“Stephanie Marshall rang me up and said she had a friend who was coming up for the Bingara film festival and she said she’d be interested in coming to the library and doing a presentation and talking to and audience, I said yes please,” Sonya said.

“Very excited at the prospect. A real live Australian award winning author.

“She won the Sisters In Crime Davitt Award for the Best Crime Fiction Novel by an Australian female author. 

Sonia said Malla is not the first female crime fiction author, but she is part of a strong tradition.

Malla was born in Swaziland and immigrated to Australia during the 1970’s with her parents. 

She graduated from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English and History and then did her master of Arts in Theatre Studies at Villanova University in Philadelphia.

Malla’s first novel was ‘A Beautiful Place To Die’, which is set in the small South African town of Jacob’s Rest during the 1950’s and tells the story of Detective Emmanuel Cooper’s investigation into the murder of Afrikaner police officer, Captain Williem Pretorius.

For Malla, the novel allowed her to explore the crippling social and political atmosphere that forced her parents to flee South Africa. Through Detective Cooper, who moves freely across all race groups, she is able to introduce her readers to a rich, complex multi-racial South Africa.

She won the Crime Davitt Award for this piece of work in 2009.

Detective Cooper is again the main character in her second novel ‘Let the Dead Lie’, which tackles race relations, sexual tension and the harsh realities of life within the divided society of Apartheid in South Africa.

“It will be very interesting to hear her speak,” Sonya said.

“There will be books for sale; the Dust Jacket is bringing some books for sale and you’ll be able to get it autographed. She’s going to talk about her writing and she’s going to answer questions, it’s a great opportunity.

“You don’t often get a chance to talk to an author…it’s not an easy thing to achieve here, definitely a good thing for aspiring authors too.”