What makes someone a monster: what they are, or the choices they make?

In this episode of Between The Lines, we're joined by debut author Lily Crozier on the publication day of her gothic vampire romance, Vow of Eternal Night.

The novel follows Clara Wagner, a young woman who has always known monsters are real. When she is abducted by the feared vampire Prince Rayleigh and forced into a betrothal, Clara is given an impossible choice: break his curse before the end of the year or become his bride for eternity.

Lily shares how she set out to write the vampire romance she wanted to read, filled with dangerous vampires, gothic castles, sweeping romance and atmospheric historical detail. But beneath the irresistible fantasy premise is a story about identity, autonomy and the choices people make when they hold power.

We discuss why the true monsters in the story are not always the vampires, and how human greed and cruelty can be far more frightening than anything supernatural. Lily also explains why it was important for Clara to remain an individual within the romance, and for Clara and Rayleigh's relationship to be built between two equals rather than one person losing themselves in the other.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Writing an atmospheric vampire romance with gothic, old-world influences
• The vampire folklore of Austria, Germany and Hungary
• Why Lily wrote the book she desperately wanted to read
• The difference between being seen as a monster and choosing to behave monstrously
• Power, trauma and personal responsibility
• Clara's journey towards self-identity and autonomy
• Creating a romance between two equal, fully realised individuals
• Why the book may appeal to readers who grew up loving Twilight but now want something richer and more empowering
• Lily's journey from unfinished manuscripts to publishing her debut novel

Vow of Eternal Night delivers the addictive pull and romantic tension readers love in vampire fiction, while offering a thoughtful exploration of identity, equality and what truly defines a person.

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.

Listen to the podcast for author interviews and book chats that help you discover your next great read.

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

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:

Join our bookclub here for insider author chats: https://www.betweenthelinesaustralia.com/bookclub2026

In this episode of Between The Lines, Chelle and Leanne chat with acclaimed Australian author Toni Jordan about her powerful new novel Tenderfoot.

Set in Brisbane in 1975, Tenderfoot follows Andie Tanner, a serious and determined young girl whose world revolves around her father and the racing greyhounds they keep beneath their home. Andie dreams of becoming a greyhound trainer herself, imagining a future built around the dogs and family she loves.

But life quickly becomes far more complicated than she expected.

When Andie loses the stability and people she depends on, she's forced to navigate a world shaped by secrets, addiction, grief and survival — all while trying to hold onto a sense of who she is and what kind of future might still be possible.

In our conversation with Toni, we discuss:

• Writing coming-of-age stories shaped by hardship and resilience
• Capturing Brisbane in the 1970s
• The role of greyhound racing culture in the novel
• Creating young protagonists with strength and emotional depth
• Family complexity, addiction and survival
• Why Andie's voice feels so authentic and compelling

This is a moving and beautifully observed novel about growing up too quickly, learning who to trust, and finding a way forward when life doesn't unfold as expected.

If you enjoy character-driven historical fiction with emotional depth and richly drawn Australian settings, this episode is for you.

Tenderfoot is a coming-of-age novel set in 1970s Brisbane following Andie Tanner, a young girl whose life centres around her father and their racing greyhounds.

When tragedy and instability shatter the world she knows, Andie must navigate a far more difficult reality shaped by secrets, addiction and survival while trying to reclaim her future.

Toni Jordan is the bestselling author of Addition, Nine Days, Dinner with the Schnabels and Prettier if She Smiled More.

Her novels are known for their emotional insight, memorable characters and distinctly Australian storytelling. Toni lives in Melbourne and Tenderfoot is her eighth novel.

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 a book club to your reading nook

In this episode of Between The Lines, Chelle and Leanne welcome Kate Solly back to the podcast to chat about her latest cosy crime novel, The Paradise Heights Miniature Railway Bust Up.

Kate's books have become beloved for their blend of mystery, humour, community chaos and deeply relatable motherhood moments — and this latest instalment is no exception.

This time, amateur sleuth Fleck Parker finds herself investigating strange goings-on at the local miniature railway, where expensive equipment has mysteriously disappeared. Between feeding a hungry baby, managing a cranky toddler, surviving school drop-offs and protecting her Wordle streak, Fleck somehow also finds time to investigate crime.

Meanwhile, her best friend Trixie is dealing with mounting volunteer drama at the local craft shop, proving once again that small-town community groups can be just as chaotic as any murder scene.

