1970s Australia
Australia made such an impression on me, I used our time in Australia for the setting of two books, Miss Riddell and the Heiress, and Miss Riddell’s Paranormal Mystery. I love the land, its unique wildlife and the people. There are, however, some small things I’m not quite so keen on.
When I was heading out to Australia, people jokingly warned me against red-backed spiders and great white sharks. I didn’t spend the whole time fretting over these two dangerous beasts, but I was careful to look under the toilet seat, as advised.
Then, on our last weekend of that first trip to Australia, we stayed in Sydney and spent happy hours exploring the town -- until we visited the Natural History Museum. Those who’d warned me about Australia’s wildlife, didn’t know even the smallest thing about it, never mind half. Redbacks and great whites are the least of your problems. It seems practically everything in Australia is dangerous. Snakes, toads, spiders, jellyfish, octopuses, crocodiles, are what I remember, but that’s just the animals. The plants aren’t much better. Strychnine, for instance, grows wild there!
Concerning for a visitor perhaps, but you couldn’t find a better place to be a mystery writer – so many murderous possibilities.
