depiction of violence’  predated and anticipated much of the more famous detective fiction that began emerging later in the nineteenth century, notes Sussex.

So while nowadays the tree of Australian crime writing is heavily laden with delicious fruit - as evidenced by the shortlist for this year's Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction, not to mention the many dozens of other good and great storytellers who released new books during the pandemic alone - the roots go back long and deep.

The breadth and depth of antipodean crime writing allowed me plenty of scope to write a guidebook celebrating the modern era. Thanks Abbey's Bookshop in Sydney for the pic - the pandemic means I've still not had any real-life events or seen my book instore like this anywhere

I've had the pleasure of reading all eight shortlisted authors (they're all also discussed in SOUTHERN CROSS CRIME - four feature in the in-depth interviews section - unlike their counterparts in Best Debut Crime Fiction, who first hit the shelves after my guidebook was already in production), and you can't go wrong grabbing any of them. It's a glittering array of modern Australian crime writing talent, and the Ned Kelly judges have a tough choice. 

I've read and previously reviewed six of the specific books shortlisted. Here's a wee rundown of all eight contenders:

CONSOLATION by Garry Disher: the third in Garry Disher's newer rural series starring Constable Paul 'Hirsch' Hirschhausen, a cop demoted and banished from the big city to small town Tiverton. Hirsch is juggling an array of incidents, from someone stealing women's knickers to 'tradesman' conning the elderly out of their savings, a girl who may be in danger, and an enraged father who violently confronts a council worker before 'going bush' with his son and a rifle. Disher, a legend of modern Australian crime writing who won the Ned Kelly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018, adroitly brings many threads together into a cohesive whole while giving readers a deep look at a rural community and the people who live there and pass through. CONSOLATION is a sublime tale that flows so well it'd be easy to overlook just what a triumph of a novel it is. 

GATHERING DARK by Candice Fox: Sydney author Candice Fox announced herself on the crime scene several years ago when she won back-to-back Ned Kelly Awards for her debut HADES and its sequel EDEN. A prolific storyteller with a great touch for offbeat, memorable crime characters, Fox has also written the 'Crimson Lake' trilogy set in Far North Queensland (TV adaptation Troppo is currently being filmed) as well as co-writing thrillers with James Patterson. In GATHERING DARK, ex-surgeon Blair Harbour is now an ex-con working gas station night shifts. When the daughter of her ex-cellmate vanishes, she risks everything to try to help; the pair teaming with crime boss Ava Maverick and LAPD Detective Jessica Sanchez - the cop who put Blair in prison years before. Four women, all facing questions and dangers in their lives. Fox delivers an exciting storyline with some helter-skelter action and great set-pieces, but my lasting impression was the strong sense of humanity that bubbled throughout. 

A TESTAMENT OF CHARACTER by Sulari Gentill: while Sulari Gentill won the Ned Kelly Award in 2018 for her meta-fiction standalone CROSSING THE LINES (aka AFTER SHE WROTE HIM) which blurs the lines between author and creation, the spine of her crime career is her historical mystery series set in the 1930s and centred on artist and amateur sleuth Rowland Sinclair. In A TESTAMENT TO CHARACTER, the 10th instalment, Rowly and his sleuthing pals Clyde, Milton, and Edna travel to Boston in the aftermath of a close friend's death. Or as it turns out, murder. Rowly & Co must find the killer while dealing with warring factions after their friend left the bulk of his fortune to an unknown man, and Rowly as the executor tasked with doling things out. As Living Arts Canberra said, "Again, Sulari Gentill has written a crime fiction novel which is so much more. The parallels with our current situation, politically and economically, are remarkable and goose-bump inducing. Highly recommended."

THE SURVIVORS by Jane Harper: Melbourne author Jane Harper made a global name for herself with some exceptional novels set in the heat of the Australian Outback (debut THE DRY, which won the CWA Gold Dagger among many other awards, and brilliant standalone THE LOST MAN). With THE SURVIVORS, Harper demonstrates her knack for evocative settings, no matter the climate, and flawed characters that feel all-too-real. Kieran Elliott reluctantly returns to his tiny Tasmanian hometown. When the body of a young woman is found on the beach, the investigation threatens to unearth long-held secrets, and widen the fissures within the community. Kieran and his family and friends have to confront their pasts as well as trying to survive and find justice in the present. An absorbing tale rich in character and setting that seems like a slow burn, but like a campfire being slowly stoked by twigs then sticks then bigger branches, it builds into a storytelling heat that reaches deep into you. 

