A literary event with a delicious twist is coming to the High Country this summer.
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Upper Murray Writers (UMW) will host a literary lunch at Walwa on Saturday, February 3.
UMW spokeswoman Janice Newnham said the group's first public event would feature history, mystery, crime and detectives.
She said there would be fascinating talks from crime writers and a mysterious lunch menu to boot.
"We're encouraging readers and writers to come along," she said.
"We're hoping it might motivate someone with a memoir to put it down on paper."
The literary lunch will feature presentations from true crime author and historian Roy Maloy and detective series writer Hugh McGinlay.
Maloy became the most prolific true crime biographer in Australian history in 2023.
After publishing two books and a reprint of his best-selling book in the same year, Maloy has amassed 14 books, with another three due for release in 2024.
Dubbed "the most prolific true crime author in Australia today" by ABC Radio National in October, Maloy's knowledge of his speciality area, the years 1890 to 1930, was unlike that of any other historian.
After publishing his best-selling 2020 biography Squizzy - The Forensics, The Nan, The Vendetta, Maloy added three biographies including that of his wife, with Dolly Gray - Madam of Melbourne, followed by the best-selling biography of his enemy with 7246 Minnie, and most recently that of his Sydney counterpart Norman Bruhn with War & The Razor.
Among his other titles were The Queerest of Crimes, The Colour of Crime, The Gangs of Melbourne and The Dark Side of the Moon.
The author of the Catherine Kint Mysteries, McGinlay has captured a cult audience since his first book, Jinx, was published in 2015.
The arrival of milliner sleuth Catherine Kint (and her barman and best friend Boris) brought comparisons to Stieg Larsson, Shane Maloney and Ian Rankin.
Having published From The Inside and White Lies: Where There Is Smoke, Newnham said Upper Murray Writers began in February 2023 to connect like-minded people throughout the region.
She said it was a valuable network for writers to bounce ideas off each other.
"We get together once a month and have had speakers on social media marketing or grammar among other things," Newnham said.
"We also went to markets around the country, which was a fun experience to meet readers.
"We got lots of feedback and even leads for stories."
Walwa-based Newnham said they attended literary festivals throughout the Riverina this year.
She said their literary lunch would be their first attempt at their own event.
"We're dipping our toes in the water with a mini writers' festival, literary lunch," she said.
The event will run at Walwa Recovery Centre on Saturday, February 3, from 9.30am until 4pm.
There will be a display of books written by Upper Murray authors, with some available for sale.
Munday's Catering from Tumbarumba will provide the mystery-themed lunch.
The event is supported by Emergency Recovery Victoria and the Australian government Regional Arts Fund.
A $20 discount will be offered to residents of the bushfire-impacted communities of Towong and Snowy Valleys Council districts (contact UMW for the access code).
