Sarah Bailey & Body of Lies
Published by Allen & Unwin
Author Interview
Sarah Bailey is a prominent new Australian crime writer, known for her DS Gemma Woodstock series. The Dark Lake, first in the series won the 2018 Ned Kelly award for Best First Crime novel and the Davitt Award for Best Crime Debut.
The Housemate, her standalone novel, is being developed for TV.
The Dark Lake is followed by Into the Night and Where the Dead Go. Body of Lies, the fourth and final book in the series, was published in 2024 and has recently featured on the Together We Read /LIBBY book club, hosted by Ben Hobson.
The Together We Read /LIBBY book club is a great way of reading books for free – through public libraries. I read many books on my phone through the LIBBY App, which is serviced by OverDrive Australia and New Zealand. Access by joining your local library. Find out more below, after reading my interview with Sarah.
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Author Interview: Sarah Bailey
Thanks for speaking with Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog, Sarah.
Your plots are very exciting and gripping and Body of Lies lifts the stakes and adrenalin even higher, but I think the mark of the best crime novels is a strong, distinctive and often flawed protagonist. Think of Vera, Morse, Rebus and Australia’s Jack Irish, Martin Scarsden, Aaron Falk, Caleb Zelic, Amanda Pharrell, Kate Miles and others. You’ve certainly achieved this in Gemma Woodstock. What is the significance of her name?
Her name came to me from nowhere. She just appeared in my mind at the same time as the plot for The Dark Lake. I’m still not sure where she came from, but she arrived fully formed. I feel very lucky that she showed up and that I have been able to sustain her for so long.
Gemma seems to be both a survivor and self-destructive. How is she both strong and flawed?
Gemma has had to deal with a lot. Her teenage years were riddled with trauma and she lost two people she cared deeply about. This loss has impacted her ability to trust people and she tends to push people away before they get too close. This prickliness has also made her strong so it’s both a character flaw and a secret weapon.
What makes her good at her job?
She has good instincts about people and a natural empathy – she is good at putting herself in the shoes of others. She is determined to deliver justice and works tirelessly to get to the truth and deliver the best possible outcome for victims of crime.
How do you create tension in her life – home and at work?
She tends to create it for herself! I just document it. In all seriousness, her impulsiveness tends to create tension pretty regularly. She has a bad habit of talking before she thinks things through and she’s like a dog with a bone when it comes to a case and this intensity can put people in both her professional and personal world offside.
How has her personal and professional life changed in book 4, Body of Lies?
It’s changed a lot! She is now parenting an infant as well as her tween son, Ben, and she is in a new relationship with her former colleague, Mac. She is also trying to determine what she wants her career to look like as well as dealing with an aging parent and all the other things that come with middle age.
How does she support other women?
She knows what it’s like to be in a male-dominated environment and to have to prove herself over and over. This experience means she looks out for other women and prioritises lifting them up and believing them when they confide in her.
How are readers relating to her?
I get a mixed response to Gemma! Some people love her and really enjoy her brashness and other people find her infuriating. I don’t mind either way as long as they are reacting to her, I think some kind of reaction is always preferred over apathy. I’ve also had readers tell me how much they have enjoyed witnessing her develop over the series which is nice.
How is the Together We Read /LIBBY book club impacting the popularity of your books?
I’m not sure of the details but a lot of people are tagging me on social media saying and telling me they are reading it which is nice!
How are you fitting in your writing with having a fulltime job and family?
It’s not easy. I think about my plots and characters a lot as I am doing day-to-day things like cooking and catching public transport to and from work but I don’t have a lot of spare time to actually write. It means that when I can set a few hours aside, I need to make the most of it and get as many words down as I can. It’s also why I really need to like my plot idea. I need to be excited to return to it or I don’t think it would ever get done.
Which Australian (or international) crime writer (if any) has influenced your writing? How?
I read a lot of Patricia Cornwell as a teenager and I think she is responsible for getting me hooked on crime series. I loved the way I was able to watch her characters grow and evolve over the years. In terms of local authors, I am inspired by so many! JP Pomare, Dervla, Chris Hammer, the list goes on. They influence my writing by keeping me on my toes – they write such wonderful books.
Could you pitch Body of Lies in a sentence or two?
A woman is injured in a terrible car crash and dies in the emergency department at the nearby hospital. Hours later, her body is stolen from the morgue and Detective Gemma Woodstock is desperate to work out who she was and why on earth someone would steal her corpse. It’s the final book in the series and Gemma’s most intriguing case yet!
Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy life to answer these questions, Sarah. All the best with your books.
Joy Lawn, in association with Dmcprmedia
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Together We Read /LIBBY book club
Download the app https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby#GetTheApp
‘As price of living skyrockets, Australian households are looking for ways to reduce costs. For many, the answer is already in your wallet – with your local library card and The Libby App, where you can enjoy eBooks, audiobooks and magazines for free.’ (Media release)
Each eBook or audiobook in the Together We Read digital book club can be borrowed for free without holds or waiting during the fortnight the book features.
You can read the book independently, as part of your own book club, or as part of Ben’s Book Club.
At the time of posting, the free book without holds or waiting, is Christian White’s The Ledge.
Media release: About OverDrive Australia
OverDrive is a mission-based company that stands with libraries. Named a Certified B Corp in 2017, OverDrive serves more than 81,000 libraries and schools in 106 countries with the industry’s largest digital catalogue of eBooks, audiobooks, video and other content. OverDrive’s commitment to empower every library and school includes expanding access for all, tireless industry advocacy and consistently innovating. Award-winning apps and services include the Libby library reading app, the Sora student reading app, Kanopy, the leading video streaming app for libraries and colleges, and TeachingBooks.net, which offers one of the largest catalogues of supplemental materials that enhance literacy outcomes. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is in Cleveland, Ohio USA. www.overdrive.com
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