What's Inside?
A signed book - 'Broke Road' by Matthew Spencer
A candle - Taking inspiration from scents within the novel, this blend of wild sage, lemongrass and cedarwood is combined to create a herbaceous aroma.
An alcoholic beverage - Tyrrell’s Chardonnay - A family-owned vineyard located in the Hunter Valley where the novel is set. This Chardonnay is made from grapes harvested slightly earlier to create a wine with white peach citrus characters and a clean, crisp finish.
or a non-alcoholic beverage - Freed Orange & Passionfruit Iced Tea - Made by a Victorian owned business, this deliciously refreshing beverage is bursting with citrus flavour. Best served chilled or over ice, it is a delicious pairing to enjoy while reading.
A treat - Valley Produce Cheese, Tomato & Basil Flatbread - Delicious artisan crackers that make the perfect pairing for a summertime cheeseboard. A tasty match for a refreshing iced tea.
About the book...
A late-night phone call is never good news for Homicide Detective Sergeant Rose Riley. This time she's being sent up to the Hunter Valley, where a woman has been found dead in her home.
Rose grew up further along the valley. She knows that for every vineyard and golf course resort visited by tourists to the 'wine country' there are as many dilapidated fibro houses and drug dens, in the shadow of one of the state's largest prisons.
A media hound points the finger at the husband, angering Rose but capturing the attention of journalist turned true crime author Adam Bowman. His book on the 'Blue Moon Killer' made him famous but the case nearly cost Rose her life, and she's not sure how she feels about seeing him again.
Suspects abound, from the grieving husband to sinister business interests and suspicious locals. But when new evidence connects the crime to an old case, Rose realises they have no time to lose. The murderer is ready to strike again.
About the author...
Matthew Spencer was a journalist at The Australian for twenty years, with long stints running the Foreign News desk and as Opinion Editor. He has written for newspapers and magazines in Uganda and Kenya and been published in The Australian Financial Review and The Sydney Morning Herald.
He was born in Parramatta. The son of teachers, he lived with his sister Kate on the 320-acre campus of a boys' boarding school. Long summers on the largely deserted property while exploring the remnant bush with its tributary of the Parramatta River inspired his first novel, Black River.
Matthew lives in Sydney with his wife, and their three children.