Baby rhyme time can be a little repetitive. A murder, less so. In What Rhymes with Murder?, Penny Tangey spins a cosy mystery out of early motherhood. Complete with prams, post-natal anxiety and a group of unlikely sleuths.
Hi Penny, how are you? Can you tell us where you are in the world and what you can see around you right now?
All my children are at school and childcare so I’m sitting in bed typing this on my laptop listening to the sounds of the busy traffic below.
What Rhymes with Murder? starts with a parents’ rhyme-time group becoming amateur sleuths. What sparked the idea to set a murder mystery in such a recognisable early-parenthood space?
I was aware of the ‘body in the library’ crime trope and I thought that the baby rhyme time version would be a twist on that. I’ve been to a lot of story time sessions at the library with my three children. These programs are wonderful for engaging children with words, stories and books and I’ve loved going. Even so, very occasionally I have been slightly bored while singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. I’m not saying I wanted to find a body in the library, but it certainly would have grabbed my attention and given me something new to think about.
You’re a librarian, a mum and a former stand-up comedian. How did those different parts of your life shape the voice and humour of this novel?
I usually write about places I’m familiar with so writing about the library was very natural for me. I am a fairly recent librarian but I’m a life-long library user and very interested in the history of libraries and their continuing role as community and information hubs. I’m happy if the voice of Frida is seen as humorous but it’s not something that I force when I’m writing. Some bits are funnier than others and that’s okay in this artform.
Cosy crime is having a huge moment globally. What drew you to the genre, and what did you want to bring to it that felt uniquely Australian?
I’ve always liked cosy crime, particularly as audiobooks. I often find darker crime novels too disturbing to be enjoyable. Cosy crime allows me to appreciate the mystery element without actually feeling unsafe or frightened.
In What Rhymes with Murder? Frida has the time and resources to explore her interests while being the primary carer for her baby. This is not true for many new parents and it’s an idealised depiction of inner-city motherhood. Even so, it’s not completely unrealistic because Frida is living in a country with paid maternity leave and free (sometimes) healthcare. Her situation isn’t unique to Australia, but I’m not sure the story would make sense if it was set in the US where the main character would need to be much wealthier to have this lifestyle.
The novel explores the messy realities of early motherhood, including anxiety and post-natal depression. Why was it important for you to weave those themes into a mystery story?
Often in detective stories the sleuth has experienced a traumatic past event or troubling personal issue that drives them towards solving the mystery. Writing about a new mother it seemed natural that this would be related to mental health challenges triggered by becoming a parent.
There is more awareness of post-natal depression and anxiety now and this hopefully leads to people getting help and support. But recovery is always a journey not a moment in time. Frida has already started getting help and feeling better at the start of What Rhymes with Murder? but through investigating the crime she finds the confidence and fun she has been missing. This isn’t a common pathway, but I hope Frida’s experiences are somewhat relatable to people who have experienced post-natal mental health issues.
East Melbourne and its everyday details play a big role in the book. How did the setting influence the story and the characters?
East Melbourne feels like a very cosy mystery suburb to me. It has wide street, beautiful parks, interesting architecture. It’s like an oasis in the city but it does raise the question; is there something sinister lurking underneath? The answer is yes. Like almost everywhere in the world, people in East Melbourne have done bad things and been mean to each other in varied and horrifying ways. The history of East Melbourne is quite well documented thanks to groups like the East Melbourne Historical Society so it’s easy to research the history of the suburb.
In particular, many of the key events that led to abortion law reform in Victoria happened in East Melbourne. I’m very interested in how social change happens so wanted to explore some of these themes through this story.
Frida finds unexpected connection and purpose through this chaotic detective club. What does the book say about community and friendship during the isolating early months of parenting?
Parenting can be isolating but it can also be a time of connection. When I had my first baby I went from knowing no one in my inner-city suburb to saying hello to multiple people every time I went down the street. This happened because I had a great mothers’ group but also because I was always walking around the streets with a pram and some people like to chat about babies. At other times in my parenting life, I’ve felt more isolated and What Rhymes with Murder? is a reminder to myself that getting out and talking to people is essential to building a sense of community.
Murder mysteries often rely on carefully planted clues. As a writer, do you plan the puzzle first, or let the characters lead the way?
I let the characters find the way and then go back and plant the clues later. Then someone gives me some feedback that the clues are too obvious and I take out some of the clues and put in red herrings. It’s quite a long process and I can see the advantage of planning it from the start, but I don’t seem able to do that.
