The Waratah Club Mysteries by Jude Chapman

At Sydney’s elegant Waratah Club, tradition, decorum and discretion are everything. But when a body is discovered on the premises, the club’s tranquil routine is shattered. After a game of bridge, four friends retire to the sitting room for their customary pre-lunch sherry. As Constance—the most formidable of the group—opens the members cupboard, an arm spills out and a lifeless hand, fingers curled, flops to the floor. Before the police arrive, curiosity gets the better of them, and what starts as idle speculation awakens an appetite for detection. The murder is swiftly resolved, but the friends are soon embroiled in a web of mysteries: missing artworks, an intriguing newcomer and secrets buried deep within the club’s past. When Constance suspects one of their own is not as innocent as she seems, the world of crime is suddenly uncomfortably close to home. Warm, witty and sharply observed, The Waratah Club Mysteries is a cosy crime novel about loyalty, enduring friendships and the unexpected possibilities of later life.

About the author

An organisational psychologist by profession, I’ve spent years writing about people, personalities and the fascinating dynamics that unfold in the workplace. These days, I’ve turned my attention to a different kind of human behaviour, the sort that involves secrets, suspects and the occasional body.

I’ve always loved crime fiction and have particularly enjoyed writing short stories with a twist that leave the reader questioning everything they thought they knew. The Body at Bones was my first novel and the beginning of an exciting new chapter in my writing. My latest is a cosy, The Waratah Club Mysteries.

When I’m not writing, you’ll usually find me at the piano, where I love telling stories through music. I live in the beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW with my partner and our two much loved miniature schnauzers.