Set in the fictional town of Woody Lake, north of Perth, Western Australia.
Join Hettie Parke, croquet player and relief teacher, and her friends and family as they try to solve the mysteries infecting their town.
With the help of that cat Ceefer, of course.
Available on all online retailers
Except #4 Grave Double available only on Amazon and KU until 18 March 2024
Book #1 – Malice Aforecourt – He was an irritating man, but just because she’d argued with him didn’t mean she wanted him dead. Hettie Parke can’t believe her eyes when she finds her croquet mallet wrecked beyond repair. She isn’t just annoyed. She’s furious. But her fury quickly turns to dismay when her damaged mallet is linked to the murder of the Bowls Club president whose body is found on her croquet court. Hettie decides she’d better uncover some other likely suspects before she’s charged with murder, but with all her candidates turning up with solid alibis her future isn’t looking bright. It’s then she discovers an unlikely ally in that cat Ceefer. But can he be trusted, or is he just angling to have a certain blue-eyed Persian join their household?
Book #2 – Betwixt and Bewitched – It was an accident, everyone said so, but some things just don’t add up. Hettie is enjoying her Saturday morning croquet game – until an ambulance screams to a stop at Aunt Alice’s front door. Uncle Roscoe’s death from falling off a ladder comes as a shock, but so do the suspicions of the police when inconsistencies appear in her aunt’s story. Is Aunt Alice suffering a nervous breakdown? Or does she have a guilty conscience? As if that isn’t enough to worry about, that cat Ceefer is unwell. Of course, he could just be sulking… But one thing is certain, if he doesn’t get over himself quick smart and lend a paw, Hettie is going to find herself visiting her aunt behind bars.
Book #2.5 – A Christmas in July Sundowner Sally – Young love. A lost item. Christmas dinner under threat. The Christmas in July Sundowner is an event looked forward to by members of the Parke Bowls and Croquet Clubs. But this year not everyone is full of Christmas spirit. Someone ends up in the lake, and a valuable piece of jewellery goes missing. Can that cat Ceefer lend a paw or is he too preoccupied creating mischief with his own guest, because if Hettie can’t smooth the troubled waters, this Christmas in July threatens to put a deep wedge between the croquet and bowls clubs that might never be repaired.
Book #3 – Death by Candlelight – Murder, fraud and secrets. A cat-astrophic combination. Hettie Parke is relieved when her mother’s charity auction at the Sunny Vale Community Centre gets off to a great start. But then a body turns up and Hettie is just relieved that the death has nothing to do with her or her family. Or at least it hadn’t, until the dead man becomes linked to rumours that her grandfather’s legacy was acquired by fraud. While the police are only interested in apprehending the killer her investigation delves greater depths. With the killer hustling to cover their tracks can Ceefer help Hettie reveal their identity before they kill again? Or is the Parke legacy about to go up in smoke?
Book #4 – Grave Double – Graves to the left, graves to the right, but there shouldn’t be a body in sight.
When Hettie visits her friend Marlee at the Battye Library, she isn’t expecting it to lead to a cemetery. And while she knows, of course, that there are bodies in a cemetery, they are normally buried. So, finding one that hasn’t been – at least officially – is enough to raise considerable concern.
With another mystery to investigate, and new croquet courts to oversee, Hettie turns to her sidekick for help. But that cat is refusing to have anything to do with it. Can Hettie solve this murder on her own? And will the answer make her wish she hadn’t?
SOME REVIEWS:
‘I loved this book. Ms. Todd did a wonderful job of setting up her characters and the direction for the series in this first book… There are plenty of twists and turns and suspects galore…including Hettie of course… All in all this was a delightful beginning to a new series that I’m looking forward to reading.’ Malice Aforecourt, 5* on Goodreads, 17 Dec 2021
‘The characters are fun and real. It’s easy to picture what is happening as if you were watching a movie that you became so engrossed in.’ Amazon US review Betwixt and Bewitched, 4 Aug 2022
‘A quick read. It’s Christmas in July at the club. What can go wrong when it’s supposed to be a night of fun and companionship. The lesson to be learned is to trust others.‘ Amazon review, US, Jan 16 2023.
For a taste, SIGN UP to the Mysteries Down Under newsletter and download a free Read. You will get recommendations, special offers and never miss a new release.
