In this episode of Between The Lines, Chelle and Leanne sit down with Melbourne author Fiona Hardy to talk about her latest crime novel Old Games — a fast-paced and offbeat Australian mystery set across Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula.

Before we dive into crime fiction, we begin by uncovering Fiona's own criminal past… which involves stealing a single chocolate freckle from a milk bar at the age of seven.

From there, the conversation turns to Hardy's love of crime writing and why she wanted to create a story centred on two morally flexible female private investigators instead of the traditional male detective.

In Old Games, best friends Alice and Teddy make a living fixing problems no one else wants to deal with. When they're hired to track down the stolen ashes of a famous tennis player, what seems like a strange but simple job quickly spirals into a tangled web of secrets, lies, and danger.

As they chase clues through Melbourne and along the Mornington Peninsula, Alice and Teddy discover that everyone connected to the late sports star is hiding something — and the deeper they dig, the riskier the investigation becomes.

In our conversation with Fiona, we explore:

• Why crime fiction continues to captivate readers

• The joy of writing flawed and morally suspect female characters

• The friendship dynamic between Alice and Teddy

• Writing crime set in recognisably Australian settings

• The appeal of Aussie crime novels

If you love crime fiction with sharp dialogue, strong female characters, and plenty of twists, this episode — and this book — is for you.

Old Games by Fiona Hardy is a pacey Australian crime novel about two private investigators tasked with retrieving the stolen ashes of a famous tennis star.

What begins as a routine job quickly turns complicated when everyone connected to the deceased sportsman appears to be hiding something. As Alice and Teddy dig deeper into Melbourne's sporting and celebrity circles, secrets unravel and the danger begins to escalate.

Fiona Hardy is a Melbourne-based writer, bookseller, and reviewer.

Her previous crime novel Unbury the Dead was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Awards. Fiona is also an award-winning author of books for younger readers, including How to Make a Movie in 12 Days (a CBCA Notable Book) and How to Write the Soundtrack to Your Life, which won the 2021 Children's Peace Literature Award.

Despite writing about crime, Fiona's real-life criminal history is relatively minor — consisting of stealing a single chocolate freckle from a milk bar when she was seven years old.

Chelle and Leanne created Between The Lines because they love books and great conversations — and wanted to share both with you.

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In this episode of Between The Lines, Chelle and Leanne chat with Australian author Penny Tangey about her delightfully funny cosy crime novel What Rhymes with Murder?

The story begins with Frida, an exhausted new mother searching for something to break up the sleep-deprived blur of early parenthood. When she attends Baby Rhyme Time at her local library, it feels like a small but meaningful step back into the world.

Then someone screams… and a body hits the floor.

Suddenly the library becomes a crime scene, and Frida finds herself drawn into an unexpected amateur investigation alongside a group of unlikely sleuths. Between gossip sessions and plenty of coffee at their local café, the group begin piecing together what happened — without realising just how close they might be to danger.

In our conversation with Penny, we talk about:

• The inspiration behind What Rhymes with Murder?

• Writing cosy crime with humour and heart

• The chaotic and identity-shifting experience of early motherhood

• How libraries and community spaces bring people together

• Creating an amateur detective who feels real, relatable and funny

Penny Tangey brings warmth, wit and sharp observation to this story, blending murder mystery with the messy reality of new parenthood.

If you enjoy cosy crime with quirky characters and plenty of humour, this is a great one to add to your reading list.

Penny Tangey is a librarian, mother and former stand-up comedian living in East Melbourne.

She has written several children's books with UQP, including As Fast As I Can, which won a Queensland Literary Award and the Readings Children's Book Prize. Her middle-grade novel Music Camp was published in 2025.

What Rhymes with Murder? is her first novel for adults.

Chelle and Leanne created Between The Lines because they love books and great conversations — and wanted to share both with you.

📚 Listen to the podcast for author interviews and reading inspiration.

📦 Or join our online book club, where we deliver books to your door and a book club to your reading nook.

https://www.betweenthelinesaustralia.com/bookclub2026

A Conversation with Susi Fox about The Other Child

In this episode of Between the Lines, we're joined by bestselling author Susi Fox to discuss her novel The Other Child - a gripping psychological story that explores motherhood, identity, and the fragile boundaries of belonging.

This is a book that unsettles in the best way.

At its heart, The Other Child asks a confronting question:
What truly makes someone a mother? Biology? Love? Care? Or something more complicated?

In our conversation, Susi shares the inspiration behind the novel and how she approached writing morally complex characters who don't sit neatly in "right" or "wrong."

• The emotional spark behind The Other Child

• Writing flawed, layered female characters

• The psychology of maternal attachment

• Moral ambiguity and reader discomfort

• Why the novel challenges traditional ideas of motherhood

• How tension is built through character rather than plot twists

We also talk about how readers respond when a story pushes them into uncomfortable territory, and why that discomfort can be powerful.

• Motherhood and identity

• Belonging and displacement

• Jealousy, fear, and vulnerability

• The complexity of female relationships

• The gap between public perception and private emotion

This is a thoughtful, layered discussion about the emotional terrain beneath the thriller elements.

If you enjoy psychological fiction that stays with you long after you close the book — this episode is for you.

The Other Child is a psychological novel that explores the fragile bonds between mothers and children, and what happens when those bonds are threatened. With emotional depth and mounting tension, Susi Fox examines how love can exist alongside fear, and how identity can fracture under pressure.

AND IF YOU LOVE DISCUSSING BOOKS:

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