The Man in the Dam follows a journalist hosting a dinner for members of the local amateur theatre society at her family’s country home, who wakes to find a body in her family’s paddock dam, leading to a tangled investigation full of secrets and lies. Why place the story in Victoria’s High Country?

A key feature of the Jade Riley Mysteries is that each book is set in a place where I’ve lived. We have a property in Mansfield in Victoria’s High Country, so I couldn’t wait to write a book inspired by that location.

The small town gives a cosy mystery vibe that suits the story, enabling a situation where everybody knows everybody else, leading to secrets and lies. The surrounding countryside is typically Australian with gum trees, kangaroos, and kookaburras, as well as the menace of snakes and spiders.

Further, the local Lake Eildon offers the opportunity for a dive into the past. It was formed by a dam constructed in the 1950s, flooding houses, roads, and bridges. This lost history is integral to the story.

What parts of Jade are most personal to you as a writer?

Jade shares several of my characteristics. She’s driven and determined, like me. She’s also an over-thinker, which isn’t a stretch for me either. But the most personal of her traits are the ones I wish I had, like incredible courage. Sometimes she takes this to the point of foolhardiness, but she always stands up for what is right. Whereas me? Don’t tell me state secrets because I’d spill all at the mere sight of a thumbscrew.

Jade also faces a major life choice in this book: should she marry Brett and give up her career to move to Malaysia for his job? I faced a similar decision when my husband was offered a job in Nigeria, which involved me relinquishing my beloved job as a career coach. In the end, I agreed to go, instead of turning my hand to becoming a writer. Before my novels were picked up for publication, I wondered whether I’d made a mistake, but now I have no regrets.

Performance is a strong thread in the book. How does theatre mirror the mystery itself?

I used theatre imagery throughout the story in developing the characters, setting, and plot. Everyone in the novel is playing a role, choosing what to reveal and what to keep hidden. The settings are theatrical, from the local bookshop and pub to the murky waters beneath the lake. History comes back to haunt people like a theatre ghost.

I also chose Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest as the play the characters are working on for a specific reason, but I can’t explain why without giving spoilers.

Weird coincidence: I was working on this book when I went on a writer’s retreat to Varuna, The National Writers’ House, in NSW, Australia. While there, I found The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde in my room, and that serendipity confirmed The Importance of Being Earnest as the right choice of play.

What do you enjoy most about writing mysteries?

Mysteries are all about creating a puzzle for readers, and I love puzzles. I enjoy intricate plotting, red herrings, misdirections, and creating characters who all have something to hide.

Before I start, I usually have a big picture plan, but the details only emerge as I’m writing. I love the aha moments when I can add something I hadn’t anticipated because I figure if I couldn’t predict it at the start, readers are more likely to be surprised.

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