East Melbourne provides the perfect setting for Penny Tangey’s debut adult book

Penny Tangey’s humorous cosy crime novel is ready to hit the shelves on February 24.

What Rhymes with Murder? is perfect for those who love a good mystery and are eager to find out “whodunnit”, but still need a balance of safety and laughter.

Tangey's East-Melburnian status gives the popular genre a touch of local flavour, as the author weaves in coffee culture and a local library as central settings.

Tangey’s book follows the protagonist, Frida. She is a new mother enduring challenges such as postnatal depression and anxiety, giving the audience an authentic portrayal of motherhood. Frida takes her little one to Baby Rhyme Time at the East Melbourne Library, when suddenly, a scream echoes out, and a body falls to the floor. The protagonist then finds herself a part of a group of sleuths investigating the murder.

What makes the novel so appealing to Melburnians, especially those living in the inner city, is how vividly Tangey captures everyday life in a thrilling mystery that is grounded in recognisable settings.

I live in East Melbourne, and I thought it was a really good cosy crime location, Tangey told Inner City News.

The author describes the area as a lovely place with a rich narrative.

“The streets are so wide, and it’s so peaceful, and there’s lots of greenery and parks. The idea that there might be something sinister underneath is a very cosy crime,” she said.

“The idea came to me when I had a little baby, and I was kind of walking around the streets a lot more.”

Tangey describes East Melbourne as a small oasis surrounded by the busy streets of the city. What separates these suburbs from the rest of the city is the community that the residents have created with each other.

“Generally, we know our neighbours, we talk to them, we say hello. People do things for each other; you see everybody around all the time. I think that it can be a little bit unusual in the city to have that sense of community.”

While Frida finds purpose in the small group of amateur detectives and enjoys coffee catchups with a side of gossip, What Rhymes with Murder? also confronts the challenges of motherhood and mental health.

“In terms of portraying it realistically, it’s that sort of balance between authenticity and the fact that it’s meant to be a fun book. I guess part of that was the fact that Frida, in this book, is recovering rather than in the midst of the very worst of it,” Tangey said.

The author explained that although she found it important to show Frida’s journey and recovery, her main goal in writing is to amuse the audience.

“As a writer, I’ve never wanted to take things completely too seriously. I’ve never come at it from a perspective of wanting to be a kind of great novelist, I’ve always wanted to entertain people or make them have a good time reading,” she said.

To pre-order What Rhymes with Murder? and see more of Penny Tangey’s work, visit her website: pennytangey.com.au •