Ill-Gotten Gains (24 page)

As usual, this book owes a debt of gratitude to a cast of many. First and foremost, Tricia Woodroffe, always the first to read a draft, and Caitlin Meadows, who gave such good advice regarding names, and David Woodroffe, for the photo shoot. Thanks also to Charlotte Evans, as always. And a massive thanks to all those who give me constant encouragement and support, too many to mention but I hope you know that I appreciate it every step of the way.

Some belated thanks to Emmet, who is the real Gusto, and to Willow, simply because she can’t bear to be left out. Thanks also to the tribe of possums who have moved into my roof cavity, keeping me awake at night and resulting in this book being finished in a record amount of time.

And thanks again to Joel Naoum of Momentum Books for ongoing support and to Ali Lavau, who – apart from a difference in opinion regarding smoked salmon bagels – is the type of psychic editor who makes a book sing.

Lastly, a huge thanks to Nell Forrest, who let me back into her life. I enjoyed myself just as much as last time and hope that I haven't worn out my welcome.

Ilsa Evans was born in the Dandenongs, east of Melbourne, in 1960 and enjoyed a blissful childhood that has provided absolutely no material for writing purposes. Fortunately adulthood served her better in this regard. After spending time in an eclectic range of employment, from the military to health promotion to seaside libraries, she returned to tertiary studies and completed a doctorate on the long-term effects of domestic violence in 2005. She has now settled into an occasionally balanced blend of teaching, public speaking and writing and lives in a perpetually partially renovated house, not far from where she was born, that is held upright by a labyrinth of bookshelves.

Ilsa is the author of eleven books in a variety of genres, including two murder mysteries in the Nell Forrest Mystery series. She also contributes to several newspapers and online journals on social issues and won the Eliminating Violence Against Women (EVA) Award for online journalism in 2011.

Welcome to the sleepy town of Majic, where neighbourhood watch is a killer …

For Nell Forrest, life in the little town of Majic is not going smoothly. One of her five daughters has just swapped university for fruit-picking, another is about to hit puberty, while a third keeps leaving aggrieved messages on the answering machine. On top of all this, her mother is infuriating and it's only been a matter of months since Nell lost her husband of twenty-five years. It's no surprise, then, that she is even struggling to write her weekly column. 

But the floodgates of inspiration are about to swing open, almost knocking her out in the process. Murder and mayhem, arson and adultery, dungeons, death threats and disappearances are just around the corner. Despite Nell's abysmal aptitude for investigative work, she manages to shine the light on the local Richard III Society and that's when things really start to heat up. Throw in some suspicious widows, nosy neighbours, a canine witness, plus a detective who is getting a little closer than he should, and it's clear that nefarious doings are well and truly afoot.  

Nefarious Doings
is the first book in Ilsa Evans' new
Nell Forrest Mystery
series. The second is
Ill-Gotten Gains
.

"Funny and heartwarming,
Nefarious Doings
kept me turning the pages until its surprising but entirely satisfying conclusion, when I found myself sad to leave Nell and the town. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next instalment."

- Di Blacklock