Crime is arguably the bestselling genre these days, in both books and film. From the next viral true crime documentary to the multitude of subgenres in crime literature, we cannot get enough of these perplexing mysteries about why humans commit crime – and what our macabre fascination with it says about us.
As everyone knows, we at Readings pride ourselves on our support of local authors. So here is a beginner’s guide to Australian crime fiction and true crime for those who don’t know where to begin.
Small town setting
A murder mystery set amongst tight-knit communities where everyone knows everyone means that someone you thought you could trust – a friend, neighbour, a teacher, or even your own family – might be a killer. The first book that comes to my mind is Christian White’s The Ledge, set in regional Victoria, where a group of friends are haunted by one fateful night, 24 years ago. I’m not exaggerating when I say this book left me speechless and rereading pages in case I had read it wrong!
The title of Margaret Hickey’s 2024 novel The Creeper alone is enough to send chills down your spine. Her equally frightening novel delves into the horrific, cultish massacre of five hikers in Victoria’s High Country, perfect for readers who prefer a high-adrenaline, eerie experience.
Could we even talk about Australian crime fiction without Jane Harper? Having won numerous awards for her novels, most notably for The Dry, it’s fair to say Harper has honed her craft in perfecting the gritty 'outback noir' subgenre. The best thing is that almost every part of Australia gets their time in the sun, with The Dry set in regional Victoria, Exiles in a fictional small town in South Australia, The Survivors set in a coastal Tasmanian town, and The Lost Man in remote, outback Queensland. Keep an eye out for her next novel, Last One Out, publishing this October and set in regional NSW.
Cosy whodunits
For those readers who prefer the absence of violence and look for the charming settings, amateur sleuths and neatly-tied endings found in novels by Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, and Anthony Horowitz, here are some Australian authors who will certainly tick those boxes!
Benjamin Stevenson’s murder mysteries are original and ingenious, to say the least. His second novel, Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect, is the perfect book for fans of Murder on the Orient Express, following a murder on a train heading from Darwin to Adelaide, where every suspect is a crime writer themself!
For fans of The Thursday Murder Club, you should check out The Tea Ladies by Amanda Hampson, another witty, heartwarming series that follows Hazel Bates, a professional tea lady, and her charming friends as they solve murder mysteries within Australia’s seedy underbelly. The first novel, set in Sydney in the swinging 60s, echoes the classics by Kerry Greenwood – Australia’s own Agatha Christie – and explores anti-communist anxieties, police corruption, and women’s rights.
Twists and turns
If you prefer your mysteries darker, more psychologically manipulative, and leaving you absolutely no sense of security, these thrillers full of juicy secrets and jaw-dropping plot twists are sure to leave you second guessing everything.
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill is a mind-bending meta-crime that contains two mysteries in one – first, the mystery of the dead woman found in the Boston Public Library, a story written by author Hannah Tigone; the second, the mysterious emails Hannah receives from her biggest fan, Leo, whose advice on killing, the perfect weapon, leaving no evidence behind, etc. is getting suspiciously specific …
Sally Hepworth’s domestic thrillers are something I can never be tired of. My favourite of hers, The Soulmate, follows Pippa, her life with her family in a picturesque cliff-side home, and the growing distrust she feels towards her husband, a local hero who has saved seven people from falling off the cliff. But when he fails to save the eighth one, was it simply a tragedy or did Pippa see him push her off?
Lastly, Jack Heath’s Kill Your Husbands is an absolute roller coaster starring three couples on a weekend getaway, with a salacious game of partner-swapping and a long list of murders once the lights are turned back on. Set in an isolated snowy cabin with no Wi-Fi or communication to the outside world, this was a scandalous read that had me hooked from beginning to end.
Female leads
It is such a breath of fresh air when a woman in crime fiction is more than just another victim. Jane Caro’s Lyrebird is a chilling novel about two women, ornithologist Jessica Weston and Detective Megan Blaxland, who must investigate the curious death of a woman whose last dying screams are mimicked by a lyrebird. Caro’s novel has the perfect blend of entertaining and suspenseful prose whilst exploring weighty themes of domestic violence, women’s rights and environmentalism.