In our conversation with Kate, we discuss:

• Why cosy crime readers love quirky community settings
• Balancing humour with genuine mystery and darker themes
• Writing motherhood in a realistic, funny and relatable way
• The inspiration behind Fleck Parker's chaotic but lovable character
• Crafting communities, miniature railways and small-town dynamics
• Why amateur sleuths make such compelling protagonists

As always, Kate brings warmth and humour to the conversation, and we found ourselves laughing through much of the episode.

If you love cosy mysteries filled with heart, chaos, friendship and community drama, this episode — and this book — are such a fun time.

The Paradise Heights Miniature Railway Bust Up is a cosy Australian mystery following amateur sleuth Fleck Parker as she investigates theft and suspicious behaviour at the local miniature railway.

As Fleck juggles parenting chaos, community drama and mounting clues, she discovers that beneath the cheerful surface of Paradise Heights lies something far more sinister than anyone expected.

Kate Solly is a writer, mother of six and author of Tuesday Evenings With the Copeton Craft Resistance and The Paradise Heights Craft Store Stitch-Up.

Known for blending humour, heart and mystery, Kate writes cosy crime novels grounded in relatable family life, quirky communities and plenty of crafting chaos.

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

In this episode of Between The Lines, Chelle and Leanne chat with Australian author Trish Bolton about her thoughtful and emotionally layered novel Whenever You're Ready.

At the heart of the story are three interconnected women - Lizzie, Alice and Margot - each standing at a crossroads in life, forced to confront the gap between who they thought they would become and where life has actually led them.

Lizzie is shaken by a decades-old revelation that changes the way she sees her marriage, friendships and family history. Alice, once effortlessly charismatic and carefree, is beginning to feel the instability beneath the life she has carefully improvised for years. And Margot, outwardly successful and perfectly composed, realises that some parts of the past can't simply be packed away and ignored.

In our conversation with Trish, we discuss:

• Writing women at different stages of life
• The tension between reinvention and acceptance
• Family secrets and the ripple effects they create
• How people carry unresolved parts of themselves into adulthood
• Friendship, ageing and identity
• Creating emotionally rich characters with warmth and nuance

This is a beautifully reflective conversation about the lives we build, the stories we tell ourselves, and the moments that force us to reconsider both.

If you enjoy character-driven fiction filled with emotional insight, complex relationships and thoughtful observations about life, this episode is for you.

Whenever You're Ready follows three interconnected women navigating grief, secrets and turning points in their lives after an unexpected death brings old wounds and unresolved questions back to the surface.

Warm, wise and quietly moving, the novel explores friendship, family, ageing and the tension between looking back and moving forward.

Trish Bolton writes thoughtful contemporary fiction exploring relationships, identity and the emotional complexities of everyday life.

Her work is known for its warmth, insight and deeply human characters.

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 a book club to your reading nook

In this episode of Between The Lines, Chelle and Leanne welcome bestselling Australian author Emma Grey back to the podcast to discuss her moving new novel Start at the End.

Known for emotionally rich stories that stay with readers long after the final page, Emma's latest book explores love, loss, fate and the impossible question of what might have happened if life had taken a different turn.

Start at the End follows Audrey and Fraser, whose love story begins unexpectedly before deepening into something profound. But just as they begin imagining a future together, tragedy changes everything — leaving them both wrestling with grief, guilt and the haunting pull of "what if."

In our conversation with Emma, we discuss:

• Writing love stories shaped by grief and second chances
• The emotional power of "sliding doors" moments in life
• Why readers connect so deeply with stories about loss and hope
• Balancing heartbreak with humour and warmth
• The idea that healing doesn't always happen in a straight line
• How Emma approaches emotionally resonant storytelling

As always, Emma brings honesty, warmth and humour to the conversation, making this episode both deeply emotional and incredibly engaging.

This is a thoughtful discussion about love, fate, resilience and what it means to begin again when life doesn't unfold the way you imagined.

Start at the End is a powerful contemporary novel about two soulmates whose future is shattered by tragedy just as their life together begins.

Exploring grief, guilt, fate and second chances, the novel asks how different our lives might be if one moment had unfolded another way — and whether it's possible to start over after unimaginable loss.

Emma Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of The Last Love Note and Pictures of You.

Her novels are known for blending emotional depth, humour and hope, resonating strongly with readers around the world. Emma lives in Canberra, Australia, where she balances writing with family life, photography and chasing the aurora australis.

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