The Death of Dora Black: A Petticoat Police Mystery

A charming, uplifting cosy murder mystery inspired by the true story of Australia's pioneering policewoman Kate Cocks

'An outstanding debut - funny, poignant, historically fascinating, and an absorbingly good crime read - The Death of Dora Black keeps you guessing to the very end' PIP WILLIAMS

Summer, Adelaide, 1917. The impeccably dressed Miss Kate Cocks might look more like a schoolmistress than a policewoman, but don't let that fool you. She's a household name, wrangling wayward husbands into repentance, seeing through deceptive clairvoyants, and rescuing young women (whether they like it or not) with the help of a five-foot cane and her sassy junior constable, Ethel Bromley.

When shop assistant Dora Black is found dead on a city beach, Miss Cocks and Ethel are ordered to stay out of the investigation and leave it to the men. But when Dora's workmate goes missing soon after, the women suspect something sinister, and determine to take matters into their own hands. After all, who knows Adelaide better than the indomitable Miss Cocks?

In 1915, Fanny Kate Boadicea Cocks became the first policewoman in the British Empire employed on the same salary as men. This novel is a rich exploration of that little-known chapter of Australian history.

'Lainie Anderson has woven fact and fiction to create a crime fighting duo like no others, and I can't wait for the next instalment' PIP WILLIAMS

'The perfect cosy read. I loved spending time with the redoubtable Miss Kate Cocks and the marvellous Ethel Bromley. How refreshing to read historical crime fiction set in Adelaide during the Great War and focused on women' ANGELA SAVAGE

'Will have you engrossed and addictively flipping those pages' DAILY TELEGRAPH

'Armchair detectives will love this debut novel' WOMAN'S DAY

'Engrossing and entertaining . . . Anderson is an accomplished storyteller and she has crafted a cosy crime read that is equal parts intriguing mystery and fascinating historical study' BOOKS+PUBLISHING

'There is something profoundly addictive about Anderson's writing. It's warm, fast-paced and full of rich details that make it feel as though the story is oozing off the pages . . . Stunningly thought-out and accurately detailed' BETTER READING

'Full of warmth and humour, this is a cracking crime novel that will intrigue and impress' READINGS

Lainie Anderson is a writer whose 35-year career in journalism and public relations includes 17 years as a columnist with Adelaide's Sunday Mail, as well as stints at Melbourne's Herald Sun, London's The Times and the South Australian Tourism Commission. After being awarded a Churchill Fellowship, Lainie published her debut novel Long Flight Home in 2019. In 2024, Lainie completed a PhD with the University of South Australia, researching the life of Kate Cocks, the inspiration behind The Death of Dora Black. Lainie is a board member of Reconciliation South Australia, an ambassador with the Hutt Street Centre, sits on the executive committee of the History Council of South Australia and the selection committee of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. She is a History Guardian for the History Trust of South Australia and was announced as the 2023 Emerging Historian of the Year by the History Council of South Australia. She lives in the Adelaide Hills with her husband Max.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.