We are very pleased to be giving away three copies of James O’Loghlin’s book ‘Liars’, to our GrownUps members.
All you need to do to enter the draw is be a GrownUps member, make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter and fill in your details near the bottom of the page!
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About Liars
Quirky Australian coastal crime from James O’Loghlin, an author, comedian, television and radio host.
Speak your truth. Or at least the truth you want others to believe.
Everyone is guilty of something.
Handywoman Barb Young has lived in the sleepy coastal town of Bullford Point for over fifty years – and frankly, in that time, not much has happened, unless you count that business where a bush turkey managed to board the ferry a couple of years ago.
When Joe Griffiths returns from Sydney after six years of drug addiction, jail and, eventually, rehab, Barb offers him a job, hoping to help him turn his life around. However, when another new resident of Bullford Point is murdered, Joe becomes the prime suspect.
Barb thinks the police have got it wrong, but the more she tries to find the truth and clear Joe’s name, the more confusing things become. Is the murder connected to the developers circling the waterfront home Joe inherited from his parents? Or to the true crime podcast he has been making about the death of his ex-girlfriend, seven years previously? And what was the information the murdered woman had been trying to horse-trade with police?
As her off-the-books investigation continues, Barb discovers that drowsy Bullford Point is actually a town full of secrets – and that even though she’s known everyone in the close-knit community for years … everybody lies.
About the author:
James O’Loghlin is a comedian, television and radio host, and author of thirteen books. He began his career as a corporate lawyer, realised it wasn’t for him, and became a criminal lawyer and a comedian. He has hosted four television shows – including The New Inventors on ABC-TV for eight years – and presented programs on ABC Local Radio for fifteen years.
In 2021 his first play, Television, was shortlisted for the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award and was Highly Commended by the judges of the Silver Gull Play Award. James co-hosts the mental health podcast ‘Minding Your Mind’ with Professor Ian Hickie.
Liars is James’ 13th book, and second novel for adults. His first novel, Criminals, was published by Echo Publishing in 2022. James lives in Sydney with his wife and three daughters.
Author Note:
I’ve always loved murder mysteries, especially those where it’s not just the killer who has secrets to hide, so I decided to write one. I set my story in a small coastal town where everyone knows each other, but is also hiding things from each other. I think there are four key questions in every murder mystery:
Who killed who, and for what reason? I have to work this out first, even though it is only revealed at the end. I like the idea of a present-day crime that has its roots in events that occurred many years ago.
Who’s trying to figure out what happened? Police? Detective? Friend? Local handywoman? I went for option four. My murder is set in a small town, and I wanted someone who lived there to use their local knowledge to solve the crime.
How do they figure out what happened? I had to work out what the clues are, how they are uncovered and how the crime-solver puts them all together to get to the truth.
How much information do you give the reader? It’s hard to get the right mix of clues and red herrings so that at the end the reader feels both surprised and that it all makes sense. The ideal reaction is, ‘What?! … But, of course.’ I want my readers not to have guessed it, but to think that they should have guessed it.
The whole thing is kind of like doing a jigsaw puzzle, except that you’re making all the pieces as you go.
Terms and conditions
- You must be a GrownUps member and receive our newsletter to be eligible to win.
- Competition closes on the 28th August 2024, winners will be notified via email by 29th August 2024.
- It is your responsibility to ensure you correctly enter a New Zealand postal address where the prize can be sent. GrownUps will not take responsibility for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
- Winners are drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
- GrownUps employees and family are not eligible to enter.
- By entering the giveaway, you approve for GrownUps to use your name on social media as winner of the competition.
- One entry per household.
- Prize in non transferrable.
- You must reside in New Zealand – the prize can only be redeemed within New Zealand.
- You must be over 50 years of age to enter, please check your details are correct in your membership dashboard.
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