Ep 74: Bad Girls Make Great Detectives: Fiona Hardy on Old Games

Bad Girls Make Great Detectives: Fiona Hardy on Old Games In this episode of Between The Lines, Chelle and Leanne sit down with Melbourne author Fiona Hardy to talk about her latest crime novel Old Games — a fast-paced and offbeat Australian mystery set across Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula. Before we dive into crime fiction, we begin by uncovering Fiona's own criminal past… which involves stealing a single chocolate freckle from a milk bar at the age of seven. From there, the conversation turns to Hardy's love of crime writing and why she wanted to create a story centred on two morally flexible female private investigators instead of the traditional male detective. In Old Games, best friends Alice and Teddy make a living fixing problems no one else wants to deal with. When they're hired to track down the stolen ashes of a famous tennis player, what seems like a strange but simple job quickly spirals into a tangled web of secrets, lies, and danger. As they chase clues through Melbourne and along the Mornington Peninsula, Alice and Teddy discover that everyone connected to the late sports star is hiding something — and the deeper they dig, the riskier the investigation becomes. In our conversation with Fiona, we explore: Why crime fiction continues to captivate readers The joy of writing flawed and morally suspect female characters The friendship dynamic between Alice and Teddy Writing crime set in recognisably Australian settings The appeal of Aussie crime novels If you love crime fiction with sharp dialogue, strong female characters, and plenty of twists, this episode — and this book — is for you. About the Book Old Games by Fiona Hardy is a pacey Australian crime novel about two private investigators tasked with retrieving the stolen ashes of a famous tennis star. What begins as a routine job quickly turns complicated when everyone connected to the deceased sportsman appears to be hiding something. As Alice and Teddy dig deeper into Melbourne's sporting and celebrity circles, secrets unravel and the danger begins to escalate. About the Author Fiona Hardy is a Melbourne-based writer, bookseller, and reviewer. Her previous crime novel Unbury the Dead was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Awards. Fiona is also an award-winning author of books for younger readers, including How to Make a Movie in 12 Days (a CBCA Notable Book) and How to Write the Soundtrack to Your Life, which won the 2021 Children's Peace Literature Award. Despite writing about crime, Fiona's real-life criminal history is relatively minor — consisting of stealing a single chocolate freckle from a milk bar when she was seven years old. Join Our Book-Loving Community Chelle and Leanne created Between The Lines because they love books and great conversations — and wanted to share both with you. Listen to the podcast for author interviews and book chats that help you discover your next great read. Join our online book club, where we deliver books to your door and a book club to your reading nook.