The Hitwoman’s Guide to Reducing Household Debt by Mark Mupotsa-Russell has a female lead reminiscent of ‘The Bride’ in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill – an ex-hitwoman who goes to extreme lengths to protect and avenge her children. Set right in the heart of Melbourne, it was so exciting seeing a baddie like Olivia seek revenge right on my doorstep.
Thirdly, how could I not recommend Unbury the Dead, written by Readings’ own wonderful Fiona Hardy; in which her two protagonists, Teddy and Alice, instead of being pitted against each other as two women often are, showcase their funny, heartfelt ride-or-die friendship as they travel around inner Melbourne and regional Victoria ‘cleaning up’ other people’s dirty deeds.
Books with a political or social message
Crime fiction is an extremely effective tool to convey the social injustices that are prevalent within our political, cultural, and social spheres. One such novel, which masterfully explores this, is Angie Faye Martin’s Melaleuca, where the murders of Indigenous women in Queensland highlight the vast difference in the media attention and public knowledge of domestic violence and homicide rates between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and non-Indigenous women.
Tracey Lien’s debut All That’s left Unsaid, winner of the 2023 Readings Prize for Australian Fiction, similarly explores systemic racism and generational trauma. With this brutal murder mystery set in Cabramatta, NSW, Lien explores violence against Vietnamese-Australians, leading back to the White Australia Policy.
I would also highly recommend Dark Mode by Ashley Kalagian Blunt, a skin-crawling psychological thriller set in Sydney that explores gendered violence, the rise of misogyny in online spaces, and the effect this is having on future generations. In a technologically advancing world, this novel was eye-opening in how crime is always evolving in modern and terrifying ways.
True crime
Beyond the appeal of crime fiction, the history of Australian true crime encompasses a range of stories from horrific homicide and extreme social injustices to those true blue larrikins having the final laugh. To better understand the wide scope of Australian true crime, here are some starters I would begin with.
Killing for Country: A Family Story by David Marr is a complex and heartbreaking story of the author’s journey in reckoning with an ancestor of his who was a white officer of the brutally violent Native Police. Marr’s novel is a confronting and harsh revelation of Australia’s dark past and the crimes that were committed against First Nations people, and the ripples of that violence still affecting many Indigenous communities today.
Bringing it close to home, Australia’s Most Infamous Jail investigates the lives and mysteries of the most notorious criminals imprisoned in Melbourne's Pentridge Prison, including Ned Kelly, Mark ‘Chopper’ Read, and more.
For those who prefer a lighter read, I would recommend Australia’s Most Bizarre Crimes by Peter Coleman, exploring the nation’s most hilarious and unusual mysteries, or Mark Dapin’s Carnage, an investigation into the crime behind the viral Jack Karlson arrest outside a Brisbane restaurant, otherwise more famously known as the ‘succulent Chinese meal’ guy or ‘democracy manifest’.
Young adult & middle fiction
Working at Readings Kids, I couldn’t resist recommending some Australian authors for all the teenagers and kids who also love a mystery, or have a morbid curiosity with crime, much like I did when I was younger.
For young adults (ages 13+), I would recommend the Eleanor Jones is Not a Murderer series by Amy Doak, which is perfect for fans of Karen M. McManus and Holly Jackson. I also absolutely loved Maria Petranelli is Prepared for Anything (Except This) by Elisa Chenoweth, which has similar vibes to Looking for Alibrandi for the newer generation – but on steroids. Seriously, this book is wild in the most fun and unpredictable way!
For the older teenagers (ages 15+) I would recommend Ellie Marney’s thrillers, either The Killing Code for those who would prefer a historical spy intrigue, or None Shall Sleep, a gruesome murder mystery similar to Silence of the Lambs. Or definitely check out We Didn’t Think it Through by Gary Lonesborough, our 2024 Readings Prize Winner for Young Adult, which explores injustices in the judicial system against First Nations youths.
For middle fiction (ages 8-12) I would begin with any of Tristan Bancks’ books, particularly Cop and Robber or Scar Town, both of which are fast-paced, high-action thrillers suitable for those ages. Nicki Greenberg’s Detective’s Guide to Ocean Travel is also a fantastic historical mystery series, perfect for fans of Murder Most Unladylike and Enola Holmes.
