Some say my glass is always half empty. Others that I’m a pessimist, a weirdo or just plain creepy. But here’s the thing—I never run out of ways to kill people.
Whether I’m roasting them in a hot car (Without a Word), poisoning them with snake venom (When There Were Nine) or shoving them off a moving train (Peril on the Indian Pacific), my superpower seems to be an endless stream of murderous ideas, which is just as well considering I’ve been a professional crime writer for more than fifteen years. (So, yes, you can stop dialling Triple Zero, I have a very good excuse.)
But what’s yours?
See, here’s the thing—it seems I am not alone in my homicidal fixation. I only have to mention that I’m a plotting my next mystery and people leap across lounge chairs to offer me tips, which brings me back to that moving train…
My seventh Murder Mystery Book Club was set on the Indian Pacific—a gloriously appropriate luxury train that traverses the breadth of Australia (look it up here, it’s to die for!)—and so naturally I jumped aboard to do some research. But, worried that my fellow passengers would dart away if they knew I was plotting a murder, I tried to keep a low profile. I mean, darting anywhere is difficult enough on a rattling and locked locomotive, I did not want to freak them out let alone start a stampede.
I needn’t have worried
Soon after the shockingly enthusiastic steward gave me the full “mystery tour”, gleefully informing me of the best place to stash a body and the quietest time to bump them off (the luggage compartment and after midnight, in case you’re wondering), my raison dêtre quickly leaked, like the stench of my fictional corpse.
That night, on my way to the dining car, I was greeted with mysterious smiles, the odd wink, and a fellow passenger who looked just like Betty White and really did leap furniture to suggest the best way to kill a man (all with her husband grinning beside her, bless him!). And they weren’t alone. Over the course of the three-day journey, I fielded numerous, and sometimes humorous, murder ideas, some of which strayed far beyond my cosy style into frankly worrying turf. I politely thanked them all and kept a beady eye on them after that.
But I loved it, too
Honestly I did. And I wonder now if everyone, at some stage or another, has considered bumping someone off. Whether it’s shooting dagger eyes at your Year Nine maths teacher or imagining that mean boss stepping into a shaftless elevator and plunging twenty floors to their death (okay, that might just be me), I can’t help thinking that deadly thoughts are just a natural part of everyday life. Therapeutic even. Sort of like a way to exorcise your demons sans the priest.
I think that’s also a big reason why so many of us adore crime fiction. According to an Australian report on national library borrowing trends, seven of the top ten most borrowed books in 2025 were crime fiction, and while many genres are currently struggling with sales globally, NielsenIQ BookData shows that crime continues to flourish.
There’s something deliciously clandestine about immersing yourself in a grisly murder without getting your hands bloody. Plus—bonus!—it’s almost always a life-affirming exercise because, when done right, the sleuth solves the crime, the baddie gets their comeuppance, and we can all go back to our algebra/work/train journey without anyone getting hurt.
Or in my case, back to wondering if the train doors can be secretly unlocked during motion, just long enough to push a body out, without alerting suspicion, which was part of the reason I was on that train to begin with…* That and the fabulous food, cosy cabin and lively company of course!
What do you think?
I’d love to hear from you. Do you believe we all have a dark side? Or am I just a sicko who’s deluding herself? Have you conjured up ways to kill people, or does it never enter your head? Oh, and if you are a conjurer, let me know but feel free to keep the gory details to yourself (yes, I’m looking at you “Betty White”). Seriously, folks, my brain keeps me awake enough as it is.
Happy plotting everyone!
xx Christina
*To find out if that door trick actually works, grab your copy of Peril On the Indian Pacific – now available as an eBook or paperback at all good online retailers. Or click on the image below.
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