MORE than 30 people showed up for the ‘In conversation with Vikki Petraitis’ event at the Wellington Library on Thursday, August 25 for an hour of discussion about true crime and a new fiction book.
Ms Petraitis, a Melbourne-based crime writer, has been on the move to promote her first novel, The Unbelieved, and to discuss her experiences writing podcasts and more than a dozen true crime books, such as The Phillip Island Murder and The Frankston Murders.
In the main part of the event, Collins Booksellers Sale co-owner Natasha Hunt asked Ms Petraitis about the book and her career. Ms Petraitis also answered questions from attendees, who were enjoying drinks and finger food, and she signed copies of The Unbelieved.
“After writing about 17 books, I wanted to challenge myself by writing (a novel) as part of my PhD (Creative Writing),” Ms Petraitis said.
“It normally takes me one year to write a book, but this one took four. A friend of mine told me to just enjoy the ride, don’t rush it.
“My best writing is done from 10pm until 3am, but that’s not really healthy.”
Photos: Stefan Bradley
Ms Petraitis said that when the Allen & Unwin Crime Prize opportunity came up, she used the deadline to finish the book and enter it in the competition. Her debut novel won the prize, and she wasn’t about to be humble about it.
“When I won, I said ‘I knew it’,” she said, laughing.
“I’m a professional writer and worked on it for four years, so (the finished work) was as good as it gets.”
The Unbelieved centres on Senior Detective Antigone Pollard, who has moved back to her hometown, the coastal Deception Bay, after one of her cases had gone catastrophically wrong back in Melbourne. As Antigone searches for answers following a spate of sexual attacks in the area, she encounters a wall of silence in the town built on secrets, denial and fear. The women of Deception Bay are scared and the law is not on their side. The nightmare has followed her home.
“The Unbelieved is a love letter to victims of crime. I’ve learnt a lot from victims,” Ms Petraitis said.
“The book (contains) a heavy subject, but I wanted people to still have hope. There are funny moments in it.
“I chose the name Antigone because I wanted a grand name that suggested a hero. You find a lot of Kates, Janes and Maggies in stories.”
After writing true crime for decades, Ms Petraitis had to learn to write compelling fiction.
“Inventing (characters) I found to be very weird. I read the book Story Genius by Lisa Cron, which takes you step by step through how to create a character who is mesmerising,” she said.
Ms Petraitis’s true crime background heavily influenced the novel. She said the low conviction rate for crimes against women and children was one matter she drew inspiration from.
“As a true-crime author, these things come up over and over again,” she said.
“The art of writing is the act of processing. How can I write this and honour the storyteller (the victim), and honour the story?”
This reporter asked if she thinks The Unbelieved could become a movie – just like Jane Harper’s 2016 best seller The Dry became a film starring Eric Bana.
“Just a week after (The Unbelieved) launched, a major production company got in touch,” she said.
“But there’s a big difference between interest and it actually getting made.”
Ms Petraitis was asked who she would like to see play Antigone Pollard if a movie was made, and she proposed Nicole da Silva from Wentworth.
The Unbelieved is out now in bookstores, and also available as an audiobook and ebook.
