On the night Leo Stone returns—notionally from the dead, in reality from the Democratic Republic of the Congo—Cass Tuplin gets a call from Gary Kellett. A call about an actual dead person: Gary’s daughter, killed in a car crash. Gary’s adamant it wasn’t an accident. Cass agrees to investigate. After all, not just Rusty Bore’s only purveyor of fine fast food, Cass is also the closest thing to a private detective within a couple of hundred k’s. The local police (Cass’s son Dean) try to warn her off. It’s true Cass’s status as a celebrated yet non-licensed nobody doesn’t entirely suit Dean. But Dean also believes Gary’s a delusional, grieving father. Is that the case? Or did a young journalist die after asking too many questions? Cass intends to find out. As soon as she’s dealt with some queries raised by the reappearance of Leo Stone. Sue Williams is a science writer and chartered accountant who also holds a PhD in marine biology. She lives in Melbourne with her husband. Her first Cass Tuplin mystery, Murder with the Lot, also published by Text, was shortlisted in the Ned Kelly Awards. ‘There’s a wry, satirical element to much of Williams’ humour...In the grand tradition of cosies, [Cass is] a woman underestimated at your peril...Fun and often charming crime fiction, thanks to its winning super-sleuth heroine.’ Saturday Paper ‘Williams captures small town Victoria with ease and her plot has enough twists and red herrings to keep it interesting. Fans of Murder With The Lot will not be disappointed, and no doubt will be hoping for more of Cass Tuplin. An excellent sequel!’ BookMooch ‘Once again, Williams has created a small-town mystery with big repercussions with the wacky, loveable characters who fill Rusty Bore making a comeback in this novel.’ Weekly Times ‘An enormously enjoyable and pacy novel set in a speck of a country town in rural Victoria, with a plucky amateur sleuth amid a quirky ensemble of townsfolk and family. Quintessentially Australian without being overcooked.’ Abbey’s Bookshop ‘[A] finely wrought and highly amusing crime novel...Williams has created a wonderful new series in the comedy crime genre. Dead Men Don’t Order Flake is a multilayered yarn that mines the rich ore of regional Australia and I can’t wait for the next Cass Tuplin adventure.’ Australian ‘Williams has put together a recipe for madcap adventure the main ingredient an engaging female lead whose nosiness solves the mysteries of her tiny hometown.’ Adelaide Advertiser ‘This book is pure entertainment the author captures the quirky ways of small town Australia perfectly, well, apart from murder that is, we don’t get too many of them in these parts.’ Audiothing ‘Smoothly written with plenty of humour, and some wry observations by Cass, this is an enjoyable, off-beat crime novel with a good cast of characters and a nicely paced storyline.’ Sydney Morning Herald

The Cambridge History of the Australian Novel is an authoritative volume on the Australian novel by more than forty experts in the field of Australian literary studies, drawn from within Australia and abroad. Essays cover a wide range of types of novel writing and publishing from the earliest colonial period through to the present day. The international dimensions of publishing Australian fiction are also considered as are the changing contours of criticism of the novel in Australia. Chapters examine colonial fiction, women's writing, Indigenous novels, popular genre fiction, historical fiction, political novels, and challenging novels on identity and belonging from recent decades, not least the major rise of Indigenous novel writing. Essays focus on specific periods of major change in Australian history or range broadly across themes and issues that have influenced fiction across many years and in many parts of the country.

A dangerous high-stakes mystery is afoot. Unlicensed, and unlikely, detective Cass Tuplin is on the case.

For Cass Tuplin, proprietor of the Rusty Bore Takeaway (and definitely not an unlicensed private investigator), it’s weird enough that her neighbour Vern has somehow acquired a lady friend. But then he asks Cass to look into the case of the dead rats someone’s dumped on Joanne’s doorstep. She’s barely started when Joanne goes missing, leaving hints of an unsavoury past. Then a private investigator from Melbourne turns up asking questions about Joanne’s involvement in a fatal house fire—and before you can say ‘unauthorised investigation’ Cass is back on the case. Sue Williams is the author of a crime series set in Rusty Bore, population 147. Sue was raised in country Victoria and hotly denies this provided any inspiration for her writing. She is a science and travel writer and a chartered accountant who also holds a PhD in marine biology. These days, Sue lives in Melbourne with her husband. Her previous two Cass Tuplin books are Murder with the Lot and Dead Men Don’t Order Flake. ‘Sue Williams is Australia’s answer to New Jersey’s Janet Evanovich.’ NZ Listener ‘Finely wrought and highly amusing...a wonderful new series in the comedy crime genre.’ Australian ‘This book is like going to visit your regional relatives and having a bunch of their friends pop by for a chat. It’s comforting, slightly dishevelled, wildly entertaining...Live and Let Fry is self-aware, observant, and with a fresh take on a crime hero, this is as irresistible as potato cakes after a swim.’ Readings ‘This is a book best not read on the quiet carriage of public transport, as the giggles, snickers and guffaws likely to be emitted may disturb other commuters...Fans of the series will not be disappointed.’ BookMooch ‘Sue Williams has her recipe down pat: an engaging heroine with a sense of humour as dry as the landscape.’ Adelaide Advertiser ‘There is no doubt about the value of escapist literature in a world fraught with so many seemingly intractable problems. This book unashamedly belongs to that escapist genre. There can scarcely be better therapy than to immerse oneself for a time in a world where good triumphs over evil and where there is the prospect of a happy ending.’ ArtsHub

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A smart, sassy self-appointed private investigator, Cass Tuplin is unforgettable and the town of Rusty Bore will never be the same... Cass Tuplin's takeaway isn't the last shop left in Rusty Bore. There's also Vern's General Store. But it's true the town's not exactly overflowing with residents, and a stranger in Cass's shop is quite an event. Especially one like Clarence: suspicious, bleeding, looking for a burger with the lot and somewhere quiet to stay. Cass knows just the place. Then she finds out more about Clarence and wants him out of town, but it turns out that's not as easy as it sounds. And then she finds the body. It sounds like a job for the local police. Except that the local police is Cass's son Dean, who has his doubts about Cass. And there's no way he's expending police resources on his mother's fantasy crimes, not anymore. So it looks like Cass is going to have to find the killer on her own. Sue Williams is a refreshing and irreverent new voice in crime fiction - Australia's answer to Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton. Sue Williams is a science and travel writer and a chartered accountant who also holds a PhD in marine biology. Her articles have been published in a range of magazines and on The Science Show on ABC Radio National. Sue lives in Melbourne with her husband. Murder with the Lot is her first book. 'A well-sauced outback caper, with Chiko Rolls - and murder.' Kerry Greenwood 'This story is told...in a wonderful freewheeling style that continually undercuts itself, throws ironies around by the mile, and in general offers us a character we love from page one, even when she's driving her family and several other people crazy.' Otago Daily Times 'There is a murder; there may be mafia involved. Or so thinks Cass, your classic nosy small Aussie town Miss Marple - although her manner and turn of phrase are somewhat less refined. A racy romp.' Weekend Herald 'Enjoyable, easy to read with a few well-timed twists and turns and a touch of very Australian humour.' Ballarat Courier '[Cass] is a very funny character.' AustCrime 'A debut novel as dinky-di as an outback salute.' Adelaide Advertiser 'An easy-flowing story with plenty of humour and amusing observations by Cass...In all, an entertaining and enjoyable read that also effectively captures the plight of rural Australia.' Canberra Times 'Let's hope that Murder with the Lot is the first of many capers for Cass.' Sisters in Crime