THE GOOD TURN by Dervla McTiernan: Western Australian author Dervla McTiernan certainly hit the ground running; her 2018 debut THE RUIN won Ned Kelly, Davitt, and Barry Awards. Its sequel, THE SCHOLAR, scooped an International Thriller Writers Award. But for me, THE GOOD TURN is the best yet in her DS Cormac Reilly series set in her native Ireland. When lack of resources sees a kidnapping case go bad, Reilly is suspended and his protege Pete Fisher exiled to the Garda station of a tiny seaside village long policed by Fisher's father. Reilly secretly digs into suspicions of police corruption while Fisher does penance in paperwork on two murders. McTiernan juggles multiple character perspectives and storylines in an intelligent and engaging police procedural that's soaked in Irish atmosphere. While the investigator besieged by bureaucracy and back-stabbing isn't uncommon in crime fiction, the quality of McTiernan's writing makes it still feel fresh and interesting

TELL ME LIES by JP Pomare: Melbourne based, award-winning Māori storyteller JP Pomare (Ngāpuhi) is one of the most exciting thriller writing voices to emerge in the past couple of years, from Australasia or anywhere. His third novel TELL ME LIES, which began life as an Audible Original, once again demonstrates his mastery of the psychological thriller form. Why would psychologist Margot Scott violently attack one of her patients on a train platform? What provoked her to harm rather than help? Pomare guides us through a web of deceit as Margot’s seemingly perfect life is upended by her interactions with a suite of clients. In a sea of psychological thrillers, Pomare elevates himself with the quality of his writing and his characterisation. Pacy, full of twists, TELL ME LIES turns readers inside out, alternatively sure then unsure we know where it’s heading.

WHEN SHE WAS GOOD by Michael Robotham: last year Sydney author Michael Robotham won the prestigious CWA Gold Dagger for the second time, and was shortlisted for the Edgar Award, for GOOD GIRL, BAD GIRL, the first in a new series. Criminal psychologist Cyrus Haven and human lie detector Evie Cormac return in this sequel, which has already won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger this year. The closer Cyrus gets to uncovering answers about Evie’s dark history, the more he exposes Evie to danger, giving her no choice but to run. Are some secrets are better left buried and should some monsters never be named? As Kirkus Reviews said, "Cyrus and Evie, both trauma survivors, are quirky, complex, and endlessly fascinating creations ... Readers will be putty in this supremely talented author’s capable hands. An urgent, poignant, and terrifying thriller."

WHITE THROAT by Sarah Thornton: Lawyer-turned-writer Sarah Thornton's debut, LAPSE, was a thrilling rural crime novel about shame, secrets, and Aussie Rules football. In WHITE THROAT, disgraced ex-Sydney lawyer Clementine ‘Clem’ Jones, though no longer in small-town Katinga. Instead, she's house-sitting in coastal Queensland and helping a local environmental group try to save a threatened turtle population. When Clem's pal Helen, the group’s leader, is found dead and the cops say suicide, Clem steps forward and strikes out on her own dangerous investigation. Thornton delivers another engaging tale where plenty happens to keep pages whirring. She delivers a strong sense of place, immersing readers in coastal Queensland and crafting a rich atmosphere with the small town and its surrounds, and the variety of people who live and work there. An action-packed slice of Aussie crime fiction. 

So, who'll win this year's Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction? Honestly, I have no idea. It's a tremendous field of contenders. I'm very curious to see which book the judges prefer. I imagine it'll be a tight decision. 

If you enjoy good writing, you can't go too wrong nabbing some of the books on this list. With everything from rural to urban crime, Australian-set to overseas, historical to contemporary, there's also something there for most mystery-lovers. No matter where your tastes lie. So dive on in. 

Have you read any Australian crime fiction? If so, what have been some of your favourite books? Which of this year's Ned Kelly Award contenders do you think you're most likely to add to your TBR pile?

Until next time. Ka kite anō.

Whakataukī of the fortnight: 

Inspired by Zoe and her 'word of the week', I'll be ending my fortnightly posts by sharing a whakataukī (Māori proverb), a pithy and poetic thought to mull on as we go through life.

Kāore te kūmara e kōrero mō tōna ake reka 

(The kūmara doesn't speak of its own sweetness)

The kūmara is a sweet-potato like vegetable (from a different family to potatoes and yams) that's been cultivated in New Zealand for more than 1,000 years