Penny Tangey is no stranger to the publishing world, with four novels for young readers to her name. She’s also no stranger to the world of libraries. But her latest novel – set in the busy East Melbourne Library – is brand new territory for Tangey, who (one hopes) has never had to solve a murder that took place in her own neighbourhood.
What Rhymes with Murder? is Tangey’s first book for adults. Described as Only Murders in the Building meets Thursday Murder Club, this latest addition to the rapidly growing cosy crime genre introduces readers to new mother, Frida, and her adorable sidekick, baby Finn. When Frida is encouraged by husband Ben to venture outside the apartment after anxieties have left her pinned within the safety of home, she decides to attend a Baby Rhyme Time session at the nearby East Melbourne Library.
But somewhere between singing “Open Shut Them” and play time with colourful scarves and shakers, a scream interrupts Frida’s outing, and soon she finds herself held for questioning, alongside all the other potential witnesses at the library that day. Among them are Dana, the fashionable and quirky librarian, Mariana, a library-goer seen arguing with the staff over a religious pro-life group being allowed to gather in one of the meeting rooms, and all of the other parents and carers who had been attending that morning’s session. Frida wants nothing more than to retreat back into her home with her son, and stay where it’s safe, but she can’t get the murder – or the victim – out of her head. Soon, she and fellow Rhyme Timer, sole Dad of the group, Josh, have formed a band of unlikely sleuths, determined to get to the bottom of what happened on the mezzanine that day.
Cosy mysteries are everywhere at the moment, and their popularity is in no small part thanks to the growing number of writers who expertly balance an ability to weave dark, complex topics into a story full of solvable puzzles, relatable characters and lighter or humorous writing styles. What Rhymes with Murder? is no exception- while the idea of two exhausted parents traipsing around after the police, snooping for clues does seem rife with opportunities for hilarious misunderstandings and hijinks, Tangey also uses Frida’s foray into the outside world as a way to talk about the isolation that comes with new motherhood, and the importance of community.
Her background in libraries makes her choice of setting a natural one, and lends an authenticity to the space which makes up the primary set piece of the novel. Other settings include the local cafe, and the space outside a family planning clinic which is frequently being protested by a group called The Family of the Sacred Child, a religious pro-life group with members who seem to be taking more drastic steps to get their message across.
While most writers aiming for a lighter tone might shy away from such topics, Tangey finds a way to make a subject that others might consider taboo work well. Grisly murder is par for the course now, but safe access to abortion and the right to bodily autonomy are still considered by some to be contentious issues, even in fiction. Yet paired with a discussion of the history of women’s access to family planning and healthcare delivered on a feminist leaning tour of the suburb, and with Frida’s own anxieties of motherhood, Tangey takes what might otherwise be a fairly didactic plot point and makes it nuanced. It is clear that her intention is not to make a judgement, but rather to talk about motherhood more generally, and to take a longer view of how thoughts and attitudes have changed in the same community over time.
As to how all this relates to the murder in the library? On that, I won’t say too much for fear of spoiling a cleverly plotted mystery, but I will say that having a socially isolated character and putting her in situations where she needs to come up with creative ways to interrogate the other characters she meets does make for some hilarious dialogue.
Frida finds herself in all manner of odd situations, and must work out when the threat level is real, and when it’s all in her head. The only thing she knows for sure is that she cannot always trust her own judgement. Anxiety has lied to her before. With no one to trust and a baby to take care of, the stakes are high, and Tangey does an excellent job of putting the reader right there in the moment with Frida.
If you love Kate Solly’s novel The Paradise Heights Craft Store Stitch Up then this one’s for you. Here’s hoping it’s only the first of many outings for Frida, Josh and the gang.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Penny Tangey’s What Rhymes with Murder? is out now through Simon and Schuster Australia. Grab yourself a copy from your local bookstore HERE.
