Yes! There's good reason why I haven't been in touch. Several in fact…
My regular readers know I like to reach out every month or so, but over the past few months I have been, well, busy. Some of it's been fun, some has been hard work, and much of it will end in an exciting new murder mystery for you.
First the Fun…
My family (and pooch) love a good road trip, we always have. Hitting the highway and putting some "klicks" between us and our everyday lives is not just great for the soul, it's essental for the creative juices (my hubby and sons are all musos, so there's a LOT of juice in this family). The fresh scenery, the small towns, the quirky locals and unexpected experiences all fill our cups and help make our art so much stronger, richer and more colourful.
Most recently we drove from our home near subtropical Byron Bay to the bustling metropolis of Melbourne and then Adelaide. There, I pulled out my iPad and stayed to write, while my boys and our Bluey drove on to the Flinders Ranges to do some exploring. More than 600 million years old, it's a must-see for anyone visiting the southern part of Austalia (but that's a whole other story).
Speaking of stories…
NEW BOOK CLUB MYSTERY
While the boys pulled on their boots and roamed the rich, red desert, I roamed through my wild and (frankly) frightening imagination and conjured up book eight in the Murder Mystery Book Club series.
Titled The Mysterious Affair at Styled Magazine, it features a nefarious edtior and her grovelling minions – a la The Devil Wears Prada – and is also an homage to Hercule Poirot's very first mystery The Mysterious Affair at Styles.
Now done and being (fairy) dusted by the brilliant Annie at The Editing Pen, the book is due for release in March. Stay tuned for more on that as well as info on pre-orders, a cover reveal, giveaways and more, or scroll below for a rundown on what this one’s about. HINT: it circles all the way back to Book One and reintroduces many of the people and places that made that book an international bestseller that's now been translated in French, Spanish and Japanese.
If you haven’t read Book One or want to catch up on the characters and story, you can order a paperback or download an eBook copy at all good online books stores, ask your favourite bookshop to order it in for you, or just click on the links at the very bottom of this blog.
Did someone mention giveaways?
To reward you for your patience, I’m offering THREE free copies of the new book upon release. All you have to do, is send me a quick reply email to let me know you’re interested. Super cinch!
Until then, here’s a synopsis of book eight and a quick glimpse of our last adventure.
Happy (inspiring) reading everyone!
xo Christina
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLED MAGAZINE
When longtime friend Ginny DeRosso throws herself in front of a city train, Alicia Finlay is devastated and suspects foul play, but her new husband, Detective Inspector Liam Jackson, insists the evidence all points to suicide.
So why do Ginny's colleagues at Styled magazine all seem so damn relieved?
When a second friend dies under eerily similar circumstances, Alicia calls in her trusty Murder Mystery Book Club to investigate. But Jackson is fuming – he's just married a "meddling amateur" and if he doesn't act fast his marriage will be a runaway train and his career as dead as Ginny…
Set in the glamorously shallow world of women’s magazines, there’s a touch of The Devil Wears Prada in this latest installment which sees a massive shift in Alicia’s life – is it the end of her marriage or the beginning of something fresh and exciting?
OUT MARCH 2026
