Writing as L A Joye, Wānaka author Lauren Sleeman has released an historical murder mystery set in Southland.

Wrongdoings involves a small-town murder during the privations and losses of wartime in New Zealand.

Lauren was born in Southland and is proud of her southern roots. 

“I wanted to write an easy-to-read story of my beloved birth province Southland, a story which encompassed old-school, colloquial Southern humour and history,” she said. 

“With this in mind, I chose one of my favourite genres, crime fiction, with a flawed lead character who, like many men of this era, endeavoured to contribute to society while suffering under the shadow of the ‘Great War’, World War 1.”

The main character, Detective Inspector John MacBride, has his demons due to the after-effects of WWI. He’s ready to retire when a saxophonist from a visiting US Marines jazz band is found murdered on the banks of the Ōreti River.

The detective faces hostility, red herrings and the Marine’s bullish commanding officer determined to protect the reputation of the US Marines at all costs. Can he discover the truth about what happened to the Marine who left behind more than just stories of contraband activities and a string of broken hearts across Southland?

“I selected the year 1943 because it was a significant year in southern history with the tragedy of the Hyde rail disaster,” Lauren said. 

The cover of Wrongdoings.

Between 1942 to 1944, United States servicemen were stationed in New Zealand, bringing about an economic boom and “a certain intrigue”, Lauren said, especially for young Kiwi women - which resulted in marriages for approximately 1,500 US servicemen.

“Several themes of the story also reflect my work as a psychotherapist,” she said. 

“The phenomenon of narcissism would not have been as evident in the 1940s as it is now, but narcissistic individuals can and do cause great harm, no matter the era. Likewise, PTSD known in the 1940s as shellshock, along with domestic abuse and violence are also perpetual problems in society which frequently remain hidden. Consensual sex versus rape is another issue alluded to in the story.”

Lauren’s earlier books were mythological fiction, incorporating the insights and experience she gained in her work as a Jungian psychotherapist. After spending some years living in both Sydney and Auckland, she moved back to her childhood holiday home in Wānaka where she writes fulltime.

The paperback edition of Wrongdoings is available to order from bookshops nationwide through Relish Books.

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